LDS Freedom Forum

tmac wrote: ↑February 27th, 2022, 11:17 am As it turns out, I was wrong. I'm not able to twist MM's arm any further this week. Part of what he expressed to me was that as amusing as the experience I wanted him to tell about was for us, it was one of those situations where you kind of had to be there, and it would be very challenging to do it justice in writing. A video might be a different story.

So, in lieu of that, I'm going to pass along a picture of a picture, taken of AGF about five years ago, when he was 73, standing on the back of a horse, doing what is known as a "Wedding Ring" rope trick. I realize that this will probably not mean much to almost anyone here (which is a big reason why AGF disappeared in the first place), but if anyone on LDSFF can match this mounted trick roping exploit at any age, I'll tip my hat to them.

This will probably be your last glimpse of AGF.

AGF Rope Trick @ 73.JPG

tmac wrote: ↑February 27th, 2022, 11:17 am As it turns out, I was wrong. I'm not able to twist MM's arm any further this week. Part of what he expressed to me was that as amusing as the experience I wanted him to tell about was for us, it was one of those situations where you kind of had to be there, and it would be very challenging to do it justice in writing. A video might be a different story.

So, in lieu of that, I'm going to pass along a picture of a picture, taken of AGF about five years ago, when he was 73, standing on the back of a horse, doing what is known as a "Wedding Ring" rope trick. I realize that this will probably not mean much to almost anyone here (which is a big reason why AGF disappeared in the first place), but if anyone on LDSFF can match this mounted trick roping exploit at any age, I'll tip my hat to them.

This will probably be your last glimpse of AGF.

AGF Rope Trick @ 73.JPG

Another way of putting it is that very little of what you come across on the internet was made by humans. So much of what we experience is empty, made by AI. The human soul of the internet found more prominently before the smart phone era is gone.
I believe this. I am blown away by how many "news articles" I skim through that feel so unprofessional, so numerous, I can't believe people are actually writing the articles and I honestly don't believe that anyone is even really reading the articles. it's like the articles just exist to serve as "wallpaper" for the internet.

I've seen so many active and thriving smaller-scaled message boards die over the years. They've become graveyards. (I think this was the intent of posting 37 pages of rubbish stories). I know people move on from things, including social circles. I get that. But nearly all "mom and pop store" message board experiences that used to thrive have become cemeteries. Where did everyone go?

Most likely the people who frequented those sort of social circles now just post on social media and reddit which the Internet Is Dead Theory would suggest was part of a plan; get the majority of the public to flock to a few social outlets to make controlling messages, advertising and shaping public opinion easier.

If the idea of the Internet Is Dead Theory is true (we are surrounded by an immense amount of empty content, not made by humans, we are essentially wandering through a hollow advertisement), it reminds me a lot of the societal decay I believe we are experiencing offline;

tmac wrote: ↑February 26th, 2022, 4:25 pm Without going into any detail about the extensive lengths I have gone to reach- out to AGF and his nephew, I am now returning to report.

Before doing that, though, I'm sure some people may question my own motives, and very reasonably ask why I would bother going to such lengths.

I know there has been a lot of disagreement here as to the possible significance of anything AGF had to say. But there was enough mystery with the whole thing that I wanted to solve some of that mystery at least for myself, and satisfy at least some of my personal curiosity, if nothing else, just as to background, motives, current status, and personal well-being, etc.

At this point, I am prepared to report the following:

AGF is real, and situated about as he always described -- an elderly widowed brother in the Gospel, recovering from knee surgery, surrounded by well-meaning, but hovering BYU PhD-type daughters who became increasingly apprehensive about their father's involvement on LDSFF, especially based on how agitated it was making him, and the fact that his general health took a significant turn for the worse last fall. So, they basically took AGF's keys away, and also shut down his nephew as the LDSFF facilitator.

And AGF's likewise well-meaning nephew ended being on-board with that because, despite his previous experiences with LDSFF, he ended up being very disappointed with the whole experience, and felt like he had gotten AGF in over his head in a surprisingly hostile environment.

They both realize that there have been a handful of supportive folks who really do seem to care, and are interested in hearing the rest of the story, but those people have been drowned-out by the loudness of the malicious naysayers, to the point that they both concluded that in an overall cost/benefit analysis, the price that AGF was being forced to pay vastly exceeded any possible benefit he was getting out of any of it -- which was basically only to try to get some unique, one-of-a-kind type stuff (personal knowledge stuff) off his chest.

At the end of the day AGF does feel like he is in possession of important information, based primarily on personal knowledge. One of his primary motives was to make a credible "anonymous" semi-public and semi-permanent record of this information, that he will otherwise probably just end up taking to his grave.

But I don't think we will ever see or hear from AGF again here on LDSFF.

I realize that this may come as a real disappointment to some. I'm sorry, but it is what it is. That is my report.

Having said that, because I twisted my cousin, MM's, arm to make part of the multi-tasking trek with me, and because he's a better storyteller than I am, I'm going to try to twist his arm to throw everyone a bone, and share one last completely unrelated story from our trip.

tmac wrote: ↑February 27th, 2022, 11:17 am As it turns out, I was wrong. I'm not able to twist MM's arm any further this week. Part of what he expressed to me was that as amusing as the experience I wanted him to tell about was for us, it was one of those situations where you kind of had to be there, and it would be very challenging to do it justice in writing. A video might be a different story.

So, in lieu of that, I'm going to pass along a picture of a picture, taken of AGF about five years ago, when he was 73, standing on the back of a horse, doing what is known as a "Wedding Ring" rope trick. I realize that this will probably not mean much to almost anyone here (which is a big reason why AGF disappeared in the first place), but if anyone on LDSFF can match this mounted trick roping exploit at any age, I'll tip my hat to them.

This will probably be your last glimpse of AGF.

AGF Rope Trick @ 73.JPG

tmac wrote: ↑February 26th, 2022, 4:25 pm Without going into any detail about the extensive lengths I have gone to reach- out to AGF and his nephew, I am now returning to report.

Before doing that, though, I'm sure some people may question my own motives, and very reasonably ask why I would bother going to such lengths.

I know there has been a lot of disagreement here as to the possible significance of anything AGF had to say. But there was enough mystery with the whole thing that I wanted to solve some of that mystery at least for myself, and satisfy at least some of my personal curiosity, if nothing else, just as to background, motives, current status, and personal well-being, etc.

At this point, I am prepared to report the following:

AGF is real, and situated about as he always described -- an elderly widowed brother in the Gospel, recovering from knee surgery, surrounded by well-meaning, but hovering BYU PhD-type daughters who became increasingly apprehensive about their father's involvement on LDSFF, especially based on how agitated it was making him, and the fact that his general health took a significant turn for the worse last fall. So, they basically took AGF's keys away, and also shut down his nephew as the LDSFF facilitator.

And AGF's likewise well-meaning nephew ended being on-board with that because, despite his previous experiences with LDSFF, he ended up being very disappointed with the whole experience, and felt like he had gotten AGF in over his head in a surprisingly hostile environment.

They both realize that there have been a handful of supportive folks who really do seem to care, and are interested in hearing the rest of the story, but those people have been drowned-out by the loudness of the malicious naysayers, to the point that they both concluded that in an overall cost/benefit analysis, the price that AGF was being forced to pay vastly exceeded any possible benefit he was getting out of any of it -- which was basically only to try to get some unique, one-of-a-kind type stuff (personal knowledge stuff) off his chest.

At the end of the day AGF does feel like he is in possession of important information, based primarily on personal knowledge. One of his primary motives was to make a credible "anonymous" semi-public and semi-permanent record of this information, that he will otherwise probably just end up taking to his grave.

But I don't think we will ever see or hear from AGF again here on LDSFF.

I realize that this may come as a real disappointment to some. I'm sorry, but it is what it is. That is my report.

Having said that, because I twisted my cousin, MM's, arm to make part of the multi-tasking trek with me, and because he's a better storyteller than I am, I'm going to try to twist his arm to throw everyone a bone, and share one last completely unrelated story from our trip.

tmac wrote: ↑March 6th, 2022, 8:26 am Great Pyrenees deal well with coyotes. But you need something even tougher for bears, lions and wolves. This particular desert winter country doesn't have an issue with anything but coyotes.

And just to put it in context, on that day I was making rounds (tending camp) for an outfit that runs 5000 head of sheep. I have another client that runs 12,000.

tmac wrote: ↑March 5th, 2022, 10:05 pm As I was returning home, just before I crossed the highway, I got a phone call, which caused me to step on it more than I had been.

Twin Peaks UP Crossing 3.4.2022.JPG

I was still talking on the phone when I got to the RR tracks, going a little faster than I should have been. I hit the brakes hard to stop, but started to skid on the loose gravel from some recent dirt work they had just been doing on a new cattle guard.

CSR Twin Peaks UP Crossing.2 3.4.2022.JPG

It wasn't until that moment that I bothered to look left, right into the face of double UP engines bearing down hard.

UP Twin Engines @ Twin Peaks Crossing 3.5.2022.JPG

The stop was already tenuous, so I gunned it instead. Whoa, that was a close one! I just came within less than five seconds of leaving this round of mortal existence plastered as a hood ornament across the front end of a Union Pacific lead engine.

Just a couple pieces of unsolicited advice, based on my experience:

1. Be very careful about distracted (multi-tasking) driving.
2. Look both ways sooner rather than later.
3. Always, always be prepared to make a good, full stop at all RR crossings with stop signs.
4. Thank the Lord for tender mercies, and the opportunity to live another day.
5. Give your loved ones a hug and a kiss and tell them you love them every chance you get.

tmac wrote: ↑March 5th, 2022, 9:51 pm In this post, I'll let the pics do all the talking.

JB Sheep.Guard Dog 3.4.2022.JPG

JB Sheep 3.4.2022.JPG

JB Camps.Water Truck 3.4.2022.JPG

larsenb wrote: ↑May 6th, 2022, 3:07 pm..I used to hobnob w/a Mexican sheep herder living in the type of sheep wagons you show. No railroads, though.

The Creator wrote: ↑May 7th, 2022, 12:02 pm

larsenb wrote: ↑May 6th, 2022, 3:07 pm..I used to hobnob w/a Mexican sheep herder living in the type of sheep wagons you show. No railroads, though.

What's the difference between a Mexican sheep and an American sheep?

larsenb wrote: ↑May 7th, 2022, 2:05 pm

The Creator wrote: ↑May 7th, 2022, 12:02 pm

larsenb wrote: ↑May 6th, 2022, 3:07 pm..I used to hobnob w/a Mexican sheep herder living in the type of sheep wagons you show. No railroads, though.

What's the difference between a Mexican sheep and an American sheep?

Probably the Mexican sheep are descended from the original sheep the Lamanites raised in the Mesoamerican area. The American sheep came over on the May Flower. That should be obvious.

larsenb wrote: ↑May 7th, 2022, 2:05 pm

larsenb wrote: ↑May 7th, 2022, 2:05 pmWhat's the difference between a Mexican sheep and an American sheep?

Probably the Mexican sheep are descended from the original sheep the Lamanites raised in the Mesoamerican area. The American sheep came over on the May Flower. That should be obvious.