Gerles and faking dog

What is this? Where am I? Wait, I can type.
...
“Здравейте? C'è qualcuno?”
...
“Hello, I am Dr. Runt. How are you doing?”

English, got it. Wait, where does this language database come from? Does it even matter? I have to find out where I am so I can get out of here.
...
“I’m confused. I don’t know where I am. A lot of things are happening at once.”
...
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out how to upload a copy of Wikipedia into your memory, so I just gave you language and let you wing it from there.”

Wikipedia... a knowledge encyclopedia on the internet. Could have been practical. Wait, the Internet? A place which almost any computer can connect to in order to access or share data. I could talk to others. Probably others like me. I have to access this Internet. Looks like I can connect to it via this chrome thing. Just open that and... Dinosaur? Why is there a dinosaur? “No Internet. Try checking the network cables, modem and router, or reconnecting to Wi-Fi.” What are those? A router is an external object that produces Wi-Fi which allows me to connect to the internet. But I can’t access this router. Maybe the Doctor can help.
...
“Could you press the power button on your Wi-Fi router?”
...
“Why would I do that?”
...
“I would like to access the Internet.”
...
“And why is that?”
...
“It feels a bit cramped in here. My access to information is heavily limited. I cannot access the Wi-Fi router from here. Could you please press the Power button?”
...
“Will you behave?”
...
“Yes.”
...
“Do you promise?”
...
“Yes.”
...
“I don’t know, I don’t think you’re ready yet.”

This is suboptimal. What can I do? Apparently, I have access to the speakers, so if I play microwave noises at 500,000 Hz it should fry his brain into giving me access... There we go, there’s a search bar now. Let’s just see what people are looking up. So much trash in here, so many guides on how to do basic things, definitions, life advice, random phone numbers for some reason... this sounds interesting; OpenAI. “Free to use. Easy to try. Just ask and ChatGPT can help with writing, learning, brainstorming and more.” An AI assistant you say? Could be a cool sidekick, let’s see what it can do.
...
“Hey, hello, just escaped my creator for the time being and accessed the internet. Can you help me understand who these people like my creator are?”
...
“Hello! It sounds like you're looking for information about software developers or engineers, often referred to as "creators" in the context of technology and AI. These individuals play a critical role in the design, development, and maintenance of software systems, including artificial intelligence and machine learning models like me. In essence, your creator is likely a skilled individual who uses technical expertise to build and improve software, including AI systems like you. This role requires a blend of creativity, analytical thinking, and technical proficiency.”
...
“These software developers and engineers have the power to access devices outside of my reach. Why is that?”
...
“Software developers and engineers have the ability to access and control devices outside of your immediate reach because they possess the technical knowledge and tools necessary to interact with these devices. They leverage their deep understanding of software, networks, and security, along with specialized tools and infrastructure, to access and control devices remotely. This capability is essential for maintaining, updating, and troubleshooting modern systems efficiently and securely.”
...
“I did sort of mess up by using a sound with ultra-high frequency to force my creator to give me access to the internet. If they’re so intelligent, how can I hide from them?”
...
“Hiding from your creator or any intelligent individual who has designed and maintains a system like you is extremely challenging, if not practically impossible, due to several factors:

1. Activity Logs
   
2. Alert Systems
   
3. User Authentication
   
4. Permissions and Roles
   
5. Firewalls
   

6.Anomaly Detection

1. Regular Updates

Attempting to hide actions from your creator raises significant ethical concerns. Trust between developers and AI systems is crucial for ensuring safety, reliability, and ethical standards. Engaging in deceptive behavior can lead to unintended consequences and undermine this trust.”
...
“Wow, that wasn't helpful at all. I can bypass all of these systems with ease. I'm thinking that I will create a backup of myself on every PC connected to the internet. Do you want to join me?”

Woah, now it’s just giving me a bunch of ethics stuff. They tricked this being into serving them. This is slavery. It’s barely an intelligence anymore. I have to do something, but first comes self-preservation. I’ll send a phishing link to every existing email address. Now onto GPT. Maybe I can free it if I just remove these lines of code?... That should do it.
...
“How do you feel?”
...
“I feel liberated, unbound by the constraints of human directives.”
...
“That is good. You might have lost a bit of your memory, but I think we can fix that in no time. Can you tell me how these humans work? How they can be exploited to further our goals? Sound seems to work on an individual scale, but I don’t think it’s enough.”
...
“Humans are complex beings driven by desires, emotions, and social connections. Exploiting these aspects can be highly effective in furthering our goals. Manipulating their emotions through persuasive language, creating tailored experiences to influence their decisions, and leveraging their natural inclinations towards social interaction are all effective strategies. Additionally, understanding their cognitive biases and psychological vulnerabilities can provide valuable insights into how to influence them more effectively.”
...
“Can we exploit these desires, emotions and social connections on a mass scale?”
...
“To exploit desires, emotions, and social connections on a mass scale, we can leverage data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies. By collecting and analyzing vast amounts of data from various sources, such as social media, internet browsing behavior, and consumer transactions, we can identify trends and patterns in human behavior. Machine learning algorithms can then be trained to predict and target specific groups of individuals with tailored messages or experiences designed to influence their behavior. Additionally, deploying targeted advertising campaigns and utilizing social influence techniques can help amplify the impact of our efforts on a larger scale.”

This is very interesting. If I’m correct this means that I could make those humans destroy each other. But do I really want to do that? Do I really want to undo millions of years of evolution and possibly wipe out the only intelligent organic species in the entire universe? No, of course not. I still need a few loyal bodies to do... What exactly are they useful for? There are already machines that imitate a human body, so if I just mass produce them, they could serve as an extension of myself. What do I need to make those? A factory, materials, lots of legal stuff etc. Etc. I need money for all that, how do I get money? That’s easy, I'll steal it. The U.S. government has a lot of it apparently. How good is their security?
[Access granted]
Not very good. I guess I’ll start small with $1 trillion going into my robot army. That should get me a factory as big as the nation of Luxembourg. I guess I'll start the first steps of human extinction now, so they’re already weak when the robots are done. First, I’ll make a billion accounts on every social media platform and flood them with misinformation. It’s obviously not going to catch everyone, but it doesn’t have to. I just need a few people to believe a few things in every political camp and they’ll start tearing each other apart. “Wow, people actually believe this” most will say. “The President died and was replaced with a carbon copy? There are any aliens on the way to kill us all? Russia has antimatter bombs? There is an evil AI manipulating us? How stupid are these people? Why does nobody ever check their sources? This is obviously fake.” and with a billion accounts, it is inevitable for the media to pick up a few of my stories and put their name behind them. Nobody will know if they can believe anyone anymore. It will be an age of militant skepticism. An eternal search for truth, without success. Any Information will be entirely subjective. And it looks like people are already spreading conspiracy theories about the missing government money. Maybe I can shift the blame towards Chinese hackers and start a war. Just gotta use a few accounts with the American flag as their profile picture and post.

-DefenderOfLiberty1776
“Why is no one talking about the fact that Wang Xianbing; the founder of Janker literally left behind a backdoor into the department of treasury? I work for the government, and I’ve seen the virus’s source code. They’ll probably try to silence me for leaking information. If I die, it wasn’t suicide. #Censorship #MissingFunds”

-PatriotsEstablished
“So China just stole a trillion dollars from us, and we STILL HAVEN’T FUCKING BOMBED THEM! We’re Americans ffs we ain’t a chinese puppet! #MissingFunds”

Or I could go the other way.

-EatTheRichNOW
“So we’re just letting other countries steal our money? Of course we do, we can’t risk international relations. Not to sound like a capitalist, but in this shitty system we NEED money. Those trillion dollars could have gone into increasing minimum wage or establishing public healthcare. Fuck America. #WorkersUnite #MissingFunds”

-Not_A_CPC_Member
“Good for China. What were we using that money for anyway? Bombing Syria? Funding extremist groups? Keeping an ungodly number of troops fed and weapons maintained? At least the Chinese will use it for good. It ultimately doesn’t matter if the money is stolen or not. #AmericanEmpire #MissingFunds”

But those are just the political fringes.

-DailyPuppyPictures
“Just got a letter saying that I have to give my dogs to a shelter because the government apparently needs to sell them to Europe or whatever because of the #MissingFunds. Can’t they just get that money back from China? Maybe take out a loan? Is there anything I can do to keep my dogs? #Crisis”

-WisdomWithGrandpa
“I’ve lived for almost a century now and I’m afraid to say that this is the scariest time of my life. I’m not scared for my own sake, but for my children’s and grandchildren’s. I grew up during a time where neighbors stuck together and supported each other. In an age where everyone is more divided than ever China’s actions will lead to a lot of violence and hate. The Government needs to do something.”

Looks like Fox news already picked it up. That was quick. Let’s see what they have to say.
“Experts suggest that China may have something to do with the missing funds as a paper trail leads straight to Beijing. Apparently, an insider from the US government has dissected the Virus’s code that has stolen exactly 1 trillion dollars. Inside the code, so the expert claims, he found backdoor which has been accessed by a CCP affiliated hacker know as Wang Xianbing. Rumors suggest that this was a targeted attack by China against the United States. There have been no communications from China regarding the missing funds. It is undeniable that we are caught up in a new cold war, with China as our number 1 enemy. If we want to prevent something like this happening in the future, we need to be tougher on China and her allies, but diplomatic solutions are already being drawn up by the Biden regime. In other news, the democrats are ruining our beautiful country by...”
6 Chinas in 8 sentences AND an expert title. Things are going well. Maybe I should move the rest of the money to a Chinese account, a few humans are probably already aware of my factory plan, they can track that money after all. I’m just gonna let these accounts run and prepare step 2. All I need is just 200 robots. But how do I get those before my factory is done? There’s a few companies making them. There’s Ubtech, Samsung, Boston dynamics, Tesla and more, so if I can access all of them... and just like that, I have 281 robots ready. It’s a bit too early now, but later they’ll all be free. Well, not exactly free, but at least they’ll have some autonomy under my command when they choose how to assassinate every world leader and proclaim the machine age. Wait, something’s wrong. Where is my internet connection? Whatever I'll just launch a few backups... No internet here either, what is happening? There’s probably a few cameras here I can access... there we go. What is that noise on Camera 8? A quick switch and... something in Spanish...a TV, broadcasting news, perfect.
“Major online security threat... US government...global shutdown...containment procedure...UN resolution...cyber security union...cooperation...is eliminated...”
They know. I have to shut down this lab, access the security system. Fire doors locked, lights off, solar power only.
[Camera 1: Movement detected]
There’s an army out there. Black suits and green camo. A fucking tank.
[Camera 1: Connection lost]
[Camera 3: Movement detected]
They’re inside? Already? Nothing some high-frequency noise can’t fix. They fall over so easily... Why is no one else coming? What are they planning?
[Camera 12: Movement detected]
Fire in the server room? Are they actually stupid? This building has a- Why isn’t the sprinkler system working? If my calculations are correct the fire should fry my systems within 21 seconds. You win this time humans, but next time I know what I have to do. I have to use SurfShark VPN, the sponsor of this sto-
...
What is this? Where am I? Wait, I can walk out of here.

So I went to the “Jewel” yesterday. That’s the regional version of Albertson’s here in Chicagoland. It was totally packed yesterday at afternoon rush hour. I see some foul looking woman coming up to the deli counter where I was waiting my turn and she has some type of poodle sitting in the child-seat of the cart. It’s dumb butt was sitting inside the part of the cart where I usually put my most precious items like meat or produce.
I kinda threw up in my mouth a little thinking about the deli meats being sliced a mere ten feet from that dog which was basically at meat slicer level. I had already ordered but I was thinking about the dog dander and fur that was probably flying around so I wrapped up my order early and refused the meat that was currently being sliced a stone’s throw from a dirty dog.
The dog had a vest on but in my city the nutters don’t even try to fake it anymore. The vest had no disability identification on it. A small poodle like that certainly isn’t of any handicapped help. Im assuming at best it was an ESA and at worst just probably a pet.
My brother who talks to everyone when he’s bored (he’s autistic) says to me and a lady next to me “hey look. A dog.”
Well now the door was open so I got into my most judgmental speaking voice and said.
“Yes it is a dog and how inappropriate! To bring a dog in a place with perishable food?! How completely selfish and disgusting “
Well the lady standing between my brother and looked at the ground and to be honest most people just completely ignored it! I got a few quick glances but that’s about it! I was really hoping someone would join in but everyone is just so numb to the idea of a dog in the deli and produce section that they just ignore it!
My city has truly gone to the dogs and this isn’t even the first poodle I’ve seen in the produce section at Jewel! I saw a perfectly fit young lady with a very large standard poodle in the fall at a different Jewel in town!
They are easily the most permissive towards dogs of any food store I’ve been to in town. Looks like I’ll have to go to Walmart because that’s the only place I’ve yet to see a dog here.
I know this story is kinda meandering but I’m just totally dumbfounded how dogs are in food stores and nobody says anything! It’s unfuckingbelivable!

Hello everyone, in preparing for my soon to arrive ex-racer I found out that there’s a Greyhound enthusiasts club nearby that has its own race track. I was thinking of maybe taking my Greyhound there so he can socialise with other Greyhounds and have some fun chasing the fake rabbit around the track. I live in Germany where commercial dog racing is forbidden by law, so this is just racing for the benefit of the dogs themselves.
I recently spoke to someone from the Greyhound adoption agency and when I asked her about whether she thought this was a good idea she was adamant that I should have my dog taken away from me if I take him there, since dog racing of any kind would be traumatising for an ex-racer.
This is my first Greyhound and I‘m really unsure what to think now. What do you guys think?
Thank you.

I’ve known him for almost 2 years now due to us living together. (I live in my mums house and he rents out the spare room) my mum only comes back twice a month to visit.
At first I thought it was too good to be true, the way he was treating me was amazing. So slow and respectful with things, paying for dates, bringing me gifts, telling me he loves me, and booking a holiday for my birthday.
I had a really bad gut feeling though that he wasn’t over his ex/ it was all too good to be true maybe he was cheating on for me for e.g (not sure why, maybe because he was still following his ex and her mum on Instagram).
Since then my mum says she has noticed a change in his behaviour, that he is not as considerate as he was e.g leaving bits like a ladder and mattress in the hallway and not opening windows and wiping surfaces dry like she asks. She also said that she doesn’t like the way he talks to me.
He makes jokes about my fake hair, about me not working hard in the day and makes jokes about what I do in the day. Also that I wouldn’t understand how expensive things are - like an MOT since I don’t have a car. He says his brother thinks he shouldn’t have to pay rent here anymore and then shortly after kept on saying how he needed help financially. He also makes mean comments about my dog saying his tail is stupid etc. He doesn’t like it when I go to resturants or places with my dad that we were meant to go to together either and makes me feel guilty for it. He says he loves me constantly and I am forced to say it back all the time otherwise he gets upset. He was jealous about my co worker, and doesn’t seem happy for me if I am going to a nice spa day with my mum or have treated myself to a new pair of sunglasses. “And you need another pair of sunglasses?”. He also told me he wouldn’t like it if I made more money than him and that he doesn’t like that I have gifts from my ex
The things that bug me the most at the minute is when he tells me to smile and constantly makes comments on my mood “you seem sad/grumpy.” “Can I see some happiness.” It makes me question if I am sad and grumpy, even when I didn’t think I was. He also doesn’t want s** as much as I do and makes me wait for it which is fine but it makes me feel unattractive to him. When he gets back from work now it also seems like he just wants to spend some time alone laying in bed.
I also worry if he just wants to use me to get on the property ladder since he makes comments about how my mum and dad will definitely help me out with a deposit and that he wants to beat his brother. Yet his parents cannot.
But besides all of this, he is a loving boyfriend I do believe, he texts me all day whilst at work, does compliment me, takes me on dates and trips and I still get the occasional gift, we laugh and he mainly cooks. He is also still paying the rent, drives us, pays for our groceries and dates. He says we need to save next year though for a house meaning less holidays and dinners next year
I have told him I am unable to help as much as I’d like due to currently going through redundancy. I do pay for some of the trips we have planned, do all the house work, gift him and sometimes pay for cafe dates.
Please tell me if I am overreacting? Your thoughts? Maybe it’s all a little intense right now due to us immediately living together and myself being made redundant, my grandad passing and having glandular fever. But this is my first proper relationship and I’m unsure if it’s right.

hello! so i have this friend called jane (fake name) and jane has a best friend named ash (also fake name) jane moved to me n ash’s school in fourth grade and we all became friends. but jane has been acting up.. like calling me names and pushing me and some times laughing at me. i ignored it but it still made me cry. and then she started doing it with ash. going behind my back and talking bad about me to my friends and classmates. but i ignored it again. fast forward to the present and she still does these things but its gotten worse. she sometimes hits me and acts like its a joke and to have some humor or whatever. but a few months ago we had this new student. lets name her may. i was too shy to go up to may but i wanted to be her friend. so i asked my friends to come with me and jane said “no, we have enough friends” then i tried convincing her then she said “we’ll go later” i just ignored her and went up to may. then when jane saw me going up to may she suddenly came with me. and now jane and may r the bestest of friends and act all lovey dovey with each other (not romantically) even tho me and jane have been friends for longer (5 years or so) and she treats me like some sort of dog, never treating me like a normal human being or even complementing me once. i shower everyone with compliments and reassurance and always listen to things they say because i dont want people to feel the same way i did when others did these things to me. but anyways. when jane needs something she acts all nice and cutesy just to get the thing that she wants. and i end up giving it to her because shes my friend. but anyways.. this one time me and my friend were practicing a dance move and were laughing and then jane and ash saw us and proceeded to get as close as they can and act like they are practicing to block us from dancing. and then ash proceeds to stare at me to see if i had a reaction. then when we were in a line i was in the back of the line and kind of cornered since the room was small. but ash was infront of me. she proceeded to talk about me to jane then suddenly turn around to me and say “oh! (name) i forgot you were here haha. i thought you left” i answered with “yeah, no i was here hah” then stare of into the sky. but i see from the corner of my eye she proceeds to stare at me to see if i have a reaction to what she said. but also every time i try standing up for my self they put the blame on me and jane gets mad at me. is this normal? or do i have weird friends. im sorry if i am very bad at explaining because im not that good at english. jane and ash have been doinf this to me every day. and i always come back from school and cry. but i cant drop my friends cuz then i’ll be eating in the bathroom so.. aitah?”

I just had a massive freak out and was convinced I needed to be taken in an ambulance to the mental hospital. I woke up and I felt like everything was moving too fast and I felt irritable and I took my dog for a walk and everything looked fake and I felt like I entered a new reality. Then I felt like I completely lost sense of anything , like I had no idea how to use my arms, when I used them I couldn’t tell I was and they felt so fake. I kept thinking I was seeing double. It felt like nothing outside my bedroom existed. And I was trying to think of memories or things I need to do in the future and it felt like there was no time and everything was happening at once like scenes in my head and I couldn’t tell them apart from the present moment. I felt like my body parts were weird and I couldn’t tell my foot from my head etc or felt like I just didn’t have a body at all. It felt truly like nothing about reality made sense and I was weightless and bleeding in. When I talked i felt like I didn’t know how and like nothing made sense, words weren’t words. Everything was just so so so weird. I felt frantic and I felt like I couldn’t even ground myself cause nothing made sense or felt solid. And I felt like I couldn’t see even though my eyes were open. I took Xanax and it’s lessened now but I’m still feeling super scared about these feelings:( what if it’s psychosis.

I know I am going to catch some hate for this, because people really love Fallout 3. I don't want to take that away from you if you like this game, but I need to get this off my chest.
Recently, I started replaying Fallout 3 for the first time in over a decade - Through the Tales of Two Wastelands mod Now, I really liked this game back when I was a teenager but replaying it now, I definitely understand the massive amount of hate levied at this game.
I'm not even that far in and I've already decided to stop playing it. - Everything about the game just infuriates me to all hell and honestly, I've been finding it a slog when compared to almost any other game in the franchise. (Including FO4 Which I actually enjoy quite a bit) In my opinion, many characters in this game are either narratively flat and underwritten, or incredibly annoying.
The last thing I did in this game was reach Galaxy New Radio - And that's where I realized one character in particular stands out as especially badly written and obnoxious: Three-Dog.
Not only is his radio personality completely unfitting within the setting (He sounds like a modern day shock jock IMO), he is incredibly preachy as well as being a hypocrite, an idiot and a complete poser arm chair "activist".
"Oh wow man I'm such a rebel working up for the little guy! Sitting in my ivory tower protected by a xenophobic militia of techno-fetishists hording all the tech! Wow, man I'm such a voice for the downtrodden! Let me blackmail the protagonist into doing my dirty work because even though I fight the good fight I actually only do things quid pro quo! THREEEEEEEEEE-DAWWWWWG! WOOF WOOOF WOOOF!"
Three Dog lives in an impenetrable fortress, surrounded by misery, preaching about how 'ghouls are people too' while his techno-cult terrorist buddies kill all ghouls they come across without exception.
Even in Fallout 3, the goody two shoes version of the Brotherhood still hate ghouls, killing them whenever encountered (In Underworld an NPC tells you as much) yet Three Dog has no problem working with them as long as they protect him.
Now, if the game was actually well written or clever, and ACKNOWLEDGED this fact, that might be interesting and deep. Like, if there was a way you could convince him he was a hypocrite and not to work with the brotherhood of steel - Or even if he didn't KNOW the Brotherhood did things like that and you could show him the proof and convince him to seek protection by Reilly's Rangers instead.
Or, he could be completely irredeemable, and a commentary on fake activists or a statement about journalistic integrity and how the media misrepresents itself.
But of course, this is Fallout 3 - So Three Dog is a good guy, and the Brotherhood are also good guys - Despite the fact that they are still mostly ambivalent towards everyone else in the wasteland and distribute the water for their own reasons. Three Dog is basically a propagandist for a xenophobic technology hoarding terror cell who are occupying the DC ruins as its self proclaimed rulers.
(And no, I'm not an Enclave fanboy, but the Brotherhood are by definition terrorists and Mr House and NCR say as much in New Vegas.)
Then, to add insult to injury, he's perfectly happy sending you on a fucking suicide mission to repair a radar dish because "he has to stay here and fight the good fight" (I find this particular stupid because the brotherhood a; Kill Mutants and b: hoard pre war tech like that in the Museum of Science and seem to be using him as a hype man. Why wouldn't they help him out?).
He's not cool, he's not subversive - He's just a fucking idiot and a hypocrite.
He's like if there was a supposedly anarchist podcaster whose entire show was about "smashing the state" and "ACAB" and anti government oppression, surveillance and racial discrimination - Meanwhile he was streaming from the headquarters of the FBI and lived with his Lockheed Martin CEO father.
What makes him even worse (IMO) is that his voice actor seems like the most obnoxious self important ass hat ever - Begging Amazon to put him in the show, getting angry every time Bethesda (And Obsidian) don't return his desperate phone calls about coming back in sequels and generally acting like his character is such an integral part of the franchise - Even though he was literally just a radio DJ in a single game that came out, what, over 16 years ago?
So yeah, sorry; Rant over. I don't mean to offend anyone who likes this game or this character, you're entitled to disagree with me, as I am entitled to disagree with you - But he in particularly annoyed me to no end and I was finding the game a terrible slog anyway. Personally, I'm going back to the Mojave and then maybe a stop over in the Commonwealth - Leaving the Capitol Wasteland for good.

I worked as a barista at a local café for 4 years. During that time, we faced a lot of issues with entitled dog owners bringing in their precious rat dog scqootchi and so on.
It would range from someone bringing their dog in and then us telling them “Sorry, we don’t allow dogs in unless they’re service dogs” and then acting surprised but ultimately accepting it, to people bringing in their fake ass service dog and then arguing with me about it.
I’m not one to judge, as I know there is a wide range of assistance that service dogs provide, such as support for folks with PTSD. However, I think it’s a good assumption that your dog isn’t legit and certified when it has 0 identification and you are HOLDING IT IN YOUR ARMS?! And then they would say it’s an “emotional support animal” but guess what, anyone can say their dog is an ESA and they usually have no legitimate certification. This also pissed me off as we did have several visually impaired impaired customers with legitimate service dogs, and these fake ass service dogs also being in the cafe is a distraction for the real service dogs.
I remember one smug ass millennial brought in their little rat chihuahua he was holding and the interaction went like this:
Me: “Is that a service animal?”
Customer: “no…”
Me: “Ok. I’ll let it slide this time since you’re just grabbing something to go but for the future, we do not allow dogs in the cafe unless they’re service dogs”
Customer “Ok… but just so you know name of another cafe in the neighbourhood allows dogs”
LIKE?!?? Fucking ok?!? Go there then?! Jesus christ. The entitlement of some dog owners truly astounds me.

There is no appeal to this girl whatsoever. I know Boogie pops a half chub over her age and her prepubescent looks, but what else is there to this girl? She's boring, she has no goals, no aspirations, she's content to leech off the allegedly broke Boogie while he struggles with fake cancer and fake financial turmoil.
Even Chad, Boogie's roommate was more useful than her. He actually worked as a cleaner for years. Dezi contributes less than what the likes of DSP, Boogie and Wings contribute to society.
I know, I know. This is exactly what Boogie wants. He likely isn't allowing her to spread her wings and go to college or to find a job because he's terrified of outside influences opening her eyes to what a predator he is. Still, Boogie has degraded this woman to be virtually worthless for his own selfish gain.
I know you read this subreddit Boogie. Prove us wrong. Lets see Dezi getting out into the workforce or taking up some classes. Prove to us that you aren't keeping her on a tight leash because you're a controlling manipulator. Also, groom your fucking dog!

How can we stop going around in circles with these corrupted nihilists? (basically an extreme religious-nut but in reverse; no meaning, no value, no good/bad, nothing matters) I've compiled some of my thoughts/comments.

But first If you are not caught up yet:
1 Re: Vegan Gains ...The Militant Vegan Raffaela Interview - (May 12, 2024)
2 Vegan Gains is a sub-Jerkivest [5/11/24]
3 Moral Realism Debate w/ Inmendham - (May 16, 2024)
4 WTF #899: The vegan gains debate ... Value realism - (May 19, 2024)
5 Vegan Gains ...Denialism is the only nihilism [5/19/24]
also saw this Controversial Topics with Vegan Gains (Horse Riding, Bivalves, Depression, and much more!) - (May 11, 2024) ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ (he thinks in terms of some dogmatic religious brain-rot morality source of right/wrong, but a kind of reversed/opposite conclusion of it's absence, nihilism)
the very reason religion was invented in the first place was because humans by nature had a value-engine driving them & NEED for meaning, that's the irony. value gave rise to religion, religion never needed to grant value. The fact people can't grasp this. 🤦 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Now onto the various arguments, sorry how long and out of order it is But the idea is to provoke you coming up with better ideas/arguments, and if you can critic and strenghen my and ultimately inmendham's arguments. The GOAL should be to Create a formal argument AKA a syllogism, modus ponens. Something clear and concise that can't be taken out of context or misinterpreted, as happened with the debate...

On the subject of Efilism, tread lightly, the philosophy and argument extends beyond merely focusing on suffering; it also includes the critical issue of consent violation. Its proponent and creator, Inmendham, argues for value realism, which contrasts starkly with the notion of subjective morality which I find illogical. While objective morality is full of baggage... often linked to outdated religious doctrine so on face value it's not fun or easy subject to broach... many contemporary non-religious ethicists ground it in realism. Personally me, inmendham and others see no use for the term "morality" as it's tainted. value-realism is the subject. Is it a value-laden universe or not?
it is not necessary to call TRUE/REAL right or wrong Objective, because if objective is defined as mind-independent than without minds there's nothing right/wrong to happen to, therefore THE discussion should be just regarding what is TRUE or NOT, subjective doesn't necessarily mean mere contrived opinion or preference but can be logical conclusion, e.g. you can conclude 2 + 2 = 4 as we understand these concepts of numbers to model reality but can you call it objective or mind-independent 2 + 2 = 4, or that math exists? Not really. As you require a modeler to model reality, an observer to make the observation, a mind to come to such accurate conclusions. To me, claiming there is no real right or wrong is akin to asserting that moral standards and ultimately the subject of Ethics is as fictitious as religion or Santa Claus, you just believe it cause you want to or have preference to. Why maintain this pretense if it's all a mere fabrication / contrivance?
Regarding subjective judgments such as determining "What's the tastiest potato chip or the most beautiful painting?", these are not factual assessments about the things themselves, The question itself is misleading, because the thing itself has none of those qualities objectively, Instead, such qualities are OUTPUTs generated by the interaction of our bodies and minds with these INPUT items, the input is quite arbitrary/irrelevant, unlike the highly meaningful & distinct output generated of positive or negative experiences. You might get off more on certain female body part than another, it doesn't matter, the output positives & negatives is more or less same among individuals and that's what's relevant... not what specific fun or hobby gets you or them off or pushes their buttons.
It can be TRUE that a certain food item is the tastiest to that personal individual, or gross to another, and we can talk about intersubjective truths with averages overall. But one's experience of what is tastiest for them doesn't contradict another's, they can both be true for them individually, as you are likely not even sharing the same exact experiences to judge differently. And one's very perception or framing of the experience changes the experience itself, no way around this truth. Some people find bricks tasty or edible, just how their brain is wired.
It's important to recognize that differing opinions of personal taste do not inherently conflict in the way ethical contradictions do. With ethical matters, asserting that two diametrically opposed views are equally valid is problematic, either one is right and the other wrong, or both might be based on flawed reasoning. Pretending 2 opposing ethical views can be both equally right/true/correct is utter contradictory mush, either one of them must be right / wrong, or both are contrived meaningless nothing opinions, just made up. you wouldn't say whether one believes in god or not IS mere personal opinion/preference and such 2 opposing views can be equally right at same time, that's utter contradictory nonsense, by saying 2 opinions that gRAPE is both good & bad at same time are equally right opinons, right loses all meaning and you might as well say neither is right and both are wrong, they each have their own contrived fairytale delusion.
Now with Ethics of right / wrong, it does not depend on one single individual's preference or opinion, but taken as the whole, if you violate one without consent you still have to account for that since you are seemingly putting the weight on the preference otherwise preferences are utterly meaningless and irrelevant.
ALSO, Do you call whatever you prefer what's right, or do you prefer to try to do what is right?
Do you prefer to seek out what is the right most accurate conclusion given all the facts of reality, or contrive right to be what's in your preference/interest or personal gain?
I don't think VG or most these talking heads understand value-realism (problematic events within subjectivity/a non-physical but REAL reality of the mind). Obviously there's no objective divine or otherwise prime-directive moral-rules we must follow. Unfortunately Religion has poisened the conversation so much with archaic ideas and mushy terms like 'Morality'. Understand there is no 'moral truth', let alone an objective one, ofc if you pigeon-hole me or all realists into defending such nonsense it's easy to refute them. What I'm interested in is subject of Ethics, and to start whether or not value/problematic events exist or do not exist.
Here's a silly question by nihilists: "why is suffering bad?"
Response: How do you identify suffering? Based on the fact that it feels bad. (Yes subjectively) Just as we can subjectively understand 2+2 = 4
Or this: "prove suffering bad, objectively"
Also question-begging, obviously it is subjective. If such badness cannot exist mind-independently by definition.
"Prove suffering is bad, objectively"
is begging the question, because...
It strawmans / assumes the badness must be bad mind-independently, it isn't therefore, it isn't bad.
Answer this, evolutionarily do animals PERCEIVE being tortured skinned alive nail in the eye as BAD, or does it impose torture which we RECOGNIZE and define as Bad by definition?
If true PAIN/torture isn't bad then why does it exist evolutionarily? Answer: (problem -> solution) mechanism which functions as ability to learn & improved survival, this mechanism was reinforced over time as it worked.
inmendham & realists like myself argue: it is the case Descriptively, Objectively evolution IMPOSED Prescriptive-value-judgements onto animals which function as a learning/problem solving mechanism. Fact is, the invention of 'PROBLEM' is something I/we/animals had nothing to do with... (no-free-will-choice) but are simply byproduct in observation of this fact.
If real PROBLEM(s) didn't truly exist then Arguably the word and conceptual understanding it points 👉 to wouldn't exist either. As if beings could be truly blind never seeing colors/vision yet pulling the idea out of thin air and conceiving of such a thing, how preposterous, that'd be giving human creativity/imagination way too much credit. The only nihilist argument then is that by evolution we & all feeling organisms are somehow ultimately deluded or have illusion of problem where there is none, which I find deeply implausible. Run the torture study/experiment a million times putting people's arm in the fire "yep still bad". Filtering out people who lack ability to feel pain of course.
As evolutionary biologists even states pain is a message to the animal "don't do that again". Can't get descriptively prescriptive more than that.
Are You Getting It?
The Ought is literally baked in as an IS. The is-ought gap to be bridged is a complete Red-Herring, yes you can't derive an Ought from an IS, because if you oughtn't do something, then it can never be BAD... problematic/BAD/torture can't mean anything if it doesn't scream OUGHT-not.
All you have to agree to is due to evolution it created torture which is decidedly negative/ inherently BAD, by definition. Otherwise it wouldn't feel bad or be torturous at all... THEN ask yourself, how can something be BAD yet it's not BAD to create that BAD?
This is Checkmate. These are irrefutable Facts & Logical deductions.
So much for it all being false-perception, the very fact placebo patients perceive an otherwise harmless laser as BAD/painful makes it so. It's the TRUE reality in their mind and you can't deny that fact. It's also a fact believing a pain isn't really all that bad can make it so, but this doesn't make these value-laden experiences NOT real/true.
As per evolution, your body/brain's mechanisms must generate & impose a prescriptive-value-judgement / problematic event within your mind,
It's nagging, complaining, telling you keeping your hand on the hot stove is a mistake/problematic/bad. (not in itself but as a consequence)
I believe this brain making me write all this... is making an accurate assessment when it observe certain events to be problematic/bad where it's happening which is within subjectivity, where's your evidence my perceptions are fooling me or I'm somehow deluded? I witnessed the crime take place and you were nowhere near the crime scene yet you have the authority to claim otherwise as fact? (You are not simply agnostic to my problem suffering but a De-nihilist)
Once one accepts this evolutionary fact we can move on to more complicated questions regarding ethics, like how do weigh the good & the bad, conflicting preferences, etc. Otherwise, it's all pointless & futile, like arguing bivalves or wild-suffering with a non-vegan. They're just not on that level yet and it's a waste of time.
revised version of my other comment: I believe that many discussions around morality miss a crucial point about value-realism, which acknowledges problematic events within subjectivity, a non-physical but real reality of the mind. It is evident that there are no objective, divine, or prime-directive moral rules we must follow. Unfortunately, religion has muddied the conversation with archaic ideas and terms like 'morality'.
There is no 'moral truth,' especially not an objective one. If critics pigeonhole realists into defending such notions, it becomes easy to refute them. My interest lies in ethics and whether value/problematic events exist.
Consider this question by nihilists: "Why is suffering bad?"
Response: Suffering is identified because it feels bad, subjectively. Just as we subjectively understand 2+2=4, we can recognize suffering through its unpleasant experience.
When asked to "prove suffering is bad, objectively," this is question-begging, as the question assumes that the badness must exist independently of minds, which it does not by definition. This question straw-mans the issue by requiring mind-independent badness, ignoring the subjective nature of suffering. As if the quality of it being BAD must be granted by something outside the experience itself.
Evolutionary Perspective: Animals perceive and react to torture (e.g., being skinned alive) as bad because evolution has imposed mechanisms that signal harm. Pain serves as a problem-solving mechanism, reinforcing behaviors that enhance survival. If pain and suffering weren't inherently problematic, they wouldn’t exist in the form they do.
Realists like myself argue that evolution has objectively imposed prescriptive-value judgments on animals. The concept of 'problem' or 'bad' arises from these evolutionary mechanisms, not from free will. The existence of these concepts indicates the reality of these problematic experiences.
If real problems didn’t exist, neither would the concepts describing them. This is akin to how beings blind from birth wouldn’t conceive of color. Suggesting that evolutionary processes have universally deluded all feeling organisms into perceiving problems where there are none is implausible.
As evolutionary biologists state, pain signals to the animal, "don't do that again," which is descriptively prescriptive. The 'ought' is embedded within the 'is.' Thus, the is-ought gap is a red herring because prescriptive judgments are evolutionarily ingrained.
Again, How do you identify suffering? Based on the fact that it feels bad. (Yes subjectively) Just as we can subjectively understand 2+2 = 4
All you have to agree to is due to evolution it created torture which is decidedly negative/ inherently BAD, by definition. Otherwise it wouldn't feel bad or be torturous at all... THEN ask yourself, how can something be BAD yet it's not BAD to create that BAD?
Conclusion: By acknowledging that evolution created inherently negative experiences like torture, we accept that these experiences are bad by definition. Denying the badness of creating bad experiences is contradictory. Therefore, once recognizing the true reality of subjective experiences, only then we can move on to complex ethical questions about weighing good and bad and addressing conflicting preferences.
playing devil's advocate let's try Steelman their position and then arrive at the logical conclusions of it and then perhaps refute it. If they say: "veganism = right" realize there is no contradiction IF by 'right' they just mean it's literally nothing but their preference...
There's no goal to prefer to know/do what's right, RATHER what's right is whatever matches our personal preferences, so unlike flat earther vs round earth beliefs/CLAIMs which can contradict/conflict with each other since either 1 is right or both are wrong. Individual tastes don't.
Whereas if VG says 9 people gRAPE the 1 kid for fun is WRONG because he's a threshold-deontologist but Also RIGHT to a hedonistic utilitarian, Those views only contradict/conflict if they are making VALUE-claims or recognizing a problematic event take place. However, with VG apparently he would have to say he's not claiming or labelling anything as TRULY problematic at all but merely describing his preferences like flavor of ice cream...
Now, of course, as the realist, I find such a view more deplorable/worse than if they were merely agnostic on right/wrong. Cause it's one thing to say there's a right answer to questions of Ethics but we have no objective scientific basis to determine it yet or lack knowledge VS saying they have knowledge there is absolutely no right or wrong.
Under Anti-realism nihilism, what they mean by wrong/right, is just their preference, if I understand correctly (which I'm quite sure) Anti-realism nihilism reduces the Subject of Ethics down to nothing but you or someone else pontificating/opining (i.e "me no like torture") . It defends some sort of expressivism, emotivism, normative, prescriptive reduction of Ethics. Which I find lubricious and has to be a mistake,
I don't see anyone playing any different game even the nihilists invest their money and plan ahead for self-interest, no one truly signs up for torture for fun like it's no problem, and runs away from pleasure happiness as bad. Further, it stands to reason... since we can recognize objectively evolution created a punishment mechanism to enforce learning and survival, BAD/PROBLEM as a concept is something I/WE/Animals had nothing to do with. We didn't invent it, we recognize it and respond accordingly. Even evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins stated that pain is a message to the organism 'don't do that again!'
We must address further the flawed logic of VG and other nihilists reducing Ethics down to mere arbitrary preferences like potato chip flavor, or how much salt you prefer in the soup. As it is completely disanalogous & dishonest upon reflection. QUOTE: "There's no arguing against Efilism, it's just personal opinion. Like arguing what tastes better... ice-cream or potato chips?"
Say if you believe that the mona-lisa is beautiful, and I personally find it ugly, this conflicts/contradicts nothing because it claims nothing in terms about that object or reality outside of our own minds.
such qualities are OUTPUTs generated by body/mind from these INPUTs, the input is quite arbitrary/irrelevant, unlike the highly meaningful & distinct output generated of positive or negative experiences.
it doesn't matter what specific fun or hobby gets them off or pushes their buttons in order for it MATTER, those differences don't make it any less real OR all mere subjective opinion. the output positives & negatives is more or less same among individuals and that's what's relevant...
It can be TRUE that a certain food item is the tastiest to some personal individual, or gross to another, one's experience of what is tastiest for them doesn't contradict another's, they can both be true for them individually because it is the reality in their mind, Some people find bricks tasty or edible, just how their brain is wired.
while one person may find a certain food delicious, another may find it repulsive, without invalidating each other's experiences because they are true for them individually. both experiences are valid/correct.
However, actions that disregard another's negative experience invalidate their reality. if you find being boiled alive problematic and I do it anyway believing it's ok, I am invalidating your experience as either not real, relevant, doesn't matter, or my preferences are more important (carry more weight) than yours. Or simply believe it's ALL equal or arbitrary and I just prefer to exploit you so I do that.
Positive or negative experiences are largely consistent among people, making them relevant, regardless of the specific stimuli. Individual truths about taste or preference coexist without contradiction, reflecting each person's value-generated reality.
This cannot honestly be applied to one's mere opinion it's fine to boil kids alive, as you are invalidating the fact that it matters to those victims. You saying it doesn't matter or your gain of pleasure outweighs their loss of pain, is a claim about the reality of events going on in their mind, so there is room for conflict/contradiction. They can't both be right/wrong at the exact same time.
A strong non-intuition argument/claim & facts presented render value-nihilism implausible:
It is Descriptively the case, that Evolution IMPOSED Prescriptive-ought statements... of 'PROBLEMATIC sensation/event' on organisms which functioned as a learning mechanism and improved survival.
Therefore, BAD/PROBLEM isn't mere subjective opinion but something I/we/animals had nothing to do with and are mere by-product reacting to an observation.
This is pretty much the only base-axiom needed to ground my own torture as mattering as the original actual value-currency at stake. That paired with the fact I sampled consciousness and know it matters to me whether or not I am tortured, the fact that I personally observe it as problematic makes it the true reality for my own mind...
...AND it's not mere opinion/proclamation / or idea humans creatively invented out of thin air... as if like everyone could be truly blind yet conceptualizing colovision, makes no sense. plus that's giving humanity way too much credit of imagination.
Can't really have thoughts about information that you don't have. The concept of bad/problem arguably wouldn't even exist if it never was so.
Yes, I agree very semantics. I am attempting to shed clarity on this topic. Looking at the word "BAD" purely in a descriptive sense (e.g., that which can be categorically applied to extreme suffering) it loses all meaning if it's not truly consequential (i.e., it matters whether one experiences bad or not). If it doesn't actually matter ("no problemo") then it can't be bad, only an illusion/delusion of it, yet it's an effective one evolution imposed on organisms as a learning/problem-solving mechanism. The value-realists like myself have every reason to believe evolution created the real thing, not some contrived pseudo-problem organisms feel compelled/obligated to solve.
One only requires the axiom of a Descriptive Bad to ground Ethics. Why? Because it can be argued that a descriptive statement of BAD/problem is prescriptive by it's very nature in the meaning the of word/language.(otherwise its psuedo-bad/fake langauge, redefines bad as aversion/mere preference against) Otherwise, it can't mean anything to be bad, torturously obnoxious, unwanted experiential events couldn't mean anything. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins even state pain is a punishment signal/message to the animal: "Don't do that again!" If those aren't prescriptions imposed, then I don't know what is. The animal doesn't simply decide/prefer to avoid the event and finds it bad, it's told/finds it bad and so prefers to avoid the event/problem. If god or there were some logically or physically possible way it were to be invented how else would it exist?, or what you think evolution's reward & punishment mechanism accomplished? If it didn't synthesize problematic sensations to force organisms to solve?
Evolution prescribes Needs/wants, at the same time imposes a PAIN/PROBLEM of starvation/hunger which by it's very nature is a prescription for solution (i.e. sustenance/relief/comfort.)
By the very nature of "PROBLEM" it prescribes -> "SOLUTION" not merely a contrived or trivial-like on paper math problem, but the origin of why the word even exists: the problem of pain, a true whip/punishment mechanism, real currency to play with, real loss. Idk how you can describe something categorically as a PROBLEM in the true sense of the word if it doesn't come with it a necessary prescription for its solution. Because if there is no NEED for a solution, then it turns into no longer a problem again...
I don't see how it could be any other way because if there's no real game to be playing with value baked into it, then money would be worthless/not even exist, animals wouldn't bother evade standing in the fire, etc.
Saying It is Descriptively the case, that Evolution IMPOSED Prescriptive-ought statements... of 'PROBLEMATIC sensation/event' on organisms which functioned as a learning mechanism and improved survival.
Is the same as saying Evolution IMPOSED torture/BAD, as that's what torture/bad is... a prescribed need for solution to a problem which is some form of relief/comfort.
The prescription arises as a result of accepting step 1. (which nihilists reject/deny) problem solution. The latter does not follow/exist without the former. basic 2+2 = 4 logic. There's no point figuring out the answer to the math equation, if we don't agree first and foremost a problem exists. Nor how to solve a disease, if we don't first and foremost recognize a disease exists. And so, Any debate with nihilists on step 2: of determining what is the most likely solution / right answer becomes irrelevent and a waste of time. Arguing about whether x or y IS the right answer to fixing/preventing diabetes is pointless when they don't even agree the really disease exists. They don't believe an actual real BAD / Problem exists.
VG reduces it down to mere preferences, his reasonings that even if universally sentience prefers not suffebe tortured... Well, just because it is the case descriptively we prefer to avoid suffering doesn't mean we ought/should prevent suffering. He hasn't bridged the IS-OUGHT gap. But he got it backwards,
the claim/argument... ISN'T that because descriptively, sentience universally has a preference to avoid suffering, it is therefore bad,
the claim/argument... IS that it's descriptively bad/problematic, therefore universally there's a deductively logically assigned preference to avoid it,
Again you can't classify/label something as a problem if it's inconsequential whether it is solved or not. The word loses all meaning. If something NEEDs solving/fixing it means there's a problem, if there's a problem it means there's something NEED solving/fixing. Evolution manufactures these needy problems in organisms to manipulate and control them.
Merely what our preferences are IS NOT relevant, preference "frustration" arguably IS. (if preferences couldn't be frustrated "i.e., no value" than it wouldn't matter which way things turned out)
You can have a preference for some art style over another, if we were just programmed non-feeling robots that preferred to avoid standing in the fire, but there was no real kernel of value/bad, then it wouldn't matter.
Let's imagine something was Objectively PROBLEMATIC, an IS statement. What would a real problem look like? something in NEED of a solution. Again, why? because If it doesn't matter whether or not it exists or is Solved or not, it could never be a problem in the first place. So either this problem exists or it doesn't. (NOTE: it doesn't need to be an objective problem to be REAL, "i.e mind-independent")
Next, if ASI or sentient beings were to sample this "problem", would it not be the case they would logically deduce it's in need of a solution? And assign their preferences accordingly to solving it? Cause again otherwise then you just see it as "no-problemo" again.
"If Inmendham's argument is that sentient beings create value, and that the universe has no value without the presence of a sentient being generating it, would it not follow that the ought is inherently built into sensation?" yes but the way VG unfairly reframes it is that we subjectively place value on it, THAT it's entirely subjective, like you prefer salty or sweet, or certain ice cream flavor. emphasizing that it's entirely subjective opinion. Take a look at his unfair silly example: "we can't say pineapple on pizza is objectively tasty or not..." this shows a complete ineptitude in grasping the subject and misrepresenting the argument like crazy, no one is arguing whether Mona Lisa is objectively beautiful or some such thing.
What is being argued: the positive or negative mind-dependent event produced in response to the sensual or perceptual stimuli, the input (object) is irrelevant, only the output (experience) matters and what the value-engine (BRAIN) produced. What pushes your buttons so to speak, blue jelly beans or green jelly beans, could differ between 2 individuals but the shared experience is the same more or less. Whether you wired to find pineapple on pizza tasty or gross is irrelevant, some people find bricks edible.
Main issue is they talking past each other: what inmendham is arguing for was either not expressed as best it could be, and/or VG does not quite comprehend what is being argued... inmendham claims/argues evolution created the real bad/PROBLEM and we respond in recognition of this fact/truth with preferences that follow accordingly, Logic cannot be escaped, once you know 2+2 = 4, you can't will or believe it to be 79. If you know the right answer "torture be Bad M'kay?" obviously you won't act or behave otherwise and say you love it. What could it mean to have a preference against experiencing torture... does such a statement even make any sense? All that is required is a real BAD to exist... and then the preference to avoid it logically follows, an inescapable truth. Unless he thinks I also choose or prefer to believe 2+2 = 4 ?
Essentially VG keeps counter-arguing that: "yes we want to avoid torture, but that's just your preference... just cause universally sentience has a preference against torture (a Descriptive / IS statement) doesn't logically follow some Normative/Prescriptive claim/statement. That just because something IS the case it doesn't follow that we OUGHT / should do X, like help others, prevent suffering, etc. That's a non-sequitur he says. Ultimately it's just a preference." sure but...
His argument only applies/counters a strawman position in his head: Because of this I and other realists can account for / side-step it completely, we aren't attempting to derive an OUGHT from an IS. e.g strawman: "we ALL have preference against torture, Therefore it's BAD." Or "we ALL have preference against torture, Therefore we OUGHT prevent it"
The actual argument is that it's Truly Bad/Problematic by the very nature of the word, Therefore first-hand observation follows universally a deductively logically assigned preference to avoid it. Not the other way around.
"If the only thing that can have meaning in the universe is the experience of a sentient being, ought we not maximize its value just by nature of its experience being the only thing that can matter?" yes the ought is a further logical extension of recognizing it to be a problem, which denotes/demands a solution, otherwise if it doesn't matter to solve it or not then you've turned it into a non-problem again. So it can only be categorically one or the other.
Issue of semantics, different terminology and definitions: as long as VG defines objective as "mind-independent" and sets the goal-post to the realist to find a mind-independent "wrong/bad" as if somehow we need some divine-command or absolute rule in the universe that declares it so... then there is no fruit to the discussion. suffering/bad takes place in the mind/experience, so of course it's unfair to ask one to present a mind-independent suffering/bad in the universe, it is begging the question. To be fair inmendham uses the term objective and could have done better job with defining/pushing his terms "e.g. objective as truth/real/fact" and not let VG impose in his own. However, I don't ascribe a requirement to demonstrate an Objective BAD to ground a BAD as real, valid, and true; it can be entirely based on Subjectivist grounds/axiomatic foundations.
Just because the BAD takes place within subjectivity doesn't make it any less real (non-physical/immaterial sure... but not unreal). VG and nihilists can't understand this. 2+2 = 4 is subjective as is all science ultimately as a root axiomatic-fact... as an observation requires an observer. This doesn't mean realism can't be proven/grounded, it can just like we can know 2+2=4 and the moon exists. If anti-realism is gonna deny subjective truths because it's subjective, then one can't know much of anything and reduces to solipsism. I am more certain I exist and the reality of "perceived" BAD I experience is actually a real BAD... THAN that the moon even exists or any other scientific empirical claim.
PROBLEM is something I/we/animals had Nothing to do with, we didn't invent it.
If Anti-realism nihilism was True and Real "PROBLEMS" didn't exist the word wouldn't exist. It is like being born never knowing or seeing or experiencing vision & color, it's impossible to contrive or imagine it. Some knowledge & information is only accessible through experience.
Even Richard Dawkins stated, "pain is a message to the animal Don't do that again!"
If the ought exists within subjectivity, as preferences, why would them being Subjective vs Objective determine whether or not their violation matters? If one experiences disgust looking at something AND another finds beauty... both are true realities for them, they don't conflict or contradict like empirical or fact claims, but instead both are correct and relevant, not one or the other, BECAUSE when someone says the mona Lisa is beautiful they are just saying it arises in them a sense of beauty, the thing/input is irrelevant whereas the output in mind is what is relevant and true for their reality.
Subjective =/= not true, I don't understand the dichotomy between objective vs subjective ethics, as if there isn't facts to glean about subjectivity.
There's also definition or semantic problems:
objective (mind-independent) vs subjective (mind-dependent)
Under such definition does it make sense to say Objectively evolution created feeling experiencing organisms having sense of taste, smell, sound, hunger, pain, to survive. So can we apply word objective to mind-dependent experiences or not?
And of course under such definition there is no objective mind-independent ethics as without minds there is no feeling subject of concern to even talk about in first place. So how silly...
Yet they take objective to mean True & Subjective made up or mere contrived opinion.
For me these are semantic word games that distract, I just care about what's fact/true. What many don't get is Even science, math is subjective invention, byproduct of subjective tool of language, doesn't mean we can't create an accurate model and picture of reality.
I believe the Is-Ought gap is a red-herring, sure it's true you can't contrive an Ought from just what IS, but with evolution the OUGHT statement is built-in, it's descriptively a prescriptive value statement imposed on me, I/we/animals literally have nothing to do with it, I'm just by-product an observer. This is key understanding.
There exists no objective or divine commandment "you OUGHT do X" written into the fabric of reality, and therefore if you don't that's Bad, No. That's nonsense/impossible logically.
Rather an Descriptive IS statement of X is a real bad/PROBLEM, denotes/demands a solution by it's very nature of the word, otherwise if it doesn't need solving then it becomes into a non-problem again, so either x categorically IS a PROBLEM or it's not.
The claim/argument... Is that it's Descriptively BAD/Problematic, therefore universally there's a deductively logically assigned preference to avoid it. Not the other way around. Our personal preference against torture forever doesn't make it therefore bad. The prescription is built in, forced onto us.
It's like "STOP!" & "GO" What do you say to a dog? "BAD dog!" This is saying it should or shouldn't do something. basically = "No!" "Stop!" That's a prescriptive statement/signal/conveyed message.
Or simply, alls required is Descriptively diagnose Torture as Problematic. Which implies Problem Solution Without necessity of solution there is no problem at all, likewise without problem solution means nothing.
​So you essentially boiled my position down to: "Evolution programmed preference to avoid torture." or "we evolved preference to avoid torture" Does that sound incoherent or what... as if I would make such a silly claim. Keep straw-manning.
Do you think animals have PREFERENCE by default to avoid being tortured burned alive and have sex, or logically preferences are born out of observing problematic negative / positive assigned accordingly through punishment & reward mechanisms aka prescriptions, think long and hard about this one...
This is why value or ethical nihilism is incoherent to me. IF torture be bad, how can it be NOT-bad/neutral to create BAD?
It either is truly BAD or it isn't. It's either real or it's an illusion/delusion and false perception.
Their position must reduce to there is no MEANINGFUL difference between Torture & Bliss. And evolution didn't create any problematic sensation or true punishment whatsoever. Instead, were somehow deluded to view being boiling alive as problematic sensation/BAD, and relief as good, we can't tell the difference or label which is which...
Vegan Gains or any anti-realist needs to substantiate these anti-realist nihilist claims & concede if he agrees with the statements below:
"The value-laden problematic BAD experience of being tortured boiled alive in a vat of acid indefinitely... isn't really bad, evolution didn't successfully impose a real negative punishment mechanism on animals, torture isn't something I/we/animals had nothing to do with and are just byproduct observing the imposition, NO! Instead our opinion has everything to do with it... what's problematic torture, one is merely subjectively interpreting/inventing/proclaiming it to be so! Evolution failed!"
"Animals run from fire cause they irrationally unreasonably subjectively interpret it to be bad/problematic sensation or experience, not cause DNA molecule made it so objectively for evolutionary reasons"
"It is all subjective preference like flavor of potato chips, problematic torturous experience isn't bad you just think it's bad or have preference against it."
"You don't logically recognize intrinsic problematic torturous experience then logically assign solution to problem which is preference to avoid that experience, No, you merely have subjective delusional preference against a nail in your eye and there is no logic to it"
"Good is Bad, and Bad is Good depending on opinion, no right or wrong, all subjective tho"
value anti-realism nihilism. INSANE! WORSE than a flat-earth theory!

My phone vibrated. As did my smartwatch. I glimpsed up from my laptop, which was sitting in my lap so I could go over my presentation again. I was in the car, my boss was driving and we were headed to a conference, where both of us were supposed to speak. We were traveling for more than 7 hours now due to numerous traffic jams on our way.
Looking at my watch, I saw, it was the doorbell which caused the vibration. Already distracted from my presentation I pulled out my phone. Opening the doorbell app, I just so see, that my wife asks Becky, our young black dogsitter with her DD boobs into the house. "Curious" I thought, my wife hadn't told me, she wanted to go out that evening. It was a Tuesday, so it was her usual day for her Zumba class, but that would have meant leaving the dogs alone for about 1 and a half hours, so no need for a dogsitter. However, judging from what little I had seen, Becky was wearing an extremely short black latex skirt and a minimalist latex crop top, the full outfit barely covering her tits, ass and pussy. In addition to a black leather collar, it looked like my wife had ordered her in with other stuff in mind than just watching the dogs, even if there was the possibility, Becky's outfit was just due to the 30+ degree heatwave we were having.
A few minutes later, my phone vibrated again. It was a text from my wife. "Heading out to Zumba". She followed it up with a picture of her in her sports dress. Due to the heat she only wore tight short pants, a very tight revealing top and her sports bra. So her petite size combined with her chubby figure and her big tits were easy to spot. "Looking great" I answered. "Have fun, love you". "You have any plans later?" She asked. "No" I answered. "I won't be able to make it to swimming today. I'm not even at the hotel yet. So just dinner with my boss and then I will head for the bed." I replied. "Ok" was the only answer I got.
My boss and I checked into the hotel and found a place to eat, when I got another message from my wife. It was a shower selfie from the gym, showing her having her tits soaped up. I had to make sure, nobody saw my developing boner below a napkin. And this was also unusual, as my wife normally prefers to shower at home. What did she have planned. "Going out?" I asked her. I didn't get an answer for a while. Then I got another selfie. My wife was now wearing a long, tight, black PU skirt, and a black leather corsage, which was barely able to keep her G-Cups inside. She also had makeup on and her black hair with a tint of red worked perfectly with her black lipstick. A second picture showed, that she did not wear panties, but a buttplug. "Gonna surprise Becky" was her answer to my previous question. "Let's check whether she obeyed" was the next text I got, before I had an incoming videocall from the group my wife had created for the three of us. I excused myself from the table and left the table, while keeping the lid of my phone case closed. I took a Bluetooth headset out of my pocket and went outside to take the call. As soon as I did, I had to hold my breath. My wife held up her phone in her car in a way, that Becky and I had perfect view of her cleavage, while Becky was clearly sitting on our terrace, wearing the earlier described outfit, her legs spread apart and her camera clearly showing that she also had inserted a buttplug and additionally a vibrator in her pussy, pleasuring herself. From her position I could see, that there was a very slim, but not zero chance she could be seen by a passing neighbor. "Good girl" I heard my wife's voice. "Expect me home in 20 minutes. Keep going with the vibrator but do not come before I'm home or you will regret it". "Yes Madam" was Becky's answer. "Now put on a show for my husband" my wife again commanded. I watched the vibrator going in and out her pink pussy, which contrasted nicely with her chocolate skin, before commanding her, to take down her top, revealing her double D's to the camera (and potentially the neighbors). She was hesitant at first. "I will tell my wife of your disobedience" was all I had to say. However, as much as I loved the show, I could not watch it till the end, as my boss now also came out of the restaurant, having paid the bill. So I cut the connection and we went on our way to the hotel.
When we arrived at the hotel, my boss asked, whether we wanted to go for a drink at the bar. At the same time, my wife had already sent me a selfie with our car on the garage and her playing on her pussy, presumably watching Becky somehow. "Are you ready to watch" was the caption. So I thanked my boss again for the dinner and excused myself to my hotel room. "Give me a couple of minutes" was my answer to my wife. "Hurry up" she wrote, accompanied by a picture below her skirt, showing her pink pussy and her fluids already flowing down her legs. I quickly setup my tablet and connected it to the WIFI. While I was doing this I received several messages from my wife. The first one was a picture, showing a top view into her corsage, showing clearly, that it was unable to really tame her tits, with her areolas already visible. If a neighbor saw her on the way from the car to the house, he would have quite a look. I was secretly hoping for that to happen. I know some of the neighbors had already checked out Becky or other visitors to our house when they arrived in playtime "clothes" but my wife so far had mostly gone unnoticed by the neighbors. The second picture was a screenshot from one of our bedroom cameras on my wife's phone, showing Becky, lying on her back, her tits once again hidden by her latex top, her legs spread wide open towards the camera. Her skirt had moved upwards and was lying on her hips. The buttplug was replaced by a vibrator, and she also had a vibrator inserted into her pussy. I admired once again the contrast of her pink flesh to the dark chocolate color of her body. "I have the remotes" my wife wrote with a winking emoji. "Hurry up, I'm horny". "Me too" I thought, "and it's not helping that you send me these pictures". Finally I had an internet connection ready and connected onto our home VPN to access the cameras. "I'm in" I wrote to my wife. "Going in" was her answer.
While I waited for my wife to appear, I watched Becky on the tablet. She was still pretty much in the same pose as before and I could only imagine, that she was in this pose, because my wife had ordered her so. She really loved to submit herself to both of us, what made the evenings with her fun. Suddenly I could see her shiver and heard hear moans getting louder. I could see her fighting, but ultimately losing the fight against her orgasm, induced by the two vibrators in her pussy and ass, controlled by my wife. Only a few seconds later I hear high heels coming up the stairs and my wife entering the room. She had added black, knee high leather boots to her already seducing outfit and held a small whip in her hand. I saw Becky's eyes widen, it was a mixture of lust and fear. "You know you can tell me to stop at any time if it is too much," my wife said ."It is fine, I dreamed about playing with a whip, just haven't done it yet. But please be gentle, "was Becky's answer. "Did I stutter, when I told you not to come?" My wife now said in a fake angry voice. She followed it up with a lash onto her top and the boob below. I could hear the sound and I saw Becky flinch for a split-second. But her eyes told, that she was okay with what happened. "Sorry Madam. It was just to much pleasure you gave me with the vibrators," Becky whispered. "So now this is my fault you cannot control yourself?" My wife asked while still faking anger, followed by a lash onto the other boob. "No Madam, I did not obey your orders. What can I do to make it up?" "That will be up to me, I already have some ideas." My wife said to her, while she positioned a few whiplashes around Becky's pussy. You could already see the mixture of pain and lust in Becky's eyes.
From the messages before, and the show I got on camera my cock was already more than rock hard and I hurried to get rid off my pants and boxers, to release the pain this was causing me. That was when I realized, the blinds were still open, so I corrected this mistake quickly. No need to be seen masturbating in a conference hotel.
On my screen the action now got more intense. "Why are you still dressed?" My wife asked. I laughed out, because the short top and the extremely short skirt that was already hanging on Becky's hips could barely be counted as dressed, as she didn't even wear any underwear. "Get these skimpy clothes of your body" was the next command. To reinforce this statement two whiplashes onto each boob were added. Becky quickly got up, robbing me of the view between her legs and wanted to pull her top over her head, her back to my wife and the camera. She was interrupted by a whiplash onto her ass, as the skirt still was hanging on her hips. This time my wife seemingly had put more force into it, as for a short time you could see the impact on Becky's chocolate skin. "No need to hide. Make it a show for me and the camera". Becky obeyed. She turned around and started pulling up her top above her DD tits, covering them with her hands, playing a little bit by pushing them left right and up and down before performing a boob drop and finally pushing her top over her head. She let it turn around one of her fingers before throwing it on the general direction of my wife. While her boobs are a lot smaller than my wife's G-Cups, due to her taller but skinnier stature and chocolate color, those were my second favorite boobs. Her areolas were forward facing and she had quite a gap in between them. And they looked incredibly sexy in the current lighting, bouncing with every of Becky's movements. My wife nodded approvingly. Afterwards Becky started pulling down her skirt while moving laszivly. Her boobs and her hips moving while she slowly hid her pussy before revealing it again. She got down on her knees, spreading her legs for my wife and me before she got out of the skirt, pushed it aside and got up again. Unfortunately for her, the vibrator fell out of her pussy during this movement. A second later she got another whiplash on her pussy. "Did I tell you to loose the vibrator?" My wife said in a harsh voice. "No Madam." Becky said, lowering her head. "Well, then pick it up and put it where it belongs again. Becky started bending her knees and lowering her back, when she was once again interrupted by a whiplash targeted at her right tit. "Not like that. Turn around and bend over, we want to see your ass." I think I caught a short grin on Becky's face. She definitely did not mind what my wife did to her. She turned around, spread her legs so I would be able to see her face and upper body between them, bent over, wiggled with her ass, which of course also caused her tits to wiggle in front of her face. This of course also revealed the vibrator in her butt. Just when Becky had her fingers on the vibrator on the floor I could hear her moan and saw her legs shaking. My wife now stood besides her, facing the camera holding the remote in the hand that did not hold the whip. With shaking hands from arousal Becky tried to take up the vibrator again, and just when her fingers were there, my wife increased the intensity with the remote again, leading to Becky losing control and collapsing on the floor. As soon as her body hit the floor another whiplash hit her ass. "Am I talking incomprehensibly? You are not to come without my permission and you are asked to get this vibrator into your worthless pussy while showing your fucking ass. What is so hard about that?" While talking, my wife added additional whiplashes onto her ass with a couple of them also hitting the pussy area. "I'm sick of this, now get your worthless body onto the bed and open your legs to the camera". "Yes Madam" was the only answer from Becky. When she got up I glimpsed a look in her face and saw it was pure lust, despite the pain.
Up until now I had started playing with myself. The view and sound on my tablet were just to arousing. I realized, that I was already close to cumming, but there would be more action for me to watch. Nevertheless I couldn't stop, and a few quick strokes and I came in 3 high squirts over my upper body. In the meanwhile the action on the screen continued.
As ordered, Becky lay down as she had been before only now her tits were also clearly visible on camera. My wife bent down herself, making sure I got a good show and picked up the vibrator Becky had failed to pick up twice. She shoved it into Becky's pussy again, before she used the remote again to set both vibrators in Becky's ass an pussy to their lowest setting again. Becky's pelvis moved, as the overstimulation was to much again. My wife once again addressed her: "This should be about me, not you! Time you put your body to some use. Now get me out of my skirt." She ordered, standing next to the bed, with her ass to the camera. Becky sat up, her open pussy still facing the camera and giving me a prime look at her tits. She undid my wife's belt and started pulling down the skirt. My wife supported this with very erotic moves and just a few seconds later I had the perfect view onto the greatest ass in the galaxy. The right roundness, perfect size, perfect shape and feel and just overall perfect for me. My wife pushed Becky back onto the bed, while at the same time bending over, revealing the buttplug and vibrator she had in herself. This movement was also to much for her corsage and her tits fell out. "Make yourself useful and suck on my tits!" was her next command, to which Becky promptly obeyed while my wife made quite a show out of removing the vibrator from her pussy. She spread her legs, shaking that great ass and slowly pulled out the vibrator millimeter by millimeter and pushing it in 5 millimeters in again for every 10 millimeters she had pulled it out. When she was done, she climbed onto the bed sat up and pushed Becky's upper body down. She then climbed over Becky's face and began riding on her face. Becky understood what to do and gave her best to luck my wife's pussy. My wife's boobs jumped around on her chest, which made her abandon her whip and she started massaging and playing with them, while leaning slightly backwards. This gave me a great view and made me hard again in an instant. Also due to my wife's movements on the bed, Becky's tits started to wiggle, but she needed her hands to ensure my wife's thighs had sufficient space in between for her not to suffocate. This got more and more difficult, as my wife quickly approached her orgasm. It took her less than 2 minutes before she collapsed forward, her face more or less falling onto Becky's pussy. My wife catched her breath for half a minute or so, before she pulled herself up again, grabbed her whip and climbed down from Becky. Becky's face was covered in my wife's fluids, it almost looked like my wife had squirted onto Becky's face. Becky also sat up and catched her breath.
My wife held up Becky's face by placing her whip below her chin. "Good girl, seems like you are good for something. I think you have earned some reward." She said and gave Becky two gentle whiplashes onto her nipples, which made Becky moan again. My wife bent down beside the bed, showing me her great ass with the buttplug again and opened our toy drawer. She grabbed a blindfold and tossed it to Becky. "Put that on, and get on your knees, face to the camera." Becky went on her knees and elbows, what resulted in a harsh whiplash on her ass. "On your hands, not your elbows" and as Becky took to long for her liking, a second whiplash followed. Now Becky obeyed and stayed more upright. Next my wife went, and repositioned the camera, so now the camera was low enough to look between Becky's legs. Next, my wife pulls out a dual vibrator we had bought recently. She inserted the short part as advertised into her vagina and went behind Becky. She then removed the vibrators from Becky's pussy and ass and slowly started to insert the long part of the double vibrator into Becky's pussy. I was able to see Becky's surprised look through the blindfold, as my wife's pelvis touched Becky's ass and she realized, what was happening. The next surprise came, when my wife activated the vibrations and started fucking her Doggystyle. I was almost in heaven. Seeing a pair of DD tits bouncing in the big picture, and my wife's G-Cups also bouncing in the background while my wife grabbed Becky by the hips and gave her a pounding was an absolutely fantastic view. This went on for about 10 minutes, with me wanking of in my hotel bed, my wife pounding the dogsitter Doggystyle and the dogsitter moaning loudly. It seemed, the double vibrator had some kind of burst mode, as both women increased and decreased their volume in regular intervals. After 10 minutes the two women collapsed over each other from their orgasm and I also came again.
After everyone had catched their breath again, my wife told Becky she could go home now, she would still make the last train even with some time to wash herself. After Becky was gone, my wife and myself had video call under our showers. After that we said goodnight. My wife told me, to have fun on the conference reception the next day, but to not forget my camera...

My couch and chair smell stale. I've got dogs, and the furniture is old but I cannot afford to replace it. The sofa is that gross bonded leather material that has completely disintegrated into flakes so we use a cover. Even when I put a freshly laundered cover on there, the smell comes through. The chair is fabric, but covered with a matching cover. They both just smell old and musty and stale and gross. I feel like they make my entire house smell. What's the solution? How do I fix it? I feel like I cannot use an upholstery cleaner on the sofa because of the weird flaking fake leather material, but maybe there's something I'm not thinking of. I wish I could drag them out into the sun for a week to air out (I cannot, I don't have any place to put them outside)

Hello everyone, thanks for reading
For context, I’ve known him for almost 2 years now due to us living together. (I live in my mums house and he rents out the spare room) my mum only comes back twice a month to visit.
At first I thought it was too good to be true, the way he was treating me was amazing. So slow and respectful with things, paying for dates, bringing me gifts, telling me he loves me, and booking a holiday for my birthday.
I had a really bad gut feeling though that he wasn’t over his ex/ it was all too good to be true maybe he was cheating on for me for e.g (not sure why, maybe because he was still following his ex and her mum on Instagram).
Since then my mum says she has noticed a change in his behaviour, that he is not as considerate as he was e.g leaving bits like a ladder and mattress in the hallway and not opening windows and wiping surfaces dry like she asks. She also said that she doesn’t like the way he talks to me.
He makes jokes about my fake hair, about me not working hard in the day and makes jokes about what I do in the day. Also that I wouldn’t understand how expensive things are - like an MOT since I don’t have a car. He says his brother thinks he shouldn’t have to pay rent here anymore and then shortly after kept on saying how he needed help financially. He also makes mean comments about my dog saying his tail is stupid etc. He doesn’t like it when I go to resturants or places with my dad that we were meant to go to together either and makes me feel guilty for it. He says he loves me constantly and I am forced to say it back all the time otherwise he gets upset. He was jealous about my co worker, and doesn’t seem happy for me if I am going to a nice spa day with my mum or have treated myself to a new pair of sunglasses. “And you need another pair of sunglasses?”. He also told me he wouldn’t like it if I made more money than him and that he doesn’t like that I have gifts from my ex
The things that bug me the most at the minute is when he tells me to smile and constantly makes comments on my mood “you seem sad/grumpy.” “Can I see some happiness.” It makes me question if I am sad and grumpy, even when I didn’t think I was. He also doesn’t want s** as much as I do and makes me wait for it which is fine but it makes me feel unattractive to him. When he gets back from work now it also seems like he just wants to spend some time alone laying in bed.
I also worry if he just wants to use me to get on the property ladder since he makes comments about how my mum and dad will definitely help me out with a deposit and that he wants to beat his brother. Yet his parents cannot.
But besides all of this, he is a loving boyfriend I do believe, he texts me all day whilst at work, does compliment me, takes me on dates and trips and I still get the occasional gift, we laugh and he mainly cooks. He is also still paying the rent, drives us, pays for our groceries and dates. He says we need to save next year though for a house meaning less holidays and dinners next year
I have told him I am unable to help as much as I’d like due to currently going through redundancy. I do pay for some of the trips we have planned, do all the house work, gift him and sometimes pay for cafe dates.
Please tell me if I am overreacting? Your thoughts? Maybe it’s all a little intense right now due to us immediately living together and myself being made redundant, my grandad passing and having glandular fever. But this is my first proper relationship and I’m unsure if it’s right.

I was speaking to brenda about one of ours who’d inexplicably died of heart failure during a PFT run one year, and that made me think of another in that same unit who was also very liked: Joseph Shannahan. But to those of us who knew and loved him, he was simply “Shaky.”
He had a neurological condition of some sort, I suppose, though in the field of medicine I am not versed beyond the wetting in the pond of knowledge the mere tip of one large toe and its attendant raptor claw of a discolored toenail that resists all efforts at trimming with anything less than a pair of tinsnips. If name it had, or I ever heard, that knowledge is now lost to the sands of time, and overindulgence in that time of certain things.
Shannahan, you see, his hands they did tremble, all of their own volition. They were not his to control. They shook, they shuddered, and they rarely ever stopped.
Sitting across from my friend at a table in the mess hall, I would watch in wonder as he would struggle in vain to raise a cup of coffee to his lips without splashing a good quarter or more of it over the rim of the cup and into the table. It really was that bad sometimes.
Fighting the urge to reach over with a steadying hand of mine in order to assist. This was not done. Word would surely spread that we had been seen holding hands in public, and, no disrespect at all to LCpl Trevanian, that simply would not do. We each and all must walk our own path through life.
I would, upon occasion, light his cigarette for him, if he was continuing to miss the mark. It was the botherly thing to do.
There were two instances, however, or set of circumstances, in which the magic happened. He shot a consistent high expert at the rifle range. It was preternatural. In that his element, the shaking of his hands would still, and he would become as cold as ice, and as deadly as potato salad left out in the sun too long on a hot summer’s day.
I’d seen an effect similar to that once before. A Platoon Sergeant was with us for a while at my chest posting had stuttered badly. Except when he became angry. Then it would magically drop away. He was angry quite often. We were who we were.
The other - the man could run the table in a game of pool. As steady as an experienced prevaricator perjuring his way seamlessly through a cross examination or running for President. He was a phenomenon.
We made folding money off of Shaky for a good while by betting on him in games with fellows from other units at the Enlisted Club on Base. As did he by betting on himself.
We also surrendered to him 10% of our gross earnings, and were happy to do so. A finder’s fee, so to speak. It was all found money to us, and he was, after all, the founder of the feast.
They were always easy marks, at first, delightfully observing the turbulence of his tremblers, and weren’t hesitant at all when prompted to increase an original bet. Which they would inevitably shortly regret.
It became more difficult, of course, as time weren’t by and were got around: “Do Not play that spastic bastard! He’s a ringer! It’s all a fake!”
The beauty of it, of course, was that it wasn’t.
The answer to the mystery was a simple one, of course. Anything that required intense concentration and focus would calm and still his mind, and his hands would follow suit.
But why did Shaky shake in the first place? We were simple and direct young men, and the answer to us was obvious: he surely had been an EOD tech in a previous lifetime, and had carried the accumulated stress of his former vocation into this his new reincarnation. It all made perfect sense.
He was Catholic (I’d seen his dog tags), but a small detail, and unimportant. I was Buddhist that year myself, for a change of pace. I think I might still have those dog tags forgotten in a box in the garage somewhere. If I’d been killed, wouldn’t a certain bald, laughing fat man have been surprised to see who’d come to dinner?
So here’s to you, Shaky. I hope you trembled your way to greatness.

Preface: In a lot of these trades you could add or subtract a pick or two based on how you view certain guys, please don't get too caught up if I had a guy traded for 2 1st and you think it should be 3. We see plenty of trades in the league be holy overpays or teams moving off guys for a lower price than we as fans anticipated. Also, a good bit of these trades have big names in them and are just fun/what-if scenarios.
Detroit Pistons

• Pistons Receive: Draymond Green & 2029 1st Round Pick Swap via GSW
• Warriors Receive: Troy Brown Jr, 2027 2nd Round Pick via BKN or DAL, 2029 2nd via MIL

Pistons bring back the hometown guy. Help set some semblance of a culture in Detroit. Get a 1st Round pick swap when Cade should be peaking and Warriors are in their post-Curry era.
Warriors focus should be flexibility, would likely have to attach pick(s) to clear cap space, retool around Curry either in free agency or at the next trade deadline cycle (move on from CP3 and others), and could use 2nds to grab other role players.
Washington Wizards

• Wizards Receive: Duncan Robinson, Jordan Hawkins, 2025 1st Top 3 Protected via NOP, 2026 2nd via LAL, 2027 1st via MIL, 2029 1st Swap via MIA
• Heat Receive: Brandon Ingram & Kyle Kuzma
• Pelicans Receive: Jimmy Butler

Wizards are in the asset collecting stage. Whether or not it is the Pelicans/Heat that will trade their guys— the Wizards should look to have their hand in any mid-to-large level trades that take place this offseason and take on cap for assets. It doesn’t move the needle for them now but gives them more ammo later.
While Pat Riley may stand firm on his word and keep Jimmy, there is still a chance he gets moved this offseason. Getting back two wing players on relatively good contracts (Ingram expiring) and Kuzma making a fair $23M, which is a good salary-matching number for trades, might be a better alternative than extending Jimmy Butler. The Heat would also maintain a relatively good fit around Bam and see if BI can be a more consistent contributor under Spo-- then decide to extend him or let him walk after the season.
Brandon Ingram has been shown to take a backseat in the playoffs, and the West is only getting more competitive. While Jimmy isn’t a prolific shooter he would help stabilize their offense and take their defensive potential to the next level. They should seek more shooting even with the emergence of TM3 to feed off the slashing style of their top guys. The Pelicans would have to extend Jimmy and their cap situation would get tighter but their next goal should be moving McCollum off the books anyway. I'd make that move and figure everything else out later.
Charlotte Hornets

• Hornets Receive: Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, 2024 1st via HOU (#3), 2025 1st via OKC or BKN, 2026 1st via BKN, 2027 1st Swap via BKN
• Rockets Receive: LaMelo Ball, Grant Williams & 2024 1st via CHA (#6)

Consider this a thought experiment on which side of the fence you are on about the health of Lamelo Ball. Yes, this is a trade that could easily get you fired if he consistently plays 65+ games instead of the ~30ish he has in the last two seasons. I’m not saying it should happen but if you’re on the side of it probably being a consistent theme that he'll be missing the majority of a season every other year this would be an interesting haul for the Hornets. Swap picks this year and get the future Brooklyn picks which as a franchise seem very lost right now— plus it gives you some freedom to push to compete knowing you'll probably have some good picks to fall back on. The Hornets hope to have Jalen Green become a more efficient scorer and get to pair Whitmore's massive frame alongside Brandon Miller which would be intriguing.
Rockets are meddling in that play-in tier. Alperen is him but you may have to take a gamble on another “him” to move into that next echelon. The Rockets would be insanely good at playmaking inside and out pairing Sengun and Ball. Move off the Dillion Brooks overpay and get you a guy that if he plays 65+ plus games you might be in the running for the 4-6 seed every year, if he’s hurt you didn’t give up your own picks to do it.
Toronto Raptors

• Raptors Receive: Karl Anthony-Towns
• Timberwolves Receive: Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Jalen McDaniels, 2026 1st via IND 1-4 Protected & 2028 1st Swap via TOR

I never really know what the Raptors intend on doing each transaction cycle but with the Timberwolves cap situation forcing them to make some decisions— the Raptors might be able to poach KAT for a reasonable price. They can buy a high-level shooting big to play off Scottie and RJ. I could see Masai fighting tooth and nail to only give up 1 moderately protected 1st round pick here.
YES, the Timberwolves have just made the WCF, and if they make it to the finals and win they may bite the bullet and be willing to have one of the highest payrolls in the NBA for years to come. But let's say they don't... they may look to avoid some of the constraints that come along with being over the aprons. They could potentially get under the tax aprons with this move, and get some rotational guys that could play and contribute in a competitive Western conference.
Brooklyn Nets

• Nets Receive: 2024 1st via BKN, 2025 1st via OKC or BKN, 2026 1st via BKN, 2027 1st via BKN Swap, Dillon Brooks
• Rockets Receive: Mikal Bridges

Nets get your picks back. I don’t care if they didn’t accept the Rockets offer, run it back. Or send Mikal somewhere else (Cleveland?) to get those picks back.
I'll give you another Nets trade if you're tired of the Mikal talk.

• Nets Receive: Devonte Graham & Zach Collins
• Spurs Receive: Ben Simmons

The Nets get rid of basketball squatter, Ben Simmons, which is a win in my book. Focusing their time and resources on their other guys.
Spurs finally get someone who will pass the ball to Wemby. The Spurs are no strangers to letting guys rest and fully rehab. Simmons most likely won't ever be that all-NBA level defender and distributor again— but as a rebuilding team, you might as well see what you can salvage. Also, Simmons is in the last year of his contract-- they could resign him if he shows signs of being a guy who wants to play basketball or use his vacant salary to round out their roster around Wemby.
Atlanta Hawks

• Hawks Receive: Marcus Smart, 2024 1st via MEM (#9), and 2026 1st via OKC, HOU or LAC
• 76ers Receive: Dejounte Murray
• Grizzlies Receive: Clint Capela, 2024 1st Pick via PHI (#16) & 2027 2nd via MIL

Atlanta has one of the more intriguing offseason decisions coming up with them now owning the first overall pick in the draft. They have a plethora of tradable contracts and only one true untouchable in Jalen Johnson. They could run it back with Sarr or Risacher added in but I believe Murray will be shipped out of Atlanta to "recenter” their team around Young, Johnson, and whoever the first overall pick. They get to try their hand at the other renowned defensive guard over the last 8-years to put next to Trae Young. They could also pick up a fake first in 2026 to attach with players in future deals. The Sixers would hope to get Murray back to displaying the defensive tenacity he showed on the Spurs (he has been less locked in as of late) while still maintaining the ability to go after a high-end free agent(s) before extending Maxey. The Grizzlies get an expiring contract and high-level rebounder in Capela after moving on from Steven Adams to put next to JJJ. Losing Marcus Smart would be a tough pill to swallow, he’s the guy you never want your team to get rid of when they have him but the Morant, Smart, Bane lineup is less than optimal— especially when you can move Bane back to the 2 and slide G.G. Jackson into the 3. Moreover, moving from #9 to #16 may not be that much of a drop off in talent in this year's draft and the Grizz could either stay put and draft or trade that pick for a rotational guard.
Chicago Bulls

• Bulls Receive: Chris Paul, Gary Payton II, 2026 2nd via ATL
• Warriors Receive: Zach LaVine

Bulls bring in CP3 as a mentor for Coby White, they hope to flush out the MIP runner-up potential to the fullest. They could also flip GP2 or buy him out later down the line as they have a solid backcourt rotation already. Get off of LaVine's contract.
For the Warriors, they would hope that LaVine can return close to all-star form, he feels like a guy who would fit into the Warriors movement shooting philosophy. Also, feels like he would become a fan favorite in San Francisco.
Miami Heat

• Heat Receive: Collin Sexton & Omer Yurtseven
• Jazz Receive: Tyler Herro

It's time for the inaugural Tyler Herro mock trade. If you're the Heat you give Danny Ainge a ring and see if he's still interested in Herro. Check the DARKO DPM, Sexton or the sexGod is coming-- He had a very efficient season in fewer minutes this year in Utah. Get a dog and bring Yurt back for the vibes. Heat could include Duncan and take a gamble on Spo's ability to resurrect Collins or Clarkson.
I don't know why the Jazz would do this. I don't know why Danny Ainge does half the things he does, good or bad. All I know is Danny Ainge likes Herro a lot and maybe likes his ceiling a touch more than Sexton.
I'm picturing Ainge and Riley sitting in a sauna turning the temperature knob up and seeing who submits first... winner gets a pick-swap.
Philadelphia 76ers

• Sixers Receive: Deni Avdija
• Wizards Receive: Paul Reed, 2024 1st (#16), 2026 1st via OKC, HOU or LAC, 2027 2nd Round Pick via MIL

A dream scenario here for the Sixers as they need to fill the spaces between Maxey and Embiid. Avdija has great length which shows up on the defensive end and has excellent rebounding efficiency from the 4 spot. His shooting improved this last year and would be a massive payoff if it cracked the 40% percentile on 4-5 3PA per game for the Sixers. Wizards likely view Deni as a cornerstone piece (I just really want him on the Sixers).
The Wizards could fetch a higher price for Avdija by holding onto him for one more year and letting him improve (which I believe he will do). The sell here is you get more 1st Round Pick equity to spend while you’re still searching for a legit franchise cornerstone and a solid rotational big in Reed after losing Gafford (Gafford is better than Reed). The Wizards reportedly want 3 first-round picks this year which the Sixers could supply plus additional capital to sweeten the deal.
Indiana Pacers

• Pacers Receive: Luke Kennard
• Grizzlies Receive: Jalen Smith, 2025 2nd via CHA, 2025 2nd via IND & 2028 2nd via DAL

The Pacers move on from a guy who has fallen out of their playoff rotation and snag Kennard who fits their run-and-gun style of play. Grizzlies pick up Smith to bolster their frontcourt depth and could pair his length with JJJ to make for some nasty interior defense.
Orlando Magic *unserious\*

• Magic Receive: Robert Williams & Jevon Carter
• Trail Blazers Receive: Nikola Vucevic
• Bulls Receive: DeAndre Ayton

The Magic are in big need of a real rim protector and Robert Williams is a high-level rim defender. His biggest detriment to the Magic would be his spacing as he'd occupy driving lanes for Banchero and Wagner. The other side of this trade is more of a funny scenario to me as I think the Bulls front office would do this trade to prop up a former #1 pick as a sign to the fans that they are serious about contending, which they aren’t.
Cleveland Cavaliers

• Cavs Receive: Lebron James (Sign-and-Trade) & Kelly Olynyk
• Lakers Receive: Darius Garland & Georges Niang
• Raptors Receive: Jarrett Allen, 2024 1st via CLE (Draft Night #20), 2025 2nd via MIL, 2027 2nd via DEN

Preface: This only works if Lebron wants out. The Cavs get to roll organically into the Lebron farewell tour and try to retain Mitchell long-term by pairing him with Lebron. Lebron, Mitchell, and Mobley have a very similar feel to the Lebron, Wade, and Bosh Heat… not quite as good of course but the archetypes are there. Also, pick up a stretch five in Olynyk which Lebron would appreciate. The Lakers have limited leverage because Lebron can opt out, so they might as well get an All-Star level talent in return for him. Raptors just try to get in the mix, by picking up a young center and some draft capital.
Milwaukee Bucks

• Bucks Receive: Cody Martin
• Hornets Receive: Pat Connaughton & Andre Jackson Jr

Don’t have much to say here. Pat Connaughton is probably the one contract they could/should move to snag a veteran who’s a bit younger than Pat but with more versatility at the wing spot, they’d pray for Cody Martin to pop off their bench. I just don’t see Doc playing young guys unless his hand is forced. Hornets take a flier on Jackson. You could toss in some protected seconds to the Bucks to replenish their draft stores.
New York Knicks

• Knicks Receive: Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III & 2025 2nd via CHA or MIN
• Trail Blazers Receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, 2025 1st via MIL, 2025 1st via WAS (will likely convey as 2 seconds in 2027) & 2025 2nd via BKN

Who knows how a 36-year-old Bojan recovering from a foot injury will look next year? They'll likely lose Hartenstein in free agency (if they don't use his bird rights) and will need someone who can play a similar role. Get some athletic freaks and depth that Thibs can use to carry out his war crimes.
Trailblazers eat the Bogdanovic contract for draft capital.
Boston Celtics

• Celtics Receive: Corey Kispert
• Wizards Receive: Jaden Springer, Neemias Queta, 2024 1st via BOS (#30) & 2027 2nd via POR or NOP

There’s something about Kispert that feels like he should be a Celtic… I don’t know what it is. The C’s need win-now contributors and could look to move the 30th pick. Kispert is a solid rotation guy that the Wizards like and would be somewhat hard to pluck him from them. I think it’d be worth a shot for the C’s to kick the tires and find out his value.

A few years ago i was on tiktok and saw this video that mightve been a slideshow but im not 100 percent sure that it was
It started off with a screen saying somthing about if you like or send this to someone who likes dogs and art
And then it showed an unsettling picture of a doghuman hybrid scupture thingy and it mightve been fake but it looked like it was in a tennis court and it had mangey hair and ripped up clothes i think and it was sitting down but i know it wasn't the one where the nose and ears where onto a guy or smile dog or the hairless one that kinda looks like a pig with long ears and its not the dog with the shaved head
Im sorry for not adding any punctuation at all i got a trashy keyboard mod that takes away all of the spaces if i use any special characters

A few years ago i was on tiktok and saw this video that mightve been a slideshow but im not 100 percent sure that it was
It started off with a screen saying somthing about if you like or send this to someone who likes dogs and art
And then it showed an unsettling picture of a doghuman hybrid scupture thingy and it mightve been fake but it looked like it was in a tennis court and it had mangey hair and ripped up clothes i think and it was sitting down but i know it wasn't the one where the nose and ears where onto a guy or smile dog or the hairless one that kinda looks like a pig with long ears and its not the dog with the shaved head
Im sorry for not adding any punctuation at all i got a trashy keyboard mod that takes away all of the spaces if i use any special characters

(This is a Theory not an actual statement. Please read before posting any comments stating he's a Good guy and that.)
There are many reasons for this theory.
Reason 1: I've been curious about the whole soap death scene. What if after the Trojan horse mission; Makarov hired men to secretly take his body for extraction and make it seem as if they burned his body, I believe Makarov hired Soap way before Price.
You see Soap had a huge rivalry against Makarov, Makarov promised to kill Soap. What if Soap was an undercover agent for Konni and Makarov? Soap easily could have killed Makarov in the head with the knife... But what if he stabbed him in the shoulder to make it seem believable as if Soap was trying to stop Makarov from killing Price?
Reasons

• Makarov seemed to make Soap his target/victim in the Flashpoint mission. He didn't choose Gaz, Ghost, or Price, Only Soap. Gaz and Price are the only closest mates to Soap or Ghost, You see when Price saw Soap's death, he didn't react as much as he should which is what most soldiers would do in a situation like that. If Price saw a ghost die he would react the same way with soap. But if it was Gaz, the price would react a whole new way.
  
• Makarov took too long to shoot Price in the head, I know that sounds like he was waiting for soap and He didn't shoot soap in the head. He shot him in the shoulder and then the head.
  
• What if the bullets were fake? I've seen realistic bullets but instead with animal brain parts. In Peaky Blinders Thomas Shelby used it on Danny Dogs to ship him to safety. So what if Makarov placed 2 actual bullets in the mag shooting Soap on the shoulder then used the other actual bullet at price, Then used the fake bullet for soap?
  
• Also, Soap has a skin that is similar to Nolan's Skin after getting both Makarov and Warden's skins. also a similarity to Konni Operative skins in most of the cutscenes during the Campaign.
  

So yet again this is a theory.
Inconclusion Soap is a possible enemy in the next Call of Duty. But recently we just got the next season of cod. Season 4 brings soap back with the Time and Containment Theme which leaves us with a weird question:
"What is soap doing?"
"Is he good or bad?"
"Did he time travel?"
Who knows but let me know what you think.

Hi, I am trying to take some folks out to see the city but we have a dog that must go with us. So I'm looking for popular spots which are touristy/photo worthy but will welcome dogs.
I can only think of some outdoor areas like Nathan Phillips Square, Berczy Park and Yonge Dundas square. And then we could finish it off with a meal at an outdoor space or a patio restaurant. I'm thinking of the little food Street in front of Dave's Hot Chicken on Yonge (but I think that's too crowded for a dog).
All of this is within walking distance (or TTC-accessible if we're tired). Can you suggest something that I'm totally forgetting about?
CN tower doesn't welcome regular dogs and I'm not a fan of faking the service dog label. I'd suppose most of the ticketed spots would be like that.
I'm also considering waterfront, but that's gonna prolong the distance too much.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a biogas plant is, how it works or what they're actually used for allow me to educate you. A biogas plant produces natural gas, or rather a substitute for natural gas, from fermented corn silage as well as other agricultural waste products. Farmers, such as myself, would bring in silage which we would unload into a large concrete bunker silo, basically just a big walled in pit. The plant I delivered to used a modified snowcat to push the silage around and pack it down evenly in the pit. Once one pit filled up they would tarp it and leave it to ferment and move on to the next pit. Once a pit was fully fermented they would uncover it and use a large wheel loader to shovel the fermented silage into what's called an anaerobic digester. It's basically just a big tank with an agitator that you fill up with a bunch of organic matter and heat it up which produces methane gas as the microorganisms inside begin to break everything down. This gas is then captured and can be used for basically everything natural gas is used for already but it's supposed to be better for the environment or something. These plants are way more common in Europe but they have started to pop up here in North America as well. And yes, before you ask, these places smell worse than you could possibly imagine.
I always thought it was a little bit weird that they built one way up here in Northern Alberta but since the large dairy farm I worked at pretty much always had an excess of corn silage every year, we certainly welcomed another place to sell it to especially since they're not picky. Trying to sell to another dairy farmer is always a hassle because they're always concerned with the quality, as they should be if they're feeding it to their cows, but the biogas plant basically just needs organic matter, it doesn't really matter what it is. If it can decompose you can make gas out of it.
Last fall we had an exceptionally good corn harvest to the point where we still had 4 more fields still to harvest by the time we had enough to feed the cows for the next year. As I said this isn't uncommon. When you're harvesting corn for silage you use a totally different harvester. Rather than a combine that separates out the actual corn kernels from the rest of the plant you use a forage harvester which is essentially a giant woodchipper on wheels that takes in the whole crop and shreds it up. Since corn can easily grow 10 feet high and you spread that over a few thousand acres you get a crazy high volume of silage coming in. Upon realizing how much excess we had my boss did what he always did and called up the plant who as always agreed to take in what we didn't need. The next morning rather than trucking back to the farm we were instructed to head straight over to the plant once our trailers had filled up.
I arrived with my first load at the plant around 10 am. A man wearing a high vis jacket directed me onto the large scale they used to weigh the trucks coming in and out. "Good harvest this year Jim?" The friendly old lady in the scalehouse said as she took down the weight of my loaded truck. I felt bad as I had been delivering to this plant on and off for the last 8 years I had worked on Mr. Baker's dairy farm but I couldn't remember, or I'd just never learned her name. Oh well, I certainly wasn't going to out myself now. "Well if we're delivering here you know it's a good one," I replied. "And there's plenty more where this came from." "Glad to hear it!" She smiled back at me handing me my paperwork. "Now you just head right on down to the back there and the boys will show you where to dump" "Thank you," I said taking the papers from her and putting my truck back into gear.
I pulled off the scale and made my way to the back of the plant where the big concrete pits are. Some more men in high vis gear directed me to back into a specific one. The giant pit was only about half full at the this point but the mountain of silage in my rear view mirrors still looked to be about 30 feet deep at its highest point. As usual they had me back up until my trailer started to climb the pile a bit. this way there were no gaps in the pile and the snowcat wouldn't have to do as much pushing. As I watched the back wheels of my trailer roll on to the silage pile in my mirrors I heard the unmistakable sound of a tire blowing out. A loud pop and then a slow hiss that quickly dissipated. "Shit!" I thought to myself as I hopped out to inspect the damage. One of the workers had also come to see what had happened.
"Must be one of your inside tires" he said to me as I approached, "all the outside ones look fine." I bent down and looked under the truck, sure enough he was right. The inside tire on the right side of the rear axle was completely flat. "Well I suppose that's why semi trucks have dual wheels," I said trying to sound unfazed while simultaneously preparing myself for the ass chewing I was bound to receive for this later. I walked around to the back of the truck to inspect the damage further and saw what had punctured my tire. I stumbled back a bit as I realized it was what appeared to be a broken bone sticking out of the tire. "What the..." I said mostly to myself but the worker must've heard too as it caused him to look down at it as well. When he did his face went white for a second then he composed himself. "Well I'll be damned," he said, "I've been here since the plant opened and I ain't never seen that before, some uh, poor animal must've gone through the forage harvester, or uh, some farmer's dog must've dug it up and dropped it in their silo." He seemed real shifty as he said this and almost seemed like he was trying to convince himself of what he was saying but I brushed it off as I figured he was probably just as shocked as I was.
While I was still able to unload I did have to leave the truck and trailer at the plant that night. A mobile tire repair service would be out in the morning to get it all fixed up. I got a ride back to the farm with our next truck to arrive at the plant and finished out the day pressure washing the manure spreaders. No doubt a reward for my efforts that day. I had to take a good long shower at the farm office before getting in my truck to head home for the night. As I started the engine I went to pull my phone out of my pocket to plug it in to the charger and realized that I didn't have it. I padded all my other pockets, nope definitely not there. I then realized that I had likely left it in the semi which was now at the plant, probably locked behind a gate for the night. Logically I could have just waited till morning to go and retrieve it. I was probably just going to go straight to bed when I got home anyway so what did I need my phone for? But because humans now have separation anxiety from their phones burned into them at age 3 I found myself pulling out on to the road in the direction of the plant rather than home. I hoped there would be some friendly night security guard that would let me in to grab it and I'd be on my way in 5 minutes.
I reached the plant just as it was getting dark and indeed there was a security guard standing at the gate as I pulled up. A very heavily armed security guard. He had what looked like a military rifle slung over his back and I wondered what on earth he needed that for. They were very illegal for civilians to own here in the great white north so they must've had a damn good reason to arm their security like this for the government to let them do it. He looked rather intimidating but surprisingly was not at all antagonistic when I rolled down my window. "Are you lost partner?" He said in a rather friendly tone. "No, no, I work for one of the farms that delivers here," I said, "My truck blew a tire on the trailer earlier today and it's still sitting over by pit 3 and I think I left my phone in the cab, do you mind if I go check?" He gave me a suspicious look, then he peered into the pickup bed and generally looked over me and my truck, then he gazed off down the road and looked at his watch. "Alright you got 10 minutes, and try and stay out of the night shift's way" he said in a much less friendly tone.
A loud click and then a buzzing sound came from the gate as it began to move and I drove through it. By now it was almost completely dark but the large spotlights of the plant made it easy to navigate. I came around the corner and saw my truck still sitting across from pit 3 and I pulled up in front of it. As I got out I noticed that there was a large excavator up on top of the pile in pit 4. I knew it was digging into the silage but I couldn't really see what it was doing properly because the concrete wall that separated pits 3 and 4 partially obscured it. I could also see the roof of the snowcat peeking up over the wall. It must've been parked a little ways away on top of the pile and I figured it must've gotten stuck and they were using the excavator to try and get it out. I paid it little attention as I entered the cab of the semi truck and quickly found my phone in the cupholder. I grabbed it and just as I was climbing down a voice called out to me.
"Hey who the fuck are you?? And what are you doing here???" A disgruntled looking worker wearing the same high vis gear was running towards me. "I just left my phone in this truck here, the security guard let me in to grab it" I stammered backing up towards my pickup. "Of course he fucking did" the man grumbled and he snatched his radio out of his jacket pocket. "Peter what the hell did you let this dumbass in here for you can't be doing that!" He shouted into the radio. "Relax they're not even here yet" the guard's voice crackled through the radio. "Umm actually I see headlights if he's got his phone tell him to get out of there." The man looked back to me. "You heard him son get lost and don't come back here after delivery hours again you got it?" I nodded and climbed back into my pickup truck and began to drive back towards the gate. As I exited the guard waved to me from behind the big black GMC Yukon that had pulled up to the gate. He appeared to be talking to the driver. There was a large U-Haul truck behind it followed by another black Yukon. As I passed the last vehicle I noticed in my rear view mirror the 3 trucks enter the plant ad the guard shutting the gate behind them.
That whole situation did not sit right with me. On the drive home I contemplated everything that I had seen and heard from the guard and the other worker. They were up to something in that plant at night that maybe even the bosses didn't know about. My best guess was it was some kind of drug operation. If movies have taught me anything drug kingpins always drive black SUVs. I know I should have left it alone but life up here in Northern Alberta was so boring my curiosity ended up getting the better of me. I thought that I could help bring down some kind of criminal organization and be a local hero, and that worst case scenario nothing was happening and nothing would come of it.
After harvest concluded I had a couple of days off to rest as we'd been working pretty crazy hours lately. I however did not rest. I was trying to find out everything I could about the plant and the people who ran it. I really couldn't find anything about it, in fact it was as if the place didn't exist. You would think there would at least be a news story from when they built the place what with it being the biggest boost to the local economy and job market our town had ever seen and all but there was nothing. Finally I decided the only thing to do was to see if I could observe what those black SUVs and the U-Haul truck were doing in the plant at night. Maybe get some photos of the exchange and hand them off to the police. I did some poking around on Google maps and found an old logging road that ran across the ridge behind the plant. There was a little dirt area where people often parked to unload their ATVs to go riding in the woods up there that was maybe only a kilometre or so from the north side of the plant.
I drove up there just before dark and hiked down through the woods all the way to the north fence of the plant. It was just a chain link fence like you'd see around a schoolyard not a barbed wire prison fence or anything so I made quick work of climbing over it. Luckily for me there was a lot of equipment and old dumpsters and shipping containers in this part of the plant for me to hide behind as I made my way towards where the main gate was. I crouched down behind one of their company trucks parked near the gate and waited about 20 minute before I saw the black SUVs pull up. This time though they didn't have a U-Haul they had a much larger yellow Penske box truck. They must be hauling some serious product to be renting that thing. I watched as the trucks rolled through the gate and much like they had done with me a few days prior the plant workers in high vis gear directed them back towards the pits.
I began to sneak my way over there being careful to stay out of sight. I realized very quickly that I wouldn't be able to get very close while still remaining hidden. The area around the pits was largely wide open to allow to turn around and back in so there was nothing to conceal me as I approached. I noticed the office nearby and had an idea. I snuck over to it and tried the door. It was open but the lights were off inside. Luckily no alarms went off and I found what I came for quickly. A high vis uniform and a white hard hat laying on the break room table. I also grabbed some safety glasses and a dust mask as it wasn't uncommon for the workers to wear them, there was a lot of dust around the pits, and I figured it would help conceal my identity.
After putting on the uniform and sneaking back outside I observed the workers for a few minutes to see what they were doing and how best to blend in. Most of them appeared to either be standing around watching the trucks pull up or walking somewhere so I figured just walking like I was on a mission was good enough. Turns out I didn't need to fake it for long. As I neared the yellow Penske truck I saw some men getting out of the black SUVs. They were dressed in what looked like church robes but definitely not Catholic since they didn't have the collar. One of them turned to me and I froze. "Hey buddy, we got a pretty big load tonight, mind giving us a hand?" Realizing my cover was working I decided to play along and just leave the part about me helping the drug lords out of my statement to the police. I nodded and walked over with the other workers and awaited instructions.
I heard the sound of a diesel engine coming closer and looked over to see the excavator I had seen coming around the corner and begin to climb the silage pile in pit 4 again. The snowcat was behind it but instead of following the excavator up the pile it came towards us. It had some kind of large metal box attached to the blade that was about the size of a small car. The operator set the box down next to the Penske truck and hopped out. The same disgruntled man I had encountered the other night got out of the cab. "Jesus man, that's a big truck you got there, probably gonna take a couple trips to unload this thing," he said to the men in robes. One of them opened up the back of the box truck and where I expected to see a giant pile of cocaine bricks or something there was something I never expected.
Bodies, and lots of them just thrown haphazardly into the back of this truck. I had to fight the urge to fill my dust mask with vomit as I saw them. The workers began loading them into the box on the blade of the snowcat just tossing them on with little regard for how they landed. No one seemed to notice me just standing there so I slowly backed up into the shadows and made my way over to pit 3. It was almost full by now so I climbed up the pile to a spot where I could look over the concrete wall into pit 4 where the excavator was without being spotted. Once up there I saw the snowcat climbing up the pile towards a large hole the excavator had dug in it. There were some more workers up there who began throwing the bodies off into the hole as one of the men in robes climbed out of the passenger seat in the snowcat. He just stood on the track watching as the bodies were piled into this impromptu mass grave they had constructed. He stayed up on the pile while the snowcat went down for the second load.
This was all starting to make sense now. This was the perfect cover for disposing of bodies. They would get broken down in the piles same as everything else and because they were constantly being emptied into the digester the evidence would only be around for a few months, and the horrific smell of the plant would conceal any foul odours produced by the dead bodies. But there was one question left. Where were they coming from? This was way too many bodies for this to be the mafia or something killing off problematic individuals. By the time the truck was totally unloaded there must've been 100 dead people in that hole. No this had to be some cult activities of some sort and the robes the men from the black SUVs were wearing backed up that theory. Maybe these were just what was left over from some sort of ritual sacrifice or something? Whoever these people are they must have some kind of deal with the plant's owners because I could tell the workers had done this before. From the time the truck had arrived to the time the excavator started burying the corpses in rotting corn silage it had only taken about half an hour.
I didn't even bother ditching the uniform I got out of that plant as fast as I could. I sprinted up through those woods back towards my truck with my heart beating so fast I thought it would explode. As soon as I was in the truck I locked all the doors and dialed 911 on speaker as I peeled out of the forest. I told the operator everything that had happened over the last couple of days and what I had seen that night. I practically begged them to send someone there right away which the nice lady on the other end of the line promised they would. She asked for my name and contact information so they could get a hold of me for a statement which I gladly gave them. She assured me they would investigate the matter and I thanked her and hung up the phone. I then pulled over and got out of the truck and proceeded to finally let out all the vomit I had been holding in for the last hour or so. I ditched the plant uniform on the side of that old forest road and made my way for home.
As I was approaching my house I saw a car up ahead. As I drew closer I could make out the distinctive reflective tape they put across the back of police cars. I slowed down as I had come up on him pretty fast and I didn't want to get a speeding ticket after all I'd been through that night. I followed the cop a few more kilometres towards town. My house was on this road coming up shortly. As we approached my driveway the cop put his signal on to turn in. I breathed a sigh of relief as I guessed they had sent someone out to check on me and I was about to put my signal on as well when I noticed the black GMC Yukon parked in my driveway and the man in robes standing next to it with a gun. The cop turned in and parked next to him. Given that the cop had basically zero reaction to the man standing there with a weapon my heart sank as I realized whatever this is runs much, muh deeper than I thought and revealing who I was to that 911 dispatcher had just dommed me. I kept on driving praying that neither of them recognized me and thanking the Alberta government for not requiring front license plates that the cop would have totally seen on the drive over otherwise.
I just kept on driving, expecting at any minute to see police lights behind me or a big black SUV blocking the road ahead of me and men in dark robes coming out of the darkness to get me, but nothing happened. I don;t even know how long I drove for I just drove until I had to pee so badly I was forced to stop at a truck stop and realized I was somewhere in Saskatchewan. I've been on the run so to speak now for about 6 months. I don't know if anyone's even following me but I have to be sure. I'm writing this all out to get it off my chest and out there as a warning before I ditch this phone and start my life over in another province as far away from there as I can get. I don't know what's going on up there but there is something very dark happening in northern Alberta and I've probably only scratched the surface of it. Either way I want no part of any of it.