John is very sorry he even suggested I operated on any kind of bias. All is forgiven.
The trolls had a goddamn field day. It was like a feeding frenzy. It was like opening up a can of cat food in a crazy cat lady house. It was like turning the light on in a roach-infested bathroom. It was reedonkeyluss.
And all was fine - I was really holding my own, and my core readers were doing a great job digesting the garbage - until "Elaine" showed up. She was intent on rattling some cages and rattle she did, as well as crossing a line that should have never been crossed. She was wrong about the information but it was totally not cool, and it scared a lot of people quite frankly. I was out having sushi with my daughter when my phone notified me of another new comment. When I first read it, I burst out laughing. It was just so ... bizarre.
It did inspire this t-shirt design. I used a derpy photo of me and borrowed an idea from George.
I have managed to capture Elaine's IP address which shows a server location in Richmond Hill. And because she was stupid enough to vomit up an email address that is legit, and one she specifically created while she was speed dialing crazy (myself and two blog friends tested it), it's enough to have her tracked I'm told.
But friends, I'm not doing this for me. I am doing this for you. I've had some psychos come at me before, but eventually they get over the butt hurt and disappear. A few of you cautioned this one is different and I believe you.
But I had to... HAD TO ... design the t-shirt.
I also want to say that it was pretty amazing how so many people were drawn out of the woodwork because of the trolls. That was stupid awesome.
I'm not sure I'd make umoderated commenting an every Friday thing because it does get stoopid, but I'll try it again. See John? It wasn't all that bad.
29 comments:
What it showed me is all the crap you deal with, and it makes me appreciate you all the more. Some comments were really hard to read. I don't know how you do it.
Rachel must have had fun in Oshawa visiting "Smith" at the address provided. I doublechecked my sources and found yes a "Smith" does live there, but he's the 300+ pound Argo line backer with a pit bull and German Shepherd.
I thought I'd help Rachel before she arrived by providing some appetizers. I thought Rachel wouldn't remember that house guests should never arrive empty handed. So I had two packs of hot dogs and a case of beer Grocery Gatewayed over. The dogs were very impressed I thought of them according to the Grocery Gateway dude who barely made it out a live. The hot dogs are long gone and apparently the digs couldn't wait to meet Rachel!
See Rachel, we are not all bad here and I'd like to think CJ and other commenters would like to think of others. I'm glad I could help you out so you could enjoy your house visit with Chris Smith and his pooches.
Rachel, Elaine - Elaine, Rachel -> pretty sure it's all one and the same.
Thanks for your email CJ. I will never ever again question your integrity as my GO Transit Passenger Lobbyist. Carry on good friend.
Although I am not first to comment on this thread (and sidenote: I know I lost my first place commentator status this year), I feel the need to do so more. Because obviously there are those that do not appreciate my bon mots.
CJ: I am glad that information gathering has taken place. You never know about the crazy and personal and family security takes precedence.
I am also sorry that you have had to deal with so much, well crap, over the years.
Out of curiosity, I searched "rachel" in your handy dandy search bar up top. Didn't really work that well, but I did come across a rachel from a few years ago that was relatively sane & coherent. If it is the same person, wow. The years have not been kind.
When will my royalty check be arriving?
I'm going to use Elaine's lawyer if it isn't soon.
While some of the comments were humourous, ludicrous, and downright silly... I was beginning to think things were going to the dark side when the line was crossed.
Amazing what crap some people will post when hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet.
Stay safe, my friend. And if you ever market those T-shirts, I'm in!
Rachel popped up some time in October of this year and I've never let a comment of her's through. She got lucky Friday and used it to her advantage. According to SiteMeter, the app I use to track traffic, she's using a PC owned by Toronto Dominion Bank.
I gots no $ for you George. :(
@Syl
You'd be surprised how easy and fast I can skim a comment and determine it's trolling behaviour and immediately trash it.
It just rolls right off my back.
Personally, I am glad I am not a client of that bank. Imagine someone so unhinged working with people's money. Shudder.
I just thought it interesting. Same spelling, same all lower cases, complete Jekyll & Hyde. It peeked my curiosity.
Then maybe it could be? I can only go back in my reports to 1,000 visits. And I don't download them so I wouldn't have the info.
It could be the same person. Maybe I did something or said something and she snapped.
It's quite easy to rub people the wrong way.
I get the odd email or comment that begins with "I used to be a supporter of yours ... I used to be a fan of yours ... I used to read you every day ..." --- "until you posted such and such, said such and such or didn't publish the story, text, comment, photo I sent you."
Then boom! Instant enemy.
True enough. I kept two that I thought could be the same person. One is complete support (http://www.thiscrazytrain.com/2011/08/for-missychick-by-request-file-under.html), the second could be read either way (http://www.thiscrazytrain.com/2011/10/i-know-as-much-as-you-which-isnt-much.html).
Then again, I could be completely offbase, 3 or 4 years can do a lot to a person.
But, I will be trying that potato salad recipe this summer. If it ever gets here.
Sorry, meant Elaine.
So many crazies so little time to keep track.
Hope Elaine had a great time with Smith and his pooches.
Please. Do NOT apologize. I'm pretty sure Elaine was responsible for a lot of the anonymous comments and is possibly Rachel, too. In fact, anything is possible because apparently I am all of you.
So CJ, I've done my research and there is a C Smith at that address.
I've done my Googling and there is a C. Smith!
I took the address and came up with this:
1st result: C Smith listings
http://www.canada411.ca/search/si/1/C+Smith/Courtice+ON/
But further down the listings (depending on where you live the Google listings differ) but here at the bottom of the first page was this:
http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/xo-events-and-weddings-courtice/map/d4d3b903f808e381.html
Within that link I clicked on the XO Events and Wedding website link to go to their website.
On that website I found the owner to be none other than "Christine Smith".
Yup, you found a "C Smith" alright! Yup, the address is close to Trulls & Highway 2.
But you obviously didn't confirm this was a "Cindy" Smith instead of "Christine" or heck, a Catherine, Claudia or Charlene could have been it. But then again, why not a Chris, Christopher or Craig.
Obviously Elaine, Rachel or whatever she wishes to be called, can Google, but perhaps thinking is not her strong suit.
Thank god my LEGAL name is not Smith C., but is only my married name and thank god my husband whose LEGAL name is Smith, C. isn't in the phone book. Isn't listed. Has never been the owner of a land line in his name. Ever.
I just hope no one bothers Christine. I should probably delete that comment. Although I think it was pretty clear Elaine was wrong.
For the record CJ, I wouldn't mind if the comment was deleted.
I leave it totally up to you, I'm fine either way. Cause I'm cool like that.
I orignally was going to just say "I want cake and ice cresm" as a troll hammer as unmodded posts tends to make me say small harmless WTF remarks. Then i read the other posts. Disgusting. From my perspective its those entitled politically correct losers that stir the stew. But what do I know...
No $?
That's it then my father is a lawyer and I am finacially capable of perusing this obvious miscarriage of justice.
Wait until the papers my dad said to download from some web site arrive at your address listed earlier. I am righteous and YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE!!!!!
Really though what an eye opener as to the level of crazy displayed by Internet losers. In real life they're probably trolling blogs from a darkened room while eating Cheetos and wearing dirty underwear. It always amazes me how many of those troll types claim to be successful and well off.
Some people need to pump their own egos by denigrating others anonymously I guess.
Surprisingly the merry band of fightcrazytrain trolls all work in office towers in Toronto's financial district and only one repeatedly uses a PC where its IP address says it's in Orangeville. That may very well be my only Cheetoh-lovin, basement-dwelling, hater.
It would be so easy to identify these losers if they stepped too far over the line.
Imagine being in your cube when someone shows a copy of a post and asked if you sent it from a company computer. Trolling on paid time is frowned upon I bet.
Working in an office tower =\= computer smarts it seems.
Sure hope they read that and realize anonymity is next to impossible at work.
You should sell the T shirts as a fundraiser. We could give the money to a good charity, CAMH comes to mind, and we could all show up at union station wearing the shirt. We would probably need to have weird wigs that looked like Einstein or the guys from Dumb and Dumber.
Keep up the blog. I love it. Anyone who does not post under their own name, unless they are supplying information about their employer, a la WIKI leaks, they shoulkd be band,
I like your t-shirt wearing meeting at Union Robert. I would so be there!
However, I haven't posted under my real name in years. Nor do I have plans of doing so. Mind you, there are many on here (ok 3ish, definitely 2) who can put a face to the alias. Mind you, there was some blatant hate towards me from an office dwelling troll.
I wouldn't post under my real name either. As it's pretty unique, I'd have the trolls showing up at my door. No thanks. Safety first!
Did anyone else notice she's wearing a striped jail shirt?
Well played.
I'll take an XL in black please.
I use my real first name but after a three year nightmare when I stupidly trusted someone with my real name, I'll never ever reveal it online.
My last name is unique and easy to find so we took it out of any phone listings and we use my wife's last name (different than mine) on things like tax accounts and utilities.
wow. I missed the Elaine stuff I guess. I could not do what you do. Very eye-opening.
A lot of people are bummed they missed interacting with Elaine. But trust me, she doesn't deserve the attention!
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