StuckInTheSixties Offline

70 Single Male from Napa       149
         

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I'm Going To Be Rich Enough To Buy Wireclub!



This came into my Wireclub Inbox:


rudovanrossum2009: Dear Mr,StuckIn

I am Mr.Rudo Van Rossum,I work as an international auditor for the SNS Bank in the Netherlands.

There is something very important, which I will want to discuss with you about and it has some form of relationship with you going by the similarity in the name.StuckIn

So kindly get back to me if you are interested so that we can discuss more about this.( [name redacted] @yahoo.com

Regards,

Mr.Rudo Van Rossum
Saturday, March 24, 2012 5:29:54 PM

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StuckInTheSixties:

Let's discuss it right here.
Saturday, March 24, 2012 5:30:47 PM

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rudovanrossum2009: but this is your last name or
Saturday, March 24, 2012 6:29:02 PM

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rudovanrossum2009: Dear Mr,StuckIn

I well i was happy when i saw your last because i have been in search of someone with this last name StuckIn ,so when I saw your name I was pushed to contact you and see how best we can assist each other.I am (Mr Rudo van Rossum),I work as an international auditor for the SNS Bank in the Netherlands.I believe it is the wish of God for me to come across you on Search now.

I am having an important business discussion I wish to share with you which I believe will interest you because, it is in connection with your last name and you are going to benefit from it.One Late Smith StuckIn ,a citizen of your country had a fixed deposit with my bank in 2004 for 36 calendar months, valued at US$4,200,000.00 (Four Million, Tow Hundred Thousand US Dollars) the due date for this deposit contract was this 16 of January 2007. Sadly Smith was among the death victims in the May 26 2006 Earthquake disaster in Jawa,Indonesia that killed over 5,000 people.

He was in Indonesia on a business trip and that was how he met his end.My bank management is yet to know about his death,I knew about it because he was my friend and I am his account officer. Smith did not mention any Next of Kin/Heir when the account was opened, and Smith was not married and no children.Last week my Bank Management requested that i should give instructions on what to do about his funds,if to renew the contract.I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that Smith is dead and do not have any Heir, they will take the funds for their personal use, so I don't want such to happen. That was why when I saw your last name

I was happy and I am now seeking your co-operation to present you as Next of Kin/ Heir to the account, since you have the same last name with him and my bank head quarters will release the account to you.There is no risk involved; the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.
It is better that we claim the money,than allowing the Bank Directors to take it, they are rich already.I am not a greedy Man,so i am suggesting we share the funds, 50/50% to both parties, and my share will assist me to start my own company which has been my dream.Let me know your mind on these and please do treat this information as a TOP SECRET. We shall go over the details once I receive your urgent response

We can as well discuss this on phone;let me know when you will be available to speak with me on phone. Have a nice day and God bless.please i we very happy to work with you if only you we been honest with me in this business.
Anticipating your communication.

Mr,Rudo van Rossum
Saturday, March 24, 2012 6:32:12 PM



This Blog Only Exists To Make It Easy To Find This Classic Wireclub Forum Thread



It's titled "Chess," but it's commonly known as "Angry Chess Guy."

Topic: Games

I Got Stopped By A Cop



Yesterday I drove into The City (San Francisco) to see my favorite group (that you've never heard of): Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. The concert was excellent, of course. As usual, the four guys in the band hung around after the show, talking to fans, signing autographs (got all four autographs on the booklet of their newest CD).

I left The City for the drive home at about 11 PM. There was construction work on the Golden Gate Bridge that impeded traffic, so that added perhaps forty-five minutes to what would have normally been a drive of about an hour.

I was, as usual, exceeding the posted speed limit as I was coming through rural Sonoma County, the county next door to Napa County, where I live. I was going a little bit over 60 miles per hour along a stretch posted for 50 MPH. As I passed by an auto parked on the other side of, I saw his headlights come on, and in my rear-view mirror, saw him whip around and start coming up the road behind me. The thought that it might be a cop crossed my mind, and I eased my speed a little bit as I went through a wide turn and lost sight of him.

Within seconds, I saw him in my rear-view mirror, coming around the turn, closing rapidly on me. At that moment, there was no doubt in my mind that it was a cop, and I was going to be stopped for speeding. And at the same moment, the red and blue flashing lights on the top of his vehicle came on. I used my turn indicator to signal I was pulling over, slowing, and looking for a wide spot on the narrow country road. I turned onto a side road, and pulled over onto a wide spot.

I've watched cops on television ( mostly the show "Cops" ) enough to know what agitates a cop that's pulling you over, so I carefully went through the routine to minimize his concern, driving very slow, signaling my turn and signaling again as I pulled over, turning off my engine, rolling down the window, turning on the overhead light to illuminate the inside of my car, keeping both hands in plain view on the top of the steering wheel, and after doing that, remaining motionless, basically giving him an exaggerated display of compliance with the car-stop. I eyed him in my side mirror, and I wasn't surprised to see him in his headlights, cautiously approaching my car with his flashlight shining on me, held in his left hand, and his right hand resting on his holstered firearm. This was a standard, normal car-stop on a dark country road, so I wasn't too concerned about anything other than the fact that I was probably going to receive an expensive citation. As he approached my opened window, shining his flashlight down into my car, I kept my hands on the wheel.

"Good evening," he said firmly, but seemingly without any malice or anger. I answered in kind. I could see that he was an officer of the California Highway Patrol.

"You were driving pretty fast back there, 62 in a 50 MPH zone."

"Fifty?!?," I lied, "I thought the speed limit was fifty-five." I was quite aware of the posted 50 MPH limit on that stretch of the highway.

That lie was calculated. Most of that highway is posted at 55. That stretch of a couple miles is posted at 50.

He laughed with a slightly derisive tone. "Well, still, you were going 62."

"Sorry," I said meekly, continuing my Oscar-Award winning act, and purposefully demonstrating contrition, pointedly showing him I wasn't trying to argue. "I guess I was fudging a little bit, but I didn't realize I was going that fast."

The interrogation began. Again, this is standard operating procedure in the situation. While the cop is doing this, he's sizing up his subject, looking for any signs of excessive nervousness or other suspicious behavior, and looking for signs of intoxication.

"Where are you heading to?"

"Napa."

"And where are you coming from?"

"San Francisco."

"What was happening in San Francisco?"

"A concert."

"Who was playing?"

"Bela Fleck & the Flecktones."

"Never heard of 'em. What kind of music do they play?"

I realized that this question was one I could sort of work to my own favor, to let my answer take on a tone of conversation, rather than interrogation, to demonstrate that I wasn't too concerned with having been stopped.

"Well, it's hard to define or categorize. It's sort of a blend of several kinds of music, bluegrass, jazz and rock. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. Not many people have even though they're world-class musicians."

But the interrogation continued.

"Have you had anything to drink tonight?"

I knew that I needed to be truthful with this question. I knew I couldn't bullshit here, but I could continue to demonstrate cooperation, understanding, and continue to remain unconcerned.

"Yes sir. I had a glass of red wine, Cabernet. I got that one glass of wine just before the show started at 8 o'clock, and sipped it until the show finished at about 10:30."

"Do you have a driver's license with you?"

"Yes sir."

"Can I see it please?"

"Sure."

I took my left hand off the steering wheel, and with a questioning expression in my face, pointed down at my left pocked, which was somewhat out of his view between my hip and the car door, gesturing in a way that was asking permission to go to my pocket. That was another little demonstration I was performing, an acknowledgment that I was aware that cops are always concerned about where a subjects' hands are. He nodded, and as I reached for my wallet, he leaned forward with his flashlight to watch my hand carefully as I extracted my wallet from my pocket, and then extracted my license from the wallet and handed it to him, and truthfully told him that it had been many years since I'd been pulled over in a car stop. That was another calculated act on my part. I knew that if he ran a computer check on my license, he'd find no sign of any citations or other concerns. If he ran that check, I wanted it to confirm that I was truthfully describing myself, more or less, as a good driver that doesn't get stopped. (The truth is, I'm a good driver with a habit of speeding a little bit, but that doesn't get stopped ... usually.)

He examined my license.

"Do you still live at [he read off my address]?"

"Yes sir."

"How long have you had that beard?" he asked as he examined the picture on the license, and my face.

I chuckled. "Forever. A long time."

He pocketed my license, and began the procedure I knew was coming, an assessment to determine if I was sober or intoxicated. First, he had me remove my eyeglasses. Shining his flashlight directly into my eyes, he held his finger up about a foot in front of my face, and instructed me to hold my head still, but to keep my eyes on his finger, to track it as he moved it from side to side. I'd seen this test performed by cops on television many times, and understood that part of that test is how well the subject understands the instructions. Intuitively, one tends to turn one's head while following the finger. Part of the test is to see if the person understands that they are to keep their head motionless, and to use only the eyes to follow the moving finger. I understood that, and complied perfectly, demonstrating that I was able to overcome that intuitive reaction and follow the verbal instruction.

This test has another aspect, one more important. Years ago I learned what this test was about when I was talking to a guy I knew to be an off-duty cop, and asked him about the test. The cop is watching the eyes. When one is sober, the eyes will track the moving finger with a smooth continuous motion. If one is intoxicated, on either alcohol or drugs, the eyes will tend to move in a discernable jerky fashion as they follow the finger, rather than smoothly. I knew what this test was about, and since I knew I was quite sober, I wasn't concerned.

However, for the first time during this stop, I did get a little concerned as he asked me to step from my car and repeat the test while standing in front of him, rather than while sitting in my car. It was obvious that he wanted a better look, face to face. I showed no concern as I complied, but the simple fact that the car-stop had escalated a notch was not comforting. Again, from watching television, I was well aware that before the handcuffs can go onto the wrists, the subject has to get out of the car. But I also knew that I was sober, and I knew that the likelihood that this would escalate beyond another repetition of the test was small.

Again, the eyeball-tracking test was performed, apparently to his satisfaction. Seeing that he no longer seemed concerned with my eyes, I asked with a tone of contrition:

"So, Officer, am I going to get a speeding ticket? I sure hope not. I haven't gotten a speeding ticket in twenty five or thirty years." (A truthful statement) "Any possibility you might show me a little mercy and let me keep this streak going?"

"Well, Mr. [name redacted], you were going pretty fast back there."

"Yeah, I guess I was pushing it a little bit," I improvised. "They were doing some work on the bridge, and I got backed up in traffic for the better part of an hour. It's pretty late, and I guess I was just anxious to get home."

I shrugged, conveying that I knew I was at his mercy, and was resigned to whatever he was going to, or not going to do next. It was yet another demonstration of contrition and cooperation.

After a thoughtful, semi-dramatic pause, he handed my license back to me, and said, "No, I'm gonna just let you go on your way. Don't be speeding like that, okay?"

"Yes sir. Thanks, I appreciate that. I'll slow down."

"Good night, Mr. [name redacted]."

"Good night, Officer. Be safe."

He turned his cruiser around and drove off, presumably to return to his ambush spot to await his next victim. I resumed my drive home, continuing to speed a little bit.

But only just a little.

Wireclub, Trolls, And Their Enablers



We all know what a Troll is, even though the definition is pretty vague and ambiguous. It's like that classic comment about porn made by whatever Supreme Court justice made it. He said that he might not be able to define pornography, “but I know it when I see it." It's the same thing with Trolls. The definition of a Troll may be slippery, but we know them when we see them.

Trolls appear to be parasitic. It seems that they can't survive without a "host," someone that can provide them sustenance, someone to provide them the ATTENTION that is their lifeblood.

Those are the Troll’s "Enablers."

But the relationship between a parasite and it's "host" is different than the relationship between a Troll and his enablers. (I say "his" because with only rare exceptions, Trolls are men.)

With the parasite/host relationship, the benefits flow only in one direction: from the host to the parasite. The parasite benefits. The host doesn't. (I'm speaking poetically here, so if you studied biology in university, and I'm technically speaking in error here, stifle yourself, please. I'm just trying to make a point.)

The relationship between a Troll and his enabler is different than a parasite and his host. The benefits flow in both directions in that relationship. It’s symbiotic.

So what is a Troll Enabler? I’m guessing anyone reading this blog probably thinks that they know at this point. But the funny thing is there are probably Troll Enablers reading this that don’t know that they are Troll Enablers. In fact, on occasion, I’m a Troll Enabler, too. Not often, but once in a while. And when I realize I’m enabling the Troll, I stop.

I’ll try to give myself a little bit of an out here by being specific. Once in a while I’ll come across an obvious Troll, one that I don’t know, one I’m not familiar with. The Troll will say something trollish, and I’ll comment on it, throw some smart-ass remark at the Troll. Maybe a little exchange will occur, some comments thrown back and forth. The Troll goes on his way, and I go on mine, and that’s the end of it.

This is not the enabling of a Troll. This isn’t the kind of phenomenon I want to talk about here in this blog.

What I think of as Troll Enabling is an ongoing, repetitive act. The Troll Enabler interacts with the Troll over and over again, both within a single conversational thread, and over time, from thread to thread. This REALLY feeds the Troll. This gives the Troll EXACTLY what the Troll craves:

Attention.

Not just attention, but ONGOING ATTENTION.

Attention is the lifeblood of the Troll.

ONGOING ATTENTION is like some sort of super-food for the Troll. It’s like steroids for the Troll. It’s like a magic elixir for the Troll.

And remember, with the Troll-Enabler relationship, it’s not just the Troll being fed. The Troll feeds the Enabler, as well. It’s a symbiotic circle of feeding.

Let’s examine an actual Forum thread, and analyze it to see what sort of effect this symbiotic circle of feeding had on it. We’ll look at a thread I created, “I Wonder If Other Men In Wireclub Have Had Encounters Like This.”

Topic: Off Topic

At the time of the writing of this blog, I’ve counted the number of posts in the thread, which is 332. I’ve also divided those posts into three categories:

~ Regular posts
~ Troll posts
~ Enabler posts

When I started this little study, I was concerned that those categories might be vague, and it might be difficult to decide whether a post fit one category or another, that it might be very subjective and arbitrary. But I found that it was really quite easy and obvious. The only variable was that some “Enabler” posts caused more effect, or were more “destructive,” than others. But when a Troll was causing trouble and someone was responding to that Troll, that amounted to “Enabling.”

So I made my count. The three categories broke down this way:

~ 171 “regular posts,” or 51.5 %
~ 78 “Troll posts,” or 23.5 %
~ 83 “Enabler posts,” or 25 %

Roughly half … HALF!!!! … the posts in this thread had been made by Trolls and enablers.

Conclusion of this study:

If the Enablers weren’t enabling the Trolls, the Troll’s influence upon this thread would be a fraction of what it was.

The motivations of the Troll and the Enabler are different. The Troll generally just wants to cause trouble. The Troll INITIATES the symbiotic circle of feeding. The Enabler, on the other hand REACTS to the Troll. The Enabler is offended by the Troll’s obviously offensive conduct, and reacts to it.

The Troll has no “excuse” for his behavior. He is just being a destructive, disruptive Troll. He may have some sort of sociopathic sense of justification for his behavior, but everyone can see that the Troll is just causing trouble simply because he enjoys doing that.

Enablers, on the other hand, arguably have an excuse. They are justifiably offended by the Troll, and they feel justified in retaliating with their own harsh replies. Ethically, they have at least some sort of excuse. They have a sense of “good versus evil,” and they know that they are on the side of good. They feel they have NO CHOICE in the matter. Remaining silent isn’t an option when something so outrageous is happening! They have to speak out against this EVIL! The compulsion to fight the Evil Troll is palpable, overwhelming. They must SPEAK OUT!

But let’s be pragmatic about this, okay?

I’m not sure how many people will be reading this, but I think it’s certain that some of you will recognize yourself as a Troll Enabler, or at least, you should. You might not care for the term “Troll Enabler” that I’m tagging you with, but you recognize that you do, in fact, have ONGOING battles with Trolls. It’s that ONGOING aspect that makes you, in my terminology, a Troll Enabler.

So what is the point of this blog?

There is one thing that is NOT the point of this blog. I am not writing this as a judgment of the Troll Enabler. I’m not wagging my finger, and scolding them: “Bad! Bad, Troll Enabler! Bad!”

That’s not what I’m doing here. This isn’t an attempt at moralizing.

In fact, as I said near the beginning of this blog, on seldom occasions, I, too, enable Trolls. I don’t do it often, but once in a while, I’ll do that too. I try not to, but rarely, I’ll feed a Troll. And when I realize I’m doing that, I stop.

And I certainly should acknowledge that I am often guilty of engaging in extremely long, drawn out arguments (that can be very off-putting to those not directly involved). I can often be relentless. I latch on like a pit bull, and I won’t let go of the argument.

But a long, drawn out, fierce argument is different than Troll enabling. It appears to be similar, but it’s actually quite different. For one thing, it’s an argument, a debate …

… ABOUT SOMETHING.

It’s over politics, or religion, or science. It’s extreme. It’s long-winded. It can get pretty harsh and combative. It can even be selfish, as it can drive away other people that would otherwise be interested in that subject.

But it’s ABOUT SOMETHING.

With the Troll-Enabler, it’s generally only about two things:

~ The character of the Troll as seen by the Enabler
~ The character of the Enabler as seen by the Troll

In essence, it’s not really ABOUT ANYTHING.

So again … what’s my point?

My point is that for the Troll Enabler, it really seems as if there is no choice in the matter. The compulsion to address the outrageous conduct of the Troll seems inescapable. The Enabler simply can’t remain silent in the face of such outrage.

But that doesn't have to be.

You can … you really CAN … simply remain silent in the face of the Troll’s outrageous behavior. It’s a choice that can be made. It only requires knowing that indeed, the choice is available, deciding to make that choice, and having the will to actually follow through.

For me, personally, the most persuasive element of this choice, the single thing that allows me to, for the most part, refuse to enable the Troll, is the realization that while the Enabler isn’t a Troll …

… the Enabler is COMPLICIT.

The Enabler enables.

The Enabler, by engaging in the ONGOING battle with the Troll, provides the steroid-enhanced super-food elixir for the Troll.

And the Enabler receives sustenance from the Troll in return.

The Enabler is the Troll’s PARTNER.

I don’t want to be the Troll’s partner.