Troll Alert!

The only way to deal with trolls is to limit your reaction and not to respond to trolling messages. It is well known that most people don't read messages that nobody responds to, while 99% of forum visitors first read the longest and the largest threads with the most answers.

Thanks. That does involve identifying a troll though. Sometimes I think I'm talking to an ordinary person and it's only twenty messages later that I realise he or she set out to annoy.

You are so right.

copy of Dpmenic's post deleted by Alice.

My dander's up at the moment but it isn't about trolls. It's about the All Blacks (New Zealand rugby team). What a load of sore winners! The International Rugby Board (IRB) fined France almost $4,000 for advancing too close to the New Zealand haka in Sunday night's World Cup final against the All Blacks.

What a load of kids! I don't care how tall, how heavy, how powerful, how far they can throw/kick a rugby ball, if they stuck their tongues out at me and insisted that I stood there and took it without responding, they'd receive a right earful from me, even if they're twice as big as me!

When we visited New Zealand, we befriended a six foot seven (same height as your son, Alice) former junior All Black. When I commented on his height, he said that I was seven feet tall. He's not wrong. I don't intimidate easily. As for hiding behind "breaching cultural ritual protocol", to use one of LC's colourful responses, my ass.

If the All Blacks can't hack it, then it's time to ditch the haka and stop hiding behind the "breaching cultural ritual protocol" coat tails. Sticking out your tongue is rude; it's tolerated in the haka but that doesn't mean that opposing teams have to stand like statues and not move a muscle. I'd be right up there under their noses glaring up at them. Now, that's a terrifying sight.

I used to like watching the haka, now it's become a childish ritual. JMO.

This is France's response (you have to admire them!)

Thank you, Shelagh.
Correction--my son is 6'8".

This shows my provincial nature. I haven't a clue about your entire post or the unique words used in the post about which I have no understanding. It's as though you were speaking a foreign language.

DK,

Who are you talking to, Me, Rosen or Shelagh?

Now the troll wants me to get help.
I can't figure out why he is so mean to me.
What does he want me to do?
Stop copying his posts? I will if he will quit deleting them
The threads make no sense when he continually deletes his posts.

dkchristi wrote:

This shows my provincial nature. I haven't a clue about your entire post or the unique words used in the post about which I have no understanding. It's as though you were speaking a foreign language.

The haka is a Maori war dance originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition. This is the dance being performed before the start of the Rugby World Cup final, Eden Park, NZ. France line up in a "V" and hold hands as the All Blacks begin the haka. The French walk forward and form a straight line, strengthened by placing their arms around each other's shoulders. They walk over the halfway line and are fined for doing so:

alice wrote:

Now the troll wants me to get help.
I can't figure out why he is so mean to me.
What does he want me to do?
Stop copying his posts? I will if he will quit deleting them
The threads make no sense when he continually deletes his posts.

It doesn't seem to matter much to anyone else, Alice.

Shelagh wrote:

alice wrote:

Now the troll wants me to get help.
I can't figure out why he is so mean to me.
What does he want me to do?
Stop copying his posts? I will if he will quit deleting them
The threads make no sense when he continually deletes his posts.

It doesn't seem to matter much to anyone else, Alice.

You are quite correct.
He is most likely ignored.
He should be grateful for some attention
We all claim we write to be read.
He has a real way with words.
They need to be preserved for posterity.
Maybe I can even get Publish America to publish his quotes.

Obviously, I speak from a position of some prejudice, but there is a lot of history involved, as I have been picking up from some tweets by a well known antipodean:

A tweet from Russell Crowe:
from the deepest point in my soul I hope that Australia gets everything they want out of the match, everything except victory Go AllBlacks
15 Oct

When asked if he wasn't Australian himself:
I'm both, but I was born in New Zealand and this is Rugby
15 Oct

Another follower asked:
Wondering...Do you support All Blacks because of New Zealand or do you support New Zealand because of All Blacks?

Mr. Crowe replied:
That is a question that holds some intriguing insight into the antipodean character
16 Oct

He then tweeted:
NZ through to the RWC Final v France. Remember the Rainbow Warrior, no mercy,mercie
16 Oct

And in response to another tweet:
Granted it wasn't gallant....There will be other times for gallantry.This is a time to define the enemy & state your purpose.
17 Oct

A few days later;
France,how I love thee; I love thee in the cities of light; I love thee in the swollen vineyards; mainly, I love thee defeated by the All Blacks.
21 Oct

And even later:
...from where I sit, the sun is shining, All Blacks are RWC champions, and all is right in the world
23 Oct



Caption: (Crowe, who is 1/16 Maori, is shown leading the Haka, a traditional war dance, at a rugby game he organized on the set of Proof of Life.)
http://webspace.webring.com/people/dx/xpheremone/maori.html

Sorry, Shelagh; I couldn't help myself.

Ann

Moral of this story--consult Crow before you hoot/toot.

I understand Russell Crowe's point. However, NZ beat France (the better team in the second half) by one point. I've never seen a team of players who gave their all as much as that group of fifteen men (plus replacements). They could barely stand at the end, and they were completely devastated. Fining the losers over a trivial part of the game (and the haka is trivial compared to the ordeal of eighty minutes play that results in a points difference of one point) was crass.

New Zealand is a small nation and should not be allowed to dictate to the rest of the rugby world how teams should react to their war dance. Yes, it's entertaining, but it is not essential to the game of rugby. If it means that opposing teams have to behave according to the dictats of a small nation, then it's time to say bye bye to the haka. The game and the real issues of serious injury to players are too important to be overshadowed by a blatant show of testosterone.

And I understand your point, too

I'm not sure I understand why sports events can manage to arouse such intense rivalry, but I get that I am in the minority on that "score.".



Ann

Shelagh,

Your point is valid, however you are a woman and not Crowe. Sorry. The worst thing you ever did was understate my son's height by one inch.

That was better than misstating his IQ, however. So be glad you are right

The troll said some very demeaning things to me about my writing. I wish I had saved them.
They were funny. Oh well, "live and learn."

My mother always said to throw away things in writing that are hurtful so you never put them in your brain again.

DK,

Your mother was very wise.

Giving recognition to someone trying to hurt you means they achieve their objective. Ignoring isn't easy, but necessary to diffuse the source.

Okay, I tried that and it didn't work. I will try it again and see.

Time will tell.
Thanks for the advice.
No more copying his posts.

I will delete the copies

Well the copies are gone. I hope that is satisfactory.

Most satisfactory.