Hey gang -
It often happens that some good thing comes from even
a terrible disaster. When the TROLL began cross-posting
to RBM, I noticed that they periodically post FAQs for
their group. I thought it might be a good idea to do
something like that here at ARBR, at least to prepare
newbies to deal with our most prevalent problem.
Herewith: the TROLL FAQs, beginning at the beginning:
Q: Just before the TROLL was born, his mom had
gained around 30 pounds, with a hugely distended
lower abdomen. He claims that this was the result
of an immaculate conception. What's the much more
plausible explanation?
A: Constipation.
Q: When their sons are born, most mothers mumble
something like "Give him to me," and begin nursing.
What did the TROLL's mother say?
A: "NO NO - PLEASE DON'T FLUSH IT!"
Q: Did the TROLL have a fairly normal life before he
began posting at ARBR?
A: Yes, except for going directly from prepubescence
to senility, totally skipping both adolescence and
maturity.
Q: Which brings us to the present, right?
A: Yes, we're in the present; unfortunately the TROLL
still seems to be stuck somewhere around 1957.
Q: Hmm-mm-mm... well, be that as it may, what are your
best suggestions for relating to the TROLL on ARBR?
A: Don't read it, don't heed it, don't feed it, don't
breed it.
Q: Okay-y-y, let's get into some pertinent personal info
for the TROLL. Does he prefer a natural or synthetic
chamois for cycling?
A: Depends...
Q: Why does the TROLL have such a large helmet size? Is
it because of his large brain or his huge ego?
A: Constipation.
Q: Why does the TROLL prefer to walk rather than riding?
A: It's faster.
Q: Why do the brakes never wear out on the TROLL's bikes
and trikes?
A: Who needs brakes when he's going 5 MPH?
Q: What does the TROLL call it when he's going 10 MPH?
A: Sprinting.
Q: What does the TROLL call it when he's going 15 MPH?
A: Terrifying.
Q: What is the proper scientific term for the inevitably
tragic result of the TROLL going 15 MPH?
A: Natural selection.
Q: Does the TROLL perform his own repairs?
A: No, we're trying to get him to a psychiatrist.
Q: No, no, I mean does he fix his bike, you know, flats
and stuff like that?
A: Unless a friend offers to help him.
Q: So that's - to use the TROLL's inimitable style -
always, positively ever, without exception, right?
A: Absolutely never were truer words spoken, in any
language, anywhere in the entire universe.
Q: I've heard that the TROLL can't inflate a Presta tube
by mouth to shape it before putting it back into the
tire when changing a flat; why's that?
A: The TROLL sucks.
Q: Okay, enough about his cycling habits...
A: Yeah, a typical ARBR reader has probably already spent
more time on these FAQs than the TROLL spent on a bike
last year.
Q: Well, anyway, what's he like as a person?
A: As a person, he's like a TROLL. As a TROLL, he's like
a bad TROLL. As a bad TROLL, he's...
Q: No, I mean to whom would you compare him?
A: Oh. Well, for his speed on a trike, his grasp of
technical issues, his reading and writing skills, I
guess my two-year-old granddaughter, maybe.
Q: But his personality?
A: About like hers in the middle of a tantrum, I'd say,
but after a little bit of warm milk and a short nap,
she's all cute and cuddly again.
Q: Would you say the TROLL is ever cute and cuddly?
A: Would you say a Tasmanian Devil would make a good
lapdog?
Q: I'm asking the questions here; you're supposed to be
answering them. But that's a good topic; what animal
comes to your mind when you think of the TROLL?
A: A TROLL.
Q: No, no. I mean a real animal.
A: Oh. A solitary lobo, a cast-out pariah of the pack,
pathetically old, lame, mangy, ticks and worms,
missing some teeth, starving - but constipated.
Q: Ugh! That's an ugly picture you're painting...
A: It's not a painting; that's a photograph.
Q: Well, okay, what fruit is the TROLL most like?
A: A moldy, desiccated prune.
Q: Vegetable?
A: Raw artichoke.
Q: Any other type of plant material? And let's try to
get back to cycling here...
A: A goathead thorn.
Q: Okay, that does it for animal and vegetable; how about
mineral?
A: The frayed end of a derailleur cable.
Q: Alright. Now in human terms, can you give us a couple
of quick phrases to tell us what the TROLL is like?
A: Alzheimer's disease; Tourette's syndrome.
Q: Oh, come on; there must be some expression that brings
to mind pleasant thoughts about the TROLL. Isn't there
at least one single word?
A: Well, yes: goodbye.
Q: Okay, we get the idea. Of course the TROLL is said to
have a bit of an overblown ego; but that's usually a
front, often an artificial defense for a shy person
who's unsure of himself. So... once you get past the
TROLL's ego, what is his personality really like?
A:
Q: Didn't you forget to type in that last answer?
A: No.
Q: The TROLL has chosen a life of celibacy...
A: Who says he had a choice?
Q: My questions, remember. Anyway, some romantics believe
there's a one and only one someone for everyone; if
that's true, then the woman (presumably) the Fates
intended for him must have spent her life alone or
with another man. What will she say at the end of all
things when she realizes that she could have shared
her earthly existence and sex life with the TROLL
instead?
A: Thank you, Jesus.
Q: Well, yes, of course - the TROLL does have a bit of a
reputation for neglecting personal hygiene; but hey,
everyone has some minimal standard, some clue that
serves as a reminder for him to finally take a bath
or shower. What does it for the TROLL?
A: His cats start kicking kitty litter on him.
Q: Okay, I can see why you contend that the TROLL is not
exactly number one on the must invite list to a party,
but isn't a little harsh to call him a TROLL? He
alternates between insisting he isn't and that he is
a 'good' TROLL. Shouldn't we believe an individual who
claims immaculate conception, sainthood and maybe
even godhood?
A: Well...
Q: Never mind; I see your point. But would anyone so well
known, with such fame and recognition blatantly tell a
bald-faced lie that he knows no sensible person could
possibly believe?
A: The phrases "I was doing everything that I possibly
could to get the girl out of the car... There is no
truth whatever to the widely circulated suspicions
of immoral conduct... Nor was I driving under the
influence of liquor" and "I did not have sexual
relations with that woman" come to mind.
Q: But in this case - I mean, isn't there some real
possibility of confusion in terminology or definition?
A: I think that only very liberal contributors to the
ACLU are allowed to use the 'it depends on what the
meaning of is is' defense.
Q: Okay, so-o-o... well, anyway the TROLL's here on this
newsgroup even though readers are pretty adamant that
he leave. How many supporters do you think he has in
the group?
A: There was one, but the TROLL had that fool for lunch
last week.
Q: But again, the TROLL insists he is the mainstay of the
newsgroup, and claims he's posted more than 6000
messages.
A: Well, some of those he claims were actually posted by
his archnemesis, and another bunch were one-liners
which he has since defined as non-messages. Plus a lot
of his messages have been directly contradicted by
newer posts - e.g., he has said he's not a TROLL, then
that he's a good TROLL, then that there's no such
thing as a TROLL. That pretty much cancels out all
three of those messages; don't you think?
Q: Yeah, but still: 6000+?
A: No, actually, if you read through the archives, I
think you'll see that it's more like only 40 to 50
messages, each of which has been posted 100 to 200
times with fairly trivial variations. Some ARBR
readers believe the TROLL has an old DOS-based
scripted database program that sends the same replies
over and over again, using keywords plucked from the
original posting along with variable terms and phrases
randomly inserted from a simple flatfile. For example,
compare these two messages, pretty typical of the
TROLL's work:
Old Fred wrote: "Pedaling uphill is harder." Old Fred
is not only an Alabaman, but also a vegetarian. All
Alabamans have ever been scurrilous weasels, and
vegetarian Alabamans are the absolute worst. He is
probably also a closet existentialist. I, Edgar
Colon the Colossal Contaminant, have spent my entire
life excoriating vile existentialists, and I fervently
hope that global warming will scourge Old Fred and all
other Alabaman existentialists from the face of the
earth.
nget wrote: "I am a married tadpole rider." nget is
not only an Eskimo, but also a top-poster. All Eskimos
have ever been moronic scoundrels, and top-poster
Eskimos are the infinitely worst. He is probably also
a closet prognosticator. I, Edgar Colon the Supremely
Senseless, have spent my entire life antagonizing
asinine prognosticators and I sincerely pray that a
plague of locusts will purge nget and all other Eskimo
prognosticators from the surface of the planet.
Q: Oh. I see what you mean, but still, the TROLL must
surely have - as he has so often claimed - served as
some kind of inspiration for this group.
A: Well, in all fairness, I believe he has spawned at
least one adage: A day without a post by the TROLL is
like a summer evening without your neighbors' damned
dogs barking all night long.
Q: But doesn't longevity count for something? I mean,
he's been here quite awhile now, a good long spell...
A: [Snicker - snicker - snicker]
Q: What are you snickering about?
A: That's the first time I've ever seen the words 'good'
and 'spell' used in the same sentence about the TROLL.
Q: Oh yeah, I've heard he has a bit of a problem with
most common compound words, like 'foot ball'. How
does the TROLL usually spell them?
A: Wrong.
Q: Well, thanks. That's most of my questions for now.
Are there any other suggestions you'd like to share
for a new ARBR reader to prepare him for 'engaging'
the TROLL?
A: Two: Prozac and a Taser.
Please let me know if you think this list needs to be
expanded and/or reposted at periodic intervals. After
all, as we all now know, "repetition is of the essence".
Regards,
Wayne