Trolling and flaming in the Green Room

The term troll isn't just to insult. That's one way of trolling, and a very base one.

To troll is to post something intent on getting an emotional reaction from a user. If someone posted that they had triskadekaphobia and someone else went around following them posting the number 13, that would be a troll while it wouldn't be an insult.

So, from my POV:

1) I see that people are trolling JC with pics from a thread that I and many other users posted pics in
2) I see the staff seems to not give a shit, dealing with everything except the base issue which is whether or not thats JC and his personal pic is being used to troll him across the forum, which in the past has been a very big no no
3) I take down the pic that includes my family in that thread
4) I still see no movement on that issue
5) I post my distaste for that issue, and make it clear I consider it trolling of the worse kind, and further that I've taken down my own info because of that
6) The issue finally gets addressed as a matter of policy by the staff
7) The poster that made the worst troll, photoshopping a users head to a different person's body for his avatar, suddenly has a photo almost identical to the one I took down as his new avatar.

And everybody thinks that's a huge coincidence. Sure guys, and I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I think a pretty clear case can be made that said av was put up specifically to cause an emotional reaction in me.

So yes, I think its a troll.

And of course there are few parents that wouldn't consider a troll attempting to make an issue about the parent's children as an implied threat, though granted this is a very weak one.

If it is a coincidence, a decent person would take down the pic.

But I think we all know that isn't going to happen.

So that leaves me with the express assurance of the staff that a) they don't consider this trolling, and b) that nothing that happens off the board can be adjudicated on the board.

Which is fine by me.

The reason *I* don't think it's purposeful trolling is because if you look at the history of Liet's attempted trolls, they have been nothing but extremely blatant. He just doesn't do, or doesn't know how, to do subtle trolling. He also doesn't usually put on an innocent act either. If he is actually trolling you this way, it's something entirely new from him.

I also don't expect him to take it down now that he knows he's "gotten to you".

You keep mentioning and implied threat, but what is it? How is an avatar of a baby dressed as the stay puft man a threat??

The only one who has implied threats is you with your "handling it yourself" comments.

A decent person wouldn't flip out over what's at worst a coincidence. I've told you several times that I never even saw the picture you posted and that my avatar is just a cute picture I saw when looking for a new avatar. I in no way shape, or form associate you with ghostbusters--you're not Black Dove. You don't get to have a delusional breakdown, try to bully me out of keeping an avatar I like, call me a liar, and then claim that you're the decent person.

The avatar stays because I like it, and even if I didn't I don't give in to bullies. Go bully someone else now. I'll be waiting for your apology.

Aha, now we know it's a troll, but Black Dove is the target! Unintended dual kill

That's a double ban!

Holy shit, the drama at this place never ends...

Three guesses why so many people who have been asked to join the staff have not only refused, but ran away screaming before they could be asked again.

I'll do it! (The best way to avoid being asked to do something is to volunteer. And being perceived as an unstable, unpredictable lunatic doesn't hurt, either.)

So, the original issue was never dealt with.

And now other's are using the same tactic.

Nobody saw that coming? Really?

I saw that ghostbusters pic pop up a couple of times a few days ago on twitter or Facebook. It's gone everywhere on the Internet, do a google search for stay puft baby.

Here's where it came from:

http://io9.com/5962948/stay-puft-marshmallow-baby-is-the-ghostbusters-most-adorable-foe

I think it might genuinely have been a coincidence, Demiurge.

Seriously, and I'm getting shit for suggesting that Muad was trolling me with initial based avatars?

The Ghostbusters link is pretty tenuous at best. Is there some prior history that leads you to think he's gunning for you?

Tell me, if you are right over the whole Ghostbusters thing, tell me your views on the trolling of me with my initials, is that acceptable?

Would do you fall back on the "Chup was the worst mod ever, I'm leaving the board" routine and so a troll to someone else is ok, but the Ghostbusters thing is unacceptable?

Some things just aren't worth the meltdown.

What initials?

I'm not sure why El Chup is so concerned, at this point, with his initials being known here. Some of us know far, far more than that, and if we were liable to do anything untoward with that information, it would have been done to him already. He gives people like you and I far less credit for self-restraint than we're due.

I'm not concerned by the use of my initials. I bring up the subject when certain individuals on the board get all high and mighty and pretend that stuff like my sig is unaccpetable, when they themselves are happy to troll and mess around with personal infor by PM and other means.

You don't have to be upset by something to use it for illustrative purposes.

I hope you're not including yourself in that. You know little more than what I have posted here and, possibly, what limited stuff is available on my public profile on Facebook.

There isn't much else you can find out about me online, and most of the limited stuff is out there is years old and not current. No details on current employer, home address, phone numbers, relationship status, recent travels, and so on. I just don't put it online anymore.

Quite simply, the truth isn't out there. Sorry Mulder.

You are, of course, welcome to PM me with details of what you think you might know.

Your estimation of what I may or may not know is inaccurate. It's also irrelevant. As I've said, if that information was going to be used, it already would have been. But compared to what's known, your initials are trivial, and you shouldn't be so concerned with people here knowing them.

Besides, I'm the one who appears in your signature, and I don't now nor have I ever made even your initials part of my avatar or my signature. I'm perfectly free to be "all high and mighty" in that regard.

No it isn't. Quite simply the information isn't out there to be found. I simply don't post stuff online anymore. The most you can find is guff that I may have typed elsewhere or the occasional picture. You are trolling to imply otherwise, in the Help Desk no less.

There is only one way you could find out more about me and my current info, and that would be to pay a professional investigator.

You'd love to have an equal amount on me that we have on you, but it just isn't out there. But here is the key Ninja Boy, the stuff you have been trolled with here is only stuff you have been posting here. I have a whole chunk of photos and other content from your other online locations, but I wouldn't post them here since you haven't. That is the difference.

So please, don't make threats by implication to me. It doesn't work.

Or to have been one. And I'm not threatening you. Not explicitly; not implicitly. As I believe I've made clear, your information will never be used to cause you any harm, in any form, at any place online or off, at any time. That's my promise to you. No matter how you behave here on this board, I will never show you the personal discourtesy you've shown me.

So you used to be a professional investigator now?

Oh, that's the best one yet. Well, at least you keep us entertained.

A skip tracer, actually, but it involves the same information resources for the most part. Merlin Data is particularly useful, and I'm impressed by what I've heard so far about Experian's TrueTrace system.

I'm glad you're amused. Now might be a good time for you to alter your signature, by the way. If I understand the discussion in the Personal Information thread correctly, that might soon fall afoul of the rule about other posters' images in avatars and signatures.

I'll wait to be told that by the power that be bwanna.

Suit yourself.

We're done with the Help Desk portion of this discussion. I'm certain El Chup and John Castle don't want staff folk resolving their issues.