Are they getting Federal checks, or maybe reduced sentencing for playing ball, or what? Or maybe they think sticking up for Uncle Sh**head now will get them an extra bowl of rice later on. Opinions?

-- Icanspotthem (wondering@it.all), February 18, 1999

Answers

No, they're just bored high school students on vacation week.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 18, 1999.

Uncle Shithead??!!

And you guys have the balls to say that you love this country? I'm in shock that this was even put out here. And to think all the heroes died for a fucking loser like you. Unbeliveable.......

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 18, 1999.

I have noticed an influx of "trolls" on many Y2k forums and chat rooms. I dont know who they are or what their intentions are. However, it is best to ignore them whenever possible and move on.

-- me (justme@aol.com), February 18, 1999.

justme, it is curious, isn't it?

It's most curious that their knowledge of the subject matter appears to be recently learned, skin deep, two or more show up at one time, and when challenged they scatter like so many cockroaches being hit with a bright light.

Yes, indeedee. Curious.

-- Curiouser and Curiouser (dontfeed@troll.today), February 18, 1999.

Icanspotthem, there are trolls and there are reasonable people who write reasonable answers until they are flamed.

I concede that JBD, Dieter, etc are trolls. However, Craig's only fault seems to be that he thinks we're more likely to get a 5 than a 10. This is a crime on this board???

2010 has also written mostly politely until flames. Just because YOU think we're looking at a 10 is no reason to rudely flame someone else.

Threads like this turn me off as much as troll threads!

I wish you would post under a recognizable name, I'd avoid your posts just like JBD, Dieter, etc.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 18, 1999.

I agree -- Uncle Sh**head is as good a name as any. Some idiots can't distinguish between the map and the territory. Our nazii government is not the same as the country or the people (not that I have that much regard for most people, here either.) The country is a geographical area. The government (and blindly naive people who support it) is the problem. To take it a step further, the government is people -- not ALL the people or WE the people -- but people in government. Mostly Sh**heads, which is why referring to our government as Uncle Sh**Head is correct.

-- A (A@AisA.com), February 18, 1999.

A - sounds like it's time for you to leave then. Maybe Cuba or China would be a nice fit for you. You've got it made here, you're just too fucking stupid to realize it.

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 18, 1999.

FOOL!!! Yes mR. WASHINGTON i am sorry YOU ARE UNHAPPY HERE, IS IT not time for yoU TO LEAVE???? MR. ADAMS, IF you do not like iT HERE PERHAPS CHINA WOULD be beTTer??? Im SOrrY MR. jeffersOn, YOU WILL need to WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT SHIP to cUba!!! WHY ARe you displEASED Mr. hENRY????? WHy don't YOU LEAVE THE COUnTRY like MR.HANCoCK HAS DONE???? IDIOT!!!WHY DO you MAKE DIEtERS BRaIN BLEED???

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), February 18, 1999.

Deano

Are you an idiot or just a moron?

You sound like one of those "love it or leave it" cranks from the 1960s.

The solution is not me leaving, but you leaving. The U.S. used to be far beyond any other country in terms of freedom and prosperity than other nations. Due to morons like yourself, it is now merely on a par with several other nations. Not due to them rising, but the U.S. falling. And it is due to idiots like you who could salute the flag or cry "sieg heil" with no problem, depending on what country and era you are in.

If you are not congenitally stupid, you are willfully ignorant.

-- A (A@AisA.com), February 18, 1999.

A - deano has said "love it or leave it" before. He doesn't seem to understand the concept of free speech and the idea that criticizing government actions is one of the reasons that free speech is so important. He doesn't understand that one can love one's country and be critical of government actions at the same time. He doesn't understand that one can criticize government actions BECAUSE one loves one's country. He seems to have no critical faculties at all. For him, the answer appears to be, that if you can't say something nice, get the hell out.

Just an observation...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), February 18, 1999.

You da man A.Deano....I'm gonna be nice.

-- KoFE (Weneedaplunger@damn.it), February 18, 1999.

To dearest Icanspotthem.......

I enjoy sharing with, and debating anyone who shows reasonable intelligence........whether I agree or disagree with anyone here, I could put differences of opinion aside and buy any one of them a coffee or a beer......I am not spiteful

You, sir/maam.(if you used a real name I could tell what you were) can not spot anything. Based on your assessment of me, I'd say you couldn't spot the ocean from the end of a pier.

Federal checks.....Heeheeheeeheee

I have put my head on the line in my community by being an outspoken proponent of Y2K preparations. My stance is far from popular with 95% of the people in my community.......they think I'm extreme in my views. The president of the local power company 'accidentaly' got a hold of my boss on the way to replying about my Y2K inquiries. I have been quoted in our local newspaper and spoken in person with some of our local councillors.

So you see, I may only be a 5 (Thanks for the accurate assessment Tricia)in this forum, but that 5 makes me a 9 or 10 in the general publics eyes.

I've partaken in this forum for a long time now.......Although I don't give a fiddler's phlegmball about your opinion of me, you're way off line with your Govt. Stooges nonsense.

Please feel free to submit your community involvement re: Y2k any time.

One last thing, although many regulars here already know it: A few years ago, my postings would have been very different. My belief system was in the same ballpark as that of INVAR, flierdude, Arnie, Nabi, etc. Although I respect them and clearly understand why they believe what they believe, I now hold to a different opinion of many subjects.

Something for certain,Icanspotthem......

I come by my opinions from decades of research and study......I do not decide anything flippantly and am nobodys stooge

Perhaps you may want to look up the definition of troll before you so loosely use the term in the future.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), February 18, 1999.

THOMAS W. CHITTUM

-- (LURK@LURKER.LURKING), February 18, 1999.

I wasn't going to say anything, but I've been ROTFLMAO for the last five minutes. Dieter, you're OK in my book. I HAVEn't laUghED sO hArd IN A loNG Time. PrAy CoNtInUe Your AsSaUlt UpoN ThE FoOlHaRdY.

-- Why2K? (who@knows.com), February 18, 1999.

Icanspottem, you're a trolling idiot yourself, for even starting this thread.

Craig is definitely not a troll, he's been here longer then everyone here except pshannon and Tricia. He's smart and has his own views. Craig I believe is also Canadian, who in general clash in philosophy and culture with many american southerners.

This "what is a troll" misunderstanding comes up regularly with each new influx of newbies.

What a troll IS: A mean spirited individual, always annonymously posting, sometimes assuming the identity of a regular poster, who attempts to bait people with statements that are worded in such a way as to draw an emotional reaction (not to be confused with legitimate posters who become heated in their passionate debates and let go of social manners.) They're called trolls because they remind us of the mithycal creatures, the trolls under the bridges.

What a troll IS NOT:

-It is not a Polyanna (someone who's optimistic and believes in the bump-in-the-road scenario.)

-It is not someone with whom we disagree philosophicaly, politicaly or on religion.

-It is not someone who is dislexic and/or can't spell as good as you do.

-It is not someone who is misinformed or unknowledgable about Y2K.

Examples of past and present trolls: Chittum, Jerry (same guy perhaps) Jimmy Bagga Donuts (probably came back under different names also), Dieter, our current resident troll.

These people clearly talked non-sense and obviously attempted to disrupt conversations and elicit emotional reactions. Also, a troll can be a regular poster assuming a different name/handle for the purpose of trolling, or assuming a well known poster's name for the purpose of discrediting him/her (AES2010 was the victim of this in a current thread.) Someone who's the recipient of constent flames, such as AES2010 is being the target right now, because most people disagree with him/her does not automaticly means s/he is a troll. AES does not purposefully bait people to elicit emotional reactions, he is convinced he is right and argues accordingly. Whether I or you think he is an idiot does not make him a troll.

So, in conclusion, Icanspottem is a troll by definition.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), February 18, 1999.

Ms casty ponD CriS!!! FIVE CHEERs FOR YOU!!!! How is it THAT OTHERS DO NOT SEe AS CLEaRLY AS YOU????? GO FoRTH AND SPREad your wisdoM!!!! Why do you Call DIEtER A TROLLL???? DIETr IS THE EXPOser of FOOLISHNESS, IS he noT???? Tears OF JOY IS dIeTER CRYING????

-- Dieter (question@toask.com), February 18, 1999.

All you guys do is sit at your PC's and talk of government conspiracies and the end of the world. It's actually getting hillarious. I log on here now just for laughs.

pshannon - I think you're having a relapse from one of those trips in the 60's. It's real simple to me - follow the rules (no one says you have to like'em, just follow'em), respect others (that deserve it) and pitch in in your community and things work out perfectly. You guys seem to make things so difficult. Life can be GREAT if you let it. You sit around and try to read between the lines, let your imaginations run wild and come up with some seriously delusional ideas. Hell, the start of this thread was the ludicrous idea about people being planted in here by the government. You really should listen to yourselves.

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 19, 1999.

Chris says Dieter is our current resident troll. I'd like to nominate Dieter as our PERMANENT resident troll, perhaps with some sort of green card, or Head of Trolls (Deiter-HOT), if you wish. Of course, such a troll role would have certain responsibilities, like keeping other trolls in line and doing away with the caps/lower case mix. I relly do think the purity of your message is tainted when you mix the cases, Dieter. Wouldja just try it once or twice without, see if people like it?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 19, 1999.

BUt hoW WOUld we KNOW it Was hiM?

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 19, 1999.

DEaNO!!!! WHY DO YOU Insist ON BEING A JackaSS AND A MORON AND an idioT??? WHY DO you not tell US THE NAme of your FOOLISH CompanY???? WHY is it EMBASSASed of it Y2K ReADYNESS??? Whyare you afraiD OF THOSE WHO READ BETWeeN THE LInES???? BECaUSE YOu cannot???? where is your BRain, you FOOOL???? JACKASS stop hurtinG dieter's Eyes!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), February 19, 1999.

deano -

I turned 7 years old in 1969.

Respecting others who deserve it and pitching in in your community are certainly among the the things that make life worth living. As for the rest of your attitude, I'm sorry, deano, but I really don't think you have a clue as to what's going on in the world. And from where I sit, the history of the human race is more bizzare and entertaining than any "fiction" you'll find, and digging into it in an effort to know what's going on and why are among the things that make life great FOR ME! Really, you have no idea how much fun I have with what I know.

The search for truth, deano, will often take you outside the bounds of the rules that society wants you to follow. You have a choice - liberty or security - that's what an awful lot of the debate here centers around. Me, I would rather be free in a dangerous world than safe in a sanitized one. But those are just MY priorities. You have your own...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), February 19, 1999.

Answer him, deano, ANd SToP hUrtInG HiS Eyes!!!

-- Why2K? (who@knows.com), February 19, 1999.

Tricia, you're right. Dieter, never mind, keep the style. I pictured your posts in normal case and they just didn't have the same cachet.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 19, 1999.