Wednesday, October 22, 2008
And the vote is in!
Oregon ballots have arrived, and mine goes out in the mail tomorrow. Probably no suprise, given the banner thingy over yonder on the right, but yes, I voted McCain/Palin. :)
This should have been done long ago...
...but since it wasn't, I think this story is Very Cool Indeed.
Man's Best Friend just got an upgrade in being a Best Friend. I wonder if this qualifies as making them Man's BFF?
Man's Best Friend just got an upgrade in being a Best Friend. I wonder if this qualifies as making them Man's BFF?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Huh? *scratches head*
The employer I work for has an internal messaging system, much like a very dumbed-down version of any free IM program. It does the job....mostly.
One of the drawbacks of having an agency-wide IM program, though, is that while it's cool to message, well, anyone, it also means you can be messaged by anyone. Such was the case yesterday.
Receptionist from my last office: WG, there's a client here to see you.
WG: I'm sorry to hear that.
RFMLO: can u take a call please?
WG: I suppose.
RFMLO: what extension are you at now? my phone list is old.
WG: Well, I quit working in that building about five months ago. I'm on the other side of town now, did you explain this to whoever it is?
RFMLO: her ssn is xxx-xx-xxxx
RFMLO: her name is ___________
RFMLO: can i have her call u
WG: You should perhaps have her call her worker. She was never my client even when I did work there.
RFMLO: ok i have her call u from lobby
.....................long pause............................
RFMLO: hello r u still there?
WG: Yep.
RFMLO: she says she is getting somebody else's voicemail.
WG: That'd be because it is somebody else's voicemail.
RFMLO: ok thank you.
One of the drawbacks of having an agency-wide IM program, though, is that while it's cool to message, well, anyone, it also means you can be messaged by anyone. Such was the case yesterday.
Receptionist from my last office: WG, there's a client here to see you.
WG: I'm sorry to hear that.
RFMLO: can u take a call please?
WG: I suppose.
RFMLO: what extension are you at now? my phone list is old.
WG: Well, I quit working in that building about five months ago. I'm on the other side of town now, did you explain this to whoever it is?
RFMLO: her ssn is xxx-xx-xxxx
RFMLO: her name is ___________
RFMLO: can i have her call u
WG: You should perhaps have her call her worker. She was never my client even when I did work there.
RFMLO: ok i have her call u from lobby
.....................long pause............................
RFMLO: hello r u still there?
WG: Yep.
RFMLO: she says she is getting somebody else's voicemail.
WG: That'd be because it is somebody else's voicemail.
RFMLO: ok thank you.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Of Trolls
Earlier today, I frequented Kate's main blog, as I try to do daily. She doesn't get trolls very often; usually when she does, they're following the link from one of her Pajamas Media posts, or some other mention of Obama.
Anyway, on this post, the first two comments were both from trolls, although they seemed to be of different varieties, and it got me to thinking. How many kinds of trolls are there? Just like that, as Stephen King says, my Muse shat upon my head, and I had the makings of the sort of deep, insightful witticism that keeps all six of you coming back for more. You know who you are. Here are the major species of Troll - if you know of a subspecies, or you're angry because you're a troll that didn't get mentioned, by all means leave me a comment and contribute.
CAPS LOCK TROLLS
Caps Lock Trolls are a main species of troll one finds frequenting blogs, distinguished primarily by their inability to find the Caps Lock key. They are usually fairly incoherent, and one of the best takedowns I've ever read of this sort of idiot is located here.
Elitist Trolls
These guys are pretty easy to spot. Nearly every arguement they use to try to enlighten you is preceeded by some kind of disclaimer about their own qualifications, and it's often, if not usually, followed by a point they're making after having read a 3-column article in Newsweek, Time, or People magazine in the bathroom and done very little, if any, actual research. They usually have little actual understanding of, well, anything, beyond their own shallow worldview. Arguing with one is fun...and by fun I mean of the yank-his-chain-again-and-see-if-he'll-do-that-again variety. Classic example? Michael Moore.
Pompous Windbag Trolls
PWT's are a little more difficult to deal with, largely because they drone. Speaking to one is impossible, because they never actually stop talking; discussions aren't discussions at all, they're an attempt to bludgeon you into a whimpering, bleeding, quivering ball with mind-numbing boredom. Trolls of this variety actually do often know what they're talking about, but rather than actually make a point, one flows into the next seamlessly, preventing any actual dialogue from taking place. The best (and often, only) successful tactic is to put a mirror up and allow them to talk into it, and exit the room quietly. Usually, the troll will not notice.
Clever Troll
Clever Trolls are often, if not always, impressed first and foremost with their own cleverness, and they nearly always want to tell you about it. (I will confess, this is the side of troll-dom that I am closest to, when I do indulge my trollish instincts.) Clever Trolls usually have a good arguement to make, but tend to trip themselves up by being a bit too clever. An excellent example of this sort of troll is Al Franken, whose very cleverness during his SNL years is making his run for office in Minnesota this year somewhat difficult. Saying clever, but insulting and degrading, things about minorities may make people laugh, but it can come back and bite you in the ass....trolls of this stripe are also deprecatingly referred to as "fucking jerks".
Insane Troll
We've all seen them, or encountered them either online or in person. These guys are the waaaaaaaaaaaay out there bunch, that occasionally wander back into the warm light of civilization. I personally think they exist for no other reason than to make the rest of us feel better about ourselves. Here's a classic example.
Clueless Troll
These poor, poor trolls are the saddest ones of the lot, because they don't really mean to be trolls. They can't really help it. Clueless Trolls are the lemmings of the troll world, following whatever suicidal herd instinct they hear that impels them to hurl themselves with little but enthusiasm into the cause of the moment. They form instant assessments of complex problems, rarely, if ever, have any idea what they're talking about, but are great for spreading memes of one sort or another. Whatever it is, they're excited about it.
Evil Trolls
By way of comparison, trolls of this variety are not enthusiastic about anything. They're bitter, angry, want to simply drag everyone around them down into their own funk. According to one of the candidates running for a political office this year, they're usually religious gun owners living in rural America. I disagree - Evil Trolls are found everywhere, and the root of their evilness is disillusionment. Evil Trolls are one of the usual ends for Clueless Trolls who have lost their mojo - sort of like a caterpillar into a butterfly, but backwards and uglier.
Anyway, on this post, the first two comments were both from trolls, although they seemed to be of different varieties, and it got me to thinking. How many kinds of trolls are there? Just like that, as Stephen King says, my Muse shat upon my head, and I had the makings of the sort of deep, insightful witticism that keeps all six of you coming back for more. You know who you are. Here are the major species of Troll - if you know of a subspecies, or you're angry because you're a troll that didn't get mentioned, by all means leave me a comment and contribute.
A Troll Primer:
CAPS LOCK TROLLS
Caps Lock Trolls are a main species of troll one finds frequenting blogs, distinguished primarily by their inability to find the Caps Lock key. They are usually fairly incoherent, and one of the best takedowns I've ever read of this sort of idiot is located here.
Elitist Trolls
These guys are pretty easy to spot. Nearly every arguement they use to try to enlighten you is preceeded by some kind of disclaimer about their own qualifications, and it's often, if not usually, followed by a point they're making after having read a 3-column article in Newsweek, Time, or People magazine in the bathroom and done very little, if any, actual research. They usually have little actual understanding of, well, anything, beyond their own shallow worldview. Arguing with one is fun...and by fun I mean of the yank-his-chain-again-and-see-if-he'll-do-that-again variety. Classic example? Michael Moore.
Pompous Windbag Trolls
PWT's are a little more difficult to deal with, largely because they drone. Speaking to one is impossible, because they never actually stop talking; discussions aren't discussions at all, they're an attempt to bludgeon you into a whimpering, bleeding, quivering ball with mind-numbing boredom. Trolls of this variety actually do often know what they're talking about, but rather than actually make a point, one flows into the next seamlessly, preventing any actual dialogue from taking place. The best (and often, only) successful tactic is to put a mirror up and allow them to talk into it, and exit the room quietly. Usually, the troll will not notice.
Clever Troll
Clever Trolls are often, if not always, impressed first and foremost with their own cleverness, and they nearly always want to tell you about it. (I will confess, this is the side of troll-dom that I am closest to, when I do indulge my trollish instincts.) Clever Trolls usually have a good arguement to make, but tend to trip themselves up by being a bit too clever. An excellent example of this sort of troll is Al Franken, whose very cleverness during his SNL years is making his run for office in Minnesota this year somewhat difficult. Saying clever, but insulting and degrading, things about minorities may make people laugh, but it can come back and bite you in the ass....trolls of this stripe are also deprecatingly referred to as "fucking jerks".
Insane Troll
We've all seen them, or encountered them either online or in person. These guys are the waaaaaaaaaaaay out there bunch, that occasionally wander back into the warm light of civilization. I personally think they exist for no other reason than to make the rest of us feel better about ourselves. Here's a classic example.
Clueless Troll
These poor, poor trolls are the saddest ones of the lot, because they don't really mean to be trolls. They can't really help it. Clueless Trolls are the lemmings of the troll world, following whatever suicidal herd instinct they hear that impels them to hurl themselves with little but enthusiasm into the cause of the moment. They form instant assessments of complex problems, rarely, if ever, have any idea what they're talking about, but are great for spreading memes of one sort or another. Whatever it is, they're excited about it.
Evil Trolls
By way of comparison, trolls of this variety are not enthusiastic about anything. They're bitter, angry, want to simply drag everyone around them down into their own funk. According to one of the candidates running for a political office this year, they're usually religious gun owners living in rural America. I disagree - Evil Trolls are found everywhere, and the root of their evilness is disillusionment. Evil Trolls are one of the usual ends for Clueless Trolls who have lost their mojo - sort of like a caterpillar into a butterfly, but backwards and uglier.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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