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With Extreme Prejudice

tarazkp

Published: 08 Aug 2026 › Updated: 08 Aug 2026With Extreme Prejudice

With Extreme Prejudice

Unfortunately, Puusti the Dog is a bit of a barker. He doesn't bark much when he is just with me, but especially when with my wife, he barks all the time, alerting her to every person that or dog that walks by. He has been getting a bit better over the last few months, but he still barks when someone knocks on the door - which was a bit funny today. Dachshunds are hunting dogs and have a loud bark, considering their size.


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Because Jehovah's Witnesses knocked.

I was upstairs and saw two elderly people I didn't know walking up the drive and I warned my wife, so she could be prepared for the dog barking. However, when they came to the door and my wife opened, Puusti who normally calms down as soon as he realises it is all safe, knows the person or gets patted - just wouldn't stop barking incessantly. He wasn't having a bar of strangers door-knocking on a Saturday.

Or, he just hates god.

I am surprised one of them didn't have a heart attack at the sound, but they did manage to hand over a flyer to my wife, who apologised for the dog barking, and then closed the door. She put the flyer on the living room coffee table and went away. When she came back...

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I guess he hates god.

I don't blame him. As while his head doesn't spin around, I do think he might be possessed at times and might require an exorcism. Perhaps if the JWs were offering a free exorcism, they could have come in. It would have to be free, because all my money went to the vet the other night, after Puusti had an allergic reaction and for a bit, looked more bulldog than dachshund, with a puffy, bumpy face, drooping lips and lethargy.

No barking though.

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Shot of cortisone, 5 euros.
Total bill, 268 euros.

His face is back to normal and the barking has obviously resumed.

I was talking to someone the other day about JWs, as there are a couple places in the city where they regularly stand, no matter the weather. My question was that while this is an obligation they must fulfil, do they see this as a meaningful service to their beliefs, or is it just something they have to do? If it is meaningful to them, I am jealous, because I don't believe in anything that much
h I would stand out in the cold endlessly for it. Sure, most beliefs people have are ultimately self-serving and pointless, but I have never been a fanboy of anything even close to that extent. No sporting team or favourite artist, and definitely no higher power. Essentially though, no matter the belief, they all trigger the same mechanism for meaning, even if all it results in is a misplaced feeling of belonging.

I think we are evolved to require meaning and since we have broken community by our increasing plunge into individualism and subsequent isolation, a lot of people are looking for meaning by attaching themselves to anything that makes them feel like they are part of a group. I suspect that while there has been a shift away from churches, they might see a bit of a renaissance as more people find themselves rudderless in a world that no longer values humans.

Perhaps if I am home alone and the JWs speak English, I will invite them in and see what solutions they offer in terms of what happens when we are replaced by technology and useless to do anything that might be useful to make.

Colossians 3:23
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

What about for AI masters?

Taraz
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