Know how to spot a troll

Given the recent thread started by tailao which quickly filled, as well as other posts recently, I thought I'd post a link which discusses what trolls are and how to spot them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

As I watched tailao's thread progress, I began to wonder if this person may not be a troll, especially if one considers their nickname "tailao" might possibly mean "Tail An-l Orifice" considering the opening post and thrust of their subsequent post (pun intended) which seemed intent on spreading false information and remarks that appeared geared towards inflaming others from the group.

It made me wonder if it might not be usefull to be able to see how long a nickname has been registered with the medhelp board to see if someone a suspected troll just recently subscribed or could possibly be someone who has been lurking or trolling around the various forums for some time.

It should be obvious for anyone who has been around the group for sometime, either actively posting or lurking, who might be new and who has been around.

[FlGuy]

When I was reading that thread, I was thinking of two things. First, the outcome of the baseball playoff race - for no particular reason.  And, second, the character played by Mary McDonnell in Dances With Wolves, for more obvious reasons.

[GrandOak]

Funny, I was thinking of Andy in "Shawshank Redemption", "Jeffrey Dahmer", and jackish with Big John for his discrimination of HCV infected ants.

[Gonna beat it]

Hello Friends...
I was thinking how incredibly sub human it was for him to say such ugly things, I don't see how any person can fight for their lives one minute and spew forth such venom the next. I hope you are doing ok, your wellness is on my mind.  Take care!

Diana

[willows]

Wow, what a way to ruin a good day, some troll, misdirected and then gettin grumpy and mean with folks.  I do not know this troll, but still feel compelled to lend a hand and tell all that you are all one feisty bunch and handled the troll well.  He kind of made me need to go wash my hands.

Reminded me of a line from Peter Pan....."you need a mother, very very badly!"  

You all are the best, friole gave me some great help, nygirl too, and that far outweighs some troll dropping by with his "strange" attitude.  Anybody wanna borrow my soap?  It's peppermint, I made it myself?  Take care all.
Willow

[GoofyDad]

you crack me up.....

[Alady1620]

I apologize if I offended anybody in my outburst below.  The only other thing I want to say is Don't Feed the Trolls.  Ignore them and they go away.  Sorry I was so harsh.

[Kalio1]

I agree to an extent about ignoring people who do that kind of thing but I wanted to say something because he titled his post to Aiuta and I was afraid if she saw that and read his drivel it would hurt her, so I wanted to call him on his rude behavior so she'd see that oo if she read the thread. She has enough going on as it is. I just hope she realizes that his comments were meant to ruffle people up and not take it badly.
Sometimes something needs to be said, Im an old lady so I decide when those times are for myself as do all of us that posted to him or who post here on any subject.

[beamishboy]

retired in thailand sounds like paradise,hope you are not as confrontational to the locals-ugly american syndrome.....try adopting the traits you most admire in Thailand,otherwise our loss is their pain

[Kalio1]

You come to a support forum for sick people and call people whiners? Now that is funny.
One thing I know about Thailand aside from the fact that my brother lives there is that they are very polite and gentle people. I hope you absorb some of their cultural traits.

[njrsl]

Hey dude...Talio!!!  Thake bemishboys advise!!!!  Ya still Kickin' here!!!   I am unbelieveably busy with my woman and that aint an easy job.  Toes normal now (hahaha!!!)  -now she tryin to lose 45 pounds....hahahaha- a never endin thng with women!!!!! Theres too much stuff to get done and not nearly enough time to do it.  I'm gonna go out with a bang !!!!
i diddnt hit it off good here... lik you either. I found bein nicer keeps me outa trouble. LOL It might work for ya! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Think about it.  Keep a positive attitude about it all!!!!!  laughing and joking all the way through the forum helps!!  Hahahahaha!  Theres a few women here that gave me a hard time (aint gonna mention name to kep 'em from yakin at me!!), but hard aint bad if you get mydrift.. Hahahha. It wasnt easy..... but it worked for me... Ya old mean dog !!!!  Just ease up on it dude and be like me. i been gettin poplular by takin it eazy!!! It migh not be as fun , But at least it works!!  Hahahaha!!  All I can offer there is to look foward...not backwad.  Nex thing you no eveybody will love ya here like they do me!!!!  Keep a positive attitude...... Ya strong and you can handle anything that life throws ya way. Like the rest of us.....ya a survivor... oh yeah..  Hows ya liver??

[hepcD]

I will say a pray for you tonight . So that what ever is torchering your tired old soul will pass. You are such an angry person . You are a bully also. In the real world you wouldn't dare speak to someone in my presence the way you tongue lash folks here. I would put you in your place. This is a place for people who are ill from a disease trying to cope and live the best life they can. Many here have a tough enough time with there own problems. I am sure you will respond with a negative out burst that will mean nothing to me because i am a true humble man and you are a coward. Either treat people here with respect or leave.

[jakish]

Its Jakish not Jackish the latter sounds kinda perverted,Big John likes it though, BTW never thought I would have to go to prison for a 20" flat screen monitor.

[Tater-ToT]

Chev.... Welcome Back From The Mini Vaction...!!!

Hey.. would that be Dr Bronner's natural peppermint soap???
That stuff is great... we used to take it on our camping trips... it tingles!
;)

[GrandOak]

Sorry, blame it on Brian Fog I guess.  You gotta admit, I got pretty close trying to wing it from memory though.

Guess it shows not all short term memory is affected by tx, although don't tell my wife that cause the pity factor has saved me from a few frying pan lumps ;-O

[Kalio1]

I hear you about the industry. I worked as a stylist asst. working commercials both in LA and up in SF area. I used to "commute" from up north to jobs in LA. Talk about a long commute. I'd fly into Burbank and hit the production meetings and keep running til the shoot was over. Gawd, there is no crazier group of people to work with! It had it's good points too as you know. Too too many hours for me, I gave it up after 3 years of constant go go go work, 20+hours a day. I had kids at home and though the money was attractive, I tired of the overblown egos and the hours. Hey, I have a gal pal who took up carpentry in her 40's. She found a class and she LOVES it! She always wanted to learn too it is never too late. She an make anything she wants now. She says it was very empowering.
You are right I know 50 isnt old but on tx it is hard to convince yourself of that LOL
My birthday is next week and I cant say Im 50 anymore! Wah!Sure  goes by faster and faster as you get older.
So what do you do in the industry?

[Forseegood]

ohhhhh, don't work as hard as you did in production or on the set, I work in development of scripts...a lot easier especially since I work out of my home and don't have to go into the studio very much, just for the occasional meeting...you know, I used to think that there were so many crazies in this business, but now being on boards of different types, one political, with people from all over....I see that there are a few crazies to spread around no matter where you go, ha ha! Actually, my boss is very nice to work for and I do some freelance copywriting on the side sometimes, etc...beats pickin strawberries I guess...I can mostly make my own hours which is good...anyway, nice sunset (youre lookin at the same one) off for a little constitutional with the pooch, be well...

would like to do some carpenting, maybe I will take that class...

[njrsl]

Dude that suks!!!!  Shiste! Hate hearin bout non responding!! got better word butcant say em. dont no whats comin up with new stuf withTx. Sure do wish ya the best. The womien givin me hard time back a year or so go atleast had compasion. ther seems to be people felled with hate in some these places now. just keep holdin out dude thers gotta be something new. im 1-1 what is yours showin now????ya sad you had wife andkids hop everyone fine. ther hevy on the boot button so be carefuls out here. i been watchin and ya been crappy ad that'll do it. ns

[Forseegood]

You aren't old, we're just getting started huh? 50 is the new 30 anyway, ha ha! As far as the antics on that/this thread, what is the saying??? My name is Bennett and I ain't in it!!!My name is Wes and I ain't in this mess! I think the "not feeding the trolls" is a wise move, but I do see how people would come to this poor woman's defense...lotza angry, frustrated people out there, it's too bad...

Anyway, another day another dollar eh? It's cool your hubbie's a carpenter, believe it or not, I always wanted to know how to make things out of wood (no funnies from the peanut gallery) really...working in entertainment can be such a bunch of bs sometimes...I've always been curious about carpentry, I even tried it a few times with my dad and his power tools, but I couldn't get the measurments right...maybe sometime I'll try to take a class in it, I took shop in high school instead of home Ec, ha ha! no gender confusion issues, I just like making stuff with my hands...I even sew sometimes, though I'd like to learn more of that too...I have a friend that designs and makes computer and dinner tables, all kinds of things and I envy him so much...they are so very beautiful....anyway, hope everyone is well, POSITIVITY IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!

[Kalio1]

I always enjoy your funny posts and you are not mean to people.
Are you on treatment now?

[beamishboy]

why is your woman trying to lose weight?? are you of the new age- closer to the bone the sweeter the meet; or old school- biggr cushion/bettr pushing??...hope all your trx stuff is going o.k.-glad to see ya haven't lost your sense of humor-or your woman,it can happen in them pine barrens!

[njrsl]

dude all im sayin th woman says she wantta lose 45 pounds.  im hapy with tthe cushion.im just tryin to oblije. it dont matter and ya no what im talkin bout

[52TELE]

I am soooo glad I missed that. I went back and read the thread and I must say I am very proud of all of you. You all cracked me up. And now , my favorite Highlights

cuteus: but, I am a brunette, and have an accent when I type...

nygirl: "Perhaps being "shoy" means you too were raped"

Kalio1:  Have you been raped?

beamishboy: "so,i guess scratching hemroids with toothbrush would be a no no???"

Well done , and I'm glad I missed it , well you know how I get when somebody really pisses me off.... Jeckle and Hyde...

[who_is_this]

Please, everyone.  If you spot someone makimg hate filled posts, it is very easy to report the person to the site administrators.  You can either click the CONTACT button at the top of the page, or click on REPORT ABUSE at the bottom of the page.  Copy and paste the URL of the thread in the appropriate area.

MedHelp will decide what needs to be removed, or if the whole thread needs to be removed.  Don't get sucked in to a "discussion" that the offender designed to be hurtful and insulting.  

Report questionable/offensive posts immediately when you see them.  If the offense is bad enough, or repeated, the person will be banned.  Keep it up if they come back with a different name, and eventually they will get tired of it all.  What you are doing now is exactly what this person wants.

[Tater-ToT]

The dye was light brown... unfortunately it wasn't enough to penetrate all that left over purple/mahoganny pigment that her hair had grabbed... I hear tell that putting any sort of purple or red into a blondes hair is a big mistake, & that even with bleaching that it will remain pink... so she may just have to let it grow & cut it out eventually.... I may try a darker brown next time just to try & blend it some more! Kids Ugg!

Head Rocks...LoL... Pass some my way!

I had intended to be in Charleston in mid October, but with recent change of activities, I may not be going anywhere further away than my mailbox... so we'll see!
;)

[sfbaygirl]

The URL doesn't appear for the thread on top. Where do you find it?

[who_is_this]

LOL!

1) Go buy a real computer
2) Follow the instructions about right clicking.

You can also just put the name of the thread and include the date it was posted.  

[cuteus]

"It should be obvious for anyone who has been around the group for sometime, either actively posting or lurking, who might be new and who has been around."  I see no way to assess a troll by the new name if that is what the statement means.  
SOmeone does not need to be a new member to start a flaming thread, many veterans have done the same.  We can't treat folks with a 10 foot pole just because they seem to be new to the forum and might be so called trolls.
You do not have to get into an insult matching contest, but you can still utilize the opportunity to dispell misconceptions, and spread hcv information.  that way the lurkers and newer members can benefit of something in the thread. Ignoring the insults but address the misinformation would be more beneficial, in my view.
Presuming that someone is out to no good from the way they first post and because the name is new to us is depriving bonafide members of some help.
look at njrsl, for example, he came in with a bang months ago and got a whipping from some women (not me!)! I mean all he said is not to tell if you had hep c to your woman, if I remember correctly. We jumped on that quickly! but he kind of grows on you, and can be amusing to read, he could have been considered a troll, but he isn't.  How about dndfunnel? he came in with a colloidal silver bang.  suspicious post that smelled of snake oil, we jumped to that one too. wrong again! no troll or snake oil there, he turned out to be a real nice aussie lad! Now free of silver and HCV.
I don't know if tailao is for real or not, but I am playing it safe, given the other experiences (and I did not even mentioned Dr Dee for fear of starting things over), because we can not label people that quickly.
Do not get in insult exchange, but do not withdraw assistance if needed. Spacecoast was a character that is hard to accept, but some did respond to his insults, and some to his rare search for support. The latter we should always aim to do.
DO not misjudge, or judge too quickly, please.

[Kalio1]

Hey! Macs are great. I am dying to get one!

Thanks for the tip on getting the URL, I didn't know that!

[who_is_this]

Right click on the title of the offending post from the main Hepatitis forum page.  The click on Open In New Window.  The URL of that post will then appear at the top.  Then you can copy that, and paste in your complaint.

[52TELE]

Thank you.

[sfbaygirl]

Mac's don't have a right click!

[sfbaygirl]

Mac's are great! I have over a dozen. With Brian Fog by my side, I now can't remember how to do anything on the computer. Sad, since this is something I was trained to do.

[njrsl]

hye some of my faverite women!!!!  hahahahaha!!!!!!!!  has tall blond started Tx.??!!!   finally got my Bx.!! talk about a stick!!!! hahahaha. thye wouldnt let my woman in there with me. she bout throwed a fit an thot veins on her neck were going to epxlode.yep remember when i cam in almost 2 yers now. chevy, ya alsway after me!!hahahahaha!!!!!! we never agreed on anythign!!!!!! u followed me around to yak at me. but ya real y care soem of ya old mans must go nuts with some of yas! buy ya alls like me. hahahaha!! theres not hatred like someon of the ones now are with peoples comin in.  people cant ignor the bad postrs they have to pip in an make it worse!hahaahahah.  mostly women!!!!!!! poor guys aint gotta chance with womins yakin!!!!!!!  yep sure have been watchin andlafifing OUT loud!!!!!!!
it-aint-real, dude ur right on!!! ya no whos lookin over my shoulder gotta leave!! ns

[cuteus]

you KNOW tallblonde did not start tx!, you sneak! you keep lurking and you know what makes each one of us beep and ring loudly!  some of the funniest exchanges were between your online 'love'(TB) and you!  Some of these women that got on your case, actually care about you! surprise!

including me!

[Tater-ToT]

Chev..
The energy is still there... it's just being bottled & contained on a self for now, Guess I'll only be able to take it down & use it when I can FIND Time (too adraid to start any projects out of fear I won't get them completed) & That would just annoy the stew out of me...LoL

Njsl...
Hey Congrats on getting that biopsy, have you gotten the results in yet..?? When will you be starting TX..??

My Biopsy didn't hurt... I was too busy enjoying my sedation... Haaaa, Haaaaa.....

Yea You Sneek... The Ladies put it well... Good to see ya, & glad your still hanging around... I always read your post & just have to grin, & you can even manage put a smile on my face on either of ours worst days... You definately have a style of your own!!! Haaaa, Haaaa, Haaaaaa Haaaaa.... as u say....LoL
;)

[Tater-ToT]

BTW... I went & revisited the tailao thread last night & the original post by the girl in question...

but what I didn't understand was.......  how did it get to the point that a thread got devoted to that, & why was it that before that happened NO ONE... Not ONE SINGLE PERSON had even acknowledged her, or what she said... much less offered her any information or kind of support what-so-ever...from her original post...????

How aweful for her.... as of Last night it was still sitting out there on it's lonesome with not one single post uderneath hers..

Just an observation..

I mean gezz If I where her I probably wouldn't want to come back here...


Oh, & as for tailao.... That person appears to be real... I found a post on the HIV prevention Forum dated 6/29/06
Under C2

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/HIV/messages/218.html

[cuteus]

tater, she got a lot of comments from her posts, but I believe she posted more than once, and that is the reason some might be empty.  you know, the newbie thing of clicking the post question often...\anyway, she got lots of support!

as always, I have Georgia on my mind...and you.

[njrsl]

ME???a sNeak??!!! hahahahahaha!!!! what is it with yas that can read us men like a easy book???!! hahahahha  sure do look in for tall blond. hse want to start tx with me or we was talkin about startin togeter.  thot somebody mite here from her. i know how ya women have to nose in ech others bizness!!! hahaha. ya cant hep ya-selfs. Cant talk to muchon here cuz that woman of my just gets so jealus and starts yakin about otherstuff that needs done. hahahahha women!!!!! if ya do talk to that tall woman let her no checkin in,ns

[cuteus]

where did you find the post where no one answered her?

as for the link to the HIV forum, how in the world did you find that one??

I am trying hard not to judge someone who goes through 300 girls a year...very hard

[Tater-ToT]

Ivette....
Here today, Gone tomorrow.... But I'll find it... I wondered if I just lost it in the threads or if it got zapped..... because I see tailoa thread is gone.... so I am looking for it now

As per finding tailo... it was easy... just googled "medhelp & his name"

her's was under tell us your stories or something... so I can definately locate it regardless of where it went... just takes some time IF It's actually gone... Yea, I you know I haven't been in here much & with all these threads Unless you read everyone of them it's easy to get lost....

I was actually looking up what tailo said & I didn't at first realize he was speaking or referring to someone in particular & originally thought that what was in the header of his post was just another name for a particular act... so I went to dictionary dot com... couldn't find anything.... then started reading backwards & there was her post sitting there by it's lonesome, & I felt soo sorry for her.....

Maybe some stuff got Zapped that I didn't see.... But I thought to myself.... HOW Did This Happen, & HOW Did It get to that point???

Anyway, I'll find it... but with my new fulltime Grandma job.. it might take a few.. it just struck me wrong last night!

Thanks for bringing that to my attention.... I think I'd still be embarrassed to come back.. I hope she does... sounds like she needs some info & facts!
:)

[Tater-ToT]

You're right.... I found it all.... her "STORY" is the only thing that was not acknowleged until someone decided to dedicate a whole thread to it & that had been her most recent post... so reading backwards..... Well Nuff Said!!!

BTW, Her Story was Zapped along with that thread!

Still Sad In My Book!
:(

Psst ...   & so much for his monogomous story to.. Ehh!

Geez