Michael Macartney, 50, confessed to the BBC his role in an extreme monkey torture network.

A ringleader in a global monkey torture network exposed by the BBC has been charged by US federal prosecutors.

Michael Macartney, 50, who went by the alias “Torture King”, was charged in Virginia with conspiracy to create and distribute animal-crushing videos.

Mr Macartney was one of three key distributors identified by the BBC Eye team during a year-long investigation into sadistic monkey torture groups.

Two women have also been charged in the UK following the investigation.

Warning: This article contains disturbing content

Mr Macartney, a former motorcycle gang member who previously spent time in prison, ran several chat groups for monkey torture enthusiasts from around the world on the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

  • MilitantVegan@lemmy.world
    24·
    8 months ago

    Taste is subjective, and it changes in response to what you eat. The vast majority of people are used to what are called hyper-palatable foods - foods that are scientifically formulated to be addictive. Every food that is not hyper-palatable tastes flavorless by comparison.

    If you get used to eating real food - that is, real plants in their whole, generally intact forms - then hyper-palatable foods end up tasting disgustingly salty.

    Point is, plants taste perfectly fine.

    • gimpchrist @lemmy.world
      11·
      8 months ago

      You must have never had okra before. Or dulse. One is disgustingly bitter, one is disgustingly salty. Not all plants taste perfectly fine.

      • MilitantVegan@lemmy.world
        2·
        8 months ago

        Okra did not taste disgustingly bitter to me (genetics play a large role in taste perception). And I used to put a small amount of dulse into all my meals because it is salty, a little goes a long way, and it’s one of very few natural sources of iodine.

        Sounds like a skill issue. The better you get at cooking plants, the better they taste. That and finding the right ones for you.

        • gimpchrist @lemmy.world
          1·
          8 months ago

          Sounds like you just like to be better than all of us as some kind of ascended plant eating freak… you go right ahead and enjoy your fucking plants with no feelings… I’m sure plants enjoy living too, weirdo. Is life more fun for you when we both insult each other? Is life more fun when you are acting like you have all of the answers and we’re all wrong? Is it fun to police people’s eating habits on planet earth? You’re such a fucking weirdo. There is no skill issue, I’ve been a chef since I was 14 in restaurants across the world… sounds just like you hate everybody and you have to argue to feel better

          • MilitantVegan@lemmy.world
            11·
            8 months ago

            Maybe there’d be less issues if you could argue with the substance of the arguments I make, and not project your own arrogance. Whole-food plant-based cuisine requires learning a lot of unique skills, and unlearning bad habits. If all you’re used to is relying on the crutch of loading your meals full of sugar, salt, and fat, then you’re naturally not going to have any knowledge or experience in how to make meals that taste good and increase people’s lifespans.

            Maybe instead of letting your ego get in the way, you can take this as an opportunity to learn how to expand your culinary skills so you can at least know how to prepare something that heals instead of harms. Here’s a few books to get started:

            General: https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-die-cookbook/

            Weight loss: https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-diet-cookbook/

            For people who have heart disease: https://www.dresselstyn.com/site/books/prevent-reverse-cookbook/about-the-cookbook/

            And for diabetes management: https://www.masteringdiabetes.org/book/

            • gimpchrist @lemmy.world
              1·
              8 months ago

              I tried to fucking talk to you but you’re still lumping me into the fucking group of people who own factory farms and run the government and over Slaughter animals… I told you I don’t fucking eat your stupid fucking animals because I’m fucking poor… stop fucking insulting people you stupid little shit. Ever taken to consideration that people have fucking eating disorders? And you’re stupid eating plan does not help with somebody who has a fucking eating disorder? No you don’t because nothing but your stupid fucking message is important to you… other people aren’t important to you, animals aren’t important to you, plants aren’t important to you, only you are important to you… people like you are fucking assholes and I don’t give a fuck what you’re saying because you don’t give a fuck what I’m saying so fuck off.