(urth) Gummed-Up Works or Got Lives?

David Stockhoff dstockhoff at verizon.net
Sun Dec 18 20:11:25 PST 2011


On 12/18/2011 7:36 PM, Lee Berman wrote:
>
>> David Stockhoff: Are you thinking of The Billy Goats Gruff, like I am?
>
>
> Heh! Clever segue from the fairy tale theme David.
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>
>
> Amusingly, when I first started hearing the term "troll" on internet, in addition
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> to the fairy tale reference, I thought of the fishing meaning of the word, as
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> in "trolling for an argument". FWIW, your prediciton of the overwhelming need to
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> have the "last word" did prove correct. 		 	   		

That is actually where the term for "asshole on the Internet" comes 
from, and it fits when people are paid to disrupt online conversations.

But when I encounter the incorrigibly antisocial types, I always think 
of the old Norse word for "demon," whence comes the name for the 
familiar denizen of under-bridges. Brutal, aggressive, bone-stupid ... 
it just fits.



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