Not Again: Can You Just Shotgunned Was of Dog Food

MISSOULA, Mont. — A look of terror and shame reportedly ran across your very own face just now upon the creeping realization that the can you shotgunned contained dog food and not beer, stomach-churned sources confirmed.

“Ah shit, why does this keep happening? I was halfway down the can before I started noticing the meaty chunks of Alpo slithering down my gullet, but I just had to keep going to make sure! I was hoping against hope that maybe it was maybe an especially viscous microbrew,” you were heard to say, while fighting back what is surely a torrent of vomit. “But, sure enough, just like the last few dozen times, it was dog food, plain as day. Worst part was, there were no Greenies around to gnaw on to get the taste off my teeth. Just had to sit with it between my molars for the rest of the night. This is almost as bad as the time I ate an entire bowl of Kibbles ‘N Bits because it looked like Cocoa Pebbles.”

Early reports on the matter reveal your long-suffering girlfriend is finding this occurrence less and less becoming.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t embarrassed. I’d love to stand by my partner, but this tends to happen at, oh, EVERY social gathering we go to together and it’s getting old hat. At first we would say our goodbyes and rush to the hospital to get the big lummox’s stomach pumped,” said your live-in girlfriend of four years, Evelyn Herrara. “But I suspect he’s beginning to acquire a taste for it. You’ve gotta admit, his coat’s been looking especially lustrous as of late, and he’s way, way better at catching frisbees in his mouth than he was when I first met him. Which is impressive, because he’s always been pretty good at that.”

Kendra-Anne Defino, head sommelier at Missoula’s Ten Spoon Vineyard, has been working tirelessly to quell rumors that dog food is bad to consume.

“I sincerely believe that drinking the occasional glass of pet food can not only be good for the human system, but enriching to the palette. There are flavor notes and tannins that we homosapiens can only experience through the hard work of eating this slop, a term I use non-derogatorily,” said Defino, while swirling a snifter of 2007 Purina Pedigree Blend. “Plus, it’s way more inexpensive than even the cheapest bottle of wine, which also doesn’t tend to make its own gravy when you add a little water to it. The choice seems clear to me, but what do I know? I’m only HEAD SOMMELIER.”

After the uproar regarding the shotgunned can, the commotion died down, and the christening ceremony where this all took place was able to go on as planned.

We Sit Down With a Hostage Negotiator Because Nobody Is Leaving Until We Get Our Goddamn Helicopter

Hostage negotiation is one of the most stressful jobs you could even fathom. With insurmountable pressure to dismantle high stakes standoffs where lives can be in danger, failure to compromise could mean disaster.

We had the privilege to speak to veteran negotiator Michael Jacobs, as this bank heist didn’t go as planned and now nobody is leaving here alive until he makes good on our demand for a goddamn chopper.

So nice to hear your voice again Officer Jacobs. I noticed it’s taking some time to procure our means of escape. So are you dragging this out on purpose because you get paid by the hour or do you just like wasting everyone’s time? I could’ve been sipping cocktails on a Mexican beach by now.

I’m just trying to get everyone out of this situation safely, including you. We’re working with a nearby airfield on getting the helicopter, you just need to give us some more time. But I can’t give you what you want until you let those folks go, understand? And for your information, I’m salaried.

Oh salaried, very nice! I bet that comes with a lovely pension to boot. So what exactly does a successful negotiation look like? Would you consider it a ‘job well done’ if you deliver exactly what I want and everyone lives, or do I have to shoot another hostage to get my fucking point across?

A successful negotiation is when all parties walk away and – wait, when did you shoot a hostage?

Well he did pull the silent alarm, so I’d say he and I are even. But we’re getting sidetracked because I’m the one asking the questions. One would assume a man of your expertise and training would prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the dozen souls who have a gun pointed at them, and that you have the connections to deliver a Sikorsky S-76 with relative ease, yes?

That depends if you help me so I can help you, OK? I suppose it’s safe to assume since you can handle a gun and fly a copter that you’re ex-military. Take it from a fellow vet: once you fly that thing out of the city limits I can’t promise you anything. I know you, you’re mad about your country using you and abandoning you. 

I know full damn well Uncle Sam will bail out the bank for all this money, but where’s MY bailout, huh? I was tossed aside like a dog – wait a minute, you’re trying to establish a personal connection with me to establish leverage! Damn you’re good. 

So I’m told. How about you let a few hostages out and I’ll see if I can expedite that helicopter for you, if that’s what it’s gonna take. Also my wife is making lasagna for dinner and this is getting exhausting.

I supposed I could release a few hostages, after all your time must be very valuable. I’ll tell you what, if you give me the exact time that whirlybird is going to touch down on this roof and I’ll consider it. But being the reasonable man that I am, we’re getting quite peckish here, so I can part with some of my collateral for a few pizzas. The good stuff, not that Papa John’s garbage. Clock’s ticking, pig. 

Christ you’re annoying. You know what, I’m just gonna send in the SWAT team. Dinner is in 45 minutes and my wife is making lasagna. Weapons free, boys!

50 Halloween Movies the Whole Family Can Enjoy Before You Murder Them With an Axe

Well, Halloween is right around the corner and you know what that means—it’s almost time to complete your kill cycle. You’ve spent the whole year infiltrating a family, becoming one of them, and gaining their trust. Now it’s time to treat them to a family-friendly Halloween classic before THE URGE takes hold and you come after them with an axe.

Fire up the TV, throw some popcorn in the microwave, and sharpen that blade, for Samhain is upon us and it demands sacrifice.

So which spooktacular tale will precede the bloodshed this year? Here are the top 50 family Halloween movies the Sheffields are blissfully unaware will be their last, ranked worst to best!

50. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)

Good grief Peanuts specials are terrible. Aside from the music of The Vince Guaraldi Trio, these things have zero entertainment value. They’re about to die, they deserve better.

49. “Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire” (2000)

I mean what am I trying to do, broadcast it to the poor bastards? Any movie that questions mom’s taste in men is out. It’s a big family, and I’ll need the element of surprise to succeed.

48. “Casper” (1995)

Casper is an odd one. This “friendly” ghost is a little creepy and possessive toward Christina Ricci. Frankly, it borders on problematic. I made a promise to Lidya Sheffield that I would help raise her children right, and even though I muttered “Until I freakin butcher you all with an axe on Halloween night” under my breath, it’s a promise I intend to keep.

47. “Hubie Halloween” (2020)

This is the last night of these people’s lives, subjecting them to a Netflix-era Adam Sandler comedy just seems cruel. Almost as cruel as I’m going to be with that axe. The Sheffields are a good bunch, they deserve “Big Daddy” or better.

46. “Practical Magic” (1998)

It’s sort of like “Hocus Pocus” meets “Eat Pray Love.” I prefer the one without the “Eat Pray Love” in it. Will “Hocus Pocus” be the last movie my family ever sees? Read on to find out!

45. “The Goonies” (1985)

Eh, kind of overrated, and it promotes a mistrust of adults. Appearances must be kept until the very final moment, just like last year and countless others.

44. “King Kong” (1933)

It is a classic, and as a cinephile, I appreciate it, but it might be a little too slow-paced for the youngins. I don’t want them to fall asleep before I get to murder them with my axe, where would the fun be in that?!

43. “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971)

The early mixture of animation with live action is charming, and it even teaches the kids a little something about World War II, but like, what’s the point in that? I’m about to murder them.

42. “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” (1950)

This animated spooky classic has really stood the test of time, and it will help the Sheffields cozy up to the idea of living without heads.

41. “Goosebumps” (2015)

The Goosebumps books had come and gone before our kids came into this world, but they do love Jack Black. It’s only right that they spend this night with someone they love.

40. “Scooby-Doo” (2002)

Personally, I always thought this live-action iteration of Scooby-Doo was a mess. Sarah Michelle Gellar is playing Buffy instead of Daphne, Freddie Prinze Jr. is playing Freddie Prinze Jr. instead of Fred, and why the hell are Shaggy and Scoob making fart jokes? Still, the kids seem to like it, and part of being a parent means putting their needs first before you brutally slaughter them.

39. “Monster House” (2006)

I have some reservations about showing them this movie where the house itself is the monster, only for them to turn around and see that the monster is just some guy with an axe (me.) Kinda feels like a de-escalation.

38. “The Witches” (1990)

An adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic directed by one of my favorite filmmakers Nicolas Roeg! At first, I thought “This would be a great entry point into Roeg’s filmography for the kids!” but then I was like “Oh, right, I’m murdering them.”

37. “The Munsters” (2022)

Bet you never thought you would see a Rob Zombie film on a list of family-friendly movies, but his recent Munsters reboot is squeaky clean. Don’t worry though, once the movie ends things are going to get “House of 1000 Corpses” around here real fast.

36. “Hocus Pocus” (1993)

It’s got great spooky ambiance, but maybe not the right fit since the plot revolves around the protagonist being a virgin. I’m worried our youngest will ask me what a virgin is, and then we’ll have to have an awkward talk before THE URGE forces me to decapitate her with an axe.

35. “Frankenweenie” (2012)

This would be sort of an ironic choice since our own dog, a pit/lab mix by the name of Mr. Hamburger, is the only member of the family who is going to survive this night. I am a serial murderer of families, not some dipshit animal abuser!

34. “ParaNorman” (2012)

Ghost and zombies and curses, oh my! “ParaNorman” packs a lot of spooky stuff into its 92-minute runtime, which is good, because that’s exactly how long the Sheffields have to experience as much as possible.

33. “The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular”

It’s short and sweet, just like my kid’s lives are about to be.

32. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” (2019)

This one pushes the boundaries of PG-13 a bit and technically might be a little scarier than our youngest is used to, but come on. They’re all about to die. Live a little.

31. “Double, Double, Toil and Trouble” (1993)

Nothing whets your appetite for brutal axe murder more than a strait-to-video ‘90s Olson Twins movie.

30. “Toy Story of Terror” (2014)

Maybe if the kids spent less time asking “What do toys get up to when we’re not looking” and more time asking “How come our new dad doesn’t let us in the tool shed” they would see tonight’s bloodbath coming.

2023 Proposed Straight Edge Rule Changes and Points of Clarification

It’s an annual tradition for the straight edge scene elders to convene and discuss potential rule changes to make being straight edge less appealing and more alienating than ever.

​​During this process, the scene elders ask several questions about each potential rule change:

  • Will this make people dislike us more?
  • How pointless is this?
  • Will this make it even harder for an acquaintance to do something nice for you?

Today we are reviewing all the potential rule changes that could be enacted as soon as the current straight edge season ends.

Banning Chapstick/Lip Balm

This has been a sticking point for many hardline straight edgers for years. A representative from Salt Lake City submitted evidence of a young TikToker saying “I’m so addicted to my lip balm, I like can’t live without it” and posited that using lip moisturizing products is worse than heroin.

A Complete Ban on All Mushrooms

Members of the Boston hardcore scene remain steadfast in their belief that every variety of mushroom contains some sort of psychedelic element. This is a “better safe than sorry” proposal in order to protect straight edge scene members from accidentally expanding their mind.

Enacting Healthy Sleep Schedules

Under this proposal, every straight edger must get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Anything less will be considered an edge break akin to smoking two packs of cigarettes.

Pilgrimage to the Dischord House Steps

Every adult straight edger must make this pilgrimage once in their life. If they do not do it before their death they will not be allowed to be buried with their favorite straight edge merch or have any straight edge songs played at their funeral

Banning Any Use of Hemp

Members of the straight edge community remain unclear as to what exactly “hemp” is. This ban would include eating hemp seeds, and would penalize any member of the scene whot used hemp rope in their necklaces in the ‘90s.

Reversing Ban on Sunscreen

In 2021 the elders enacted a ban on sunscreen, following a sharp increase in terrible sun burns at outdoor music festivals and skin cancer, members of the Florida scene are proposing this rule be reversed.

Banning the Use of Anesthetics During Medical Procedures

This one is pretty straight forward. If you need mind-altering chemicals while a medical professional removes your appendix then maybe the straight edge lifestyle isn’t for you.

Reclassifying People Who Call Themselves Straight Edge But Have No Connection to Punk/Hardcore

A large faction of people were introduced to straight edge through mainstream personalities like CM Punk but have no connection to the history of straight edge, under this proposal these people would not be allowed to call themselves straight edge and must adopt a new term to be determined later. CM Punk himself will not be affected by this change.

Points of Clarification

 

The “Don’t Fuck” Rule

Lots of people believe this means a “ban on pre-marital sex.” The scene elders clarified they also don’t really know what this should actually mean and continue to encourage any straight edger to participate in sex on the rare occasions it actually happens.

CBD

The California straight edge scene reminded the larger community that they do not recognize CBD as a drug and do not see its use as an edge break.

20-Year-Old Celebrates Last Edge Day

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Local 20-year-old hardcore kid Cody Macklin remains ignorant to the fact that he is celebrating his last Edge Day this year, disappointed, but unsurprised sources confirmed.

“Edge Day is about celebrating life free from mind-altering substances and putting fucked up shit in your body. It’s been my favorite holiday ever since I claimed edge at 15,” said the 20-year-old Macklin, seemingly unaware that hours after turning 21 he’ll be drinking alcohol on a regular basis and chain smoking cigarettes outside of bars across town. “Last Edge Day, I celebrated by getting a ‘True Till Death’ tattoo on my chest but this year we’re going to keep it more low-key. Some friends and I are going to hit the gym in the morning, go look at records in the afternoon, and then hit up No Queso for dinner. They make the best vegan quesadillas!”

Tyler Babbs, Macklin’s bandmate in xTruthAndHonorx, is disappointed this is going to be Macklin’s last Edge Day but happy that he gets to spend it with one of his best friends.

“Yeah…the writing’s been on the wall, man. I think we’ve all seen it coming for a while now. Last spring Cody ‘accidentally’ drank five White Claw Mangos thinking they were LaCroix. It was pretty obvious after the first one that he knew what he was doing,” said Babbs. “Over the summer, he basically pulled the same thing with a weed gummy, and then a weed popsicle. All that being said, he’s my boy and I’m glad I get to spend time with him on his last Edge Day before turning 21, because once he breaks edge I’m fucking done with him. It’s bittersweet, but I can’t be seen with sellouts.”

Straight edge lifer, Mike Macchio, says he sees this happen every year and it’s always really sad.

“Yo, it’s especially painful when it happens around the most edge time of the year. You see all these kids coming up in the scene so passionate about straight edge. They make a commitment, get tattoos, start bands…it’s beautiful,” said Macchio, a single tear drop forming in his right eye. “And then, just like that, it’s over. They turn 21, start listening to RZL DZL and Murphy’s Law, and…well…it’s over. Not many kids make it as far as I have. You know, it’s fucked up but it’s kind of lonely being 42 and straight edge.”

At press time, Macklin had a bad headache and was asking on Reddit whether taking Advil was an edge break.

Vet Bill 500 Million Dollars

RICHMOND, Va. — Local woman Carissa Whitley was reportedly billed 500 million dollars during a recent visit to Riverside Veterinary Center with her 3-year-old Labrador Retriever mix Daisy, flabbergasted sources confirmed.

“She got a hold of a fucking chicken wing bone, dude. And now I have to pay 500 million dollars. Fuck, that’s a lot of money. Why are vet bills so expensive?” said Whitley, who now owes the equivalent of a superyacht to her local vet. “And who the fuck is leaving chicken bones out on the street? There must be a man just walking around with a pillowcase full of chicken wing bones and sprinkling them around residential neighborhoods. Oh Jesus Christ, I’m never going to get out from under this.”

Samuel Miller, veterinarian at Riverside, said large bills can be quite common and pet owners should not be surprised at the cost of high-quality vet care.

“For us to just see a patient, we’re usually talking about 50 to 100 million dollars. That doesn’t even account for fees, the cost of procedures, and prescription medicines which, of course, can add up quickly,” explained Miller who regularly bankrupts families with bills that match the State of Wyoming’s total spending on Medicare for fiscal year 2023. “When we saw Daisy, she had swallowed a small chicken wing bone and it had lodged itself in her throat. Fortunately, she was able to pass the bone without any surgical interventions, but the cost of the urgent care appointment, coupled with us keeping her overnight for observation and prescribing medication for her GI tract, pushed the cost of her visit to a very respectable half a billion.”

Jessica Holden, a professor of Veterinary Economics at Virginia Commonwealth University, says recent inflationary pressures have driven up the cost of domestic animal care.

“Like other areas of the United States economy, vet offices are feeling the pinch of inflation. Their costs have gone up and they’ve had to pass down those costs to consumers. Before COVID, vet bills were much more reasonable. Back then, you could take your dog for his yearly checkup for only 25 million,” said Holden. “With prices so high now, we fear many Americans may just choose to forgo owning pets. The impact that might have on the industry overall is unclear.”

Shortly before press time, Daisy ate another chicken bone, prompting Whitley to return to the vet’s office.

The Next Aesop Rock? This Guy Is Muttering To Himself Real Fast In A Bodega

As a connoisseur of underground hip-hop, I know an Aesop Rock song when I hear it. The internal rhyme structure, the critique of capitalism, the beat that sounds like it was made by a 1986 scratch DJ who only samples Squidward clarinet solos. You can imagine my surprise upon hearing such a specific landscape of sound emanating from my local bodega, only to find that it was not someone playing “Labor Days” from their speakers: It was just some schlubby white guy in a ballcap muttering to himself real fast. Could this genius be the next Aesop Rock? I decided to follow him around NYC and find out.

After a few minutes of watching this potential genius waddle around, he starts beatboxing super fast near the assorted jerkies. Then he spins around and says “CARBOHYDRATES, ketones on a pie plate, make my tummy vibrate.” Just as I was about to ask him what these lyrics symbolized, the dude just starts violently binge-eating all the store’s display donuts til the owner kicks him out.

The thought crossed my mind that perhaps this guy wasn’t spitting elaborate metaphors about American society, and was actually just craving carbs. But as an Aesop Rock fan, I knew there had to be a deeper meaning to all this. After all, if there is one thing Aesop Rock cannot resist, it’s making a huge impact then taking a mysterious hiatus. That’s basically the hip-hop equivalent of eating all the display donuts in a bodega and immediately getting kicked out. The parallels were just undeniable at this point.

After trailing this future rap superstar for a few blocks, I finally mustered up the courage to ask him where he gets his inspiration for such dope rhymes. He looked me dead in the face and dropped some of the illest bars to ever bless this earth: “Shmibity-Shmallet, I’mma steal your wallet.” Then, in a probably unrelated act, he punched me in the face and stole my wallet.

To this day, I don’t know where he took my wallet, but I assume it was to go to a recording studio and definitely not to buy more of whatever drugs he was on. Meanwhile, I have the rest of my life to try and figure out what metaphor he was trying to convey. Even for underground lyrical scholars like me, some musical mysteries remain unsolved.

30 Episodes of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Ranked by How Much They Still Make Me Piss Myself, but Actually This Is a Lot of Piss and Maybe Unrelated, Should I See Someone?

October is the perfect month to deep dive into some spooky nostalgia! This year we decided to to spend a little time with The Midnight Society and revisit every ’90s kids favorite nightmare fuel “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”

Well we are happy to report, this show holds up! It may be a kid’s show that feels very Canadian but honestly, some of these episodes still make us piss ourselves with fear! At least, we thought the piss was fear related. Now we’re not so sure. There’s kind of a lot of it… could we be sick or something? Anyway, let’s get into this top 30 and not think about it!

30. “The Tale of C7”

Just a nice, semi-romantic lakeside ghost tale. Not a drop of piss. Oh actually no there is one. Hmm.

29. “The Tale of the Lonely Ghost”

Tugs at the heartstrings a bit maybe but just not that scary. Still a few more drops of piss though, curious.

28. “The Tale of the Midnight Ride”

A ‘90s teen twist on the legend of The Headless Horseman. I swear it wasn’t scary and yet there are clearly fresh piss drops here. Am I just like slowly leaking piss all the time and just now noticing? It’s soaking through multiple layers.

27. “The Tale of the Bookish Babysitter”

This one is honestly more whimsy than horror, and whatever issue I was having with piss seems to have righted itself. No wait there it goes again, what the fuck I just changed my underwear!

26. “The Tale of the Unfinished Painting”

What could be scarier than an art class?! The answer is obviously lots of stuff. Okay, there’s a straight-up spot now. Did I put on dirty underwear by mistake? This is a Stephen King-sized piss stain, I don’t know what’s going on.

25. “The Tale of Apartment 214”

Jeffrey Dahmer lived in apartment 213, is she meant to be his neighbor? This Large Marge light story I would call spooky, but not scary, and yet the spot is bigger! Definitely not just the underwear, something is up with me.

24. “The Tale of the Full Moon”

This was a weird one and I’ve always appreciated the campiness of it, but in terms of fear there should be zero piss in my shorts and there is more than that, I could probably fill a water balloon at this point. Am I drinking too much water?

23. “The Tale of the Quicksilver”

This one scared some of the piss out of me for sure. Not this much piss though. Some of this piss is definitely not fear-related, I’m a little alarmed. Could I be diabetic?

22. “The Tale of the Dangerous Soup”

You never forget the taste of fear. You never forget the smell of fear either. It smells like piss. Okay yeah, the piss-to-fear ratio is way off here. Way off. Maybe a quick peak at WebMD is in order.

21. “The Tale of Old Man Corcoran”

Definitely a few solid jump-scare moments in this spooky graveyard tale. One of them gave me a little spritz, but then several full-on spurts after that I can’t really explain. I’m 29, this is not right.

20. “The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner”

Okay there’s a lot more pee this time, but look at that guy. He looks like some kind of piss demon. I’m gonna just chalk this one up to the episode. I’m gonna go get all my piss out before the next ep, change underwear one more time, and hope that whatever was going on with me is done and I can stop worrying.

19. “The Tale of the Quiet Librarian”

This one was a lot scarier back when I was a kid and librarians were still a force to be reckoned with, but watching it through adult eyes… God, more piss? I like, JUST went. What’s wrong with my body?

18. “The Tale of the Pinball Wizard”

Scary stuff, but if I had to pick the scariest wizard I’m dealing with right now, it would be ME! Wizzin’ all over the goddamn place! I am straight-up damp. This is not normal. Am I still on Mom’s insurance?

17. “The Tale of the Prom Queen”

This ghost story centering around the mystery of a girl killed on her way to the prom in the ‘50s warrants some urine, but this?! It’s getting on the couch now!

16. “The Tale of the Twisted Claw”

Here’s a scary story for ya, the tale of the soggy bottoms. Jesus, I am a MESS, piss-wise.

I Hate Mondays! Garfield Characters By Their Likeliness of Committing Workplace Violence

Congratulations! Your horrendous behavior in the workplace has landed you in this Human Resources seminar. Our HR program uses the JDGS or “Jim Davis Grading System” to provide examples for identifying workplace threats. We’ve ranked the recurring Garfield characters below as a “beware” guide for adjusting your own behavior. We all hate Mondays, but that is no excuse to be a grumpy Garfield to your co-workers. It’s important to keep your anger appropriately stored and squared away, like leftover lasagna in Tupperware with your name on it. Let’s get started, especially since completion is mandatory!

17. Grandma Arbuckle

Grandma Arbuckle is in retirement and now a greeter at Wal-Mart, with a very low likelihood of workplace violence. The only thing anyone could blame her for was gossip. She absolutely lives for it. It’s actually caused problems with some of the customers, since her questions are far too probing. A manager at the nearest location was having an affair with someone in the warehouse where she worked, and that gossip alone absolutely made her month. It was like instant Christmas for Grandma Arbuckle. Besides occasionally pocketing batteries for the “clicker,” Grandma Arbuckle is mostly harmless.

16. Pooky

Yes, this is Garfield’s teddy bear and best friend. Innocent, right? Wrong. Never disregard potential threats in the office. Sometimes it’s the quiet ones that suddenly lash out with a stapler. There’s mischief brewing in those lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. They might not respond to your email out of spite. They might not even talk to you. Then again, Pooky can’t talk. The worst you might get is a passive-aggressive door slam, if Pooky can even reach the knob.

15. Odie

Who doesn’t love Odie? Sure he can be mischievous towards Garfield, but this is often in retaliation for some annoying-as-fucking prank Garfield has pulled. He mostly wants to just hang around you and happily drool. The worst Odie might do is accidentally rummage through your desk looking for treats or chew your desk calendar up. Property destruction and vandalism is never tolerable. He’s a dog, what do you want?

14. Lyman

Lyman disappeared from the Garfield newspaper strip in 1983 and hasn’t been seen since. Every company worries about that one distant disgruntled past employee unceremoniously fired, the one who promised to return while being carried out by security. Who else has been sending your office cryptic threats pasted together with individual letters cut from People magazine? It has to be Lyman, with his classic antagonist mustache and misleading smile. Report any tactics of intimidation, especially if Lyman begins standing across the street from the office “reading the newspaper” wearing nothing but a peacoat and mirrored sunglasses.

13. Irma the Waitress

When you work in service and people don’t tip, it is understandably upsetting and tempting to seek revenge. That’s what lands Irma in trouble every time. She has thrown mugs at non-tippers, has even followed them out screaming. She has poured cement mix into gasoline tanks, and has not washed her hands when serving rude customers. Any minor upset with staff will result in her giving a month’s long silent treatment, as though conversation with her was a fucking treasure. Best just to nod and smile at her small talk. Do not accept her Facebook friend request.

12. Garfield

Garfield is likely too lazy to ever actually cause any harm. He is mostly a constant grump, which honestly fits into most American corporate culture. But he also has a long memory and is constantly biding time for his own revenge. He has these ominous lists in his room, scribbled on the back of long CVS receipts, new names added each week after any minor altercation. What is he planning on doing with those lists? You go out of your way to be nice to Garfield, but it doesn’t seem to work. Nothing makes Garfield happy, except when it’s 4:59pm, when this lazy cat becomes an Olympic runner heading for the door.

11. Garfield’s Mother

Garfield’s Mother is the one that’s been around forever, employed since day one. And somehow she is the biggest bully of them all. Nearing complete bitterness and dripping with cruelty, Garfield’s Mother is every judgmental co-worker that you’ve ever worked with. They call you unwanted nicknames. They talk about you behind your back. But they also eat garbage from the back courtyard of an Italian restaurant, so you try not to judge. There’s clearly something wrong going on here. They smell like old halibut. Despite their personal hygiene, Garfield’s Mom is still employed since the company somehow can’t function without her.

10. Squeak

Everyone knows a short king constantly trying to prove themselves, and that’s Squeak the mouse. Way, way too sensitive. Always getting into fights in the parking lot, or challenging people over any perceived threat. Overdoes it with the cologne. One time at a work conference, Squeak pulled a dude’s clip-tie off and threw it into a corporate fountain. You don’t think Squeak would ever actually get into a real brawl, but he’s reckless. Too reckless. Squeak was an unfortunate choice as a new “work lunch friend” during the first week or so. You’ve avoided him ever since, even though he hits you up on Slack all the time about your lunch plans.

10 out of 10 Doctors Agree: Getting Paid to Shill for Prescription Drugs Is Awesome

CAMDEN, Conn. — A blockbuster study conducted by Quinnipiac University found that on average, 10 out of 10 American doctors unilaterally believe that being paid to shill for prescription drugs is monetarily awesome.

“I took the Hippocratic Oath to help any and all people in need of medical treatment, and I intend to mostly honor it. But at the same time, I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with recommending a litany of medications to all of my patients to ‘cure’ even the most frivolous of ailments if I get a weekly direct deposit from Johnson & Johnson,” said Dr. Seth Johnson. “If the pharmaceutical lobby throws money at politicians every day, then can’t I get in on the action? I mean sure, most of my patients don’t really need this shit and it’s likely wreaking havoc on their bodies as we speak, but I was able to straight up buy my Land Rover with cash. Even trade-off.”

Americans across the country have noticed even routine checkups have felt more like advertisements for various pills.

“Being in my 40s, I’ve seen lots of specialists as my body is starting to show its wear and tear. But from the cardiologists to the urologists it feels like I’m constantly stuck in hour-long pill-pushing seminars. Yesterday my podiatrist wanted to write me a prescription for Viagra! Just give me the orthopedic insoles and shut the fuck up,” said Brian Feller. “Half the medicines they want to give me are still in the experimental stage, which I’m sure will cause side effects quelled by more pills. They must be making bank, because every subsequent visit my doctors have more gold chains and plastic surgery.”

While many see the moral complications of doctors writing unnecessary prescriptions for personal gain, the FDA noted that it is technically legal.

“Every medical professional is within their rights to do what they think is best for their patients and more importantly for themselves, even if that means shamelessly promoting pills like a celebrity spokesperson. This is just how the healthcare system works in our country and there’s probably nothing we as the government can do about it,” said FDA official Claire Lawrence. “And for what it’s worth, our oversight and approval of drugs is based solely on what research the pharmaceutical companies tell us, and this usually requires luxurious but completely unrelated beach vacations prior to authorization.”

As of press time, a follow-up study also concluded that 10 out of 10 doctors agreed that “copays are for pussies and that the best care only comes from paying out of pocket.”