St. Hell

Recently there have been a plethora of stories online about an actress who's spoken out against the mind cult masquerading as a religion, Scientology. And whenever such a story appears, there's inevitably a following flood of negative, often crude, comments about this actress, most accusing her of publicity seeking. It's a safe assumption that the negative backlash is being churned out by the "religion's" professional trolls, and it's made me curious. How do these trolls get recruited? What are they paid? Or are they just in it because they've been ordered to hunt down online critics and try to shout them down? Is it money, or is Xenu yanking their chains?

Recently I acquired what I guess can be only referred to as a "troll", if I understand the definition of the word. Someone online who's taken what seems like a bordering-on-the-irrational dislike of me and now seems to be following me around the web - wherever my name appears, so does this person's off-the-wall harangues, usually without regard to the topic under discussion. Of course I expect people to disagree with me at times; I have no problem with expressions of opposition to my way of thinking, even when they're rude or obscene. But being repeatedly told that, for no particular reason this person seems able to express, I'm going to "burn in Satan's fire" for disagreeing with them is...baffling. It's a little like smelling dog poo and not being able to figure out how you stepped in it. Or which shoe it's on.

So...how does one handle such a situation? File a complaint with Yahoo? Grin and bear it? Lay low and resist the temptation to say anything sarcastic about Lindsey Lohan for awhile? Grow a beard and move to Brazil?

Seriously - what do you do with a Troll?

Okay, I'll admit it - I'm slow on the uptake. But in catching an online headline about Paul Bearer's recent passing, I was stunned to see mention of The Undertaker's "death" last year. After spending a half hour in complete, dismayed shock, doubt finally dawned. DID Mark Calloway REALLY pass away last year? Or is this yet another in a long line of death/resurrection plot ploys from WWE?

And...how can anyone tell the difference any more??

...and remember reading references about another woman comic who was popular in the '60's - Totie Fields. She was described as "a beachball with a hair bow". Anyone remember her?

As Jesse was leaving, Kevin moved to hug him...and Jesse avoided the good-bye embrace, saying something like "No, that's okay." What was Muscle Head's objection? And though I didn't quite catch it...didn't Kevin, at the show's very end, murmur a comment about Jesse's aversion?

Is The Man, The Myth, The Legend: JESSE! a homophobe?

It's a minor but apparently widespread irritation on this site, and Y!A seems not to have any control...or even any input...into the situation. Is a meaningless automated response the only reaction to a visitor's complaint?

What would motivate someone to become a "troll"? Why do they become so obsessed with their negative behavior that they're willing to waste so much of their time, and so much of their emotional energy, pursuing it? Is it a kind of addiction?

Any thoughtful responses are welcome.

(And no, I REALLY don't care if you "report" me.)

It's a minor but apparently widespread irritation on this site, and Y!A seems not to have any control...or even any input...into the situation. Is a meaningless automated response the only reaction to a visitor's complaint?

What would motivate someone to become a "troll"? Why do they become so obsessed with their negative behavior that they're willing to waste so much of their time, and so much of their emotional energy, pursuing it? Is it a kind of addiction?

Any thoughtful responses are welcome.

(And no, I REALLY don't care if you "report" me.)

It's a minor but apparently widespread irritation on this site, and Y!A seems not to have any control...or even any input...into the situation. Is a meaningless automated response the only reaction to a visitor's complaint?

What would motivate someone to become a "troll"? Why do they become so obsessed with their negative behavior that they're willing to waste so much of their time, and so much of their emotional energy, pursuing it? Is it a kind of addiction?

Any thoughtful responses are welcome.

(And no, I REALLY don't care if you "report" me.)

...how high would you rate your level of irritation? From 1 for "I don't care"...to 10 for "Oh Jesus Christ, what assholes!"

Just curious. I've just found another "violation" from Y!A in my e-mail for an answer that was perfectly harmless to a question that was patently asinine (and, apparently, quickly removed). And I've gotten the impression that such silliness is epidemic on this site. Does no one in Yahoo! have a sense of humor...or basic common sense? Or is it simply their practice not to hire site managers over the age of twelve...?

...that calls itself a "church" whose tiny group of followers materialize at the funerals of fallen soldiers with "God Hates Fags!" signs, braying their belief that, because THEIR version of God finds homosexuality an offense, HE is...j

justifiably, to these people...punishing this country by slaughtering our soldiers. I gave an answer...which, in brief, labelled these people

"disgusting"... for which I recieved a Violation Notice from Y!A's seemingly endless supply. Obviously, someone felt moved to condone this group's twisted theology by hitting the "report" button.

Here's my honest and open question - WHY?How could anyone, ANYONE, who claims to follow the teachings of Christ approve of this group? Even if you believe vehmently that homosexuality is a "sin"...how can that possibly excuse such a vicious intrusion into the grief of a family mourning the loss of a son or daughter?

How do the teachings of Jesus in any way relieve you of the constraint of common decency?

...that calls itself a "church" whose tiny group of followers materialize at the funerals of fallen soldiers with "God Hates Fags!" signs, braying their belief that, because THEIR version of God finds homosexuality an offense, HE is...j

justifiably, to these people...punishing this country by slaughtering our soldiers. I gave an answer...which, in brief, labelled these people

"disgusting"... for which I recieved a Violation Notice from Y!A's seemingly endless supply. Obviously, someone felt moved to condone this group's twisted theology by hitting the "report" button.

Here's my honest and open question - WHY?How could anyone, ANYONE, who claims to follow the teachings of Christ approve of this group? Even if you believe vehmently that homosexuality is a "sin"...how can that possibly excuse such a vicious intrusion into the grief of a family mourning the loss of a son or daughter?

How do the teachings of Jesus in any way relieve you of the constraint of common decency?

...that calls itself a "church" whose tiny group of followers materialize at the funerals of fallen soldiers with "God Hates Fags!" signs, braying their belief that, because THEIR version of God finds homosexuality an offense, HE is...j

justifiably, to these people...punishing this country by slaughtering our soldiers. I gave an answer...which, in brief, labelled these people

"disgusting"... for which I recieved a Violation Notice from Y!A's seemingly endless supply. Obviously, someone felt moved to condone this group's twisted theology by hitting the "report" button.

Here's my honest and open question - WHY?How could anyone, ANYONE, who claims to follow the teachings of Christ approve of this group? Even if you believe vehmently that homosexuality is a "sin"...how can that possibly excuse such a vicious intrusion into the grief of a family mourning the loss of a son or daughter?

How do the teachings of Jesus in any way relieve you of the constraint of common decency?

** Why would someone have alternate identities on this site? So they can, what?...answer their own questions?? Give themselves pointless points?? RPG in a really silly way??

** Why do some participants here seem to get into such an emotional twist about "avatars"?

** Why would someone go to the trouble of "hacking" into another's account? Who is so obsessed with this site that they CARE?

** I've sometimes mentioned details of my private life when I answer - dumb? Or just inappropriate?

** What are "trolls"?

** Do I wander in here too often, or not often enough, to be able to tell the difference between the forest and the trees?

** Am I just an oblivious twit, or did you all go to some Y!A meeting I missed?

Sorry for trying your patience, again...

**

...and never been given an explanation or a response other than one form letter after another? Is there any truth to the rumor that a class action suit is being brought against Yahoo!Answers...?

...and would you care to make a wager on how quickly my account will be suspended?

Hail... and probably Farewell!

...and how many suspended? Have they EVER responded to an appeal? Have they ever rescinded a "violation", and restored removed points? Are there actually human beings on the other side of this site?

Yahoo!'s tyranny seems to be epidemic, it was annoying at first...now it's downright appalling.

And one more question - do you care to wave bye-bye to me as Yahoo! suspends my account?

**wave**

Hope to see you again, sometime...

...some jackass asks a question that just DRIPS with the poison of homophobia, and you take the time to think of and type out an absolutely wonderful, witty, withering response...

...and THEN Yahoo decides to yank the question?

I'm wasting an enormous amount of snottiness here, people!

...some jackass asks a question that just DRIPS with the poison of homophobia, and you take the time to think of and type out an absolutely wonderful, witty, withering response...

...and THEN Yahoo decides to yank the question?

I'm wasting an enormous amount of snottiness here, people!

...more and more catering to those who are politically conservative and homophobic? Or is it their policy to slap a "violation" on any answer that the questioner simply doesn't happen to LIKE?

Is it the normal level of paranoia for these days...or a further sliver of evidence of the corrosion of the concept and practice of "freedom of speech"?

I know it's tempting...but please resist the temptation to answer facetiously. Even paranoids have real enemies...

...more and more catering to those who are politically conservative and homophobic? Or is it their policy to slap a "violation" on any answer that the questioner simply doesn't happen to LIKE?

Is it the normal level of paranoia for these days...or a further sliver of evidence of the corrosion of the concept and practice of "freedom of speech"?

I know it's tempting...but please resist the temptation to answer facetiously. Even paranoids have real enemies...

...more and more catering to those who are politically conservative and homophobic? Or is it their policy to slap a "violation" on any answer that the questioner simply doesn't happen to LIKE?

Is it the normal level of paranoia for these days...or a further sliver of evidence of the corrosion of the concept and practice of "freedom of speech"?

I know it's tempting...but please resist the temptation to answer facetiously. Even paranoids have real enemies...