Police Chief Kapica will be stepping down later this year. The Board will be interviewing candidates for police chief tomorrow and will be announcing a designee shortly thereafter. Chief Kapica will spend his remaining months as chief training our next Chief for the position--helping to make sure there is an orderly transition of this important dept.
Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday – January 6, 2009 – 2:00pm
(All Work Sessions are Televised Live on Cablevision Channel 76, Verizon 32 and are streamed live. Work Sessions and Town Board Meetings will be aired each Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 7:02am and 4:45pm. Each segment will run for approximately 6 to 7 hours, depending upon the length of the two meetings.)
2:00p.m. Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller
2:45p.m. DPW – Sanitation Schedule Transition
3:00p.m. TDYCC Commissioner – Camp Fees
3:30p.m. Special Meeting – Decision. Camp fees
4:00p.m. Interviews: candidates Chief of Police – Executive Session
Break--5:30 to 7:30 PM
7:30p.m. Interviews continue with police chief candidates
8:30p.m. “
47 comments:
I think you had better recind the stupid law that Regula proposed which is putting garbage curbside.
You sure have screwed the seniors and the disabled.
How did any of you listen to this guy who already had put his papers in to get the hell out before the s--t hit the fan.
Just remember none of us will forget when it comes time to hit the voting machines.
Paul you and the rest of the board know full wellthat nothing will be done to equalize the fees for the camps.
You got away with freebees up to now but I think that had better be over.
Were're hurting but you all don;t give a dam.
My kids will not be going to camp because we cannot afford it,and we have never asked for a hand out like some of the residents who have lived off of freebees.
Let's see what cock and bull story that willbe told by Sonya and the new commissioner.
Quote..our chikldren will be out in the streets and will get into trouble.
Oh ye of little faith.
The outgoing chief trains the incoming chief? So us, the taxpayers, are stuck paying 2 chief's salaries at the SAME TIME!
What's to train?
How long does it take to learn this sentence: "What if someone were to die?"
Doing it with bright red cheeks of course takes more time.
The chief designee will not receive additional compensation during the training.
Just curious
How much more is the Al Regula being paid as a consultant than an overpriced Commissioner. Unbelievable, all those years and never put together a manual or operations chart.
IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY TO AIR THE TOWN BOARD MEETINGS AND WORK SESSIONS ON T.V. YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON. THE AUDIO IS HORRIBLE. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON GREENBURGH MEETINGS. I HAVE WATCHED WHITE PLAINS AS WELL AS GREENBURGH CENTRAL 7 MEETINGS AND THEIR AUDIO IS FINE. PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM OR DON'T EVEN BOTHER AIRING THEM
Stop the crap with the camp fees and cut the TDYCC budget by a minimum of 15% or 580K.
You can not make us believe that raising camp fees for TDYCC camp adds anything to the revenue of the center. It does not & it certainly does not make TDYCC exempt from making cuts which is how you're planning to spin this garbage.
Where are the CUTS?
THANK YOU Chief Kapica you are terrific guy.
Good Luck and good transition.
Paul I do hope that the promtion to chief will be done in house.
We have a great captain Joseph Decarlo who happens to be a well qualified person with one extra plus he is a resident of Greenburgh.
He will save the town some money since he doesn't have to travel a long distance to get to where ever there is an emergency
I do hope that this person will be considered in whomever gets the next position as chief..
To John Kapica job well done --I know that you will do just as good if not better in your next position.
Lots of luck to you and thanks for all your dedicated years in keeping our town safe.
Who else is being considered to be the next Chief?
It looks awfully fishy that the town board is rushing to appoint a successor to the police chief before there's been any public release of the investigation at TDYCC. It suggests that maybe in exchange for keeping the lid on the TDYCC probe, which may prove awfully embarrassing to Feiner, Brown and others, the chief is being given a substantial role in choosing his successor -- a role he might have not had if the report became public and Feiner et al were to be publicly embarrassed in this election year.
Here we go again with the BS concerning the televising of the work sessions.I'm tired of looking at colorful horizontal lines instead of watching the work session.
What are you trying to hide from the public since we cannot attend or watch these meetings on tv.
It looks as though everything is in your favor for many coverups.
Wow, town board's in such a hurry to appoint a new police chief-designate that they don't even care to hear what the police community advisory board might have to say. Since when has this town board ever done anything in such a hurry before. They're picking the new chief tonight and formalizing it at next week's meeting.
Why has the investigation at TDYCC been kept a secret?
Does anyone really know?
The TDYCC investigation involves theft of services from the town in the form of no show jobs, falsification of overtime, etc. The victim is the town, which means the taxpayers. But the taxpayers are represented here by the town board, and if the town board is unwilling to press charges, for fear of political embarrassment or whatever, then the matter can and will be deep-sixed, and the police chief can always say that the matter is "still under investigation."
One of the problems with the investigation is proving that certain people didn't show up for their jobs. The town has no means of assuring itself that employees at TDYCC show up for work. So one of the things Feiner is implementing at TDYCC are hand scanners to create a record to prove who shows up and who does not.
But that is like fixing the broken step. But without hand scanners at TDYCC, there's been no accountability and the amounts of money at stake are huge. The truth would and should be very embarrassing to Feiner, Brown and the rest of the Town Board, which is why they are covering up the TDYCC investigation.
If anyone has any proof about the stament made about theft of services you do not need the local police you can bring it to the district attorney. If you do not have any proof, stop the mudslidding, we have enough as we stand!!!
To 5:43pm Hand-scanners
In fact there ARE hand scanners at the TDY Center and other Town Departs, HOWEVER part-time staff and Management don't use them. If you are a p/t employee, you still use the old fashion time clock. This means it easy to have some else punch your card.
So if you work for the Town for 30 years, you use a hand scanner. If you started last week as a part time employee, you use a Time Clock. Better yet, if you are among the highest pay staff if the Town, you come and go as you please.
However all this DOES NOT explain how 15 + people who submitted Statements to the Police, have been disregarded and how justice has been lost.
The only entity investigating (and thus in possession of whatever evidence there may be) is the Greenburgh police. If the town board does not refer the matter to the district attorney, then the matter remains a town board secret, which is apparently what Feiner, Brown and the rest of the town board wish to do. The police will never release the information, including whatever sworn statements it obtained from other employees at TDYCC, on grounds that the investigation is "still continuing." The only recourse is to write to the Westchester District Attorney's Office and demand that the matter be taken out of the hands of the Greenburgh Town Board and police.
cover up your ass. The DA's office is handling the investigation. Go bitch to DiFiore and demand action
you can't have two chief's moroon. Law does not permit it. We here at the PD are happy the board is moving to select. That way Kapica can break him in.
as long as it taken to say UR obnoxious and a d--k
What input,, if the advisory board dosn't know the candidates now then who does. The advisory boards never sat in of Chief's interviews, they were never involved. I can assure you the chief has advised the advisory board of the candidates strengths and abilities. Stop crying, nothing is good enough.
part time chief and a full time commissioner from the outside
Mr Sheehan, has the town gone into contract with Verizon.
Todays work session was not televised .
Is the problem that we encountered some time ago returning again.
We pay dearly for this service so why are these meetings being blacked out.
I spoke with someone in Mr. Malones' office today and he knew nothing about the session not on tv.
How could this be possible.
How can one run a service and not know if it is working corectley.
Please check into this asap.
Valerie Whitehead's Work Assignments?
I dare ANYONE to answer that question. In fact I offer a $100.reward if anyone can submit proof that she has ANY work responsibilities.How unfair to all the honest Town Employees who put in an honest day's work. How wasteful to Greenburgh Taxpapers.
Doesn't she get tired of spending the day on her cell phone?
Mr. Feiner, can you please tell us what Ms. Whitehead's position is now and has her salary been reduced since she is no longer acting commissioner?
Since she was responsible for removing the aquatics director due to 'budget constraints', it would truly be ironic if she is still getting the salary of an acting commissioner.
I dare ANYONE to answer that question. In fact I offer a $100.reward if anyone can submit proof that she has ANY work responsibilities.
Who are you and did you steal that $100 for the center?
Question Unanswered
I knew it!!! Of course no reply that makes sense. No work. No pride.No contribution.
Valeris is in charge of no-show jobs, and has key responsibilites in the area of no-bid contracts. She is also a critical player in allowing purportedly non profit groups, that dont file as such with the IRS, reduced rates and deferred payment plans for use of the pool She also has responsibility for seeing that whistleblowers who complain about any of such are fired. Sounds like a full plate to me. Wheres my $100?
Dear 1/07/07 7:29PM,
Your check for $100 was made out to Mr. / Ms. Anonymous and mailed to 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY (Town Hall) You will only have to identify yourself with a picture ID ( Driver's license or passport) to reap your reward.
Aha, the glories of anonymous postings
Heah,
I dont mind not getting the $100 -- but I sure as heck resent Valerie wasting town money. And Paul and the Paulettes dont care.
I want to know what the Town Board and especially Ms. Brown who chairs the affordable housing committee is doing about the forced exit of Greenburgh residents from the formerly owned Montrose management buildings on Manhattan Ave.
Many long time resident have had to move out because of the rent increases over 100% in one year to go from $1400 to $2200 a month is outrageous. The present management is offering free flat screen TV to any section 8 holder who leases up an apartment.They are also paying tenants who make to much for section 8 to move out.Just so they can get section 8 in .Any section 8 holder from the Bronx, Brooklyn queens and anywhere else in the country. What hardworking Greenburgh resident can get section 8? If you work and make good money you can’t get section 8, but you also can’t afford the yearly rent increases either so you must leave Greenburgh. What kind of tenant is this landlord trying to attract. Ms Brown when are you going to meet these residents and here their concerns.have you asked the police about there concerns about the what is going on down there and who is moving into the community.
Section 8 is a government subsidy that allows the building's owner to receive a market rent. But to qualify for a Section 8 voucher, tenants must show proof of income. Tenants who do not wish to provide such proof, cannot qualify and must pay market rent. The Town negotiated with Montrose management a gradual increase in the rent for those who refused to produce proof of income, but the agreement only applied to those tenants who signed it. Those who didn't sign, didn't get the deal.
So what's the town gonna do now? The town has no affordable housing policy or plan. Section 8 housing allows those at the lowest rung of the economic ladder to get housing, but those in the workforce get shafted.
The town recently defined "workforce housing" in the zoning code, but the definition was changed at the last minute to apply essentially to Section 8 tenants. Sonya Brown voted for it, along with the rest of the town board.
The town never understood that companies like Montrose can only make money with "affordable housing" by acquiring Section 8 tenants, and those tenants must always provide proof of income.
That means that as soon as tenants in such buildings no longer qualify for Section 8 or won't provide proof of income, they must move or pay market rent.
If the town has no place for these residents to go, the fault lies with Feiner, Brown and the rest of the town board for failing to come up with an affordable housing policy that protects the town's workforce.
So GREENBURGH will be ranked the 100% best section 8 place to live and the rest of us Who stay here will just have to suck it up.
VOTE VOTE VOTE WE MAY BE STUCK WITH SONJA AND KEVIN BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE OTHER 3.
Shame on you sonja you should have known better but i quess you're to busy running the center and protecting your turf.
Thank you 7:29 for your Reply However,
The 100.00 ,now increased to 300goes to the person who is able to name Valerie Whitehead's assignments within her official job title, Staff Assistant.
For an extra 2,000. can someone name ANY of her assignments which were given to other staff while she acted as Temporary Commissioner?
Good Luck, because she wasn't doing a blessed thing before her double salary raise promotion.
Okay, its me again, 7:29.
Would her official respnaibilites include liason with Sonya Brown?
Lets face it people. Whitehead is nothing but Sonja puppet.She does not have the brains to make the choices made at the center .Sonja should run for cover because she lead whitehead on like a puppy to a trainer .Whitehead was just to stupid to realize that she was being Played by a master .
Here is the question will she go sown alone or take the rest of the puppetts with her?
Why blame Sonya and not the boss yes I mean Feiner.
Yes he makes all the decisions when it comes to the center.
We have to put the blame where it belongs.
Sonya is only one of the elected messengers who has to report to the one who is in authority but has proven to be incompetent in running town matters .
Could someone tell me how the town work force be included in any section 8 of housing when most of them earn good salaries.
The project will be filled with the homeless because they do not work .have no known income .
How can Feiner say that this project is for the workforce.
Is not the government giving out grants to start the construction so how can Feiner say it's for Greenburgh.
Many will apply from other parts of the state and does he think that he can stop them.
Feiner and the board made a terrible mistake again ====What else is new====
we can only hope it's Sal Shamis who needs help breathing
george you should stop worrying about Valarie and worry about yourself
Troll (Internet)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Internet troll)
Jump to: navigation, search
"Do not feed the trolls" and its abbreviation DNFTT redirect here. For the Wikipedia essay, see "What is a troll?". For other uses see Troll (disambiguation).
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
1.1 Early history
2 Identity trolling
3 Usage
4 Concern troll
5 Parody
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
8.1 Troll FAQs
[edit] Etymology
Artist's conception of tuna trolling operation in fishing.The contemporary use of the term is alleged to have first appeared on the internet in the late 1980s[3], but the earliest known example is from 1991[4]. It is thought to be a truncation of the phrase trolling for suckers, itself derived from the fishing technique of slowly dragging a bait through water, known as trolling.[5] The word also evokes the trolls portrayed in Scandinavian folklore and children's tales as they are often obnoxious creatures bent on mischief and wickedness. The verb "troll" originates from Old French "troller", a hunting term. The noun "troll", however, is an unrelated Old Norse word for a giant or demon. [6]
[edit] Early history
Prior to DejaNews's archiving of Usenet, accounts of trolling were sketchy, there being little evidence to sort through. After that time, however, the huge archives were available for researchers. The most likely derivation of the word troll can be found in the phrase "trolling for newbies," popularized in the early 1990s in the Usenet group, alt.folklore.urban (AFU).[7][8] Commonly, what is meant is a relatively gentle inside joke by veteran users, presenting questions or topics that had been so overdone that only a new user would respond to them earnestly. For example, a veteran of the group might make a post on the common misconception that glass flows over time. Long-time readers would both recognize the poster's name and know that the topic had been done to death already, but new subscribers to the group would not realise, and would thus respond. These types of trolls served as a Shibboleth to identify group insiders. This definition of trolling, considerably narrower than the modern understanding of the term, was considered a positive contribution.[9][7] One of the most notorious AFU trollers, Snopes,[7] went on to create his eponymous urban folklore website.
By the late 1990s, alt.folklore.urban had such heavy traffic and participation that trolling of this sort was frowned upon. Others expanded the term to include the practice of playing a seriously misinformed or deluded user, even in newsgroups where one was not a regular; these were often attempts at humor rather than provocation. In such contexts, the noun troll usually referred to an act of trolling, rather than to the author.
[edit] Identity trolling
In academic literature, the practice was first documented by Judith Donath (1999), who used several anecdotal examples from various Usenet newsgroups in her discussion. Donath's paper outlines the ambiguity of identity in a disembodied "virtual community":[10]
In the physical world there is an inherent unity to the self, for the body provides a compelling and convenient definition of identity. The norm is: one body, one identity. ... The virtual world is different. It is composed of information rather than matter.
Donath provides a concise overview of identity deception games which trade on the confusion between physical and epistemic community:
Trolling is a game about identity deception, albeit one that is played without the consent of most of the players. The troll attempts to pass as a legitimate participant, sharing the group's common interests and concerns; the newsgroups members, if they are cognizant of trolls and other identity deceptions, attempt to both distinguish real from trolling postings, and upon judging a poster a troll, make the offending poster leave the group. Their success at the former depends on how well they — and the troll — understand identity cues; their success at the latter depends on whether the troll's enjoyment is sufficiently diminished or outweighed by the costs imposed by the group.
Trolls can be costly in several ways. A troll can disrupt the discussion on a newsgroup, disseminate bad advice, and damage the feeling of trust in the newsgroup community. Furthermore, in a group that has become sensitized to trolling — where the rate of deception is high — many honestly naïve questions may be quickly rejected as trollings. This can be quite off-putting to the new user who upon venturing a first posting is immediately bombarded with angry accusations. Even if the accusation is unfounded, being branded a troll is quite damaging to one's online reputation." (Donath, 1999, p. 45)[1]
[edit] Usage
Application of the term troll is highly subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. The term is often used to discredit an opposing position, or its proponent, by argument fallacy ad hominem.
Often, calling someone a troll makes assumptions about a writer's motives. Regardless of the circumstances, controversial posts may attract a particularly strong response from those unfamiliar with the robust dialogue found in some online, rather than physical, communities. Experienced participants in online forums know that the most effective way to discourage a troll is usually to ignore him or her, because responding tends to encourage trolls to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning: "Please do not feed the trolls".[11]
Frequently, someone who has been labelled a troll by a group may seek to redeem their reputation by discrediting their opponents, for example by claiming that other members of the group are closed-minded, conspirators, or trolls themselves.
[edit] Concern troll
A concern troll is a false flag pseudonym created by a user whose actual point of view is opposed to the one that the user's sockpuppet claims to hold. The concern troll posts in web forums devoted to its declared point of view and attempts to sway the group's actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with professed "concerns". The goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt within the group.[12]
For example, in 2006 Tad Furtado, a top staffer for then-Congressman Charlie Bass (R-NH), was caught posing as a "concerned" supporter of Bass's opponent, Democrat Paul Hodes, on several liberal New Hampshire blogs, using the pseudonyms "IndieNH" or "IndyNH." "IndyNH" expressed concern that Democrats might just be wasting their time or money on Hodes, because Bass was unbeatable.[13]
A recently declassified World War II manual on sabotage recommends such techniques to derail any effective action: "Advocate 'caution.' Be 'reasonable' and urge your fellow-conferees to be 'reasonable' and avoid haste which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on... Be worried about the propriety of any decision — raise the question of whether such action as is contemplated lies within the jurisdiction of the group or whether it might conflict with the policy of some higher echelon." [14]
Although the term "concern troll" originated in discussions of online behavior, it now sees increasing use to describe similar behaviors that take place offline.
For example, James Wolcott in Vanity Fair[15] accused a conservative New York Daily News columnist of "concern troll" behavior in his efforts to downplay the Mark Foley scandal. Wolcott links what he calls concern trolls to Saul Alinsky's "Do-Nothings," giving a long quote from Alinsky on the Do-Nothing's method and effects:
These Do-Nothings profess a commitment to social change for ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity, and then abstain from and discourage all effective action for change. They are known by their brand, 'I agree with your ends but not your means.'
In a more recent example, The Hill published an op-ed piece titled "Dems: Ignore 'Concern Trolls'." Again, the concern trolls in question were not Internet participants; they were Republicans offering public advice and warnings to the Democrats. The author defines "concern trolling" as "offering a poisoned apple in the form of advice to political opponents that, if taken, would harm the recipient."[16]
[edit] Parody
A monster in the Munchkin card game is named the Net Troll. It is described as having "no special powers, and is really mad about it."
[edit] See also
Astroturfing
Baiting (trolling)
Blogger's Code of Conduct
Breaching experiment
Encyclopedia Dramatica
Forumwarz
Gadfly (social)
Griefer
Hit-and-run posting
Lurker
Ostracism
Schadenfreude
Sockpuppet (Internet)
Virtual community
[edit] References
^ trolling definition from PC Magazine Retrieved on 28 May 2007.
^ "What is a troll?" - Indiana University Knowledge Base
^ Schwartz, Mattathias (2008-08-03). "The Trolls Among Us", New York Times. Retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ Oxford English Dictionary Online s.v. TROLL n.(1) and TROLL v., both added in June 2006
^ Usenet Newsgroup misc.invest.options 1997
^ Etymology online dictionary
^ a b c See Michele Tepper, "Usenet Communities and the Cultural Politics of Information" in David Porter, ed., Internet Culture (1997) at 48 ("[T]he two most notorious trollers in AFU, Ted Frank and snopes, are also two of the most consistent posters of serious research.").
^ One early reference to troll found in the Google Usenet archive was by user "Mark Miller," directed toward the user "Tad," on February 8, 1990, saying "Just go die in your sleep you mindless flatulent troll." However, it is unclear if this instance represents a usage of "troll" as it is known today, or if it was simply a chance choice of epithet.
^ Cecil Adams (2000-05-14). "The Straight Dope". Retrieved on 2007-08-26. "To be fair, not all trolls are slimeballs. On some message boards, veteran posters with a mischievous bent occasionally go "newbie trolling."
^ Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community
^ Example of a warning to blog participants about trolls: "do not feed the trolls." golo historians_13th's blog. Retrieved on: April 10, 2008.
^ Cox, Ana Marie (2006-12-16). "Making Mischief on the Web", Time. Retrieved on 30 March 2007.
^ Saunders, Anne (2006-09-26). "Bass aide resigns after posing as opponent's supporter online", Boston Globe, Associated Press. Retrieved on 30 March 2007.
^ OSS Simple Sabotage Manual, pdf
^ Wolcott, James (2006-10-08). "Political Pieties From a Post-Nasal Drip", Vanity Fair. Retrieved on 26 May 2008.
^ Moulitsas, Markos (2008-01-09). "Dems: Ignore 'Concern Trolls'.", The Hill. Retrieved on 26 May 2008.
[edit] External links
Look up troll in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trolls (Internet)
This article or section may contain an excessive number of external links.
Please improve this article by incorporating them into the appropriate end section, or by converting them to inline citations. (September 2008)
Unconventional approach of feeding trolls, not killing them by Henk van Ess
Article on trolls and the 'art' of trolling by Steve Myers
Adequacy.org: Archive of Adequacy.org, a troll site.
What is a troll? from the Straight Dope
Trolling lore and essays
Searching for Safety Online: Managing "Trolling" in a Feminist Forum
Make Something Happen talks with a troll
Best guide to the various types of trolls
Ubuntu Forums guide to types of trolls
Interview with a self-proclaimed Troll by Lord M'Deentor
Archive of internet trolls
Malwebolence - The World of Web Trolling; New York Times Magazine, By Mattathias Schwartz; August 3, 2008.
[edit] Troll FAQs
urban75 Trolling FAQ: Comprehensive guide to the dark art of trolling
alt.troll FAQ (how-to)
alt.syntax.tactical FAQ
False repentance at MeatballWiki
The relationship between social context cues and uninhibited verbal behavior in computer-mediated communication
Moral panic and alternative identity construction in Usenet
Giveen's Guide To Internet Trolls
[show]v • d • eAnonymous
Troll (Internet)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Internet troll)
Jump to: navigation, search
"Do not feed the trolls" and its abbreviation DNFTT redirect here. For the Wikipedia essay, see "What is a troll?". For other uses see Troll (disambiguation).
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
1.1 Early history
2 Identity trolling
3 Usage
4 Concern troll
5 Parody
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
8.1 Troll FAQs
[edit] Etymology
Artist's conception of tuna trolling operation in fishing.The contemporary use of the term is alleged to have first appeared on the internet in the late 1980s[3], but the earliest known example is from 1991[4]. It is thought to be a truncation of the phrase trolling for suckers, itself derived from the fishing technique of slowly dragging a bait through water, known as trolling.[5] The word also evokes the trolls portrayed in Scandinavian folklore and children's tales as they are often obnoxious creatures bent on mischief and wickedness. The verb "troll" originates from Old French "troller", a hunting term. The noun "troll", however, is an unrelated Old Norse word for a giant or demon. [6]
[edit] Early history
Prior to DejaNews's archiving of Usenet, accounts of trolling were sketchy, there being little evidence to sort through. After that time, however, the huge archives were available for researchers. The most likely derivation of the word troll can be found in the phrase "trolling for newbies," popularized in the early 1990s in the Usenet group, alt.folklore.urban (AFU).[7][8] Commonly, what is meant is a relatively gentle inside joke by veteran users, presenting questions or topics that had been so overdone that only a new user would respond to them earnestly. For example, a veteran of the group might make a post on the common misconception that glass flows over time. Long-time readers would both recognize the poster's name and know that the topic had been done to death already, but new subscribers to the group would not realise, and would thus respond. These types of trolls served as a Shibboleth to identify group insiders. This definition of trolling, considerably narrower than the modern understanding of the term, was considered a positive contribution.[9][7] One of the most notorious AFU trollers, Snopes,[7] went on to create his eponymous urban folklore website.
By the late 1990s, alt.folklore.urban had such heavy traffic and participation that trolling of this sort was frowned upon. Others expanded the term to include the practice of playing a seriously misinformed or deluded user, even in newsgroups where one was not a regular; these were often attempts at humor rather than provocation. In such contexts, the noun troll usually referred to an act of trolling, rather than to the author.
[edit] Identity trolling
In academic literature, the practice was first documented by Judith Donath (1999), who used several anecdotal examples from various Usenet newsgroups in her discussion. Donath's paper outlines the ambiguity of identity in a disembodied "virtual community":[10]
In the physical world there is an inherent unity to the self, for the body provides a compelling and convenient definition of identity. The norm is: one body, one identity. ... The virtual world is different. It is composed of information rather than matter.
Donath provides a concise overview of identity deception games which trade on the confusion between physical and epistemic community:
Trolling is a game about identity deception, albeit one that is played without the consent of most of the players. The troll attempts to pass as a legitimate participant, sharing the group's common interests and concerns; the newsgroups members, if they are cognizant of trolls and other identity deceptions, attempt to both distinguish real from trolling postings, and upon judging a poster a troll, make the offending poster leave the group. Their success at the former depends on how well they — and the troll — understand identity cues; their success at the latter depends on whether the troll's enjoyment is sufficiently diminished or outweighed by the costs imposed by the group.
Trolls can be costly in several ways. A troll can disrupt the discussion on a newsgroup, disseminate bad advice, and damage the feeling of trust in the newsgroup community. Furthermore, in a group that has become sensitized to trolling — where the rate of deception is high — many honestly naïve questions may be quickly rejected as trollings. This can be quite off-putting to the new user who upon venturing a first posting is immediately bombarded with angry accusations. Even if the accusation is unfounded, being branded a troll is quite damaging to one's online reputation." (Donath, 1999, p. 45)[1]
[edit] Usage
Application of the term troll is highly subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. The term is often used to discredit an opposing position, or its proponent, by argument fallacy ad hominem.
Often, calling someone a troll makes assumptions about a writer's motives. Regardless of the circumstances, controversial posts may attract a particularly strong response from those unfamiliar with the robust dialogue found in some online, rather than physical, communities. Experienced participants in online forums know that the most effective way to discourage a troll is usually to ignore him or her, because responding tends to encourage trolls to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning: "Please do not feed the trolls".[11]
Frequently, someone who has been labelled a troll by a group may seek to redeem their reputation by discrediting their opponents, for example by claiming that other members of the group are closed-minded, conspirators, or trolls themselves.
[edit] Concern troll
A concern troll is a false flag pseudonym created by a user whose actual point of view is opposed to the one that the user's sockpuppet claims to hold. The concern troll posts in web forums devoted to its declared point of view and attempts to sway the group's actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with professed "concerns". The goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt within the group.[12]
For example, in 2006 Tad Furtado, a top staffer for then-Congressman Charlie Bass (R-NH), was caught posing as a "concerned" supporter of Bass's opponent, Democrat Paul Hodes, on several liberal New Hampshire blogs, using the pseudonyms "IndieNH" or "IndyNH." "IndyNH" expressed concern that Democrats might just be wasting their time or money on Hodes, because Bass was unbeatable.[13]
A recently declassified World War II manual on sabotage recommends such techniques to derail any effective action: "Advocate 'caution.' Be 'reasonable' and urge your fellow-conferees to be 'reasonable' and avoid haste which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on... Be worried about the propriety of any decision — raise the question of whether such action as is contemplated lies within the jurisdiction of the group or whether it might conflict with the policy of some higher echelon." [14]
Although the term "concern troll" originated in discussions of online behavior, it now sees increasing use to describe similar behaviors that take place offline.
For example, James Wolcott in Vanity Fair[15] accused a conservative New York Daily News columnist of "concern troll" behavior in his efforts to downplay the Mark Foley scandal. Wolcott links what he calls concern trolls to Saul Alinsky's "Do-Nothings," giving a long quote from Alinsky on the Do-Nothing's method and effects:
These Do-Nothings profess a commitment to social change for ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity, and then abstain from and discourage all effective action for change. They are known by their brand, 'I agree with your ends but not your means.'
In a more recent example, The Hill published an op-ed piece titled "Dems: Ignore 'Concern Trolls'." Again, the concern trolls in question were not Internet participants; they were Republicans offering public advice and warnings to the Democrats. The author defines "concern trolling" as "offering a poisoned apple in the form of advice to political opponents that, if taken, would harm the recipient."[16]
[edit] Parody
A monster in the Munchkin card game is named the Net Troll. It is described as having "no special powers, and is really mad about it."
[edit] See also
Astroturfing
Baiting (trolling)
Blogger's Code of Conduct
Breaching experiment
Encyclopedia Dramatica
Forumwarz
Gadfly (social)
Griefer
Hit-and-run posting
Lurker
Ostracism
Schadenfreude
Sockpuppet (Internet)
Virtual community
[edit] References
^ trolling definition from PC Magazine Retrieved on 28 May 2007.
^ "What is a troll?" - Indiana University Knowledge Base
^ Schwartz, Mattathias (2008-08-03). "The Trolls Among Us", New York Times. Retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ Oxford English Dictionary Online s.v. TROLL n.(1) and TROLL v., both added in June 2006
^ Usenet Newsgroup misc.invest.options 1997
^ Etymology online dictionary
^ a b c See Michele Tepper, "Usenet Communities and the Cultural Politics of Information" in David Porter, ed., Internet Culture (1997) at 48 ("[T]he two most notorious trollers in AFU, Ted Frank and snopes, are also two of the most consistent posters of serious research.").
^ One early reference to troll found in the Google Usenet archive was by user "Mark Miller," directed toward the user "Tad," on February 8, 1990, saying "Just go die in your sleep you mindless flatulent troll." However, it is unclear if this instance represents a usage of "troll" as it is known today, or if it was simply a chance choice of epithet.
^ Cecil Adams (2000-05-14). "The Straight Dope". Retrieved on 2007-08-26. "To be fair, not all trolls are slimeballs. On some message boards, veteran posters with a mischievous bent occasionally go "newbie trolling."
^ Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community
^ Example of a warning to blog participants about trolls: "do not feed the trolls." golo historians_13th's blog. Retrieved on: April 10, 2008.
^ Cox, Ana Marie (2006-12-16). "Making Mischief on the Web", Time. Retrieved on 30 March 2007.
^ Saunders, Anne (2006-09-26). "Bass aide resigns after posing as opponent's supporter online", Boston Globe, Associated Press. Retrieved on 30 March 2007.
^ OSS Simple Sabotage Manual, pdf
^ Wolcott, James (2006-10-08). "Political Pieties From a Post-Nasal Drip", Vanity Fair. Retrieved on 26 May 2008.
^ Moulitsas, Markos (2008-01-09). "Dems: Ignore 'Concern Trolls'.", The Hill. Retrieved on 26 May 2008.
[edit] External links
Look up troll in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trolls (Internet)
This article or section may contain an excessive number of external links.
Please improve this article by incorporating them into the appropriate end section, or by converting them to inline citations. (September 2008)
Unconventional approach of feeding trolls, not killing them by Henk van Ess
Article on trolls and the 'art' of trolling by Steve Myers
Adequacy.org: Archive of Adequacy.org, a troll site.
What is a troll? from the Straight Dope
Trolling lore and essays
Searching for Safety Online: Managing "Trolling" in a Feminist Forum
Make Something Happen talks with a troll
Best guide to the various types of trolls
Ubuntu Forums guide to types of trolls
Interview with a self-proclaimed Troll by Lord M'Deentor
Archive of internet trolls
Malwebolence - The World of Web Trolling; New York Times Magazine, By Mattathias Schwartz; August 3, 2008.
[edit] Troll FAQs
urban75 Trolling FAQ: Comprehensive guide to the dark art of trolling
alt.troll FAQ (how-to)
alt.syntax.tactical FAQ
False repentance at MeatballWiki
The relationship between social context cues and uninhibited verbal behavior in computer-mediated communication
Moral panic and alternative identity construction in Usenet
Giveen's Guide To Internet Trolls
[show]v • d • eAnonymous
To 11:56
So happy you are enjoying all, these posts Valerie Happy Reading.
The truth hurts doesn't "Blessed One"?
Photos of Valerie Whitehead, Sonja Brown and Gay Silverman will be making the news soon!
Yep, Brown and Whitehead (George A)on Silverman payroll. That's how they got rid of the Pool Director who was trying to collect fees from Silverman for her Silver Streaks Swim Team ($20,000). The Comptroller office knew she (Silverman)owed the funds and had to fight Paul Feiner to collect $$$. Who rents a facility and doesn't pay up front? No one. We paid $10,000 up front for my sons Bar Mit. No special deals.
When you rent a facility you deny any one else from renting the facility. When you don't pay up front and cancel when you don't use the facility the facility="TOG" loses money. It's a no brainer.
And yes Whitehead is under investigation and it's supposely been sent to the DA office - but hopefully as stated the "wheels of justice move slowly" but do move-I know several staff who spent 2 1/2 hours or more at the police station - who never saw the Whitehead's felony nephews work at TDYCC. I pull my children from the center. You are not suppose to have criminal working with children (child molester/assault and battery etc).
When is Paul going to be a MAN and step up and say, "I screwed up-Whitehead was terrible mistake" or will he just wait and let the DA offfice do his dirty work - Yep the latter is his MO
Sick of Greenburgh politricks and BS - Let's recruite a real person for Town Supervisor
Sal Shamis....such a know it all...
with out the audacity to run because
your unpopularity would keep you out.
You are a legend in your own mind.
Such a sad, sad pathetic character.
A damaged mind is a terrible thing
to share.
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