Topic: Small Animal News

[Sindobook]

It is not me.  She was referring to a character (with the same name).  I am not in that photo.

---

1) Alien system visit, 82nd day
2) Access.
3) Mind-machine Interface.  Sync.
4) Modern history, central database, (Space Calendar) 1450-0000h[1]
5) (no translation)[2]
6) It was two years ago that we attempted to stop the civil war on Sans.
7) We never considered that it would end in the disaster.
8 ) I shouldn't be showing this to you.
9) There's too many enemy drones.
10) They've broken through our lines.
11) Retreat!  Consolidate your forces!
12) repeat of 9, 10, 11
13) The armed forces, how pitiful.
14) We must act.
15) Four years ago, the civil war between the national front and the royalists on Sans spilled over to the nearby planet of Figh.
16) 30+ factions combined to form an alliance to free Figh.
17) This alliance offered to join the federation, in exchange for their support.
18) The federation's armed forces were deployed to Figh in an attempt to restore the peace.
19) Nation-building?  Occupation?  Division?
20) Both Figh and Sans in chaos.
21) Space Calendar 1452-4500h, both factions on Sans switch to full drone warfare.
22) Unlimited drone assault.
23) Armed forces attack drone facility on Sans.
24) Attacking Sans.
25) Attacking drone facility.
26) Antimatter bomb.
27) Ineffective[3].
28) Strategic withdrawl!  Retreat!
29) All units - Each faction now has more than a billion drones!
30) We must pull back and consolidate our forces. 
31) Captain, an asteroid base is approaching.
32) That asteroid isn't...
33) You cowards!  What are you doing?!
34) That's classified.  All civilians should evacuate the area.
35) No way!  We won't be slaves of the Sans again!
36) That was 80 years ago!  We're just trying to protect Federation citizens!
37) Even the antimatter bombs did nothing!  You guys are useless!
38) No comment.  Change course immediately!
39) You're doing nothing to stop the enemy drones!  If they get into space, it's all over!
40) If you don't change course real soon, we're going to have to kill you!
41) Banzai!  The federation shall never die!
42) Crazy bastard!  Engage!
43) That asteroid has an abnormal mass!
44) This isn't good!  All craft, open fire!
45) We've apprehended the suspect!
46) It's too late!
47) Roughly 30 million died in the asteroid strike.
48) It threw the warring factions on Sans into disarray, and temporarily disrupted their drones armies.  The federation was able to pull back and blockade the planet.
49) SC1454, current time, the drones of the national front and the royalists are still fighting a civil war on the uninhabited Sans.

[1] Note - Year 1450 since the aliens started using the space calendar.  The alien year is split into 10,000 hours.  There is no concept of days, minutes, seconds, etc., only hours.

[2] The alien language uses little punctuation, instead different colors and colored outlines are used.  But, I don't know what this says, no idea how to translate it.

[3] The alien drones already have full manufacturing capability.  Taking out the plant did not stop them from producing more drones.

---

Yes.  It seems like Cat P can't not piss people off these days.  But I don't think this changes things that much. 

---

Most of the small animals that heard about it found the story quite laughable, hopefully that's the end of those bozos.

From Mikey:  "It's a very stilted[1] group, they are fading quickly.  Hopefully this breaks the back of the whole thing... honestly always found those guys kinda creepy."

[1] unbalanced.

160,000 baby carrots is not a huge amount, but then their scale is different.  To a bunch of hikikomori, this amount is unfathomable.  Short of begging to another gang, they won't be able to fix it.

From Mr. Sparkles:  "Good riddance.  I certainly won't miss them."

---

1) I know the team is being deployed.  I don't know how many will actually show up.
People are kinda like 'meh' right now.  But we will see.
Give it a chance, wait and see.  Not much else to say.

2) No.  I am not that narcissistic.   Will not engage in self-aggrandizement. 

---

1) On the part of the gang, that is just a cover story.  He was not removed for any reason -- other than that he is missing.  His status is listed as 'missing in action' and he has not been seen by anyone (gang members or not) since he led his team into combat last July.  In short, he might have perished in the action.  He might have been captured.  He might have escaped and gone underground.  His last communication from his radio was an SOS.  The Black Bunny Squad claims to have captured him, but this was likely just a ruse in an attempt to try to extort a ransom out of the gang. 

2) He is one of Cat P's cronies.  Take him seriously at your own risk.

---

I've gotten a lot of questions on this.  I think the best way to say it is that his (Cat P) has been absent from the gang's headquarters in the last month or so, due to his leadership of the expansion party to the south.  He has taken most of his cronies with him, leaving him unable to control the gang's operations in their own territory.  So a lot of the cats are starting to vie for power in the absence of their leader.

Does this mean the gang's headquarters would likely fall if they were seriously attacked?  I don't think any more so than normal.

I also don't believe that Cat P has the ability to work with him, we would have heard something by now if they were working together.  And we haven't heard anything. 

From Samantha - "It was clear from the beginning.  Neither their masters, nor themselves, want anything to do with the neighborhood cat gang.  Once he discovered the true nature of the gang, the deal was off.  It would be quite surprising if they announced anything along those lines."

---

I cannot answer that.  I honestly don't know -- I don't keep track of those things.  Seriously people can read her posts and think based on that.

---

It was failing miserably.  Most of their cats had deserted and they had only four cats (the original expeditionary force was around 20 cats).  Likely wouldn't have held it much longer if Cat P had not joined it. 

With Cat P and all his supporters now reinforcing their position, they will more than likely hold out, at least for now.  But his support is coming at great cost, not monetary, but in terms of his own power.  In the headquarters, in his absence, different groups of cats are vying for power and it remains to see who will come out on top or if they will step down once (or if) he returns. 

In the past week there have been several reported sightings of Cat K in the areas around the neighborhood cat gang's headquarters.  No one knows if these are real or not, but if he is still around...

[Sindobook]

1) It was an utter and complete failure.

Cat P insisted on leading the attack personally.  He was having problems getting around, being so overweight, that he had to borrow a mini electric scooter and ride on it.

The cat split his followers into three groups and planned a 3-prong pincher attack on the target.  Rather than brief all three groups individually, he told each each group to head to an individual rally point and await further orders.

The Cat then proceeded to brief each group separately.  He got a bit confused and mixed up the times.  The three attacks were supposed to be synchronized, but instead he told each group a separate time and then got ready to watch from the sidelines from his scooter with his trusted right hand cat, Cat T.

The first attack group, 8 cats in total, left an hour prematurely.  This force alone was too small, and they suffered catastrophic losses at the hands of the defenders.

The second wave, 13 cats in total, left on time.  The force was significant and the small animal defenders were to weak to hold out after the first battle, so they retreated before battle was joined.  The 13 cats occupied the structure and claimed victory.

The third wave was launched two hours late, after the sun had gone down.  They were 9 cats in total.  The defenders assumed they were from a rival gang and in the confusion, battle was joined.  After the battle was completed, all the attackers had perished, but there were only six defenders still standing, four of them injured.

Shortly after, the small animals launched a counterattack.  The remaining cats perished. 

Nonetheless, upon returning to the headquarters, Cat P reported that the attack was a huge success and that the gang had annexed a large swath of territory to the south. 

2) I saw the "letter", but no, I don't know what to think of it.
The statement is just too ambiguous.  It could mean any of several things.
I would just ignore it.

3) Mis-attribution, Bear-cat is not an animal, it refers to a vehicle.
"In the past, the gang used Cat P's mini countryman for transportation as well as causing havoc in areas where the owners refused to pay extortion costs.  This was reasonably effective at making the other cats in the area pay up until a number of rival gangs pooled their money to purchase a bear-cat (costs roughly 1.2M baby carrots).  After a narrow escape the first time this fearsome vehicle was encountered in the field, Cat P was forced to halt all extortion / protection type operations in those areas, causing a major source of income for the gang to dry up."

4) I heard he went bonkers and most of his gang since abandoned him.
"He started hiding behind a curtain like the wizard in wizard of oz.  He began treating the bunnies very arbitrarily.  He would order bunnies to be whipped or even rewarded based arbitrary things (sometimes both at the same time).  Many quickly became frustrated or even started to fear talking to him.  Shortly before a large meeting around [March] most abandoned the gang and only C, a bunny, and two hamsters showed up.  After this, C is reported to have gotten up and leapt out the exit, and has not been sighted since.  His gang is all but dissolved and it is highly unlikely that he will ever be a factor in the future."

---

I really don't know how trustworthy [that bunny] is.  I believe the stuff she says about the local happenings, but her perspective or her understanding of things has been flawed as of late.  In other words, even though she was a reasonably good source in the past, I think she's recently been starting to come 'off her rocker'.  She can be somewhat arrogant, unaccepting of the modern movements or trends and rambling on about things she in reality knows nothing about.  Most of her points are still decently supported, but I would examine everything she says critically and not take it as absolute truth.

---

My memory does not go back that far, but I think one can find most of the statements made with some simple research. 

"This incident of (roughly 60 cat years ago) begin with a 'vote' in which one of its original founders, Cat T3 [1] and his supporters, lost the battle for succession.  While it was the norm for most cats to perish in a failed vote, it was not always the case, like in the example of Snake Z (modern day).  Instead Cat T3 and several of his followers fled west, where they reoccupied an old base the gang had used during its earlier years but had been abandoned for at least he last 30 cat years.  The two fought an initial skirmish, which would be followed by many more over the years, but the battles would never be decisive and even to this day, the holdout remains a thorn (albeit a small one) in the side of the neighborhood cat gang.  Cat T3 has not been able to grow or recruit any more followers in any significant way, but at the same time the gang has not managed to wipe out him or his followers and he is far more likely to die of old age than at the claws of the gang and their cohorts.  These events were significant as they demonstrated the MO of the gang that is still in use today, their tendency to threaten, defame, and attack an enemy simultaneously and over the an extended period if the initial efforts were not successful in removing him." -- abbreviated from 'pre-history of the neighborhood cat gang'

[1] A different Cat T, this was roughly 3 (cat) generations before modern time.

---

It's not that her information is wrong.  But her outlook, and analysis, and philosophy in general is.  She's nothing more than sour grapes, yet narcissistic enough to think people still take account of what she has to say.  She is one of those [bunnies] who demands structure, order, framework where there is none.  One who does not understand the chaos of nature or the gangs of cats interlocked in death and vying for power over each other. 

---

Technically I was there, but no, it's not the type of thing I pay attention to.  Nor do I remember anything like that.

"Roughly 24 (cat) years ago.  The gang was starting to decline then, but they were still near their peak.  Their former leader (Cat T), she had either resigned or was on the way out.  There was an ongoing hissing match between about twenty cats and a mob of about 30+ cats from some other gang.  It had been going on for a few hours, and was creating quite a sensation."

"Cat P was just a young cat then, he was in better shape then he was now and one of the rising leaders within the gang.  He showed up on the scene and stood in the center of the line.  He started hissing his own insults at the rival gang and started to advance, the line was hesitant at first but as the other cats extended their claws, the line formed up on his side."

"At this point a few of the aggressors charged into the line and attacked.  The attacks were disorganized and independent, most of the mob was just standing there with hair on end hissing and such.  The line closed ranks and started to fight back -- a few cats acting independently weren't going to be much of a threat.  But Cat P lost his temper as he saw them attacking the line.  'You keep your filthy paws off her!  We'll kill you all!  (Hiss) Charge!' "

"With that, battle was joined.  The few cats that had attacked the line fell quickly.  As the gang surged forward, some of the cats in the mob tried to flee, others surged forward, and a few were simply confused and didn't know what to do.  The battle was intense but short-lived, the majority of the members of the mob perished, though several had fled and managed to escape in the heat of battle."

"This was in fact one of the incidents that helped Cat P rise through the ranks of the gang, helping him build his reputation of a ruthless and capable commander that you didn't want to cross." 

"8 or 9 (cat) years later, Cat L became the leader of the gang.  But his 6 (cat) year reign was filled with vicious infighting, many cats perished while many others fled the gang, fearing for their own safety.  Cat P sat in the background, plotting, observing, and listening; patiently waiting for his moment."

"In what was known as 'the surprise', Cat L's owner, without warning, decided to skip town.  Being a loyal pet owner, he took Cat L with him.  Cat P took advantage of the power vacuum, gathering his followers and asserting control."

---

What she says cannot be trusted.  Or, to say it better, it must be interpreted in its own light.

For instance, when she says "We will send our [local] team", the pretense includes 1) she has people locally, and 2) she can send them, and 3) they'll actually go because she sent them.  But in reality, all these things are somewhat doubtful.  She's only that kind of person in her own mind. 

Also, she is 'in league' with Cat P. 

From Mikey:  "She is... for now.  He just hasn't backstabbed her yet.  But he will, he does it to everyone sooner or later."

---

The recent purges have had some impact on the information-gathering operations run by the small animals, but it's not a huge impact.

"Disappearances" within the neighborhood cat gang have become increasingly common as of late.  Take the example of Cat Y.  He was in his office on the second floor when Cat P and two of his enforcers were last seen entering his office.  Shortly after, he was thrown out his window, breaking the glass.

His body hit the ground -- he didn't have time to re-orient himself and land properly.  Perhaps being thrown through the glass window knocked him unconscious, or perhaps the fall was just too short to give him time to re-orient himself.  He might have escaped had he been able to land on his feet, instead his back was broken.  His body writhed and spasmed for about a minute before he expired.  Cat P gave the cover story of suicide, and shortly after, he was 'erased' from all gang literature and disappeared from several group photos. 

For a disappearance within the cat gang, this is rather typical. 

---

Yes.  It kinda sucks.  I'm not even sure why they banned her (again).  I was there when they banned her account and she was just being herself / doing her own thing.  I don't think they understand that's how the majority of bunnies think/act.  But she'll be back, you can be assured that she'll be back.  Bunny L said she knows some of those bozos and will try to get her account re-instated, though I wouldn't count on that.  Give it several days because she has something else to do and somewhere else to be right now.  You know that bunny can't resist being in the spotlight.

---

Recently, Cat N, a former insider, reported the following about the finances of the gang. 

"In 2010, accounting was sloppy, but not malicious.  Cat L managed accounting himself, his underlings simply made up most of the numbers with no bearing on reality.  But numbers would still add up, more or less.  Cat L wasn't trying to lie at this point, his underlings just didn't have the time or will to find the real numbers.  It was easier and less time consuming to make up some fake ones and just make sure then end of year balances still worked out."

"2011 was a whole different story.  The finances of the gang were in shambles, and this would be hard to hide because the yearly balances showed it.  While Cat L was simply audacious, openly willing to admit his raiding of gang funds and the like, Cat P was more tricky and wanted to at least pretend to be ethical and disguise the fact that he was raiding what little cash the gang had left in its coffers.  Still, that year Cat P only managed to acquire about half the funds that Cat L had taken a year before, due to the gang being severely short of cash."

---

They are not all there, only the ones who need to be (ie. tag themselves in a photo or such).  We honestly don't use it much for internal stuff.

"If you want to find her you know where to do that (4pm / 2013-Jul-06 / area #2) I'm not going to post the link here.  If you get burned, it's not my fault, don't come running to me."

[Sindobook]

As of a few days ago, she doesn't seem to care anymore.  Don't ask me why.  Is she being fickle?  No, she's just being herself.

"Ever since 'the incident', she doesn't seem to care.  Her official story now is just that she doesn't want to involve it in things where it doesn't matter.  But she's perfectly okay with it, when it is relevant."

Even while insisting she hasn't changed, everyone knows that a change from how she used to operate.  But this isn't really a big deal to me, I honestly don't care much either way.

[Tsubasa]

Your timing is very interesting Sindo .

[mamochan]

I think Sindo was kidnapped and probed by aliens again. Madoka did see the UFO

[Sindobook]

What did something just happen?  Whatever it is, I have nothing to do with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ixahfkWgSY

if you still don't believe me, see this
link from Mikey:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7_fwYA04HyE
(note:  it's unlisted video so it won't appear to searches or on channel.)

BTW Freddie (rat) says that particular cheese is unfit for small animal consumption.  "It might be okay for [a person].  But most [small animals] have standards."

---

This is a rather complicated affair, but the reports are starting to come in.

From Mikey:  "Despite the latest purge, we still have a few informants within the [neighborhood cat] gang, one of them who is pretty close to Cat P and well aware of the inner workings and goings-on within the gang."

A little over a week ago, having secured relative stability after an extensive purge, Cat P launched his first action to reclaim territory to the north that had been lost during the seige of last year[1].

While he had secured stability with the purge, the finances of the gang were in shambles.  Cat P knew he was unable to launch an attack, and summoned his team of advisors to ask if they had any ideas.  Cat T suggested an infiltration, knowing it was the only option that would not deplete their limited funds and still offered a decent chance of success.

Preparations were made, though hasty.  Cat T himself volunteered to lead the team, and came up with a relatively simple plan.  He knew that the loosely affiliated coalition of gangs that had taken over the north were kept in check by an unknown group operating out of a supply house (distributing supplies to the gangs in exchange for their continued service).  First, he would lead a crack team of elite cats to exterminate the cats at the enemy supply house, then Cat F would bring in her team of infiltrators to replace the cats who had previously manned it.  While Cat F's team stalled and bought them time, Cat T's team would then loot and relocate any supplies they found before they were found out, in which case both teams would evacuate back to their own base.  With the supply house looted, the coalition of gangs would stop cooperating and once they started infighting, they could be dealt with latter or would likely easily fall in a direct attack (with the gang having gained their supplies -- hopefully enough to launch an attack).

[1] People year, not cat years.  I am not quoting here, all times will be given in standard people times/years/months/weeks/days/etc.

---

Background:  "Ninja One" was the radio codename used by Cat T's team assassination / reclamation, and "Wizard One" was the codename used by Cat F's infiltration team.  Both teams were relatively small, Ninja One was Cat T along with four of the toughest cats in the gang, Wizard One included Cat F and eight other cats.

After several hours of travel the teams arrived at the edge of coalition territory.  At first it seemed like they would be seriously outnumbered, cats were everywhere, agents of the gang coalition were in great number.  However they blended in and kept a low profile, scouting the place out and found a back door that was very lightly gaurded.  A sole cat was sitting there, stretched out and yawning occasionally.

After scoping out the back door, the rest of Ninja One hid while Cat T approached the guard.  He tried to bribe the guard but the guard responded only by hissing at him before standing up and perching, ready to lunge into combat.  Not wanting to raise any more alarm, Cat T backed off and disappeared, along with the rest of his team.

Cat T radioed Cat F and asked her to seduce the rear guard into leaving his post so they could infiltrate without being detected.  Cat F was glad to oblige, and she told Cat T to hold tight and arrived about twenty minutes later.

Despite repeated attempts at seduction, Cat F was unable to convince the guard to leave his post.  Seeing her advances were not having any effect, she shifted her efforts and offered him a sexy figurine from her collection.  He quickly capitulated and left his post.  After this, Cat T's Ninja team infiltrated the supply house via the rear door without any resistance.

---

I will say what I know.

Most of C's supporters deserted him back in March.  He had no significant following after that.  I do not know the circumstances of the mass desertion.

C's group had been running a defecit in funds since early on.  They only survived because one entity or another was willing to pump funds into it.  Once these funds dried up, most operations ceased.

C himself has not been sighted in the last few months, and is presumed missing, possibly dead.

From Mikey:  "He likely perished at the claws of the neighborhood cat gang.  Every (small animal) out there knows they wanted him dead."

Added 06-06-2013:  It is now all but confirmed. 

From Samantha:  "All operation ceased.  Scouts report that headquarters is abandoned, no animals including C is anywhere to be found.  No fresh scents, by all signs it was abandoned at least [2-3 weeks] ago."

---

Cat T and his team skulked about in the structure, proceeding down a long corridor without any cover.  Cat T knew they were out in the open and moved quickly down the corridor.  He smelt cats at the other end, so he was ready for anything.  At the end it opened into a medium-size room, something resembling a break room with couches, tables, and large, comfy chairs.  Several cats were sound asleep on the furniture, and Cat T lost no time leaping to attack.  The rest of his team followed suit.  It was simple butchery, four of the six cats perished immediately and two that tried to fight back were overcome in a matter of seconds.  Cat T knew that the noise was sure to attract more cats, so he motioned his team to hide under the assorted furniture and wait for others to show up so they could ambush them.

It would take about minute for more cats to show, they were either being very cautious or taking their pretty time.  A large cat, almost as large as Cat P, and two younger cats entered the room, and then panicked once they realised all their friends had been slain (most in their sleep).  The fat one mewled out some orders before turning and trying to run, but Cat T's team bolted out of their hiding places and cut him off.  He tried to fight back but was hopelessly outnumbered, he wasn't getting any help from the two younger cats who were trying to show submission.  Cat T refused to show mercy, and all three cats were quickly dispatched.

Cat T's team scoured the rest of the complex, but wasn't able to find any other defenders.  The complex had numerous storerooms, containing everything from computers and logistical equipment to cash.  One particular storeroom was full of large bags of gourmet cat food that must have been lifted from nearby wholesalers.  Cat T radioed Cat F and told her that the place was clear and safe for her infiltration team.  In the meantime they started gathering the prime supplies in the break room where the original six defenders had perished.

---

Yes, "The cats (and other animals) of the neighborhood cat gang, 2013 edition" by Mikey.

Cat P. m. 8-10 y/o:  Fat cat who is in charge of the gang.  Has the support of most to all of the cats in the vanguard.  But other cats have mixed feelings about him.  A weak ruler who rarely makes good decisions, but expert at politics and backstabbing.  Often takes credit for the accomplishments of other cats.

From Samantha:  "He's a big cat with an even bigger ego."

Cat T. ? <6 y/o:  Capable cat who is close to Cat P.  An expert survivalist and good fighter.  Keeps a relatively low profile (in gang matters) as he does not want to draw attention to himself.

Cat T. l. <6 y/o:  Friendly, noisy, needy cat who likes people.  An expert with information technology, computers, and network security / hacking.  Supports Cat P.

Cat A. mc. ~4 y/o:  Conniving cat that manipulates other cats.  An expert at seduction and blackmail.  Favored by Cat P for dirty work.  Not well liked by most other cats in the gang. 

Cat A. me. <5y/o:  Noisy, social cat that loves people and is always meowing / purring.  Capable when it comes managing other cats.  Hesitantly supports cat P, friends with Cat T. l. 

Cat f. 4 y/o:  Friendly cat who likes collecting things.  Popular among male cats.  Doesn't really support any other cats.

Cat R. b. ~7-8 y/o:  A cat that supported Cat L.  Doesn't like other cats or people, nor very popular with either.  More prominent in past campaigns and not very relevant today.  His skills are similar to Cat T. l. 

---

(Quoted)
I doubt it is really him.  But, be wary.

I do believe the scheme is still playing playing out.  In the final phase, Cat P will 'grandstand' or use the removal of his officer (Cat A. mc.) to further reinforce his own position as 'an effective leader who punishes incompetence or malevolence when it is found within his ranks.'  His effort to rally his troops will be, at least in part, successful, but in the end will only affect those who already support him and not gain him any new followers.  Cat P may see it as a victory, but is the sacrifice of his officer really worth it?
(End)

From Mikey:  "Unlike Tsao Tsao he isn't actually short on supplies or anything.  He just sacrificed an officer for a temporal gain.  It only shows that his understanding of strategy is.. at best.. purely superficial."

---

They ARE NOT the same person.  If you were watching last night you should have seen proof of that.

I am not going to say anything more because if you really want to talk with or meet them, you do that yourself.  Most of them stick together so meeting them all is pretty straightforward, really. 

No stalking or harassment because I assure you that stalkerz and others will be dealt with, harshly.

---

Cat F's team moved in through the back door as Cat T's team made their first departure, with pairs of cats each carrying a small bag of luxury cat food.  They stashed the supplies in a nearby vehicle while Cat F's team spread out throughout the complex.  It was still early in the morning and the supply house had not yet opened for distribution.  Cat F made a judgement call and ordered her team to start stopping up the doors and baring the structure to keep out anyone else.  She and two others on her team went to guard the back door in order to keep anyone other than Cat T's team from entering.

---

I'm sorry to disappoint you guys, but most small animals, or Pandas for that matter, do not believe in ghosts or haunted anythings.  It's very rare for small animals to believe in much of anything beyond ancient religions, like the Chinese paying respect to ancestors, or Japanese belief in Kami (spirits). 

The looting continued, over the course of an hour the cats loaded bags of luxury cat food, computer equipment, money, and other valuable supplies into the vehicle.  Cat F had split her forces, her two largest cats sat within the vehicle to guard it, another two at the back door to guard it, and the rest inside the supply building to focus on setting up fortifications and keeping a lookout for enemy activity.  The application was going well for about an hour, and then Cat F heard over the radio that she had collected that the masters were trying to contact the fat cat and tell him to open the supply house for distribution.

Cat F mewed back in her deepest voice possible, that they were experience technical difficulties and would need about 10-20 more minutes to get their computer system online.  The boss fell for it, asking if she required any assistance to which she replied no, it was just a simple reboot of the system that would take some time. 

---

The situation is being monitored, however, neither Mikey nor Samantha want to get their forces to involved.

From Mikey:  "It's way too hot to handle.  Moral support is really all we can send at this point."

From Samantha:  "The brigade's paws are full.  Getting involved would leave us vulnerable to the neighborhood cat gang.  We can't afford to risk that as Cat P is trying his to best to rally his forces."

I will say this.  Neither force has the supplies for such a long-range operation.  They cannot do an extraction, and they cannot send any substantial force to protect her (not one that would actually make a difference).  Mikey has said he will be perfectly glad to defend her if she can reach the southeastern refuge [1].  But beyond that, his security forces aren't capable  of much more than a short-range operation.  For the record, the enclave[2] is also small animal territory, Bunny P and her allies can be counted on in times of need.  As can bunny K, though she is out of the way and not much of a fighter.

[1] The tip of the local area under small animal control.

[2] An 'island' of small animal control to the northeast.

[Sindobook]

I don't expect that she will skip out.  She still has a few rl allies she can count on (like Bunny K, Bunny P, or Pig E).  She may not have a grasp on strategy, but she can at least make decent tactical decisions.

From Mikey:  It's actually a very straightforward strategy.  The small animals[1] are ganging up on her, and surrounding her, moving in.  Pick the weakest among them, probably Bunny S, charge through and pummel her.  She is in decent shape and could likely beat Bunny S in an all-out fight.  At that point, not only has she broken their encirclement, but by showing she can beat at least the weaker among them one-on-one, she will force them to group up rather than operate alone.  If they are forced to stick to small groups, they won't be able to surround her as easily, and she'll be more able to outrun them.

[1] Refering only to the small animals that have turned on her.

If anyone is tempted to get involved, please remember that at least some of them aren't actually against her, I mean you better make sure of it and make sure you know what your are doing before doing anything.

---

Well she is still alive, I mean, they haven't been able to kill her (yet) so she's doing a pretty good job really.

From Mikey:  "Instead of fleeing, or vanishing, she bode her time, she bunkered down and recruited others to defend her."

"The problem is, there are many arrayed against her, and she hasn't recruited anywhere near their number.  In the end she has only a couple of recruits she can depend on to defend her to the death."

---

Yes she is still alive, she just made one of her facebooks private that's all.  Because she was getting tired of being a center of attention and seeing insults from the ones who want her dead, begging for forgiveness for the ones who for some reason didn't want to be friends with her again (after trying to publicly shame her).  She was even streaming later that day, though the stream is down to only her and some trusted pigs, none of the bunnies she trusts were around. 

From Mikey:  "Bunny A (who only likes other bunnies to begin with) is a big question mark.  We honestly don't know what her status is.  Bunny J is probably still her friend, but is a pretty busy bunny and rarely around much to begin with.  Bunny K is no doubt still her friend, no one hates bunny K and she gets along well with everyone.  She is good friends with Bunny D, and will probably always be.  Bunny S is one of the ringleaders trying to kill her, but as everyone knows Bunny S is a real scatterbrain and doesn't really think that straight.  Pig S seems to alternate between wanting to kill her and begging her for forgiveness, but she wants nothing to do with him.  And another (unknown) pig is another ringleader, numerous pigs are aligned with another unknown ringleader, and the list goes on."

---

It was an in-joke based on an old video -- this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmpONxJ7JSw

---

Yes.  Recently an informant tricked Cat P into revealing the full complement of his forces.  His loyalists consist of roughly 65 cats (he claimed 130 but the informant knows better).  Beyond this he has hired 115 mercenary cats who really have no allegiances.  And another 10 cats from a local mercenary group.  Finally, a group of 4 elite mercenary cats that can probably be counted on. 

Despite numerous purges it seems that another rebellion is taking hold among the other cats in the gang.  They have few (capable) leaders but likely have the edge in raw numbers.

And economics are not favorable for the gang.  They are still losing funds overall, being forced to take out loans day by day. 

---

I can say right now.  It will not be permitted. 

From Mikey:  "We've determined that bunny S (j.S) is, for all practical purposes, a noncombatant.  She couldn't carry out an attack even if she wanted to.  There's no reason to believe she poses an actual threat to Bunny R."

From Samantha:  "Watch the vids that (her owner) put up.  It's obvious that bunny just isn't very bright.  So leave her alone.  She's harmless."

Also, before anyone gets any stupid ideas, know that the bunny caucus has decided she is of strategic value and committed a Panda to guarding her.

---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH1RKnVL9k0

---

Interesting that you should ask that.  Yes most of them have nicknames but it isn't really that well known outside of the gang.  For instance, Cat P is sometimes referred to as 'Porky', though not to his face.  And, Cat T. l is known as 'Poindexter', Cat A. mc is known as several names I won't repeat here; the list goes on. 

---

Yes it is true.  Just read it on her page.  I'm not going to repeat it all here.

from Mikey:  "Just as cats tend to want to kill each other, small animals tend to want to get along with each other.  So it's pretty normal for them to all make up and be friends regardless of what happened in the past."

---

I was not there.  But I heard what happened from enough people.

Cat To and Cat A were having a hissing match.  Suddenly several of Cat A's goons appeared and jumped on him.  It was nowhere near a 'fair fight', he tried to defend himself but the goons were organized and he was far outnumbered.  Surrounded and unable to run, he didn't last long. 

Word spread quickly, once his followers got word that he had perished, they quickly fled in order to save themselves. 

from Samantha:  "Word is, she is on a rampage.  This is likely just the beginning."

---

Yesterday, you had the incident where Cat To perished at the hands of Cat A's "goon squad".  Today, there were several odd circumstances surrounding mishaps that happened with Cat A's goons. 

One cat was found crushed by a fallen bookcase.  Another cat apparently died in his sleep.  Finally another seems to have been electrocuted. 

From Mikey:  "The cats are getting antsy.  Rumor has it there is a killer on the loose, as in recent days, cats have perished in a number of unusual circumstances.  It seems like these events are focused around Cat A and her supporters.  For the record, even our informants still within the gang have no idea what is going on."

Nonetheless, it can be fully expected that Cat A will continue with her ongoing purge as she fights to assert control over the gang. 

From Samantha:  "Her squad is mostly replaceable.  I mean, they're mercenaries.  The gang can just hire new ones to replace the ones that were lost.  Of course, they're rates just went up, but the gang seems intent on burning through what little remaining capital they have.

---

Please wait on that because we are still in the process of going through all the debriefings and after action reports.

Most of the teams got what they needed.  Get in, do what you got to do, and get out.

---

From Mikey:  "She (Cat A) is the real threat.  She is intelligent when it comes to tactics and their execution, brutal and merciless beyond measure, forward-thinking, and perfectly competent.  She can think quickly, adapt to the situation, and find ways to use it to her advantage."

"Right now, the gang is its own worst enemy.  They can claim growth, but in reality, they're just more spread out.  Cat P is an expert politician, but an incompetent commander with little grasp of strategy or of long-term planning.  Under his command, the gang lurches about on some random path."

"Currently they are in a precarious situation, trying to project strength and occupy more territory than ever, when in reality, their non-mercenary members are at an all-time low (for this generation of cats).  Once the mercenaries go home, they'll be overextended, barely able to defend the core, if that."

---

That is a rumor.  Unconfirmed.

"We honestly don't know if Cat F and Cat T.L are 'getting it on with each other'.  Nor is this the type of thing the infiltrators generally try to find out.  It's not actionable information, or terribly useful (unless the relationship is a well-kept secret)."

---

No, not yet.  I guess you could call this 'the quiet before the storm'.  Nobody is talking.  Cats are simply forming up lines, staring each other down; an occasional hiss or rumble can be heard, but nothing else.  You can feel the tension in the air.  Cat P has locked and barred his door, and secured himself in his office (not seen for two days now).  A few other cats are nowhere to be seen, they might be fortified in Cat P's office too, or they might have disappeared, no one knows.

---

Since yesterday all the doors have been closed and no cat entering or leaving.  Hence no reports from any informants.

Scouts from the bunny brigade report hearing possible combat in the building, but it's hard to make out exactly what is happening.

From Mikey:  "I expect they're killing each other.  I mean, what else would they be doing."

---

Still no news on the neighborhood cat gang.

From Mikey:  "Cat P is inside with the rest of them.  We received several reports of Cat P sightings, but each was reviewed and shown to be false."

From Samantha:  "Scouts report no change.  No cat or other animal has entered or left the building.  No deliveries have been made to the building.  They cannot hold like this indefinately, no one is really sure exactly how much food or supplies they have, but it's not an infinite amount."

What can be reported is that their hold on any territories they thought they controlled is simply nonexistent.  "No cats in the field means no one is paying much attention to them.  The mercenaries have all gone home, and the gang has packed up and left."

[Sindobook]

Earlier today (in the morning hours immediately after sunrise), small animal scouts from the bunny brigade reported the following activity from the complex.

Several cats, wearing black-on-yellow-background happy face masks over their head, showed up at the complex.  The bunny brigade didn't know what to think at first, but seeing they were not hostile, parted and let them through.  The cats in fact seemed totally oblivious to the bunnies; seemingly ignoring them as they sauntered up to the fortified complex where the members of the neighborhood cat gang had retreated to and blockaded themselves inside.

The cats hissed for  a representative of the neighborhood cat gang to come out, and when none was forthcoming (it was questionable whether the gang would even be able to hear them, as they were holed up inside the complex with all the doors closed tight -- One of the cats produced a bucket with a number of tomatoes and started throwing them at the windows of the complex that were still intact and not boarded up. 

After a few minutes of being pelted with tomatoes, Cat T.l appeared on the roof of the complex.  He hissed back and waved a paw, claws out, at the aggressors, but then had to duck behind cover to avoid a barrage of tomatoes aimed toward his position.  More hisses came out of he aggressors, this time demanding Cat A or Cat P to appear.

---

Honestly it's nothing much, just the usual, some quick stuff I did this morning.  It's similar to what I did before for HotD.

The processing actually goes very quickly, but you have to shoot and develop with the processing in mind. 

1) Shoot close to how you would normally shoot (for portraiture).  I tend to favor some weak backlighting for these types of shots, just barely on the verge of causing glare (if you can get it).  Just because it makes things look more dynamic.  For #3, I was circling around, trying to get the best lighting and background (no person or object in the background that was too close).  If you can't get ideal lighting, that's fine, just do what you can. 

2) If there is a lot going on, shoot a lot, so you have a lot of shots to choose from.  For #3 (the most difficult), I took maybe 20-30 shots while circling around, and then chose the best one as a starting point.  I'm not saying to 'spray and pray', you should be moving around, getting different angles / backgrounds so you have a wide variety to choose from when you get down to editing.  Especially when it's crowded.  For simpler or more straightforward shots, or ones where less can go wrong, you don't need to shoot a lot, maybe 3-5 shots to choose from.

3) In LR, process with contrast set to max, highlights pulled all the way in, and clarity +40.  Using shadow and exposure, get the faces right and leave everything else alone.

4) In LR, export to a TIFF so you can process without any loss.  Open up the TIFF in irfanview and then invoke the Topaz Adjust third-party plugin.

5) I use the "HDR heavy pop grunge" preset as a starting point.  This starts with 0.00 brightness, adjust downward to around -0.60 or so.  Add a little bit of vignetting.  Drop the saturation a little bit.

That's all really, pretty simple stuff IMO.

---

Actually, not the message itself, but the video itself (was a coded message).  A good strategist isn't just thinking of the next move, but of the next two or three moves. 

---

Neither Cat A or Cat P appeared.  One bunny thought she saw Cat P's image appear in one of the remaining windows, but only for an instant and it quickly vanished after that. 

After roughly ten more minutes, the aggressors ran out of tomatoes and after hissing and showing claws, swiping at air with hair standing on end, in the attack position, for another minute, the cats turned and left.  They vanished as quickly as they came, leaving no trace other than the vandalism they left behind.

Inside the complex, faint sounds of activity could be heard. 

---

Not really true, at least not the way we do it.

The main rule for the front player is 'stay alive'.  Rush for an advantageous position right off the beat and the bunker down, taking cover and working the side or cross-field angles to your right and/or left.  You're rarely shooting in front of you, suppressing those to your front is the job and protecting against being bunkered is the job of the mid players directly behind you.  Your job is to look to the side angles and take opportunistic shots at players who are outside of cover (from your angle) and to provide reaction fire against the enemy players as they try to advance through your firing lanes.  You might not get a lot of kills every game, especially if the enemy team plays conservatively and does not advance.  But even in this type of game front players are vital, not only do they punish an overly aggressive enemy, but they help to confine and corner a conservative enemy so the mid and back players will be able to get those kills.

The main rule for the middle player is versatility.  Middle players have many jobs.  They are the eyes of the front players, keeping an eye down the field and warning the front players of any danger, as well as providing forward cover fire when needed.  We pair up middle players and front players, so they can work together when advancing or being aggressive.  Middle players have to be ready to take the role of a front player, either as a temporary measure when advancing or to replace a front player as needed. 

---

Some of the bunnies of the bunny brigade hopped up to the structure and placed their ears against it.  They reported hearing Cat P giving a motivation speech about how the enemy had fled in cowardly fled when faced with the threat of having to fight him and the rest of the vanguard. 

---

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cat-mayor-alaska-town-15-years-article-1.1116263

---

All dates are approximate, no gaurantees as to their accuracy.
1-5-2010 Skippy, Muffin, Mr. Wiggles, and Twinkie injured in a boating accident.
2-6-2010 Another boating accident (no apparent injuries) occured in the Making
  of "Mr. Sparkles and Friends".
3-12-2010 Mr. P goes missing, or at least unaccounted for.  His minions claim
  'family matters'.
5-13-2010 Samantha is the new leader for the Bunny Brigade; Jessie, a Mongoose
  is employed for anti-snake patrols.
6-12-2010 Neighborhood cats 'B' (aka. 'R'), L, and K, are identified by
  Mikey and Samantha as a danger to small animals everywhere.
7-13-2010 Local bunny uprising in the Neighborhood Cat Gang's backyard.  Ragtag
  bunnies cause the Cat 'L' to call up mercenary snakes and birds and commence
  a 3-day 'sweep and secure' operation.  While the uprising was abandoned
  after a day, the expenditures by the gang to quell it were significant. 
  Long Shan and other Pandas take advantage of the situation to pilfer
  additional funds from the gang.  Estimated expenditures between 300,000 to
  600,000 carrots. 
7-28-2010 Bunny Brigade and their allies raid 'countryside farm', loot
  approximentally 75% of the viable crops.
8-31-2010 Small Animals meet at 'The Daily Pet' to discuss, among other
  things, a rise in V/U targeted attacks.
9-29-2010 The Cat 'L's owner moves out of town, taking 'L' with him.  On its
  own accord, the Black Bunny Squad raids the gang's fridge, but finds it
  completely empty.
10-10-2010 'Goon squads' from the neighborhood cat gang invade surrounding
  cities, trying to extort money from small animals.  Their efforts are
  largely unsucessful.  Cat 'P' takes command of the gang, but cannot restore
  the vanguard to full strength.  The gang has no funds and is basically
  'running on empty'. 
10-10-2010 Another Tofu video released, showing Tofu and Sobi playing.
10-18-2010 The neighborhood cat gang holds its annual 'Kitty Caucus'.  Of
  the twenty cats that take part in the caucus, 14 are injured, and among those
  three are listed as having received serious injuries.  As a result of the
  caucus, all four remaining existing members of the vanguard are approved,
  though the embattled Cat W by a slim margin of only two votes.  The Vanguard
  approves 5 new members, most by a signicant margin, except for the
  controversial Snake Z who is approved by a margin of only one vote. 
12-01-2010 Small animals mourn the passing Panda 'B', Long Shan's teacher.
03-13-2011 Bunny brigade deployed to Japan to assist in relief efforts for
  earthquake.
03-28-2011 Cat Y reportedly sighted at a local small animal event.
04-07-2011 Defectors from the neighborhood cat gang report that upper leadership
  is paralyzed and that Cat P is a weak and ineffective leader.
06-07-2011 Cat T rewarded for service to the gang with a promotion to the newly
  created position of 'director of small animal interdiction operations'.  Snake
  Z showing signs of being stressed, but still loyal to the gang.  Gang
  becoming impotent, unable to respond to canine territorial invasion.  Cat P
  becomes increasingly paranoid.
06-21-2011 Cat Y demoted from his old position in the gang, moved to logistics.
  Replaced by Cat F.  Cat Y forced to clean up the mess left behind by Cat K's
  departure.
07-01-2011 Cat Y attempts to lead a rebellion against Cat P, but is abandoned
  by his minions.  In a valiant attempt, he singlehandedly tries to assassinate
  Cat P, but in the fight that follows, he cannot gain the upper hand quickly
  enough and is forced to flee as Cat P calls for reinforcements.
07-26-2011 Local snakes attack en masse, coming in teams of 2 or 3.  A skeleton
  crew of small animals attempts to fight back, doing some damage but not
  enough to stop the invasion and are forced to disperse in order to survive.
08-02-2011 Informants report that Cat Y has 'gone dark', no one knows where he
  is or has seen him.  Snake attacks increase, but local small animals take
  advantage of a safety zone held by the Lepus Alliance.
08-13-2011 Informant reports that loyalty within the gang is at an all time
  low, Cat P must hold frequent 'pep rallies' and purges in order to maintain
  his authority / position.  Cat P is under constant attack from his rivals,
  though his grip on power is still firm for the time being.
09-10-2011 Cat P injured while demonstrating his newly designed "Super Lift
  System". 
10-04-2011 The local Lepus Alliance members begin operations against the
  gang in the north.  Hint's of trouble in Cat P's inner circle.  The snake
  E posts another paranoid diatribe online.
10-29-2011 Legendary bunny S, well known online, shows up at the local small
  animal monthly meetup.  But she is so immersed in her internet that she
  refuses to interact with anyone other than her sister.
11-14-2011 Cat Y, forced into hiding, is sighted on the edge of the
  neighborhood cat gang's territory.  Small animals suspect that he is
  attempting to gather forces to launch a rebellion.  The English Springer
  Spaniel, 'M', is said to be gaining power locally.
01-09-2012 Cat P sighted at the edge of the neighborhood cat gang's territory,
  but only for a brief moment.  Cat T has a close call but escapes certain
  death when security comes to his rescue. 
01-12-2012 Three members of the black bunny squad are captured in a 'maritime
  incident'. 
01-15-2012 The bunny 'D', known online as 'C' (but not _that_ 'C') relocates
  to the east of neighborhood cat gang territory.
01-24-2012 Multiple sources indicate that Cat P is basically 'done', due to
  unpopular opinion held by higher-ups in the gang.  Cats W and T are likely
  to follow, and the likely replacement is Cat K, or one of his henchmen.

[Sindobook]

Yes and no.  Honestly I can't say why.  I mean, I don't know the details behind everything.  I always just do things, and then move on.

[mamochan]

Error: Small animals not found
Abort? Retry? Fail? Buy Tofu's book?

[Sindobook]

What are you saying?  Not making any sense.  Tofu is one of Gigi's dogs btw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJYPHm-TlZM

---

02-07-2012 Popular sentiment begins to turn on C,
because of a number of missteps and botched public
relations handling.
03-06-2012

---

There may be some truth to that.  By all indications, Cat P is in hiding and laying low until the next (miniature) Kitty Caucus which is scheduled in September.  He may well feel threatened, that he can't or won't be able to rally the support to continue in his role.  Cat A, on the other hand, is currently on a rampage, as cats left and right fall victim to her and her goons.  Reports indicate that she has all but eliminated any opposition to her.  Whether she is acting under orders from Cat P or on her own accord is something we just don't know.  But she may have her eyes on his position as the leader of the gang, it certainly can't be put past her.

Cat P being stabbed in the back by one of his own would be very poetic, but Cat A is a ruthless and effective leader who is very capable when it comes to tactics and strategy.  If she were to come to power, I can almost guarantee the black bunny squad would make a preemptive play for her, they may be mercenaries but historically they have acted on their own when threatened.  Whether that would be effective, or even could be effective, it's honestly hard to say.

---

I don't think it's a sound tactic overall.
It works well because their adversaries are generally idiots with little actual intelligence or ingenuity.  But overall it is not very adaptable nor survivable.  Because it lacks a reserve force, it can be easily broken and once broken, can only recover by closing in on itself.

---

There is really not much to say.  Everything is real quiet.  I am fully expecting a storm at some point, but no one can say when.  It's not that purges have eliminated the ability to do intelligence gathering, they have hampered or impeded it but operations are still active and ongoing.  Even if their purges were purely for security reasons (they aren't), it would hurt them a lot more than it would hurt intelligence gathering.

---

I actually think it's quite funny.  It's just like everything else with all the self-absorbed people who think their way of doing things is the ultimate way and everyone else in inferior.  Really the ultimate judge of a person is -- can they laugh at themselves.  Can they take themselves not-seriously, can they be a clown or even make others laugh at the expense of their own ego.  This kind of humility, to heaven, greatness comes not from who you are but what you stand for.  That is why (IMO) heaven has chosen to smile upon her, she understands how temporal this is, she can laugh at herself and she acknowledges it cannot last.  But living in the moment is okay with her, though she does admit she has some vague plans for the future.

---

http://www.twitch.tv/lilypichu/c/2806577 (all throughout the video).

---

Soon, very soon.
Rumor has it that Cat P has been digging an 'escape hatch' out of his office, like a secret tunnel or something.  To escape alive, b'cos he feels very threatened and has been keeping a low profile, virtually unseen.

We'll see how well that works, I don't expect too well.

He has every right to be running scared, I think he knows he's met his match with Cat A.  He can't control her, and he can't rely on other cats within the gang (even his own vanguard) to defend him as they are more likely than not more loyal to her than him. 

---

He's not dead just yet, I mean, I wouldn't give up on him just yet.

According to Cat T, yesterday Cat A became so agitated at not having her e-mails answered by him after several days of waiting that she had her goons bust down his door only to find the office completely empty apparently long ago abandoned. 

"Everything was cold, and no recent sign of activity.  His personal fridge was empty and upon searching the office for any kind of exits, she couldn't find any.  Following this she threw a hissing fit and left the base for the rest of the day.  This morning she said nothing about the incident and Cat P's office door was closed again, but word had gotten around that he was nowhere to be seen and in reality probably pulled a disappearing act weeks ago."

---

Nothing of that sort.
Yes they are on 'skeleton crew' right now.  But everything is running short right now.

from Mikey - "It's not just those guys.  Everything seems bigger than it really is now.  I don't expect that there's any real danger."

---

It's not 'the network'.  It's one cat, who pretends to have friends.  But in reality, he's all alone.  It's just him.  He refers to himself as 'the network' but it is in name only.

He seems to have a 'thing' for Bunny J, though not sure why.  He is labelled as 'possibly dangerous' and small animal security teams do keep tabs on his position, and sometimes run counter-operations.  But even this is often unnecessary. 

---

I wouldn't get your hopes up.  There are serious problems and there continues to be serious problems with them.  They're extremely limited and can only function with help from the gang proper.

It's chaos, they have no command structure or de-facto leaders for that matter.  Cat A.me is probably the most capable, but politically weak as Cat A.mc strongly dislikes her.  Cat R

---

Yes, multiple sources as well as their own website has confirmed that cat T.l has been removed from the gang.  Whether he perished or escaped is still unknown, but there have been no sightings of him on the outside.  He has likely either perished or is keeping a very low profile.

"Cat A is very paranoid about using the [gang] network, she has disconnected her own computer and constantly fears a latent virus or some other malicious app/backdoor/sabotage/etc. left by cat T.l on the network.  Cat P has gone totally incognito, no one has seen or heard a thing from him, but there is speculation that he took his supporters and headed south.  Because there were some recent robberies at local supply houses used by the IFA [1], and apparently their security cameras captured photos of Cat P and some other members of the vanguard prior to a break-in where a large portion of their local supply of cat food went missing."

[1] Imperial Feline Alliance, a weak alliance, primarily of cat gangs, that is at least on paper a vassal of the neighborhood cat gang, but de-facto operates as its own entity.  Because with the recent pullbacks of the gang, they have been unable to continue to collect tribute from their satellite organizations.

---

From what is known, Cat T.l was removed around the beginning of the month (Sep).  The day after he disappeared, he was officially removed from the gang by Cat P.

From Mikey, "He must have gotten word of his impending doom.  Or perhaps Cat P asked him to do something he didn't want to do, and instead he chose to disappear.  Whatever happened, he is presumed to have gotten away alive as there is no word that he perished."

From Samantha, "Hard to say, but it might have something to do with Cat A.me.   She seems to know a lot, and she's a known sympathizer.  She could have tipped him off and told him to get out of their alive while he still could."

IMO, Samantha might be on to something. 

---

The real damage to the cat gang is that with him gone, they can't seem to keep their internal network up.

Hacking attacks, rumored to be coming from the black bunny squad, have brought their internal system down four times in the last few days.  The cat they have tending to the network is 'only borderline competent' according to Mikey.

"He can barely tell his right paw from his left.  Much less keep a private network running.", from Mikey.

"Cat P has ordered all important traffic off the main network, instead members of the vanguard that are still loyal are running around with thumb drives in their mouths to move the data around.  It's almost comical."

---

Not currently.  Cat P appears for maybe an hour or two every few days.  He issues a few orders, sends an e-mail or two, and then disappears again.  So I wouldn't say he's currently 'off the grid' completely, but he's not exactly actively managing anything either. 

It's rather disorderly when he isn't there.  Cats are pretty much doing their own thing and looking out for themselves.  Cat A.mc seems to have the most power, but even so, outside of her goon squad none of the cats take her that seriously.

---

While this is a theoretical possibility, it is not a realistic one.  It also neglects their level of debt.  Time will tell.

---

From the informants, it will be 'soon'.  Though soon is relative, that could mean a day or that could mean a month. 

From Mikey, "I don't even know if our informants will survive.  We typically lose about half of them every kitty caucus.  But I think we'll know pretty quickly either way."

[Sindobook]

It's no.  For people who want to show up in person and be walked through it, help out, etc. that is one thing.  And I always do that kind of stuff as opportunity allows.

But right now, the logistics just aren't set up, and I don't see any profit or reason to do so over the long run.  People know I don't have the patience for all the protocol and prefer things without effort. 

---

Cats have been disappearing, it may sound odd at first, but this isn't the first time this has happened.

From Mikey:  "This purge is a little different than the seven or so others that have happened in the last year.  There's no bodies, no blood, no swiping of claws or biting of teeth, no witnesses, nothing.  Cats just seem to be vanishing, as in, one day they are there, the next they aren't.  There are rumors among some of the higher-ups that it is the work of something sinister, but most cats continue to suspect Cat A and her goon squad.  Honestly, though, I don't think it fits her profile.  She is all about showmanship, about establishing a culture of fear and loathing, but how can that be done when there are no witnesses, no body, nothing left behind, and no example made in public.  So really, this kind of thing is a mystery right now."

---

Yes, it has been reasonably well established that the elections have begun (as of around half an hour ago).

From Mikey:  "There will be blood... there is always blood.  This is the [neighborhood cat gang] we are talking about.  Though no one expects it will be as bloody as last year.  So many cats have already perished this year -- that there just aren't a whole lot of cats left.  Cat A's faction has de-facto control as far as the leadership, with Cat P either laying low or not fighting back.  We'll see if the rank-and-file cats decide to rise up against Cat A or if her reign continues unabated."

"If he keeps backing down, Cat P is likely to have only a ceremonial position in the future.  But he is still being paid by the gang, we'll see if that lasts.  There has been some indications that they will stop paying him, we'll see what happens here.

---

Probably due to Gigi changing his food.  She said he is much more active and outgoing now.  So it seems to be working out.

---

We heard it when you heard it, honestly there isn't much intelligence on this subject yet.
It does explain his general silence though.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was due to his poorly thought out commenting on the Cat T affair.

From Mikey - "I would be very cautious, it's a very fluid situation."

From Samantha - "It's been shifting to a war footing.  Our infiltrators aren't as concerned about internal politics as they used to be."

I wouldn't be surprised if the cats were hanging him out to dry. 

---

Yesterday, in a surprising move, Cat P and his loyalist faction was attacked by a new imperialist faction that is believed to be led by Cat A.

"It happened at the monthly meeting.  Cat P was at the podium, strutting around, purring, doing the usual Cat P thing.  It started out with just Cat A and her goons.  They moved to attack Cat P, and the vanguard closed ranks around him.  While his forces outnumbered hers about three to two, it only took until battle was joined before many other cats rushed in."

"Now the tables had turned against Cat P, it looked like he was done for in all certainty.  His forces were outnumbered, it appeared that Cat A had pulled a lot of strings to ensure his demise.  There was no escape for the room except a door at the far end, and there was no way he could make it there being in the physical shape he was in.  Instead he chose to challenge her, he brandished a claw at Cat A, and challenged her to a duel.  He said tommorow, at the time and place of her choosing, he would fight her to the death in a one-on-one duel."

"This made most of the cats back off, and the battle came to a standstill as Cat A accepted his proposal.  She said the duel would be held out in the courtyard, at lunch, where not only those from the neighborhood cat gang but all cats could be a witness to his demise.  With that, the meeting as adjourned, and all the cats in the gang looked forward to the duel to the death to be held tommorow."

"Now tommorow morning came and no one could find Cat P.  His loyalists assumed he must have slipped off for some secret training regimen and would show up at the duel around lunch.  Cats were already gathering in the courtyard, staking out the best spots to observe the duel of the two arch rivals in which all differences would be settled (for only one cat would remain in the end)."

"Lunch time came and passed and still no Cat P.  Cat  A seemed content to strut around and groom herself for several minutes, before perching herself on her new 'throne', one of those carpeted 'cat towers' that was three levels tall -- which her owner had just purchased for her last night.  Her followers grouped around and mewled her full name repeatedly to cheer her on, as even Cat T(l) began to purr in approval and shortly thereafter, tossed an effigy of Cat P into the center of the courtyard[1]."

"Her followers immediately pounced, but she called them off.  Using a cord from a computer, she hung the effigy from the third story of her cat tower and then the cats all stood in a circle and took turns taking swipes at it with their claws as it swung around like a pinata."

[1] The revocation of his position by Cat P may have had something to do with him changing sides.

---

On Cat T(l), at one time, he was a loyal servant of Cat P.  But Cat T(l) had a few jobs, for instance he was the chronicler of the kitty caucus where his job was to record the electoral losses of those who perished in the election.  And he was perhaps too honest in this respect.  For instance, he had mentioned that Snake Z had escaped rather then perished at the hands of the electorate. 

Additionally, he would frequently hang out with other cats, and was rumored to have an ongoing affair with Cat A(me), who has always been quite enamored with him.  He would sometimes hang out with other cats outside the gang.  And is said to have played a part in drawing Cat P out into the open before the aftermath of the "fourth concurrent-action purge" orchestrated by Cat A(mc).  Following the purge, Cat P paid dearly for his own very public missteps, and is said to continue to hold a grudge against Cat T(l) to this day for that reason.  But in reality, he has only his own ineptitude to blame.

---

Yes.  The incident and aftermath of the "fourth concurrent-action purge" may seem like a sordid affair on small animal terms, but for cats, it is quite normal, or 'everyday business'.

---

Yes, and it was more than decent.  Plus they seem to be on the right path.  At the point they are at now, they don't seem to need any additional help, I mean they are in capable hands.  Sometimes the best policy is one of non-interference.

---

Yes, I was there.  In fact I was one of the people who tipped them off.

According to the report, Cat P had lost a lot of support in the neighborhood cat gang after being a no-show when Cat A challenged him to a fight to the death.  While he may have escaped death, most all the cats in the gang, including his once-loyal vanguard, had all but abandoned him.  In order to regain his status in the gang, Cat P pledged he would take down a rival of the neighborhood cat gang, a small band of roughly 30 cats that had broken off from the gang roughly 60 [cat] years ago.

So Cat P left with a small detachment, those he could gather through bribery or others who were willing to follow him on the raid out of self-interest.  This included Cat F, who he bribed with a rare figurine, Cat T, who must have had his own reasons for wanting to go, and a few other cats who were looking to make a name for themselves.  Cat P realized he didn't have enough cats to take down what would be roughly 30 defenders with a frontal assault, as he only commanded 8 cats in total (self included).  So instead he planned an elaborate hit-and-run sabotage action. 

[Sindobook]

Cat P and the rest of the cats drove to the enemy gang's base using Cat P's mini countryman; Cat P took the while Cat T worked the pedals.  They tried to find a place to park but couldn't, eventually had to go into a paid parking structure about a block away from the base.  The cats departed and formed a line, not exactly being low profile as they approached the base.

Fortunately for them, there were no lookouts, and or if there were, they were simply being ignored.  The base was a tall building with several entry points, Cat P wanted to waltz right in through the front door, but Cat T convinced him to try a different plan, scaling the walls and going in through an open window he had spotted on the third floor.  Cat P reluctantly agreed, but when it came time to scale the walls, he was having some problems keeping up with the other cats due to his weight.  So Cat T had to climb up the window and through it, then proceeded to lower down a rope.  Cat P dug his claws into it and now the rest of the cats pulled him using all their might.

[mamochan]

Cats can't drive. Unless its Toonces, the cat who could drive a car.

[suzaku_nomiko]

But I can drive :/
http://www.templeofthecat.com/images_08/f_mapq.jpg