the longest thread, thread - Occasionally NSFW

[Scarus]

How could Amandahugandkiss be a guy? That would be even more gay than appledumplin.......

[KoolBak]

Rocksolid......"too"????????????

Excuse the language, but f*ck Me Running! Why the hell do people think I'm a chick????????

Nothing I post is chick-like is it? My avatar is a doberman...my damn profile says "MR mom"...MR denotes a penis, does it not????? My hobbies inculde racing motorcycles and shooting......I have the fastest 1 ton truck on the planet.....

That damnable scarus started this chick thing......god knows I love them (chicks - dont tell my wife I posted that) and thank the gods I can, but scarus...youre only a couple hundred mile away!

Come on people.....because I am happily married for 18 years and have 2 beautiful boys, so dont try to pick up on women across the globe on the risk site I live for, I'm considered a beeeyotch?

Help me out......shall I stop playing????

[rocksolid]

Scarus - you obviously haven't memorized page 11 of this thread.

marv,

I'm "100%" dude too

my sn comes from the simpsons

And speaking of page 11, whatever happened to:

Once, on a cruiseship, my lovely horse Boots accidentally were unheeled...

In other news, this thread has cracked the 400-post barrier. I think the most posts any one person has on CC is about 500 (not naming names or anything)[peanut gallery: why does he bother counting other people's posts?], which means that in a couple of days, this thread should become more postiful than any one of us; now, after all, isn't that the essence of what being a community is? I think that's just beautiful.

And lastly, KoolBak, I'm sure I have no good reason for doubting your testosterone. I am convinced you have a gargantuan unit. My apologies. And don't feel bad - people think I'm a guy all the time.

[KoolBak]

My apologies for overreacting...it is the fact that I HAVE a unit that is important, thank the gods.

Let us return to the thread.......

By the way, I try to stay out of it, but we call "areyouincahoots" Cahoots....so, doesn't her name really push the envelope? "Are You In...."


Sorry again-

[Nobunaga]

... KoolBak, I thought you were a woman for about 45 minutes, a couple of weeks ago. Scarus posted some comment about you smashing your mouse with your high-heeled shoe . . . I was surprised to think you were a "she".

... Happily, I managed to piece the truth together.

[SMITH197]

rocksolid, your the best. I got up this morning in a downright pissy mood and now I've read your posts and our magnificent thread, I cant stop laughing...Thanks pal.

PS. I love my new Avatar

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

[pennywise]

Security and Encryption FAQ Revision 14.1


by Dr Who


"No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy,
family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and
reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against
such interference or attacks."


Article 12 Universal Declaration of Human Rights


Disclaimer and justification for this FAQ.


Many countries operate a legal system designed to suppress individual
freedom. Such countries often do not obey basic human rights. The law
in such a country may be based on guilty until proven innocent. My
intention in offering this FAQ, is to legally challenge these threats to
our freedom. It is not my intention to promote any illegal act, but to
offer people the option of freedom of choice. How they use that freedom
is entirely up to the individual.


Some third world regimes try to harass or even imprison their citizens for
expressing unpopular views on Usenet. Most of this FAQ is aimed at those
brave individuals who live in such countries. Of course everybody should
take advantage of these ploys, if for no other reason than to create some
smoke to help screen the more threatened Net users who live in those awful
countries.


The more profuse the encrypted Net traffic, the harder it is to trace
someone.


So if you are one of the many people who wish to do your bit for freedom
of speech in totalitarian countries, then this FAQ is for you.


Main changes with respect to earlier versions


I am concious that the FAQ is in danger of getting too long. So from
revision 14 I am dividing it into two parts. For the present, I will
still post it as a single FAQ. User feedback will determine whether I
split or leave as it is. Let me know what you think.


Part 1 concentrates on passive security. It is intended to be useful to
both posters and lurkers.


Part 2 is to maximize your privacy whilst online, particularly for Email
and Usenet posting. This section has undergone some significant re-writing
since earlier revisions. I hope it is helpful.


I have assumed three security levels. These are:


Level 1. For those who wish to protect their files from unauthorized
access. These users are not too concerned at being found with encrypted
data on their computer. If they live in a democratic country, they have
nothing to fear from using encryption.


Level 2. This is for those who not only wish to hide their private data,
but to hide the fact that they have such data. This might be an essential
requirement for anyone who lives in an inquisitorial police state where
human rights are dubious, or where there is no equivalent to the United
States 5th Amendment.


Level 3. This is for those who not only need all that is offered by level
2, but additionally wish to protect their computer from unauthorized
access. Protecting themselves from hackers whilst online and snoopers who
may try and compromize either their software or add substitute software
that could reveal their secret passphrases. These tactics are known as
tempest and trojan attacks and are described later in the FAQ.


Let's start with Part 1.


This first part explains the 3 security levels and offers help in achieving
them.


1. How does encryption work?


In its simplest sense, the plaintext is combined with a mathematical
algorithm (a set of rules for processing data) such that the original text
cannot be deduced from the output file, hence the data is now in encrypted
form. To enable the process to be secure, a key (called the passphrase) is
combined with this algorithm. Obviously the process must be reversible, but
only with the aid of the correct key. Without the key, the process should
be extremely difficult. The mathematics of the encryption should be openly
available for peer review. At first sight this may appear to compromize the
encryption, but this is far from the case. Peer review ensures that there
are no "back doors" or crypto weaknesses within the program. Although the
algorithm is understood, it is the combination of its use with the
passphrase that ensures secrecy. Thus the passphrase is critical to the
security of the data.


2. I want my Hard Drive and my Email to be secure, how can I achieve this?


You need Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) for your Email and Scramdisk for your
private files on your computer.


Scramdisk is available here: http://www.scramdisk.clara.net/


Both PGP and PGPDisk are here: members.tripod.com/cyberkt/


Both programs are freeware. The source code has been published for
PGP and PGPDisk, not for Scramdisk 3. It has been published for Scramdisk
version 2.


3. What is the difference between these two?


PGP uses a system of encryption called public key cryptography. Two
different keys are used. One key is secret and the other is made public.
Anybody sending you mail simply encrypts their message to you with your
public key. They can get this key either directly from you or from a
public key server.


This key is obviously not secret - in fact it should be spread far and
wide so that anybody can find it if they wish to send you encrypted Email.
The easiest way to ensure this, is by submitting it to a public key server.


The only way to decrypt this incoming message is with your secret key. It
is impossible to decrypt using the same key as was used to encrypt the
message, your public key. Thus it is called asymmetrical encryption. It
is a one way system of encryption, requiring the corresponding (secret)
key to decrypt. PGP is simplicity itself to install and use. I recommend
you use one of the Cyber-Knights versions.


For your normal hard drive encryption, you will need a symmetrical type of
encryption program. The same key is used for both encryption and
decryption. Scramdisk is especially good because it is an "On-The-Fly"
(OTF) type of program. This means that it only decrypts on an as needed
basis into RAM memory. More about this later in the FAQ.


4. Why are there two versions of PGP, RSA and Diffie-Hellman/DSS?


RSA is registered in the United States (but not elsewhere) and a license
is required to use it and so it is not included with the freeware versions
from the official PGP site. The Cypherpunk remailers still support RSA and
if only for this reason, if you intend using these remailers, you will need
RSA. For more information about these differences you should visit the PGP
site.


After 20th September 2000 the patent runs out on RSA and it will be freely
usable by anyone anywhere. If you want backward compatibility, which is
advisable as many people are sticking with RSA for one reason or another,
then make sure your version has RSA. The alternative Cyber-knights site
shown above, has complete versions with RSA and DH/DSS compatibilities.
Additionally, the Cyber-knights versions come with PGPDisk.


5.Which version should I use?


I used to suggest you base your choice on whether you were going to use the
anonymous remailers or not. Now I am more hesitant. A weakness has been
identified in the Windows versions of PGP, whether you have generated RSA
or Diffie-Hellman keys.


This weakness is caused by the newer Windows versions of PGP as developed
by NAI (the owners of PGP) to allow an Additional Decrypt Key (ADK). The
purported reason for ADK is to allow corporations to ensure they have a
back door entry into all PGP messages sent by their staff.


The weakness allows a sophisticated hacker (such as a Government Agency) to
add their own ADK to your public key without your version of PGP alerting
you to this when you decrypt incoming messages. Thus all messages sent to
you by anyone at all, could be read as if they were plaintext by this
hacker, provided they could intercept your mail (easily done if sent via
your normal ISP as most people do).


Note: ADK's cannot be added to remailer keys because they use the older
Dos 2.6X version of PGP. This is why I strongly recommend that this be
your preferred version for the time being. It is more of a hassle to use,
but this can be minimized if you use a program such as Quicksilver or JBN2
see later in the FAQ).


So far the only fix published by NAI is to remove the ability to determine
that this has happened to a key. I believe it prevents you from encrypting
to the ADK within a public key, but apparently gives no defence against
receiving and decrypting a tampered key. By which time it is too late.
In other words you can only do so much to protect yourself. You cannot, it
seems, prevent someone tampering with your public key that may be on a key
server. If someone then adds this key to their public keyring and uses it
to send you Email, it is too late.


I believe this is appalling customer support by NAI. Many people will lose
faith in what was considered a truly marvellous product.


There are some minimal measures you can take to protect yourself.
Meanwhile my strong recommendation is to use the older Dos version 2.6X.


6. What are these "minimal measures"?


If you have PGP for microsoft windows, open the pgpkeys window and select
the menu item "View ->ADK". This will add a column named ADK to the
keylist. No remailer keys should have ADKs of any kind, so the symbols for
all the remailer keys should be gray circles. A circle of a different
color indicates the presence of an ADK.


Now select edit->preferences. Click on the advanced tab. Now select
"warn when encrypting to keys with an ADK".


Meanwhile, my advice is to get the Cyber-Knights version irrespective of
whether you wish to use the Windows or the Dos version. All versions
are on their site.


Remailers only use version PGP2.6.x to generate their keys. This generates
a "version 3" key which does not support ADKs. If someone were to add an
ADK it would change the key fingerprint and invalidate the key.


Therefore, the safest approach is to use the older Dos version 2.6X in
conjunction with the remailers through a Nym server. To do this you must
create a Nym (anonymous name).


Before attempting to create a Nym, read the Nym FAQ.


7. Where can I get the Nym FAQ?


Send Email to: h...@nym.alias.net - without a subject or body text. This
is essential reading before you set up a Nym.


8. I have Windows 95/98, am I safe?


Windows is not a security orientated program. One simple method of
improving your computer security is to disable the Windows swapfile. To
ensure reliable operation and dependant on what programs you run, you may
need several hundred megabytes of RAM. If you are serious about your
privacy, I would recommend investing in as much RAM as you can afford and
turn off the swapfile. I suggest a minimum of 128 Megs and preferably
double or even quadruple that.


9. Apart from the Swapfile, what else can Windows reveal to a snooper?


User.dat can reveal all sorts of interesting things about your computer
habits. Take a peek by opening in Notepad or Wordpad. Press CTRL-F (i.e.
the Control key and the F key together). Type in the box, X:\ (or whatever
drive letter you use to store any critical data). Press "Find" and
continue throughout the file. Alternatively, you could input .jpg, or .avi,
etc - you get the idea. You cannot edit this file in Notepad or Wordpad -
do not even think of it! The correct way to edit this file is by using
regedit.exe. My experience suggests you will not be able to easily remove
embarrassing entries.


If you find information that you would rather not be there, I suggest either
restoring from an earlier backup of these files, or simply bite on the
bullet and re-format your hard drive. This is extreme, but may be the only
alternative. At least you then start with a clean slate.


Remember the format command: Format c: /s (it is vitally important that
you include the /s to install the system files). Obviously back up your
data, Email address book, etc., etc., before proceeding.


Dependant on how paranoid you are, after formatting you may choose to first
install "Zapempty" or another Dos based free space wipe utility and run it
a few times before you start installing Windows, etc. Formatting your
drive does not clean out any old data. It is still there and can be
recovered with specialist software.


Zapempty is here: http://www.sky.net/~voyageur/wipeutil.htm


If you have not previously used encryption and/or you have contentious
material lying around in plaintext form in all sorts of supposedly hidden
places on your system, my strong recommendation is for you to re-format
your hard drive and then run Zapempty before you install Windows and all
your program.


Assuming you have a clean system to start with, you can then proceed with
creating all your encrypted drives and sub-folders within those drives and
finally installing all the programs you intend using.


Later in the FAQ I will show you a system which keeps your registry files
(system.dat and user.dat) sanitized.


10. Are there other OTF programs, apart from Scramdisk?


Yes. There are several, e.g. PGPDisk which comes with the Cyber-knights
version of PGP, also there is BestCrypt.


My program of preference has now narrowed down to Scramdisk 3. This is a
superlative program and should offer all anyone could wish for in a crypto
program. It is now simplicity itself to install and use. Creation of
encrypted containers is straight forward with the excellent install wizard.


As yet the source code has not been released for version 3. If this
bothers you, use version 2 which has had its code released.


11. Why is Scramdisk your preferred OTF program?


Because both PGPDisk and BestCrypt reveal themselves within their encrypted
containers as encrypted files. This is in the headers in plaintext and
easily read by any snoop program. Scramdisk on the other hand does not
reveal any information at all. The encrypted file is just random hash from
beginning to end. It could be garbage for all anyone knows. Perhaps even
more importantly, Scramdisk allows steganography. This is the science of
hiding encrypted data within another totally innocuous and legitimate file.


12. Why is this so important?


For level 1 security it isn't. But it is essential for level 2 secuirty
where you wish to hide the fact that you may be using encryption.


13. What about all the other programs, Safe Folder, Puffer, E4M, etc., etc?


Sorry, I only write about those programs I have actually used and trust.
There are always many alternatives with more appearing all the time. By all
means experiment for yourself. I recommend you visit Sarah Deane's site and
read her comparisons of the various crypto programs. At the time of writing
Sarah has yet to comment on Scramdisk 3. She has reviewed Scramdisk 2.


Go here:


http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/t ... htm#Over...


14. Which Algorithm is best, particularly as Scramdisk offers 8?


PGPDisk only offers you CAST. Scramdisk does offer a choice of eight
different encryption algorithms. I recommend Blowfiish. To ensure
security, you must take care over your choice of passphrase. This is the
most likely weakness with most people. Always make it long. Remember,
every extra character you enter makes a dictionary search for the right
phrase twice as long. Scramdisk ultimately limits the strength of Blowfish
(or whichever algorithm you choose) to 160 bits. This is because the hash
program it uses, SHA1, outputs a maximum of 160 bits. You will find that
the passphrase input page for Scramdisk shows 4 lines for inputting your
passphrase. Each line can hold a maximum of 40 characters. Thus a
maximum of a 160 character passphrase is possible. Remember a character
is equal to slightly more than 1 bit. Most people will use a somewhat
shorter passphrase, but I would recommend that you at the least spread your
passphrase across the four lines, even if you do not fill each line.


15. Why?


Because any passphrase cracker cannot find the correct key until it has
exhausted a key width search as wide as the last character you enter. A
strong hint that you should make sure the last character of your passphrase
is well along the bottom line! For higher security you should spread it
around on all four lines, that is why they are there.


Be sure that if any serious snooper wants to view your secret data, they
will find a way without wasting their time attempting a brute force attack
upon your Scramdisk container. In some countries rubber hose cryptography
may be the rule. Anybody living in such a country needs level 2 security
at the very least. In some "civilized" countries there are more sinister
methods, such as tempest or the use of a trojan which require level 3
security (see later in FAQ). In the UK they are offering you a 2-year
prison sentence as an inducement to reveal your secret passphrase. If you
claim you have forgotten it, you will need to prove it. (Don't ask me to
explain this nonsence, please). So much for the right of silence and
innocent until proven guilty. The UK now operates a method of key escrow
on a par with Zimbabwe.


16. I have heard that there are programs that HIDE and Encrypt, are these
any good?


Snake oil! They are not even worth considering for level 1 security. These
programs can easily be circumvented. A forensic examination of your
computer is a daunting prospect.


17. What about simple file by file encryption?


You could use the Windows version of PGP. It comes with PGP Tools, which
will allow you to encrypt any file on your computer. Only encrypt these
single files on the assumption of a level 1 security.


18.. Do I need to wipe as opposed to simply deleting files within the
Scramdisk or PGPDisk drive?


If the encrypted container is sufficiently secure for your normal files, it
must obviously be secure for deleted files. Therefore, it is unnecessary
to wipe files within the encrypted drive.


19. Do I need to wipe an unwanted Scramdisk container?


Depends. I used to say, yes. But if you are truly confident of the
strength of your passphrase, then just delete it. However, if you are
prone to worry about such things, better to wipe it and be truly safe.
Wiping will ensure that the encrypted keyfile material at the head of the
file is over-written.


It is only strictly necessary to wipe the first 10K of the file to ensure
this.


20. Can I use Disk compression to increase the apparent size of the drive?


No. Encrypted data is random and therefore not compressible. It might be
possible to compress the data prior to encryption, but this option is not
presently supported by Scramdisk.


21. Can I encrypt a floppy with Scramdisk?


Yes. Scramdisk 3 has the very useful option of allowing you to choose to
fill all disk space. This applies to hard drives as well as floppies.
You can even run Scramdisk off a floppie in what is called "Traveller" mode.


In this mode there are no Scramdisk related VxD or INI files on your hard
drive to worry about.


22. Does using Encryption slow things up?


There is a small speed penalty because your computer has to encrypt to write
to disk and decrypt to read from it. In practice on a modern machine, using
the Blowfish cipher, the encryption is totally transparent in normal use.


23. Do I need a PGP passphrase if I store my keyrings within my encrypted
drive?


It is good security practice to use a passphrase, but for level 1 or 2
security, probably not essential provided you always backup these keyrings
onto another encrypted container.


If you need level 3 security, you must choose a passphrase for your secret
PGP keyring.


24. Why the difference?


Because level 3 security is intended to ensure your secret data are safe if
attempts are made to hack into your computer whilst online or if your
computer is compromized in your absence.


25. How do I go about encrypting to a volume or to a partition?


Read the fine manual. When generating an encrypted volume, you decide the
size up to 4 Gigabytes (with Win95/98) and its name. When generating an
encrypted partition, you will need a separate partition on your hard drive.


The maximum size of this partition is as large as you wish (for Win98),
certainly larger than any hard drive presently in use by a home user. If
there are files and folders in the proposed partition, they will be lost
upon encrypting.


26. I use Mac, OS2, Linux, NT, Win2000 (fill in your choice), what about
me?


Sorry. Scramdisk is only available for Win95/98 at present. NT/Win2000
and Linux version have been promised... Meanwhile you could look here:


For NT ...


use the NT version of PGPDisk
"Sentry" http://www.softwinter.com/sdown.html


For the Mac ...


PGPDisk http://www.nai.com/default_pgp.asp
CryptDisk http://www.primenet.com/~wprice/cdisk.html


27.. How can I ensure I do not leave traces of unwanted plaintext files on
my system?


Try Evidence Eliminator. Apart from its unfortunate name, it is remarkably
efficient at finding lost temp files and info. But I am concerned at its
registry cleaning. I found it unconvincing with older entries.


Get it here: http://www.evidence-eliminator.com (30 day trial period on offer).


In addition to using Evidence Eliminator, I suggest you also clean up your
registry after each session. To do this you should first run Evidence
Eliminator to remove backups of the registry. Create a folder called
C:\registry. Now copy System.dat and User.dat to C:\registry. Highlight
both files, right mouse click and select "properties". Uncheck "hidden",
click "apply" and "OK".


Using Notepad, write the following batch file, call it W.bat. After every
session you should close Windows and restart in Dos mode and run it in Dos
to be effective. If used in combination with Evidence Eliminator, it
should ensure a clean hard drive.


w.bat =


cd c:\Windows


attrib -r -s -h user.dat
scorch [user.dat]
copy c:\registry\user.dat c:\Windows
attrib +r +s +h user.dat


attrib -r -s -h system.dat
scorch [system.dat]
copy c:\registry\system.dat c:\Windows
attrib +r +s +h system.dat


scour


................


Read the accompanying documentation for these utilities before using them.


Scorch and scour are available here:


http://www.bonaventura.free-online.co.uk/


Note: Scour can take for ages if you have lots of files and a large
drive. A possibly more practical solution is to use Scour once to ensure
both your file ends and your free space on your drive are clean and then
substitute "Zapempty" for future wipes.


After finishing a session, and running the above batch, always shut down
completely. This means a cold re-boot for the next session. This ensures
that your RAM memory is wiped clean, otherwise with a warm boot it may write
back user.dat with the data you had sanitized. A simple check is to watch
whether your system tests its RAM memory. If it does, it has been flushed.


Remember, pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del will not flush the RAM memory.


The above may seem rather irksome. It is. Blame Bill Gates, not me! If
you are really seriously in need of privacy, I strongly recommend you bother
to do this housekeeping.


It is still theoretically possible to recover such over-written data, but it
must necessarily involve a lot of bother and expense. Only likely to be
used in very serious circumstances. Even then, whatever is recovered will
only hint at what may be hidden elsewhere.


28. What programs do I put in my newly created Encrypted Drive?


You need to take care over which programs to choose. Some news readers and
image Viewers and Emailers can write critical information to your Registry.


For what it's worth, here are my choices for these critical programs:


(A) Freedom from Zero Knowledge available here:


Freedom from Zero Knowledge: http://www.freedom.net/


Freedom is an excellent way to ensure your online activities are screened
from prying eyes. It works seamlessly with the following programs to
ensure your Email, News posting and Web browsing are secure and totally
anonymous.


(B) Agent (or FreeAgent) for the newsreader, and basic Emailing.


Agent is here: http://www.forteinc.com


(C) For your Email I have 3 different recommendations:


i. Agent, as mentioned above


i.. Quicksilver, available here: quicksilver.skuz.net/


iii. JBN2, here: members.tripod.com/~l4795/jbn/index.html


Agent is simple and very easy to use. It can only be used for plaintext
Emails on its own, but will work seamlessly with Freedom to decrypt incoming
Emails (see later in FAQ). It also works with both Freedom and a remote
host server (see later in FAQ) for posting anonymously.


Quicksilver is recommended for secure Email. It does not yet support Nym
creation, but it will work seamlessly with Freedom to decrypt incoming
Emails. (see later in FAQ).


JBN2 is an excellent stand alone program for Nym creation and decryption of
Email and news postings sent via the anonymous remailer network. It does
not appear to work with Freedom to decrypt incoming Freedom encrypted Email.


(D) For browsing I like Netscape Gold the best. You can direct it to
locate its Bookmarks file on the encrypted drive. The later versions want
to create user profiles and worse want to put them in exposed folders. They


are also very dependant on Java and ActiveX.


Warning! Be sure to disable Java with Netscape.


I most strongly urge you NOT to use Microsoft Internet Explorer. It will
insist on keeping things within Windows in many hidden folders. This is
especially the case for MS Mail and MS News and Outlook. Of course, you can
always use MSIE as a normal browser on your desktop for non-critical
browsing and Email, should you wish.


Warning! This browser should not be used for anonymous surfing.


(E) Use ACDSee as your viewer. If you use the cache facility, make certain
that you set it up within your encrypted drive. This allows easy previewing
of thumbprints and click and zoom to examine image quality.


ACDSee is here: go.acdnet.com


Two alternatives are:


Thumbs Plus, at http://www.cerious.com and
VuePro, at: http://www.hamrick.com


Each of these 3 programs has some advatage over the others. Choose
whichever best suits your needs.


(F) Many files are compressed. The most popular is Zip. I recommend
obtaining a copy of WinZip from here: http://www.winzip.com. Or, do a
search for PKunzip which is freeware, I believe.


(G) Any person who browses the Net should ensure they have a good virus
detector. There are many to choose from, some are freeware, others are
shareware or commercial ware. I use Norton's only because it allows me to
update the virus list online. Useful and so easy.


(H) Get a firewall. I recommend Zonealarm which is free.


Note: ZoneAlarm appears to be only partially compatible with Freedom.
Fortunately Freedom incorporates its own firewall. ZoneAlarm will function
with Freedom if the security settings are set to their mid positions. Not
full protection, but together with Freedom's own firewall it should be
sufficient. You also need to set "allow server" and "pass lock" for
Freedom. Fortunately it still warns if any program attempts to connect to
the Net, thus it will protect against most trojan activity. But not those
that have modified an already acceptable program.


Get it here: http://www.zonelabs.com/zonealarmnews.htm


29. How can I ensure my temporary files do not give away info?


My earnest advice is to invest in more RAM memory and turn off the swapfile
If this is not possible then at least take the bother to wipe it after every
session. Do not attempt to do this from within Windows. It is impossible
to reliably clean out the swapfile when Windows is still running. I have
experimented with various wipe utilities, including the one with PGP. The
best I have found is Scorch. To use this utility, you will need to make
the swapfile permanent. I like Scorch because it generates random garbage
when over-writing; it does not simply use strings of 111's or 000's.


30. How do I make the swapfile permanent?


In Windows, go to My Computer -> Control panel -> System -> Performance ->
Virtual memory. Click "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings".
Enter identical settings in both boxes. I suggest 150 Mbytes. Click OK.
Windows will tell you what you've done and complain and ask you if you are
sure you wish to continue, click YES.. Windows will then want to re-boot.
Allow it to do so. After re-booting you can see the file in Windows
Explorer as Win386.SWP.


31. Is there really much difference security-wise between using RAM memory
instead of a permanent swapfile?


Definitely. No matter how many times you wipe the swapfile, it is still
possible to recover the over-written data, if enough effort is put into it.
Whereas, using the RAM memory ensures that nothing is written to disk at
all. This totally circumvents this problem because once the computer is
switched off all data in RAM memory is lost forever.


It also has the merit of safe crash close if you are raided.


All of the above is sufficient for a level 1 security.


Level 2.. This is for those who not only wish to hide their private data,
but wish to hide the fact that they have such data. This might be an
essential requirement for anyone who lives in an inquisitorial police state
where human rights are dubious, or where there is no equivalent to the
United States 5th Amendment.


32. What more must I do to achieve level 2 Security?


For level 2, it is essential that you can show plausible deniability for
all files that might contain encrypted data. The purpose is to be able to
justify every file on your system. This section will help you to achieve
this higher level of security.


The latest version of Scramdisk allows installation in "Traveller" mode.
This could be very useful provided you can effectively hide the floppy.
If you cannot hide it securely, you might as well install it onto your hard
drive. Scramdisk does not write to the registry but it puts 2 extra files
onto your comuter, a VxD file within the Windows\System\Iosubsys folder and
if you use any of the options, such as red screen mode, Scramdisk.ini which
is added to the Windows folder.


33. How can I show plausible deniability if I have Scramdisk installed on
my computer?


By having two (or more) parallel encrypted containers. Each is a mirror of
the other as far as the regular programs are concerned (because their
presence may be registered by Windows anyway). The only difference between
the two containers is one is a steganographic container (which contains
your truly secret data) and the other is a decoy. This could contain some
mildy censorious material or just private files.


It is important to set up each encrypted container to use the same preferred
drive letter, I suggest X:, but choose the same letter to ensure consistency
with your truly secret encrypted container. Of course, only one drive X:
can be open at a time. If you open another container, the drive letter will
default to something different.


34. Can an encrypted container be identified as a Scramdisk volume?


Not with Scramdisk 3. When a Scramdisk container is created, a random key
material is made. The size is 1024 bytes for initialization vectors and
whitening values plus the encryption key length. This material is encrypted
with a SHA1 hash from the passphrase and saved at offset 0. A backup of
this key material is made at offset 6144, but this backup is now hashed a
second time. This double encryption makes it entirely different to the
original copy of the header. The reason for this second header is to ensure
your data can be recovered should the first header become corrupted for any
reason. The program offers you this option at any time. This is just one
small example of the thoroughness with which this program has been written.


The Author of Scramdisk is owed an enormous debt of gratitude by the
Internet Cyber fraternity. I am a little hesitant to offer his name, as I
know he prefers his privacy. Those who frequent alt.security.scramdisk
will know him well. He even freely supports his program. Confidence
inspiring indeed.


35. How does Steganography work?


Steganography is the science of hiding files within other files often
graphics or sound files. Scramdisk's steganography feature requires a
sound file with the WAV extension. Once created this extension must not
be changed or Scramdisk will not be able to access the file. There is
no need to attempt to hide the genuine sound file. The purpose is to
have a genuine WAV file and to effectively hide the encrypted volume within
it. This is without doubt the safest form of hiding the container.
Scramdisk will allow 4 Gigabytes maximum size of encrypted container. To
hide the encrypted container, a WAV file of at least double that size is
necessary and preferably four times that size. This enormous size of WAV
file is very difficult to justify. Small encrypted containers of around
20 megabytes or so are easily hidden, but very large WAV files are not
usually easily justifiable, but I explain later how to achieve a somewhat
larger container than might otherwise be justified.


Scramdisk is fussy with regard to the type of WAV file. It must be to
Windows PCM (WAV) format. There are several WAV formats, but only a
Windows PCM WAV type will work. One easy way to create a usable format is
by "ripping" the track off a normal CD. If you use AudioGrabber it will
copy any or all tracks off a CD and save them as PCM WAV files. For
maximum security I advise using the 25 per cent density option offered by
Scramdisk, rather than the 50 percent option.


AudioGrabber is here: http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/


36. Why choose 25 instead of 50 per cent density?


A CD is in 16 bit format which theoretically can achieve 96 decibels signal
to noise ratio. If you choose to encrypt up to 50 per cent density, it
means your signal to noise ratio will drop to 8 bits, or 48 decibels. This
is definitely noticeable as a background hiss. Whereas, if you opt for 25
per cent density, you retain a 72 decibel signal to noise ratio which may be
higher than your sound card - thus unnoticeable without scientifically
examining your file against the original. Of course a forensic examination
of this WAV file will show it is not a true copy from the CD.


37. Then surely if I use an ordinary CD I could be discovered?


True. It is certainly possible to compare the low level data of the original
CD with your steganographically encrypted one and decide they are not
identical. This would suggest your container may contain encrypted data.


38. I need far greater security than this, what can I do?


For the absolute highest security, you should make your own recording. To
ensure genuine plausible deniability, I suggest recording at least two
sessions off the radio. These should be recorded in WAV format and stego
encrypted. The original recordings should be destroyed. Your stego
encrypted copies are now the originals. Nobody can possibly prove
otherwise.


For all anybody knows the original achieved 72 decibels signal to noise
ratio. If they were recorded off air, they will likely be less than 72
decibels signal to noise ratio. This is of no matter. In fact the noisier
the better in some ways. If you choose this option, do not install
Audiograbber. Assume ignorance about the advantages of compressing a WAV
file down to Mpeg format.


Remember, if you need a very large (Gigabytes) sized container, you will
need a long continuous session. A WAV file will offer you about 10
Megabytes of file size per minute of recording. This is very wasteful
thankfully) and is the main reason for the emergence of Mpeg files on the
Internet.


Most important! Do not make a straight forward backup of this WAV file.
As the future contents of the backup and the ongoing will not necessarily be
identical, then neither will their hexadecimal encrypted data recorded
openly for examination! Software may be available which could look for
identically named files, with differing low level data. Such files will
immediately raise suspicions that they may be carriers for stego encrypted
data. This is my reason for suggesting recording at least two separate
sessions. These recordings need not be similar in content, just
approximately similar in length.


39. How do I make this recording?


Use CoolEdit. But it only supports a maximum of around 2 Gigabytes file
size. This need not be an insurmountable problem, if you create several
such WAV files.


Hint: If you create 2 Gigabyte sized files and use 25 percent stego you
have neat 500 Meg batches of data, a convenient size for burning onto a
previously created encrypted CD-RW disk. But it is absolutely essential to
keep these backups/copies away from your computer.


Make sure that your recording is saved as a Windows pcm wav file. There
are many options available, but only this format will work with Scramdisk.
Cooledit allows you to choose this format from a choice of many when saving.


Get CoolEdit here: http://www.syntrillium.com


40. I need a much larger container than I can create with CoolEdit, what
about me?


I cannot help. I believe Scramdisk is being further developed to include
a multi file access facility. If I am right, this means you could have a
folder of hundreds of files as stego carriers. Each would hold a varying
proportion of the full Scramdisk container. With distributed stego, it
might allow very large Scramdisk containers. But until that happens, here
is a suggestion from an anonymous reader of this FAQ:


Make your Windows swapfile permanent. Then direct this permanent Windows
swapfile to a different folder. Now create a very large encrypted container
of the same size as your permanent Windows swapfile in the root folder of
your C: drive. The encrypted container must be named "win386.swp" (without
the quotes of course). There is no reason why you should not create a
permanent swapfile as large as you wish, but remember it will take as long
to wipe at the end of your session.


You can justify this file by claiming it was left there after you decided to
move your swapfile to a different folder. I am reluctant to offer too many
ideas here. By publishing too many hints, it waters down the credibility.
Think for yourself what you wish to achieve.


Warning: Do not create encrypted containers with file extensions such as
EXE or DLL, or any extension which applies to a well known type of file.
This is because such files have easily tested characteristics and the
absence of these characteristics will immediately raises suspicions about
the file.


People who create such encrypted files are fooling nobody but themselves.


41. Which is recommended, a container or a partition?


For level 2 security, go for a container.


42. Why?


Although an encrypted partition disappears off the Windows/Dos system, its
presence is easily determined by a snooper. Remember, Scramdisk itself
reveals it. It even names it as a Scramdisk volume! So definitely not
recommended for level 2 security. But there is no reason why you should
not use it as your decoy encrypted volume.


43. Are there any other advantages to Scramdisk?


One big advantage of Scramdisk is it never returns any errors if a snooper
is trying to test each of your files. The only way it shows any response
is when the correct passphrase has been input against the correct file.
Nothing else happens, no errors, no screens warning you that the passphrase
is wrong, or it is not a Scramdisk encrypted volume. Likewise, with WAV
files, there is no feedback to help a snooper isolate a file for further
study. With upwards of 10,000 files on a modern computer, this suggests an
uphill struggle at the very least. Yet another small but useful tweak, it
always starts in the same folder that the executable file is installed, so
it never leads any snooper to the last file that was accessed. This only
applies if Scramdisk is re-started afresh, it does retain a memory of the
last file accessed if left open.


44. Are there any other precautions I should take?


Make copies of all your PGP keys, a textile of all your passwords and
program registration codes, copies of INI files for critical programs,
secret Bank Account numbers and anything else that is so critical your life
would be inconvenienced if it were lost. These individual files should all
be stored in a folder called "Safe" on your encrypted drive. Encrypt a
floppy with Scramdisk using your stego passphrase and copy this folder onto
the floppy.


Whenever you update "Safe", you should also update your floppy backup to
ensure synchronization. Now copy the Zip file for the Scramdisk program
onto another floppy - DO NOT ENCRYPT THIS SECOND FLOPPY! Both these
floppies should be kept apart from your computer in case of theft, fire or
authoritarian interference.


To retain a level 2 security they should be entrusted to a good friend for
safe custody. Under no circumstances can they be kept on the same premises
as your computer or you have compromised your level 2 security.


In the United Kingdom there is a nasty piece of legislation called the
"Regulation of Investigatory Powers" Bill (RIP). One of the particularly
obnoxious clauses threatens you with 5 years imprisonment if you tell anyone
you are being investigated. You should set up a pre-arranged phraseology
with your trusted friend on a form of words to be used should your privacy
ever be compromized. I will leave it to each individual to think through
their own choices here. Naturally, only applicable to those unfortunates
who live in that country.


The above is sufficient for Level 2 security.


Level 3. This is for those who not only need all that is offered by level
2, but additionally wish to protect their computer from unauthorized access.
Protecting themselves from hackers whilst online and snoopers who may try
and compromise either their software or add substitute software that could
reveal their secret passphrases. These tactics are known as tempest and
trojan attacks and are described below.


45. I need Level 3 Security, how do I achieve this?


Please be aware that level 3 security will involve you in considerably
more bother. It may also be argued that this is the territory of the
seriously paranoid and not worthy of concern to ordinary folk. Possibly
true. But it is offered in good faith and it is for each individual to
decide on their personal needs.


46. What other threats are there?


There is always the risk of a Tempest or a Trojan attack.


47. What is a Tempest attack?


Tempest is an acronym for Transient ElectroMagnetic Pulse Emanation
Surveillance. This is the science of monitoring at a distance electronic
signals carried on wires or displayed on a monitor. Although of only slight
significance to the average user, it is of enormous significance to serious
cryptography snoopers. To minimize a tempest attack you should screen all
the cables between your computer and your accessories, particularly your
monitor. A non CRT monitor screen such as those used by laptops offers a
considerable reduction in radiated emissions, so may be considered by the
truly paranoid. More serious (more paranoid?) users may wish to consider
screening their room. This sounds absurd but is routine with certain
Government Agencies.


48. What is a Trojan?


A trojan (from the Greek Trojan Horse), is a hidden program that monitors
your key-strokes and then either copies them to a secret folder for later
recovery or ftp's them to a server when you next go online. This can be
done without your knowledge unless you are monitoring the data exchange
between your computer and your ISP. Such a trojan can be secretly placed
on your computer (suggesting poor security management) or picked up on your
travels on the Net. It might be sent by someone hacking into your computer
whilst you are online.


49. How do I protect myself from a Trojan?


You will need a firewall and a program to monitor Internet accesses by any
program on your computer.


50. Which programs do you recommend:


I have already recommended you get a firewall, ZoneAlarm. This will also
double as the program monitor. Unfortunately ZoneAlarm will not work in
its usual high security setting with Freedom from Zero knowledge and SSH
together. It will work, but only on its middle security setting. You must
also ensure you have checked "allow server" and "paas lock" against both
Freedom and SSH. This is not such a drawback because it still offers good
protection, but more importanly will alert you if a trojan on your computer
tries to ftp to some site. Taken together with Freedom's built-in firewall,
nothing appears to be lost.


ZoneAlarm is here: http://www.zonelabs.com/zonealarmnews.htm


To understand how important this firewall is, visit Steve Gibson's site.


Steve's site: grc.com/


Go to the "Test my Shields" and "Probe my Ports" pages.


You can test ZoneAlarm and Freedom for yourself.


51. What can Scramdisk offer to help minimize a Tempest attack?


Use its Red Screen mode. Also, once a container is mounted, click on the
middle icon to clear all cached passphrases. This is my only serious
criticism of Scramdisk - it does not by default immediately clear the cache.


52. Tell me about Scramdisk's "Red Screen" mode?


This is a very useful feature of Scramdisk. The "Red Screen" mode inputs
the passphrase at a very low level which helps defeat a tempest or trojan
attack to capture your on screen passphrase. This is only available if you
have a standard Qwerty keyboard. Europeans or Asiatics with non-standard
keyboards cannot use this facility because the character layout at low level
is not the same as displayed by the keyboard. A possible solution with only
partially non-standard keyboards might be to try it using only figures and
letters. An easy method to test this is to create a test Scramdisk volume
using the normal passphrase screen, then attempt to open it in Red Screen
mode. Most of the differences between European keyboards are in the shifted
characters above the figures. In which case a compromise might be reached
if you use a figures and letters only passphrase. If this works, I would
choose a figures and letters only passphrase of at least 40 characters in
length. Of course the longer the better.


53. How important is the passphrase?


Vitally important. It is almost certainly the weakest link in the
encryption chain with most home/amateur users. I provide links at the end
of the FAQ, some of these should either help directly or give further links
about how to create an effective passphrase.


54. How can I prevent someone using my computer when I am away?


Very difficult. With floppy boot disabled in bios and a bios password
enabled and a Windows password, there are still ways and means of gaining
access. Regrettably, there is no easy answer, short of locking it away.
One possible way is to have a removable hard drive and keep the drive in a
secure place away from your computer. Note, this means your hard drive C:
needs to be removable. Little or nothing is gained by keeping your
encrypted drives on Zip or Jaz removable media because a trojan could still
be deposited on your hard drive.


One way that can help thwart someone actually depositing a trojan on your
machine is by PGP signing the registry keys and ZoneAlarm.


55. How do I do this?


The easiest way is by using the Windows version of PGP to check the validity
of each critical file that a snooper may try and compromise to obtain your
secret passphrases. You do this by digitally signing each of the following
files:


Regedit.exe, system.ini, system.dat, User.dat, win.ini, ole2.dll (found in
Windows\System folder), Zonealarm.exe (from the Zonealarm folder),
oneband.dll and from C:\ autoexec.bat, config.sys, sys.ini and msdos.sys.


PGP offers you by default the option of a detached signature, use that
option. It surely goes without saying that you do not use any of your
secret Nym keys for signing these files. You should have generated a key
pair for general use, which is for just this sort of purpose.. This key is
to level 1 security only, so use a different passphrase to the one you use
for your stego Scramdisk container. It could be the same as your decoy
Scramdisk container, of course. There is no reason to choose a simple one,
the more complex it is, the more plausible and value you appear to place in
the security of your decoy container. Anyway, it must be complex if it is
to protect your sig files.


After signing each file, you will see a new file appear with the identical
file name but with the tag ".sig" attached. If you click on this new file,
it will display the signature validity of the file it is checking. If the
signed file has been tampered with in any way, it will display "bad
signature".


Copy all the above files, including their detached digital sigs into
C:\registry.


After copying across highlight all these files, right mouse click and select
"properties". Uncheck "hidden", click "apply" and "OK". These are your
backups for future use, it will do no harm to keep copies of all these files
together with their detached sigs within your (secret) encrypted drive.


Next, make shortcuts of every single detached sig that applies to the
original files (not the backup copies) and place these shortcuts in the
Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up folder.


Both system.dat and user.dat are dynamic registry files that change on boot
and during use. To ensure authentication on boot, first make a backup of
your autoexec.bat file, call it autoexec.001 (or whatever). Now add the
following lines to your autoexec.bat file:


cd c:\windows
attrib -r -s -h system.dat
scorch [system.dat]
copy c:\registry\system.dat c:\windows
attrib +r +s +h system.dat


attrib -r -s -h user.dat
scorch [user.dat]
copy c:\registry\user.dat c:\windows
attrib +r +s +h user.dat


Scorch is available here: http://www.bonaventura.free-online.co.uk/


This will put clean copies of system.dat and user.dat are put into the
Windows folder before each boot. This will ensure that the PGP sig check
is done on the clean file, before Windows changes it (which it does as soon
as you start using any program).


Make a backup of this new autoexec.bat file, call it autoexec.new.


When you next start Windows it will then automatically display boxes showing
the result of testing these sigs against the original files. You now have a
reasonable chance of catching out any snooper who has actually physically
tampered with your machine in your absence. Your firewall should minimize
the risk of anyone tampering whilst you are online.


The shut down batch file is to ensure clean registry files are always
available for scrutiny by any snooper. The mods to your autoexec.bat file
serve a different purpose. They are there to ensure nothing has been
compromized on your computer in your absence.


The first of these is to ensure conformity with Level 1 security and the
second is to ensure conformity with Level 3.


56. What happens if I install any more programs?


Before doing an install of any new program, always shut down completely and
re-boot from cold. This ensures a clean registry before the new
installation.


Open your autoexec.001 (or whatever your named it) and save it as
autoexec.bat, overwriting the newer version. Now install the program and
re-boot. Immediately after re-booting you should copy user.dat and
system.dat into C:\registry, then digitally sign them. Remember to change
their attributes back to unhidden. Open autoexec.new in Notepad and save as
autoexec.bat, overwriting the existing one.


57. This sounds like an awful bother, is there a compromize way?


It is certainly a bother. If you are reasonably confident that your
computer is safe from unauthorized access in your absence, then you could
just PGP sign Zonealarm and its INI file. This at least reassures you that
it has not been hacked whilst you were online.


An attack on your system will come either from physical tampering in your
absence, or from hacking whilst online. Only you can decide on the first
risk. The attack whilst online is for Zonealarm to detect/reject. By
ensuring it has not itself been subverted, it should help your defenses.


58. Can you suggest any other precautions I should take to preserve my
privacy?


Always proceed on the assumption that you are about to be raided! This
means you should take the bother to run W.bat at the end of each session.
Always bother to check the registry signatures on boot. If any are bad,
check your ackups and immediately copy across. Then close down, run W.bat
and re-boot. This should ensure whatever had affected them has been
removed.


If, however, the signature(s) are still bad, I would strongly recommend you
do NOT open your encrypted drive. I would urge you to restore the whole of
your hard drive C: from a backup. It is essential that you maintain a
backup of this drive off site.


If you are not prepared to trust PGP to do its job properly, it is totally
pointless going to all this bother.


.......................................................................


Part 2 of 2.


This second part concentrates on security whilst online.


There are countless reasons why someone may need the reassurance of
anonymity. The most obvious is as a protection against an over-bearing
Government. Many people reside in countries where human rights are dubious
and they need anonymity to raise public awareness and publish these abuses
to the world at large. This part 2 is for those people and for the many
others who can help by creating smoke.


It is not just so-called Third World countries that we need to watch.


"Between 1993 to 1998, the United States conducted sustained diplomatic
activity seeking to persuade EU nations and the OECD to adopt their "key
recovery" system. Throughout this period, the US government insisted that
the purpose of the initiative was to assist law enforcement agencies.
Documents obtained for this study suggest that these claims wilfully
misrepresented the true intention of US policy. Documents obtained under the
US Freedom of Information Act indicate that policymaking was led exclusively
by NSA officials, sometimes to the complete exclusion of police or judicial
officials. For example, when the specially appointed US "Ambassador for
Cryptography", David Aaron, visited Britain on 25 November 1996, he was
accompanied and briefed by NSA's most senior representative in Britain, Dr
James J Hearn, formerly Deputy Director of NSA. Mr Aaron did not meet or
consult FBI officials attached to his Embassy. His meeting with British
Cabinet officials included NSA's representative and staff from Britain's
GCHQ, but police officers or justice officials from both nations were
excluded."


DEVELOPMENT OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY AND RISK OF ABUSE OF ECONOMIC
INFORMATION
(An appraisal of technologies for political control)


Publshed by:


European Parliament
Directorate General for Research
Directorate A
The STOA Programme


Secret agendas? Do not trust any Government to look after your privacy.
The only safe way is to look after it yourself. If this is what is
happening in the Western civilized world. Can you imagine what is going on
in the less restrained parts with oppressive regimes?


59. I subscribe to various news groups and receive Email that I want to
keep private, am I safe?


Whilst you are online anyone could be monitoring your account. If you live
in the British Isles be aware that all ISP's are required to keep logs of
your online activities, including which Web sites you visit. Shortly this
will be reinforced by MI5 who will be monitoring all Net activity 24 hours
per day!


The British Labour Government claim this Act is misunderstood and that it
will only be used against serious criminals.


Do you trust them? Do you trust any Government?


60. Can anything be done to prevent my ISP (or the authorities) doing this?


There are several things you can do. First of all subscribe anonymously to
an independent News Provider. Avoid using the default news provided by your
ISP. Apart from usually only containing a small fraction of all the
newsgroups and articles that are posted daily, your ISP is probably logging
all the groups you subscribe to.


You also need to protect yourself from snoopers whilst online. To do this
you need to encrypt your data-stream between your desktop and a remote host.


This host should preferably be sited in a different State or country to your
own.


You also need to ensure this remote host server cannot log your true IP
address.


61. I live in the United States why do I need to bother?


You don't need to. But your privacy and security is enhanced if you do,
particularly if you wish to ensure best possible privacy of posting to
Usenet. Also, it is quite likely that many routes around the globe, even
across the States may be routed through London. The Web is totally open.
Thus American Email, news postings, etc are just as liable to be read by MI5
and who knows what they will do with this information.


62. Ok, you've convinced me, how do I go about this?


You must use two programs. The first is to ensure you have an encrypted
link from your desktop to the distant (remote) server and the second wraps
a further layer of encryption around your data and additionally screens you
and your IP address from the remote server.


The two programs are SecureCRT from Vandyke and Freedom from Zeroknowledge.


SecureCRT is available here: http://www.vandyke.com/
It costs 99.00 USD. There is a 30 day trial.


In case you are confused by the choice of software on their page, you need
SecureCRT 3.1.1


SecureCRT uses several encryption algorithms within the SSH format.
I recommend Twofish or Blowfish. These are considerably faster than 3DES.


I used to recommend SSH from http://www.ssh.com, but regrettably I had all sorts
of problems trying to get it to work with Freedom. Freedom have told me
it is not compatible. Pity because it was free for non-commercial use.


C'est la vie!


Freedom from Zero Knowledge is here: http://www.freedom.net/


Freedom will cost around 50 US Dollars per year. There is a 30 day trial.
You can purchase anonymously (recommended).


63. How do these two programs function?


Freedom offers you up to 5 Nyms. Each is entirely separate from the
others, even Zero Knowledge do not know which belongs to who. Whilst a Nym
is selected, all data leaving your desktop is encrypted to the Freedom
server. This server need not be in your own country. In fact, I strongly
urge you to avoid all UK based Freedom servers.


This is stage one. Stage two uses SecureCRT. This is the program that
allows you to have an encrypted connection to a remote host.


Either program can operate independently of the other. Together, they
ensure your data is double encrypted to military grade. On its own,
Freedom supports private and anonymous Email and private and anonymous
posting to Usenet. It does not support private nor anonymous downloading
from Usenet.


But if you combine Freedom usage with SecureCRT, you will then also enjoy
private and anonymous downloading as well because Freedom assumes you are
connected to the Web and then protects you accordingly. So a further
justification for using both together.


It is not essential to buy these two programs anonymously. But a good idea
if you can.


64. Where do I find a remote host server that supports SSH Encryption?


There are possibly several, but I have had experience of only two:


Cyberpass (http://www.cyberpass.net) and Minder (http://www.minder.net).


Minder will allow you to use SSH2 (recommended for greater security)
Cyberpass will only function with the earlier SSH1.


Both hosts will work with Vandyke SecureCRT version 3.


Both Minder and Cyberpass will allow anonymous sign ups. This is strongly
recommended and is far more important than buying SecureCRT and Freedom
anonymously. You simply send them either a bankers order or cash. Please
check their Web sites for current costs, addresses and conditions. If you
send a Bankers Order, remember not to use your true address!


Minder do not allow relaying. This means it is impossible to use
Quicksilver with Minder acting as a proxy. So it is impossible to access
your Nym via Minder. You can use JBN2 with its own proxy route.


If you need a Nym (other than those provided by Freedom), better to choose
Cyberpass or use JBN2.


Speed of these servers can vary. I find Cyberpass the fastest, but others
may disagree.


65. So how do these two programs work?


You simply start Freedom and choose a Nym. Then start SecureCRT and log
into either Minder or Cyberpass, whichever you have signed up with.


Freedom uses a chain of servers which each allow encrypted connections
between them. The first server need not be your ISP. You set the
security level which can use 1. 2 or 3 stages or hops. The more hops the
greater the security but the slower the connection. These can be
independently set for each Nym. They can be changed at any time after
the Nym is created should you choose.


Importantly, each Nym requires a new key to be generated. Once created
the key is constant for that Nym. Thus by changing to another Nym during
a session (after logging off from the remote server), a new key will be
used to encrypt the data. This ensures disassociation between the Nyms.
This offers greater security and encourages you to change Nyms often if you
are online for a long period. Even more importantly, each time you select
a Nym a fresh Active Route is created. This is vitally important because
it allows many combinations, literally hundreds, of routes to the remote
host.


Full details of the protocols are freely published on the Freedom.net site.


I urge anyone contemplating using Freedom to first familiarize themselves
with these FAQ's.


SecureCRT is a dedicated encryption program using high grade encryption
from your desktop to a remote host server that supports the SSH format. It
is necessary to subscribe anonymously to this server to derive maximum
benefit fr

[max is gr8]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

[pennywise]

FALCONRY FAQ

This is the FAQ for alt.sport.falconry, alt.falconry, and
alt.sports.falconry.
This FAQ can be found at
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks/faqsetup.htm


Additional information on falconry can be found through three
listservers:
http://www.falconry.org/~btallon/listserver.html
http://www.theriver.com/Public/raptor/
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/CanadianFalconry


-andrea-
Master, San Mateo, California
fallingha...@earthlink.net Falconry and the alt.sport.falconry FAQ at
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks


Volvo - doing a public service by providing cars for the blind.
Reality, like space, is defined by a minimum of 3 points.


[ FAQ.txt ]
I. Introduction and Intent


The intent of this FAQ is to answer the basic questions
about falconry and to inform the reader about the
requirements and sacrifices that must be made to become a
falconer. The FAQ will also act as a pointer to other
sources of information that will further the education of the
reader and bring him/her into to contact with other people
that will be able to direct the person to falconers in
his/her area. This document will also try to cover common
questions that are frequently asked on the alt.sport.falconry
newsgroup. This FAQ is NOT intended to be a falconry manual
NOR will it cover every aspect of falconry. Such information
is better left to books on falconry written by experienced
falconers.


------------------------------


II. DISCLAIMER


This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this article, the
author/maintainer/contributors (take your pick) assume(s) no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages
resulting from the use of the information contained herein.


------------------------------


III. Table of Contents
A. Frequently Asked Questions.
1. What is falconry?
2. Who and what is alt.sport.falconry for?
3. Article:
Getting Started (In the USA) In Falconry, by Andrea
Chen
4. Who should I contact?
5. What are the federal and state laws that govern
falconry?
6. What are the laws on falconry in England,the
continent, and Canada?
a. Falconry in Italy.
b. Falconry in The Netherlands.
c. Falconry in South Africa.
7. Falcons vs. hawks. What's the difference?
8. Which birds of prey are used for falconry?
9. As an apprentice which birds are available to me?
10. Is it better to start with a Red-tail or a kestrel?
11. How and why are falconers using endangered species
for falconry?
12. Doesn't the trapping of wild birds damage the
natural populations?
13. Can anyone recommend specs. for a giant hood?
14. What is "Operation Falcon"?
15. Are there any suggested readings for a beginner or
for someone who is interested in falconry?
16. Do I have to be rich?
17. What are good sources for hood patterns?
18. What are good sources for making gloves and glove
patterns?


B. Internet Resources on Falconry.
1. Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ?
2. Are there any newsgroups on falconry?
3. Are there any WWW sites or URLs on falconry?
4. My site doesn't receive much news on
alt.sport.falconry. How come?


C. Appendices.
1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.
2. List of bookstores that carry books on falconry.
3. Listing of falconry clubs and organizations.
a. National and International organizations.
b. Falconry organizations in Canada.
c. Falconry organizations in the United Kingdom.
d. Falconry organizations in the United States.


4. The history of falconry.


The Alt.Sport.Falconry FAQ.


I'm looking for suggestions on questions, and people who are
willing to fill in the answers. Everyone will of course be
given credit for submissions.


------------------------------
A. Frequently Asked Questions.


1. What is falconry?


Falconry is the art and sport of training birds of prey,
mainly falcons, hawks, and buzzards, for hunting. The
main objective of the falconer is to train a bird to return
to the fist when called, and then to train the bird to hunt
with the falconer. Falconry is called a sport because it is
a type of hunting and is only successful when the bird,
falconer, and dogs work together as a team to capture
quarry. It is often referred to as an art because some of
the interaction with the bird, and interpretation of the
bird's behavior, is based on intuition.


2. Who and what is alt.sport.falconry for?


Alt.sport.falconry is for falconers and anyone that is
interested in or has questions about falconry and birds of
prey. Alt.sport.falconry is for the discussion of
falconry,the sharing of knowledge among falconers and anyone
interested in falconry, and to promote the sport of falconry
by educating the public.


------------------------------


3. Getting Started (In the USA) In Falconry, by Andrea Chen


THE COMMITMENT


If you think you want to be a falconer, the first thing
you must decide is whether you are committed enough. The
sport means at least an hour every day for 8 or 9 months a
year (and some people fly during the moult). You might not
quite make this, but you should seriously try to come close.
You conform your schedule to the bird's. You must want that
bird to have the best life possible while it's under your
care.


One of the higher compliments among falconers is
"meticulous". There are a million things you need to observe
and remember with the bird, its equipment, and what events
shape its development. If you are an impatient or edgy
person, this is not a good sport for you. If the bird
stresses you, makes you angry, it does (and it will), but you
must never take it out on the bird. Punishment does not work
with a bird of prey. You have to work with it and let it go
at its own pace.


You want to judge your capacity for meticulousness
before you start, because simply going out with falconers and
watching them hunt for a few hours on a weekend gives you NO
preparation for actually living and working with the hawk.


Falconry is not something you play with. It's arriving
home exhausted from a hard day's work with a mild case of the
flu, then trampling through mud and drizzle because you are
the bird's slave, you serve it. It is waiting for your bird
to come off a pole when you have a hot date. The divorce
rate among falconers is very, very high. The sport can pay
you back, but only if you are a certain sort of fanatic. It
is not about putting a bird on your arm to look cool.


ONE MORE THING...


If you get involved in falconry, you get involved in
something that some people find very offensive. I have only
met a few (out of hundreds of people who loved it), but they
can ruin your day, if not the entire week, and be played back
like a horror movie in your head years later. One of a
falconer's nightmares is of the "animal rights activists" who
have been known to "free" a bird with its leash and jesses
attached, and it gets caught up in a tree or phone line and
dies an awful death. Falconry involves a certain degree of
necessary paranoia.


AND DON'T BE STUPID


You may be tempted to avoid the state and go out and
trap your own bird. I would strongly recommend against it.
If you can't go through the trouble of doing it the legal
way, then you probably lack the patience and commitment
necessary for the sport.


The state test is not that difficult and it covers
things you need to know, such as diseases. Finding a sponsor
can be tough, but you really need somebody who knows the
ropes. There are a 101 things that can go wrong and if you
do something wrong it can mean the death of the bird. Having
a person with the real experience and knowledge available is
essential. Again, the books just don't cover a number of
things.


Unlicensed falconers are usually trouble. Some bird
lovers told me of a "falconer" who clipped the bird's wings
and talons. Of course this is not a falconer and most
falconers would recommend the death penalty, but you also
have cases of people flying with traditional jesses (which
can get a bird caught in a branch so it hangs upside down and
dies), or not feeding it correctly. Plus you really need the
connections for simple things like hoods and Sampo swivels
(hard to find in some states).


SO YOU'VE DECIDED YOU CAN HANDLE IT


The next thing is to contact your local Fish and Game
department. There is a test you have to pass. The test
itself is not hard, but there are a couple more steps after
that. Go to Nicholson's or other falconry bookseller (listed
elsewhere on the Web page) and pick up _North American
Falconry and Hunting Hawks_ by Frank Beebe and Harold
Webster. Nicholson's also sells (if I recall correctly) a
manual for the New York State falconry license test, one of
the more difficult tests in the US. These will prepare you
for the test.


When you've passed the test, you have to get a sponsor.
(Note: in some states you must get the sponsor first.) If
youþre lucky your state will have a falconry club and your
F&G will put you in contact with it. The club will usually
try to get you a sponsor, but it is not always easy. I took
my time and went to the meets for a couple years and then hit
up the person I thought was the best falconer. It was a good
strategy because for two years you depend on this person to
get you most of those details you must learn. Taking your
time gives you a chance to meets lots of other falconers who
can fill in gaps in your sponsorþs knowledge or give you
alternative opinions, so it is a policy I can recommend. The
degree of dependence on your sponsor can vary: I trapped my
own bird and did all the work, but was saved by some phone
calls. Other sponsors will hold your hand all the way.


Having a sponsor does not excuse you from thinking,
though. When you come to a new field, or put your bird out
to weather in a new place, you need to look around and assess
all the hazards. When your bird is behaving strangely, you
need to recount everything that could have led up to that
behavior and figure out how to correct it. Always observe
carefully, always ask þWhy,þ and try to think from the hawkþs
point of view. If another falconer tells you you should do
something a particular way, they should be able to give you a
fairly logical reason or at least a solid example.


THE HAWK HOUSE


While (or after) you get a sponsor you must build your
mews and have it inspected by F&G. These are the main
living/ sleeping quarters for your bird. You can use your
living room or a spare bedroom, but most people build
something outdoors. There is a minimum size you must comply
with when building your mews. In California it is 6 x 8 feet
for a kestrel, 8 x 8 for a red-tail.


You also need an outdoor area for the bird to get sun
and fresh air. This is called a weathering area. This needs
to be fully protected from dogs, people, children with
sticks, other hawks, and any other potentially injurious
creatures. The state will give you details on other
requirements.


Older falconers have a lot of horror stories about F&G,
but in California they have become very helpful in recent
years. The officer who inspected my mews mentioned that you
can't hunt in state parks, but you can fly your bird (wink
wink, nudge nudge) and of course if you are flying your bird
and it catches something... well that's the way life goes.
You can't take the game out, but your bird can leave with a
full crop. Now I've never flown my bird in a park, but it
feels good that the authorities want it around. This guy
also pointed out a potential problem in my mews arrangement,
so my impression is positive.


WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR


Finally, you get your bird. For beginners this is an
immature passage bird. Immature means full physical size and
able to hunt, typically at least five months old and less
than ten. Apprentices are not allowed eyasses because you
have to teach eyasses to hunt -- if you lose the bird before
that happens, itþs guaranteed death. An immature red-tail
looks similar to a full grown red-tail but has a brown tail.
In most states you are allowed either a kestrel or a red-
tail. In Mississippi (I think) you can have a red shouldered
and in Alaska goshawks are allowed.


The red-tail is a good bird; in England it is highly
valued. Here it has been disdained (by some) because it is
common and what apprentices use, but theyþre great birds. A
small tiercel (male) red-tail can be very fast. The kestrel
is technically a long wing (falcon), but unlike most falcons
you can hunt it from the glove, like a hawk. A kestrel is
nice in that you can hunt sparrows in your neighborhood.
Being smaller, theyþre more delicate, but they tame well and
the game theyþre willing to take may surprise you. Redtails
are typically flown at rabbits, though a tiercel is often
fast enough to go for birds such as pheasant.


The decision of which bird to have is not completely in
your hands. It also depends on what game you can get to,
because the point of falconry is teaching it to hunt with you
and expanding its skills as a hunter. If the closest
jackrabbit field is an hour away, are you willing to make
that drive several times a week? In winter it's light only
from 7:30am to 5pm, don't forget. If you trap when most
people trap, you'll be training right in the midst of winter.
You may want a red-tail, but if you don't have that time or
don't have that game, you get a kestrel. No arguments.


STAGES OF LICENSING


In California, apprenticeship lasts for 2 years. When
you get to the next stage, a general falconer, you can buy
captive bred birds such as peregrines or Harris hawks, as
well trap as a wider selection of native birds. You may have
two birds. After a minimum of 5 years at the general level,
you become a master. The selection of birds is the same, but
you may own three, at which point you will probably be a very
tired, poor, and divorced masochist.


HELPFUL PLACES FOR THE UNCERTAIN


Although falconers and animal rehabilitators used to
watch each other with jaundiced eyes, this is changing.
Volunteering at a rehab center can show you how much you love
the birds (do you gape in awe?) and you can also learn a lot
of valuable stuff which is not yet mainstream in falconry.


Another place in California you might explore is the
Falconry Academy. My personal experience with one "graduate"
was not very positive, but that may have had more to do with
the person's character than with the actual content taught.
Please get other opinions before making a decision on the
Academy.


-Andrea Chen


------------------------------


4. Who should I contact?


After reading a good book on falconry and deciding that
falconry is for you, contact your local Fish and Game
department. They will provide you with information about the
falconry license exam and the requirements for keeping a
bird. They should also be able to provide with a list of
falconers in your area and the president of the local
falconry club. If there is or isn't a falconry club local to
your are I recommend that you contact the North American
Falconry Association(NAFA). They will be able to put you in
contact with your regional director. You can contact your
regional director if there is not a falconry club local to
your area. I think that it would also be a good idea to
support the national organization as well.


5. What are the federal and state laws that govern falconry?


The federal laws control the falconry licensing program
and mandate which species of birds are endangered and which
may be taken from the wild for the purposes of falconry. The
Federal law also sets the standards and requirements for
keeping a raptor.


A person wishing to become a falconer must first contact
the local department of Fish and Game or Wildlife and Natural
Resources and obtain the necessary forms that must be filled
out prior to taking the exam.


The candidate will need a sponsor to sign one of these
forms before he/she can take the exam. The department of F&G
or W&NR can provide you with a list of local falconers and
falconry clubs. After all fees have been paid and all forms
have been submitted the candidate may take a falconry license
exam given by the local F&G department or Department of W&NR.
The candidate must answer eighty percent (80%) or more of the
questions on the exam correctly. A date will then be
scheduled for your facilities and equipment to be inspected
to make sure that they meet federal standards. After your
facilities have been certified as being adequate you may get
your apprentice falconry license from your local F&G or W&NR
department.


An apprentice must be 14 years or older. An
apprenticeship lasts for a minimum period of two years. At
the end of the two years the apprentice may apply for a
general falconer's permit if he/she is 18 years of age or
older. The apprentice may only have one bird at a time and
may take no more than one bird per year if a bird is lost.
The apprentice is limited to taking a red-tailed hawk and
American kestrel.


In the state of Alaska an apprentice may also take a
Northern Goshawk. The apprentice can only take passage birds
or birds that are less than one year old and are trapped from
the wild.


A general falconer must be 18 years or older and must
have at least two or more years experience as an apprentice
or in an equivalent class. A general falconer may keep two
birds, but may not take more than two birds a year if his
birds have been lost. A general falconer may take eyasses for
the purpose of training.


A master falconer must have at least five years of
experience as a general falconer or in an equivalent class. A
master falconer may not have more than 3 birds and may not
take more than three birds in a year if birds are lost.


There are some other regulations that pertain to each
class but you can obtain all of these regulations as well as
requirements for facilities from your local F&G or W&NR
department.


6. What are the laws on falconry in England, the continent,
and Canada?


a. Falconry in Italy.


Today in Italy there are about 100 - 120 persons who have
falcons or hawks at home and about 40 - 50 fly them. I think
we would call "falconer" only those who uses his/her hawk for
flying to quarry or lure, not for leaving their birds on
perch at home. So the number of falconers in Italy is very
small and their political weight is not very great.


The laws about the keeping of hawks respect the
Convention of Washington and the CITES. We only can keep
raptors born from parents born in captivity (F2 generation)
and we absolutely cannot capture birds of prey from the wild.
The laws for hunting with falcons or hawks are the same the
laws for hunting with guns. The permit, the imposts, the
times and the quarries are the same for hawking and shooting.
This is sometimes ridiculous, but it is impossible to change
a national law because of 40 - 50 falconers.


So we start hawking on the second sunday of September and
stop normally at the end of January (but for the hares and
partridges at the end of December). In some italian regions
flying falcons is allowed from August, but without quarry,
only to the lure or fist and only in those territories
reserved to the training of hunting dogs.


The permit to hunt is obtained by a test lifetime legal
and its yearly cost is (1995) about 400 dollars. There are no
limitations on the number of falcons you can have. If you
have the money, your first bird could be a white female gyr!
This is not right, but you must know that in Europe it is
very difficult to buy a Harris, a Red-tail, or simply a
Kestrel because most of the breeders breed for the 90%
peregrines, sakers and lanners. You know that goshawk
breeding is very difficult, because of this and after the
gos-trap trap interdict in central Europe,in the past 5 years
the price of goshawks has risen and then fallen down.


So I believe the easiest raptor to have today in Europe
is the peregrine falcon. Our hawking territories are
sometimes wonderful, sometimes very difficult. In Northern
Italy(where I live) there are a lot of towns, roads,
railways, electric lines, fences etc. It is not easy flying
long wings. The Southern Italy could be a heaven for
falconry, but it is not used very much because most italian
falconers live in Northern Italy.


About the breeding I can say that in Italy there are only a
few falconers who have good luck with breeding peregrines and
sakers. One reason could be the legal obstacles that a
breeder meets on his way. He cannot sell the birds, our
government doesn't band the birds, but could make the finger
printing, in short the laws seem to be made intentionally to
be inapplicable.


Try contacting the Yarak, club di Falconeria listed in
the falconry clubs section. Yarak, club di Falconeria is the
largest falconry club in Italy.


17th August 1995 Amedeo Traverso.


b. Falconry in The Netherlands.


- Knowledge and experience.


To become a falconer one has to accompany three different
'mentors' (equivalent to sponsors in the states?) during
three years of falconry practice. After that the apprentice
is supposed to have gained enough knowledge of and experience
with managing and hunting hawks and falcons.


During this period he (or she) will be placed on a
waiting list to apply for a falconry permit. When the
apprentice has succeeded in gaining practical experience and
also has enough hunting area to fly in and is on top of the
waiting list, than he gets the falconry permit.


- Waiting list.


At the moment the number of falconry permits is fixed to
121. You can only become a falconer if someone else quits!


- Number of hawks.


A license entitles you to keep a maximum of two hawks.
They can either be peregrine or goshawk and should belong to
the native Middle European sub-species. Both hawks are
protected by law (as are all birds of prey).


- Captive Breeding.


The birds can be obtained by captive breeding (the only
way for peregrines) or import from a neighboring country (in
some East European countries the goshawk is not a protected
bird). In our country only experienced licensed falconers can
get a license for breeding goshawks or peregrines. At the
moment this number is also fixed and totals 12. They are
allowed to keep two hawks more.


- Hunting area and prey.


If you want to hunt game than an shooting license and at
least 40 hectares(about 99 acres) of private hunting area is
needed too. If you are interested in rabbits, black crows
(rooks are protected by law), magpies, herring and black-
headed gulls, than you only need permission from the land
user (this actually does not need to be the land owner). It
should be clear that almost everyone chooses this option.
Only very few people can afford waiting on. Most flying with
peregrines is done at black crows. The goshawk is used for
hunting rabbits.


- License.


The license is prolonged every three years and does not
mention the birds one possesses. These are registered
centrally by an agency erected by the three falconry clubs.
This 'Centraal Buro Jachtvogelregistratie' provides you with
an registration certificate. All birds are identified by an
enclosed ring. A bird that is not registered is illegal.


October 2nd, 1995 Michiel Buil


c. Falconry in South Africa


In South Africa, falconry was, until recently, illegal in
2 of the then 4 provinces. With our political transformation,
9 provinces resulted, but fortunately falconry was legalized
all-over before this.


I am a member of the Cape Falconry Club and had the
pleasure of meeting Christian de Coune, President of the
International Association of Falconry (IAF) during his visit
here, in 1994.


Our Club rules allow for grading of falconers in 4
categories ie.
Apprentice - May not fly a bird, but should accompany
others to gain experience.
Novice - May fly a Kestrel or African Goshawk or as a 2nd
bird a Jackal Buzzard or Pale Chanting Goshawk. I am a novice
and fly an African Goshawk.
General Falconer - May fly Lanners, Black Sparrowhawks,
Red-breasted Sparrowhawk (female only). Must have a loft with
pigeons, a trained dog and radiotelemetry.
Master Falconer - 5 years + experience. May fly
Peregrine, African Hawk Eagle and Red-breasted Sparrowhawk
(male). Latter, a tiny and therefore demanding hawk.


Aylmeris, bells etc. are compulsory with standards set
for mews.


Our club undertakes rehab of all raptors and assists Cape
Nature Conservation (our conservation agency) in this way,
which makes for good cooperation.


Grading of falconers takes place annually, at our AGM
with conservationists present and all equipment and
facilities may be inspected at any time.


Our AGM and Field Meet takes place shortly on 8 - 14 May,
as our season is just starting. I hope to upgrade and fly a
Lanner tiercel. Plenty of doves around


-- Andre Marais


7. Falcons vs. hawks? What's the difference?


Falcons come from the genus Falco, and have pointed
wings, long relative to their size. Their style of flight is
to drop from great heights onto other birds. "Hawk" is a
term covering birds from the genus Buteo or Accipiter.
Buteos tend to hunt ground animals, Accipiters both ground
animals and other birds. Stylistically, falconers train
falcons to fly up to a comfortable height and circle above,
waiting for the falconer to flush the game. Hawks are flown
from the fist, i.e. the bird perches on the falconer's glove
as they flush game by walking (or sometimes driving). Hawks
are also trained to perch on a pole and wait for the falconer
to flush.


--Andrea Chen


8. Which birds of prey are used for falconry?


California allows the below listed to be taken from the
wild:
Accipiters: Northern Goshawk, Cooper's hawk, Sharpshinned
hawk
Buteos: Red Tailed, ferruginous hawk Falcons: Merlin,
Kestrel, Prairie falcon Owls: Great horned. California
allows captive bred raptors to be used in falconry. These
may be purchased in CA or imported, with some paperwork, from
another state or country. Any other species that is legal to
own, is legal for falconry in CA; again, to hunt you must
have appropriate hunting licenses.


--Andrea Chen


The federal regulations state that only master falconers
may take or possess golden eagles and only then with written
permission from the US. Fish & Wildlife Service department.


Northwoods Limited carries advertisements for captive
bred falcons, Hawks, and eagles. You should be able to find
every species as well as hybrids in their catalog.


9. As an apprentice which birds are available to me?


Throughout most of the united states apprentices are only
allowed to have Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) or
American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). With the exception of
Alaska where apprentices are allowed to take Northern
Goshawks(Accipiter gentilis). In Florida Red-shouldered
hawks, Red-tailed hawks, and Kestrels are listed as being
available to the apprentice, but in actuality Kestrels are
not allowed to the apprentice. In the southwest of the United
States in areas indigenous to the Harris' Hawk(parabuteo
unicinctus), apprentices might be able to take these birds
also. Check with your Fish & Game department. They will be
able to give a copy of your states' falconry regulations.


10. Is it better to start with a Red-tail or a kestrel?


I would tend to encourage people to start off with a red-
tail for the one reason, their size. One of the first things
most beginning falconers have to learn is how to handle a
raptor. Most are scared of them and pay very close attention
to what those feet are doing. There is usually not much
footing problems with passage birds, but the fear is still
there. The learn to overcome this and in the process learn
what their bird is thinking by what it is doing on the fist.
(how is it standing...is it looking around....how is it
looking around...shifting its weight....etc). The kestrel is
small enough, that this fear...or maybe respect is normally
not there. I think this improves the falconers abilities and
transfers very well to other species upon upgrade.


The other reason is that the large size allows beginners
to make mistakes in weight control without damage to the
hawks. A red-tail that is two oz. low or high is not that
much of a danger, but to weight control a kestrel requires
much more precision. Mistakes will be made, and the red-tail
will cruise right through without any harm...they are very
tough birds.


The size also requires the prospective falconer to
acquire the necessary items for flying other hawks. Gloves,
swivels, leashes, perches, etc. Many of these for kestrels
are not applicable to large hawks. I have found that the
redtails are much harder to lose in the field than the
smaller birds. They are much easier to see when it is
getting dark and the falconer is running out of time. Most
will stay very close to the hunting area unless they get into
a thermal. Redtails will take lots of different kinds of
quarry, including rabbits, ducks, jacks, mice, rats, etc.
Most prey can be taken given the right set up. Learning how
to get a red-tail into a position to take ducks is quite a
process. Not only do you have to learn how to hunt the bird,
you have to learn how to hunt like the bird!


-Tod Herman


11. How and why are falconers using endangered species for
falconry?


This question has a built in perceived untruth. That
being that falconers take endangered species out of the wild
for falconry use. This is not the case. As the regulations
stand, falconers are not allowed to take endangered species
out of the wild. Falconry has been practiced a long time and
world wide. Great strides in the knowledge of raptors has
come about through the practice. One of these includes the
captive breeding of raptors. US falconers were the first
ones to successfully breed peregrine falcons in captivity.
All this was before they were endangered and were in fact
classified by the US government as vermin. Falconers and
their birds were nothing more than pests at best. Right now,
the anatum peregrine falcon is still listed as endangered by
the Federal Government and so is not available to falconers
from the wild. Falconers are still able to fly such birds as
they have had some birds in possession from before listing
and have been breeding them. The peregrine also includes
several subspecies which are not listed as endangered (Peales
and Tundrius). The peales was never listed and for some time
has been available to falconers to take as eyasses if they
were available to them. However due to the location of
nesting grounds, these were limited to Alaskans. The
peregrine is the species usually talked about when asked
about falconers and endangered species.


-Tod Herman


12. Doesn't the trapping of wild birds damage the natural
populations?


The number of wild birds is kept track of by state Fish
and Game. Counts are taken during migration season over the
flyways, as well as counts of resident birds and nests. Just
this year certain counties in California were re-opened to
the take of Northern Goshawks after having been closed for at
least five years. (Those counties had been closed when I
started looking at falconry. For all I know, it has been
closed for ten or more.) Similar counting causes deer
licenses to be limited and bag limits established.
Redtails and kestrels in the lower 48 are apprentices'
birds because there is an ample supply. Goshawks in Alaska
and red-shoulders in Mississippi are selected for the same
reasons. It must be noted that THE MAJORITY OF THE WILD
HAWKS DIE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR. My tiercel would have been
one of them; he had a severe hunger streak that caused five
feathers to break during the season. In the wild he probably
would not have been able to endure the loss, four of them
being primary feathers.
Finally, in addition to voluntary releases, the number of
escaped falconer's birds also adds to the breeding
population. In a 1994 California DFG report, 11 peregrine
falcons, 4 goshawks, and 22 redtails were listed in the
disposition reports as escaped. These numbers were between
30 and 66% of the total acquisitions (eyass + passage) in the
same year. If these are typical numbers, it implies that,
although we take birds from the wild, we return more than one
might expect.


-Andrea Chen


No. Actually the exact opposite is "probably" true. You
have to understand raptor mortality and reproduction rates.
Most raptors raise 3-5 young each year. Since they are at
the very top of the food chain, most of these have to die to
maintain a steady population. In fact, over 70 percent of
the raptors hatched will not survive their first year. Most
of the deaths, especially after fledging are due to
competition for food. In nesting situations, taking one bird
increases the food available to the remaining nestlings,
creating a stronger brood.


Falconry has always been shown...time and time again, to
have absolutely no measurable impact on wild raptor
populations.... Think back......Raptors of all sorts were
literally slaughtered by the thousands each year during
migrations.... This went on and it took DDT to enter the
picture to bring the populations over the edge...(in that
region)...The effects of falconry are almost non-existent in
comparison to what has up until protection, been the NORM.


-Tod Herman


13. Can anyone recommend specs. for a giant hood?


Anyone Want to fill this one in?


14. What is "Operation Falcon"?


The research and writing for this is currently in progress.


15. Are there any suggested readings for a beginner or for
someone who is interested in falconry?


"A Falconry Manual, Beebe", Frank L. Hancock House, 1984. 197
pages, paperback, $16.95.
A good book on the different types of birds used in
falconry and falconry equipment, care and attention,
training, and hunting.
"The Falconer's Apprentice: A Guide to Training the Passage
Red-Tailed Hawk", William C. Oakes. 120 pages, $11.95.
An excellent book to prepare the novice for the training
and hunting with their red-tailed hawk.


"A Rage For Falcons", Bodio, Stephen. Pruett Publishing.
Boulder, Colorado. 135 pages. paperback, $12.95.
An excellent book describing the joys and sorrows of
being a falconer.


A more expensive and more thorough book which is what the
falconry examination is based upon is:


"North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks", Beebe, Frank L.,
Harold M. Webster, seventh edition 1994, 465 pages,
$65.00


For people in the UK I would reccomend the following book. As
I have been told that this is the bible for UK falconers.


"Falconry and Hawking", Phillip Glasier, 350 pages, $46.50.


All of these books can be obtained from the bookstores
listed in the appendices.


16. Do I have to be rich?


Yes and no. If falconry is really in your blood you will
make do. You will have an initial investment of at least
$600-$1000 in equipment, books, housing facilities,
licensing, and travel. After that, you will have your yearly
license fees and count on minimally $200 per year for food
and equipment replacement. Prices in California start around
$400 for a Harris hawk and can go up to a couple thousand for
a good falcon.


--Andrea Chen


17. What are good sources for hood patterns?


This summer I found three different books that had a
great amount of info. on hood making and hood patterns.


"Falconry and Hawking" by Phillip Glasier had a very
thorough and illustrated chapter on hood making. $47.50 from
Nicholson's bookstore.


His book contains the following patterns:
Falconry Centre hood pattern
Anglo-indian hood pattern
Arab hood pattern
Afghanistan hood pattern
Dutch Hood pattern


"Falconry: Principles and Practice" by Roger Upton also
had a good selection of hood patterns. Can be purchased from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's.


His book contains the following patterns:
Indian hood pattern from the Punjab
" " " Kapurthala state
Anglo-Indian hood pattern.
Arab hood pattern.
Damascus Arab hood pattern.
Syrian Arab hood pattern.
Syrio-Dutch hood pattern.
Dutch hood pattern.
Old metal pattern from Valkenswaard
Dutch Rufter hood pattern.
Turkistan golden eagle hood pattern.
North Afghanistan eagle hood pattern.


"Falconry Equipment" by Kimsey and Hodge. Available from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's or Northwood's limited.


Anglo-indian hood pattern.
Dutch hood pattern. (2 styles)
Syrian and Arab hoods are depicted but patterns are not
given for these.


18. What are good sources for making gloves and glove patterns?


I have found two books that have a great amount of
information on glove and hood making.


"Falconry and Hawking" by Phillip Glasier has written a
great chapter on glove making. He has written a step-by-step
procedure to making a falconry glove. There is one pattern
for a standard long cuff glove with information on how to add
a second reinforcement for handling eagles/large hawks. This
book is available from Nicholson's bookstore.


"Falconry: Principles and Practice" by Roger Upton has a
chapter on glove and hood making. I haven't read the book yet
so I can't say how good the instructions are. His book
contains 5 different glove patterns.


The first glove is a standard falconry glove with 2
variations.
The second glove is an arab hawking glove pattern.
The third glove is a sparrowhawk or merlin "two-finger"
glove.
The last two glove patterns are Indian hawking glove
patterns.


"Falconry:Principles and Practice" can be purchased from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's bookstore.


------------------------------


B. Internet Resources on Falconry.


1. Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ?


Until this FAQ is authorized by the maintainers of
news.answers you may obtain the FAQ from this URL.
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks/faqsetup.htm


This FAQ is also archived at the Falconry Usenet Post
Archive.
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/usenet_menu.html


When this FAQ is authorized by the news.answers
maintainers it will be posted to news.answers once a month or
when a major change to the FAQ has been made.


2. Are there any newsgroups on falconry?


Yes, there are newsgroups on falconry. Alt.sport.falconry
was first created for the discussion for falconry. Before the
newsgroup had propagated all over the net, someone created
alt.falconry and then later on someone created
alt.sports.falconry. It has been decided by the USENET
community that the proper name for a falconry group should be
þalt.sport.falconry". This is the proper name and the group
that is most widely carried and used by falconers.


Do not post to or discuss falconry on rec.birds.
Rec.birds is for bird watchers and the discussion of bird
watching. You will severely flamed by bird watchers for
discussing falconry on rec.birds.


Rec.hunting is a group dedicated to hunting in general.
You may discuss the hunting aspect of falconry on this group.


3. Are there any URLs or WWW pages on falconry?


The following URLs deal with falconry. There has recently
been an increase in falconry web pages within that last
couple of months. Which is great because there is now a
larger amount of material available on the net.


Falconry:Page by Wesley R. Elsberry:
http://204.96.15.10/nat/user/elsberry/falcon.html


Emma and Steven Ford's British School of Falconry:
http://www.highlandtrail.co.uk/highlandtrail/life2.html


The Falconer: A Monthly WWW publication.
http://www.ionet.net/~hawk/


The Falconry and Raptor Education Foundation
http://members.gnn.com/dzobrist/intro.htm


The Old Hawking Club's WWW page
http://www.demon.co.uk/disciplin/OHC/


The Falcon Mute
http://www.tidepool.com/falconer/Falconry.htm


Falconry Usenet Post Archive
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/usenet_menu.html


Eagle Eyes Legislation Effort
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/legislation.html


Harrie Knol's Falconry Homepage
http://www.euronet.nl/users/hknol/index.htm


The Net Maker Homepage
http://cc.usu.edu/~marlow/


Eaglewing Publishing Homepage
http://home.earthlink.net/~eaglewing/


Northwood's Limited
http://www.olywa.net/northwoods/


Borch's Falkonerei
http://www.cybercity.dk/users/ccc12787/homeeng.html


FALCONCREST Homepage
http://www.iaehv.nl/users/lenders/


4. My site doesn't receive much news on alt.sport.falconry.
How come?


Some news sites do not receive all of the news that is
posted on alt.sport.falconry. If you are receiving responses
without the original posts then you are probably not
receiving everything that gets posted. Some news sites are
out of the loop and don't receive everything.


As of recently (3/14/96) the USENET service at MSU has
been down for quite awhile and I'm not sure if it will be
back up. However a new public news service has opened up. It
is available on the WWW. The URL for it is:


Zippo Dot Com - alt.sport.falconry
http://drn.zippo.com/news-bin/wwwnews?a ... t.falconry


------------------------------


For the Appendices look at the second part of this FAQ.


?


[ FAQ2.TXT ]
This is the second part of the Alt.sport.falconry FAQ, which contains all
of the appendices. This includes falconry organizations, bookstores, and
falconry equipment retailers.


I would like to thank the following people.


Pat Stong for typing up all of the local falconry groups in the US that are
registered with NAFA.


M. Douglas Johnson, Chief, Systems Management Office, at the US Air Force
Academy library. He gave me list of bookstores that the USAF library buys
books from.


------------------------------


As of October '95 the alt.sport.falconry FAQ has been submitted to the
maintainers of news.answers. I received an automated reply stating that they
were still trying to answer mail from February '95. So in a couple more months
or so this FAQ should be available on alt.answers and news.answers, and it
will also be archived at rtfm.mit.edu.


If there is anything that you would like to add or see added to the faq
let me know. Compiling news threads that discuss questions and topics would be
great to add to the faq.


Please send comments, corrections, suggestions, questions, and flames to me:


fallingha...@earthlink.net (Andrea Chen)


------------------------------


I. Introduction and Intent


The intent of this FAQ is to answer the basic questions about falconry
and to inform the reader about the requirements and sacrifices that must be
made to become a falconer. The FAQ will also act as a pointer to other
sources of information that will further the education of the reader and bring
him/her into to contact with other people that will be able to direct the
person to falconers in his/her area. This document will also try to cover
common questions that are frequently asked on the alt.sport.falconry
newsgroup. This FAQ is NOT intended to be a falconry manual NOR will it cover
every aspect of falconry. Such information is better left to books on
falconry written by experienced falconers.


------------------------------


II. DISCLAIMER


This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this article, the
author/maintainer/contributors (take your pick) assume(s) no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting
from the use of the information contained herein.


------------------------------


The Alt.sport.falconry FAQ


C. Appendices.
1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.
2. List of bookstores that carry books on falconry.
3. Listing of falconry clubs and organizations.
a. National and International organizations.
b. Falconry organizations in Canada.
c. Falconry organizations in the United Kingdom.
d. Falconry organizations in the United States.


------------------------------


C. Appendices:


1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.


Words notated with (n,v) are often used (with appropriate
modifications) as both nouns and verbs. Some words take odd forms,
which I have tried to use as the entry; e.g. intermew or
intermewing are not used, only intermewed.


aspergillosis A fungal disease in the respiratory system;
asper for short.


austringer A falconer who hunts with accipiters (orig.); now includes
both shortwings and broadwings, but an anachronistic term
in any definition.


bate To flutter off the fist or perch for a negative reason
(fear, temper) when the raptor is restrained.


bell A small round bell tied to the tail or legs of a
hawk. The ringing of the bell gives away the location
of a hawk that is down on its prey. This makes it
easier for a falconer to locate a hawk that is hidden
by dense cover or long grass.


bewits Small leather strips that fasten the bell to the legs.


bind (v) To seize and hold onto quarry.


brail A long strip of leather used to restrain one wing of a
newly captured raptor, to prevent it from bating. Not used
in modern falconry.


broadwings Term that describes inclusively the class of Buteo and
Parabuteo.


cadge A portable perch used to carry several raptors into the
field.


carrying A habit where the raptor flies, holding onto
quarry just caught, either from the ground or
as a continuation of a stoop. Most falconers
prefer to discourage this.


cast (n) Two hawks (or more) flown in cooperative hunting. Wild
mated pairs will often work this way. Harris' hawks are
well known for working together in groups. Nestlings that
are raised together will sometimes be flown in a cast.


cast (v) To wrap a raptor in a cloth to restrain its wings (see
sock). This is done for many reasons: jessing a new
capture, imping feathers, etc. Alternate to
anesthetizing.


casting (n,v) The indigestible portion of a raptor's meal (bones, fur,
feathers) is formed into a compact ball (casting, pellet)
and is disgorged through the mouth.


cast off A raptor's launch from the glove


check When a hawk waiting on over a falconer, stoops at or
chases wild game which the falconer has not intended the
hawk to fly at. This happens when wild birds fly into
or across the area where the falconer is hunting. The hawk
is much more interested in stooping at the wild birds than
waiting for the falconer to flush something for her.


cope To trim the beak and/or talons of a raptor when they grow
too long. This is necessary because they do not get as
worn down in captivity as they do in nature.


crab (v) Two raptors grappling in the air, whether over quarry,
territory, or part of the mating ritual.


creance A long line used to train the raptor to come to the
falconer over a distance. About 50 - 150 ft. long.


enseaming The process of feeding small stones (rangle) to a raptor
in order to provide it with something to cast. A medieval
method, but some still defend its value.


enter (v) To train a raptor to a particular quarry or a new quarry.
"I entered her on jacks..."


eyess/eyas/eyeass Refers to a raptor still in the nest, or a raptor of any
age that was obtained as a nestling.


falcon (n) Any bird of the genus Falconidae.


falcon (adj,n) This term has also been reserved for female falcons only.
Male falcons are called tiercels. See tiercel.


feak (v) Scrubbing the beak against the perch or branch to clean it
of excess food/saliva. Songbirds do this constantly; birds
of prey, only after feeding.


ferret A small animal resembling and related to the weasel
family. Ferrets are sometimes used to scare or bolt
rabbits from their hole so that they may be flown at by
hawks.


to flush To chase or scare quarry out into the open or into the
air where it can be hunted by a hawk. It is important for
the falconer to do this at a time when his/her hawk is in
the best possible position and has the best advantage to
overtake its quarry. See also serve.


frounce A disease in the throat and mouth of raptors. Pigeons are
often attributed as being carriers of this disease but
frounce is not limited to pigeons.


gerkin A name specifically for male gyrfalcons also called a
tiercel gyrfalcon. See also tiercel and jerkin.


gorge (n,v) To give a raptor as much as it can eat. "Has been gorged"
or "Has a full gorge".


hack (n) A state of liberty in which young raptors are allowed to
run free and learn early hunting skills. It is provided
with food and watched carefully for the day it doesn't eat
it - indicating that it has caught something on its own.


haggard (n) A wild adult raptor in its second year or more.
A hawk used for falconry is a haggard if it was trapped
from the wild in its second year or later, otherwise it
is an intermewed passager or intermewed eyass.


halsband A piece of light silk rope or cord about eighteen inches
long that has a loop made at the top. The loop is put
round the neck of an accipiter. The falconer then pulls
down on the cord to bring the hawk into a horizontal
position. The falconer then swings his arm forward hurling
the hawk into the air at flushed quarry. This gives the
hawk a boost in speed so that it doesn't to accelerate as
much to overtake its quarry.


hawk Used liberally to encompass all falcons, accipiters,
and buteos. Originally used for birds belonging to the
genus Accipiter.


hob A name specifically used for male ferrets. See also
ferret.


hood A leather cap that covers a raptor's head, blinding it;
used to keep it calm in strange situations, such as
traveling by car. There are several styles of hood; the
most popular are Dutch and Indian.


imp (v) To repair a raptor's damaged feather by splicing on a part
of a moulted feather at the point where the feather has
been broken.


intermewed (adj) A raptor that has molted while in captivity. Can be used
to describe the age of the raptor, e.g. "3x intermewed
passager" indicates the raptor was trapped during
migration and has molted three times, and is thus in its
fourth year.


jack 1. A name specifically for male merlins(Falco. Columbarius,
or one of the merlin variants). Male merlins can also be
referred to as tiercel merlins. See also tiercel.
2. Jack is also short for jack-rabbit.


jangoli An Arabic or Indian name for the piece of equipment known
to European and American falconers as a halsband.
See halsband.


jerkin see gerkin.


jess, jesses, Leather straps attaching the legs of a raptor.


jessi The jesses are then attached to a swivel and leash, or
are held by the falconer while the hawk is on the fist.


jess, Aylmeri A two-piece jess consisting of an anklet held in place by
a grommet, and a jess that passes through the grommet. The
traditional jess was a single piece: because they were
only changed if broken, escaped raptors would get caught
up in branches and die. The Aylmeri jess allows the raptor
to pull out the jess portion, reducing the risk.


jess, slitless Jess that has no hole, or a very small hole, used when the
raptor is free-flying.


jess, mews Jesses that have a slit large enough to pass a swivel
through.


jill A name specifically for female ferrets. See also ferret.


leash Leather, nylon or bungee cord, around 3 ft. long, used to
fasten the raptor to its perch.


longwings Generic term for any bird of genus Falconidae.


lure (n) A simulated quarry on a string used to train raptors,
control their flight, or call the raptor in to the
falconer.


lure (v) To call the raptor in, using a lure.


make in to To approach a raptor on game. This is done so as to not
frighten the raptor into flight.


manning, manned The process of getting the raptor used to seeing people
and not be afraid of them.


mantle (v) To spread the wings and tail over food to protect it from
being viewed by rivals (bird or human). NAFHH, however,
defines mantling as the one-leg-same-wing stretch (see
also warble), and names the above definition as "mantling
over".


mews (n singular) The main sleeping/living quarters for a raptor.


mutes (n) mute (v) The excrement of a raptor.


passage hawk A raptor captured during its first southern migration.


pitch (n) The height a falcon seeks to maintain while waiting for
the falconer to serve it or flush quarry for it. (see
waiting on).


put in To hide in cover. ("The pheasant put in to that bush")


put over To digest food.


rake away When a hawk, waiting on over a falconer, leaves its
position directly over the falconer by veering off in
another direction in search of something else to do. The
hawk may be bored with waiting for the falconer to flush
something or may just enjoy soaring. Either way this puts
the hawk out of position to stoop at flushed quarry.


rangle/rankle Small stones fed to a raptor (see enseaming)


ring, ring up The process taken by a falcon to attain its pitch. A
falcon will gain height by flying in circles around the
falconer.


rouse (v) An action that all birds do, which involves raising all
the feathers until erect, then shaking itself vigorously
to allow the feathers to settle back into place.


row A falcon's practice of gripping the perch with both feet
and flapping its wings in place. Also used to describe
flying in general.


running cunning Is when a hawk that is flown in a cast lets the other
members work hard at stooping or tiring out the prey and
then the hawk takes the quarry just before it puts in or
makes it to cover. This is a vice where the hawk has
learned that he/she has does not have to work hard to
obtain the reward.


seel, seeling A medieval practice of aiding or speeding up the process
of manning a newly caught raptor by stitching the eyes
closed with a single thread. This method has fallen out
of use by modern American and European falconers, but it
is used all the time by modern Arab and Indian falconers.
When done properly it does not hurt the hawk and does
speed the manning process.


serve, serve up To provide a falcon with quarry, particularly
a easy catch.


sharp-set When a hawk is hungry or at flying weight having very
little body fat; displaying qualities of eagerness to
hunt.


shortwings Birds of the Genus accipiter.


slip(v) To provide a hawk with an opportunity to fly at game. This
refers flying hawks from the glove. It

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

[max is gr8]

[quote="pennywise"]FALCONRY FAQ

This is the FAQ for alt.sport.falconry, alt.falconry, and
alt.sports.falconry.
This FAQ can be found at
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks/faqsetup.htm


Additional information on falconry can be found through three
listservers:
http://www.falconry.org/~btallon/listserver.html
http://www.theriver.com/Public/raptor/
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/CanadianFalconry


-andrea-
Master, San Mateo, California
fallingha...@earthlink.net Falconry and the alt.sport.falconry FAQ at
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks


Volvo - doing a public service by providing cars for the blind.
Reality, like space, is defined by a minimum of 3 points.


[ FAQ.txt ]
I. Introduction and Intent


The intent of this FAQ is to answer the basic questions
about falconry and to inform the reader about the
requirements and sacrifices that must be made to become a
falconer. The FAQ will also act as a pointer to other
sources of information that will further the education of the
reader and bring him/her into to contact with other people
that will be able to direct the person to falconers in
his/her area. This document will also try to cover common
questions that are frequently asked on the alt.sport.falconry
newsgroup. This FAQ is NOT intended to be a falconry manual
NOR will it cover every aspect of falconry. Such information
is better left to books on falconry written by experienced
falconers.


------------------------------


II. DISCLAIMER


This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this article, the
author/maintainer/contributors (take your pick) assume(s) no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages
resulting from the use of the information contained herein.


------------------------------


III. Table of Contents
A. Frequently Asked Questions.
1. What is falconry?
2. Who and what is alt.sport.falconry for?
3. Article:
Getting Started (In the USA) In Falconry, by Andrea
Chen
4. Who should I contact?
5. What are the federal and state laws that govern
falconry?
6. What are the laws on falconry in England,the
continent, and Canada?
a. Falconry in Italy.
b. Falconry in The Netherlands.
c. Falconry in South Africa.
7. Falcons vs. hawks. What's the difference?
8. Which birds of prey are used for falconry?
9. As an apprentice which birds are available to me?
10. Is it better to start with a Red-tail or a kestrel?
11. How and why are falconers using endangered species
for falconry?
12. Doesn't the trapping of wild birds damage the
natural populations?
13. Can anyone recommend specs. for a giant hood?
14. What is "Operation Falcon"?
15. Are there any suggested readings for a beginner or
for someone who is interested in falconry?
16. Do I have to be rich?
17. What are good sources for hood patterns?
18. What are good sources for making gloves and glove
patterns?


B. Internet Resources on Falconry.
1. Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ?
2. Are there any newsgroups on falconry?
3. Are there any WWW sites or URLs on falconry?
4. My site doesn't receive much news on
alt.sport.falconry. How come?


C. Appendices.
1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.
2. List of bookstores that carry books on falconry.
3. Listing of falconry clubs and organizations.
a. National and International organizations.
b. Falconry organizations in Canada.
c. Falconry organizations in the United Kingdom.
d. Falconry organizations in the United States.


4. The history of falconry.


The Alt.Sport.Falconry FAQ.


I'm looking for suggestions on questions, and people who are
willing to fill in the answers. Everyone will of course be
given credit for submissions.


------------------------------
A. Frequently Asked Questions.


1. What is falconry?


Falconry is the art and sport of training birds of prey,
mainly falcons, hawks, and buzzards, for hunting. The
main objective of the falconer is to train a bird to return
to the fist when called, and then to train the bird to hunt
with the falconer. Falconry is called a sport because it is
a type of hunting and is only successful when the bird,
falconer, and dogs work together as a team to capture
quarry. It is often referred to as an art because some of
the interaction with the bird, and interpretation of the
bird's behavior, is based on intuition.


2. Who and what is alt.sport.falconry for?


Alt.sport.falconry is for falconers and anyone that is
interested in or has questions about falconry and birds of
prey. Alt.sport.falconry is for the discussion of
falconry,the sharing of knowledge among falconers and anyone
interested in falconry, and to promote the sport of falconry
by educating the public.


------------------------------


3. Getting Started (In the USA) In Falconry, by Andrea Chen


THE COMMITMENT


If you think you want to be a falconer, the first thing
you must decide is whether you are committed enough. The
sport means at least an hour every day for 8 or 9 months a
year (and some people fly during the moult). You might not
quite make this, but you should seriously try to come close.
You conform your schedule to the bird's. You must want that
bird to have the best life possible while it's under your
care.


One of the higher compliments among falconers is
"meticulous". There are a million things you need to observe
and remember with the bird, its equipment, and what events
shape its development. If you are an impatient or edgy
person, this is not a good sport for you. If the bird
stresses you, makes you angry, it does (and it will), but you
must never take it out on the bird. Punishment does not work
with a bird of prey. You have to work with it and let it go
at its own pace.


You want to judge your capacity for meticulousness
before you start, because simply going out with falconers and
watching them hunt for a few hours on a weekend gives you NO
preparation for actually living and working with the hawk.


Falconry is not something you play with. It's arriving
home exhausted from a hard day's work with a mild case of the
flu, then trampling through mud and drizzle because you are
the bird's slave, you serve it. It is waiting for your bird
to come off a pole when you have a hot date. The divorce
rate among falconers is very, very high. The sport can pay
you back, but only if you are a certain sort of fanatic. It
is not about putting a bird on your arm to look cool.


ONE MORE THING...


If you get involved in falconry, you get involved in
something that some people find very offensive. I have only
met a few (out of hundreds of people who loved it), but they
can ruin your day, if not the entire week, and be played back
like a horror movie in your head years later. One of a
falconer's nightmares is of the "animal rights activists" who
have been known to "free" a bird with its leash and jesses
attached, and it gets caught up in a tree or phone line and
dies an awful death. Falconry involves a certain degree of
necessary paranoia.


AND DON'T BE STUPID


You may be tempted to avoid the state and go out and
trap your own bird. I would strongly recommend against it.
If you can't go through the trouble of doing it the legal
way, then you probably lack the patience and commitment
necessary for the sport.


The state test is not that difficult and it covers
things you need to know, such as diseases. Finding a sponsor
can be tough, but you really need somebody who knows the
ropes. There are a 101 things that can go wrong and if you
do something wrong it can mean the death of the bird. Having
a person with the real experience and knowledge available is
essential. Again, the books just don't cover a number of
things.


Unlicensed falconers are usually trouble. Some bird
lovers told me of a "falconer" who clipped the bird's wings
and talons. Of course this is not a falconer and most
falconers would recommend the death penalty, but you also
have cases of people flying with traditional jesses (which
can get a bird caught in a branch so it hangs upside down and
dies), or not feeding it correctly. Plus you really need the
connections for simple things like hoods and Sampo swivels
(hard to find in some states).


SO YOU'VE DECIDED YOU CAN HANDLE IT


The next thing is to contact your local Fish and Game
department. There is a test you have to pass. The test
itself is not hard, but there are a couple more steps after
that. Go to Nicholson's or other falconry bookseller (listed
elsewhere on the Web page) and pick up _North American
Falconry and Hunting Hawks_ by Frank Beebe and Harold
Webster. Nicholson's also sells (if I recall correctly) a
manual for the New York State falconry license test, one of
the more difficult tests in the US. These will prepare you
for the test.


When you've passed the test, you have to get a sponsor.
(Note: in some states you must get the sponsor first.) If
youþre lucky your state will have a falconry club and your
F&G will put you in contact with it. The club will usually
try to get you a sponsor, but it is not always easy. I took
my time and went to the meets for a couple years and then hit
up the person I thought was the best falconer. It was a good
strategy because for two years you depend on this person to
get you most of those details you must learn. Taking your
time gives you a chance to meets lots of other falconers who
can fill in gaps in your sponsorþs knowledge or give you
alternative opinions, so it is a policy I can recommend. The
degree of dependence on your sponsor can vary: I trapped my
own bird and did all the work, but was saved by some phone
calls. Other sponsors will hold your hand all the way.


Having a sponsor does not excuse you from thinking,
though. When you come to a new field, or put your bird out
to weather in a new place, you need to look around and assess
all the hazards. When your bird is behaving strangely, you
need to recount everything that could have led up to that
behavior and figure out how to correct it. Always observe
carefully, always ask þWhy,þ and try to think from the hawkþs
point of view. If another falconer tells you you should do
something a particular way, they should be able to give you a
fairly logical reason or at least a solid example.


THE HAWK HOUSE


While (or after) you get a sponsor you must build your
mews and have it inspected by F&G. These are the main
living/ sleeping quarters for your bird. You can use your
living room or a spare bedroom, but most people build
something outdoors. There is a minimum size you must comply
with when building your mews. In California it is 6 x 8 feet
for a kestrel, 8 x 8 for a red-tail.


You also need an outdoor area for the bird to get sun
and fresh air. This is called a weathering area. This needs
to be fully protected from dogs, people, children with
sticks, other hawks, and any other potentially injurious
creatures. The state will give you details on other
requirements.


Older falconers have a lot of horror stories about F&G,
but in California they have become very helpful in recent
years. The officer who inspected my mews mentioned that you
can't hunt in state parks, but you can fly your bird (wink
wink, nudge nudge) and of course if you are flying your bird
and it catches something... well that's the way life goes.
You can't take the game out, but your bird can leave with a
full crop. Now I've never flown my bird in a park, but it
feels good that the authorities want it around. This guy
also pointed out a potential problem in my mews arrangement,
so my impression is positive.


WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR


Finally, you get your bird. For beginners this is an
immature passage bird. Immature means full physical size and
able to hunt, typically at least five months old and less
than ten. Apprentices are not allowed eyasses because you
have to teach eyasses to hunt -- if you lose the bird before
that happens, itþs guaranteed death. An immature red-tail
looks similar to a full grown red-tail but has a brown tail.
In most states you are allowed either a kestrel or a red-
tail. In Mississippi (I think) you can have a red shouldered
and in Alaska goshawks are allowed.


The red-tail is a good bird; in England it is highly
valued. Here it has been disdained (by some) because it is
common and what apprentices use, but theyþre great birds. A
small tiercel (male) red-tail can be very fast. The kestrel
is technically a long wing (falcon), but unlike most falcons
you can hunt it from the glove, like a hawk. A kestrel is
nice in that you can hunt sparrows in your neighborhood.
Being smaller, theyþre more delicate, but they tame well and
the game theyþre willing to take may surprise you. Redtails
are typically flown at rabbits, though a tiercel is often
fast enough to go for birds such as pheasant.


The decision of which bird to have is not completely in
your hands. It also depends on what game you can get to,
because the point of falconry is teaching it to hunt with you
and expanding its skills as a hunter. If the closest
jackrabbit field is an hour away, are you willing to make
that drive several times a week? In winter it's light only
from 7:30am to 5pm, don't forget. If you trap when most
people trap, you'll be training right in the midst of winter.
You may want a red-tail, but if you don't have that time or
don't have that game, you get a kestrel. No arguments.


STAGES OF LICENSING


In California, apprenticeship lasts for 2 years. When
you get to the next stage, a general falconer, you can buy
captive bred birds such as peregrines or Harris hawks, as
well trap as a wider selection of native birds. You may have
two birds. After a minimum of 5 years at the general level,
you become a master. The selection of birds is the same, but
you may own three, at which point you will probably be a very
tired, poor, and divorced masochist.


HELPFUL PLACES FOR THE UNCERTAIN


Although falconers and animal rehabilitators used to
watch each other with jaundiced eyes, this is changing.
Volunteering at a rehab center can show you how much you love
the birds (do you gape in awe?) and you can also learn a lot
of valuable stuff which is not yet mainstream in falconry.


Another place in California you might explore is the
Falconry Academy. My personal experience with one "graduate"
was not very positive, but that may have had more to do with
the person's character than with the actual content taught.
Please get other opinions before making a decision on the
Academy.


-Andrea Chen


------------------------------


4. Who should I contact?


After reading a good book on falconry and deciding that
falconry is for you, contact your local Fish and Game
department. They will provide you with information about the
falconry license exam and the requirements for keeping a
bird. They should also be able to provide with a list of
falconers in your area and the president of the local
falconry club. If there is or isn't a falconry club local to
your are I recommend that you contact the North American
Falconry Association(NAFA). They will be able to put you in
contact with your regional director. You can contact your
regional director if there is not a falconry club local to
your area. I think that it would also be a good idea to
support the national organization as well.


5. What are the federal and state laws that govern falconry?


The federal laws control the falconry licensing program
and mandate which species of birds are endangered and which
may be taken from the wild for the purposes of falconry. The
Federal law also sets the standards and requirements for
keeping a raptor.


A person wishing to become a falconer must first contact
the local department of Fish and Game or Wildlife and Natural
Resources and obtain the necessary forms that must be filled
out prior to taking the exam.


The candidate will need a sponsor to sign one of these
forms before he/she can take the exam. The department of F&G
or W&NR can provide you with a list of local falconers and
falconry clubs. After all fees have been paid and all forms
have been submitted the candidate may take a falconry license
exam given by the local F&G department or Department of W&NR.
The candidate must answer eighty percent (80%) or more of the
questions on the exam correctly. A date will then be
scheduled for your facilities and equipment to be inspected
to make sure that they meet federal standards. After your
facilities have been certified as being adequate you may get
your apprentice falconry license from your local F&G or W&NR
department.


An apprentice must be 14 years or older. An
apprenticeship lasts for a minimum period of two years. At
the end of the two years the apprentice may apply for a
general falconer's permit if he/she is 18 years of age or
older. The apprentice may only have one bird at a time and
may take no more than one bird per year if a bird is lost.
The apprentice is limited to taking a red-tailed hawk and
American kestrel.


In the state of Alaska an apprentice may also take a
Northern Goshawk. The apprentice can only take passage birds
or birds that are less than one year old and are trapped from
the wild.


A general falconer must be 18 years or older and must
have at least two or more years experience as an apprentice
or in an equivalent class. A general falconer may keep two
birds, but may not take more than two birds a year if his
birds have been lost. A general falconer may take eyasses for
the purpose of training.


A master falconer must have at least five years of
experience as a general falconer or in an equivalent class. A
master falconer may not have more than 3 birds and may not
take more than three birds in a year if birds are lost.


There are some other regulations that pertain to each
class but you can obtain all of these regulations as well as
requirements for facilities from your local F&G or W&NR
department.


6. What are the laws on falconry in England, the continent,
and Canada?


a. Falconry in Italy.


Today in Italy there are about 100 - 120 persons who have
falcons or hawks at home and about 40 - 50 fly them. I think
we would call "falconer" only those who uses his/her hawk for
flying to quarry or lure, not for leaving their birds on
perch at home. So the number of falconers in Italy is very
small and their political weight is not very great.


The laws about the keeping of hawks respect the
Convention of Washington and the CITES. We only can keep
raptors born from parents born in captivity (F2 generation)
and we absolutely cannot capture birds of prey from the wild.
The laws for hunting with falcons or hawks are the same the
laws for hunting with guns. The permit, the imposts, the
times and the quarries are the same for hawking and shooting.
This is sometimes ridiculous, but it is impossible to change
a national law because of 40 - 50 falconers.


So we start hawking on the second sunday of September and
stop normally at the end of January (but for the hares and
partridges at the end of December). In some italian regions
flying falcons is allowed from August, but without quarry,
only to the lure or fist and only in those territories
reserved to the training of hunting dogs.


The permit to hunt is obtained by a test lifetime legal
and its yearly cost is (1995) about 400 dollars. There are no
limitations on the number of falcons you can have. If you
have the money, your first bird could be a white female gyr!
This is not right, but you must know that in Europe it is
very difficult to buy a Harris, a Red-tail, or simply a
Kestrel because most of the breeders breed for the 90%
peregrines, sakers and lanners. You know that goshawk
breeding is very difficult, because of this and after the
gos-trap trap interdict in central Europe,in the past 5 years
the price of goshawks has risen and then fallen down.


So I believe the easiest raptor to have today in Europe
is the peregrine falcon. Our hawking territories are
sometimes wonderful, sometimes very difficult. In Northern
Italy(where I live) there are a lot of towns, roads,
railways, electric lines, fences etc. It is not easy flying
long wings. The Southern Italy could be a heaven for
falconry, but it is not used very much because most italian
falconers live in Northern Italy.


About the breeding I can say that in Italy there are only a
few falconers who have good luck with breeding peregrines and
sakers. One reason could be the legal obstacles that a
breeder meets on his way. He cannot sell the birds, our
government doesn't band the birds, but could make the finger
printing, in short the laws seem to be made intentionally to
be inapplicable.


Try contacting the Yarak, club di Falconeria listed in
the falconry clubs section. Yarak, club di Falconeria is the
largest falconry club in Italy.


17th August 1995 Amedeo Traverso.


b. Falconry in The Netherlands.


- Knowledge and experience.


To become a falconer one has to accompany three different
'mentors' (equivalent to sponsors in the states?) during
three years of falconry practice. After that the apprentice
is supposed to have gained enough knowledge of and experience
with managing and hunting hawks and falcons.


During this period he (or she) will be placed on a
waiting list to apply for a falconry permit. When the
apprentice has succeeded in gaining practical experience and
also has enough hunting area to fly in and is on top of the
waiting list, than he gets the falconry permit.


- Waiting list.


At the moment the number of falconry permits is fixed to
121. You can only become a falconer if someone else quits!


- Number of hawks.


A license entitles you to keep a maximum of two hawks.
They can either be peregrine or goshawk and should belong to
the native Middle European sub-species. Both hawks are
protected by law (as are all birds of prey).


- Captive Breeding.


The birds can be obtained by captive breeding (the only
way for peregrines) or import from a neighboring country (in
some East European countries the goshawk is not a protected
bird). In our country only experienced licensed falconers can
get a license for breeding goshawks or peregrines. At the
moment this number is also fixed and totals 12. They are
allowed to keep two hawks more.


- Hunting area and prey.


If you want to hunt game than an shooting license and at
least 40 hectares(about 99 acres) of private hunting area is
needed too. If you are interested in rabbits, black crows
(rooks are protected by law), magpies, herring and black-
headed gulls, than you only need permission from the land
user (this actually does not need to be the land owner). It
should be clear that almost everyone chooses this option.
Only very few people can afford waiting on. Most flying with
peregrines is done at black crows. The goshawk is used for
hunting rabbits.


- License.


The license is prolonged every three years and does not
mention the birds one possesses. These are registered
centrally by an agency erected by the three falconry clubs.
This 'Centraal Buro Jachtvogelregistratie' provides you with
an registration certificate. All birds are identified by an
enclosed ring. A bird that is not registered is illegal.


October 2nd, 1995 Michiel Buil


c. Falconry in South Africa


In South Africa, falconry was, until recently, illegal in
2 of the then 4 provinces. With our political transformation,
9 provinces resulted, but fortunately falconry was legalized
all-over before this.


I am a member of the Cape Falconry Club and had the
pleasure of meeting Christian de Coune, President of the
International Association of Falconry (IAF) during his visit
here, in 1994.


Our Club rules allow for grading of falconers in 4
categories ie.
Apprentice - May not fly a bird, but should accompany
others to gain experience.
Novice - May fly a Kestrel or African Goshawk or as a 2nd
bird a Jackal Buzzard or Pale Chanting Goshawk. I am a novice
and fly an African Goshawk.
General Falconer - May fly Lanners, Black Sparrowhawks,
Red-breasted Sparrowhawk (female only). Must have a loft with
pigeons, a trained dog and radiotelemetry.
Master Falconer - 5 years + experience. May fly
Peregrine, African Hawk Eagle and Red-breasted Sparrowhawk
(male). Latter, a tiny and therefore demanding hawk.


Aylmeris, bells etc. are compulsory with standards set
for mews.


Our club undertakes rehab of all raptors and assists Cape
Nature Conservation (our conservation agency) in this way,
which makes for good cooperation.


Grading of falconers takes place annually, at our AGM
with conservationists present and all equipment and
facilities may be inspected at any time.


Our AGM and Field Meet takes place shortly on 8 - 14 May,
as our season is just starting. I hope to upgrade and fly a
Lanner tiercel. Plenty of doves around


-- Andre Marais


7. Falcons vs. hawks? What's the difference?


Falcons come from the genus Falco, and have pointed
wings, long relative to their size. Their style of flight is
to drop from great heights onto other birds. "Hawk" is a
term covering birds from the genus Buteo or Accipiter.
Buteos tend to hunt ground animals, Accipiters both ground
animals and other birds. Stylistically, falconers train
falcons to fly up to a comfortable height and circle above,
waiting for the falconer to flush the game. Hawks are flown
from the fist, i.e. the bird perches on the falconer's glove
as they flush game by walking (or sometimes driving). Hawks
are also trained to perch on a pole and wait for the falconer
to flush.


--Andrea Chen


8. Which birds of prey are used for falconry?


California allows the below listed to be taken from the
wild:
Accipiters: Northern Goshawk, Cooper's hawk, Sharpshinned
hawk
Buteos: Red Tailed, ferruginous hawk Falcons: Merlin,
Kestrel, Prairie falcon Owls: Great horned. California
allows captive bred raptors to be used in falconry. These
may be purchased in CA or imported, with some paperwork, from
another state or country. Any other species that is legal to
own, is legal for falconry in CA; again, to hunt you must
have appropriate hunting licenses.


--Andrea Chen


The federal regulations state that only master falconers
may take or possess golden eagles and only then with written
permission from the US. Fish & Wildlife Service department.


Northwoods Limited carries advertisements for captive
bred falcons, Hawks, and eagles. You should be able to find
every species as well as hybrids in their catalog.


9. As an apprentice which birds are available to me?


Throughout most of the united states apprentices are only
allowed to have Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) or
American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). With the exception of
Alaska where apprentices are allowed to take Northern
Goshawks(Accipiter gentilis). In Florida Red-shouldered
hawks, Red-tailed hawks, and Kestrels are listed as being
available to the apprentice, but in actuality Kestrels are
not allowed to the apprentice. In the southwest of the United
States in areas indigenous to the Harris' Hawk(parabuteo
unicinctus), apprentices might be able to take these birds
also. Check with your Fish & Game department. They will be
able to give a copy of your states' falconry regulations.


10. Is it better to start with a Red-tail or a kestrel?


I would tend to encourage people to start off with a red-
tail for the one reason, their size. One of the first things
most beginning falconers have to learn is how to handle a
raptor. Most are scared of them and pay very close attention
to what those feet are doing. There is usually not much
footing problems with passage birds, but the fear is still
there. The learn to overcome this and in the process learn
what their bird is thinking by what it is doing on the fist.
(how is it standing...is it looking around....how is it
looking around...shifting its weight....etc). The kestrel is
small enough, that this fear...or maybe respect is normally
not there. I think this improves the falconers abilities and
transfers very well to other species upon upgrade.


The other reason is that the large size allows beginners
to make mistakes in weight control without damage to the
hawks. A red-tail that is two oz. low or high is not that
much of a danger, but to weight control a kestrel requires
much more precision. Mistakes will be made, and the red-tail
will cruise right through without any harm...they are very
tough birds.


The size also requires the prospective falconer to
acquire the necessary items for flying other hawks. Gloves,
swivels, leashes, perches, etc. Many of these for kestrels
are not applicable to large hawks. I have found that the
redtails are much harder to lose in the field than the
smaller birds. They are much easier to see when it is
getting dark and the falconer is running out of time. Most
will stay very close to the hunting area unless they get into
a thermal. Redtails will take lots of different kinds of
quarry, including rabbits, ducks, jacks, mice, rats, etc.
Most prey can be taken given the right set up. Learning how
to get a red-tail into a position to take ducks is quite a
process. Not only do you have to learn how to hunt the bird,
you have to learn how to hunt like the bird!


-Tod Herman


11. How and why are falconers using endangered species for
falconry?


This question has a built in perceived untruth. That
being that falconers take endangered species out of the wild
for falconry use. This is not the case. As the regulations
stand, falconers are not allowed to take endangered species
out of the wild. Falconry has been practiced a long time and
world wide. Great strides in the knowledge of raptors has
come about through the practice. One of these includes the
captive breeding of raptors. US falconers were the first
ones to successfully breed peregrine falcons in captivity.
All this was before they were endangered and were in fact
classified by the US government as vermin. Falconers and
their birds were nothing more than pests at best. Right now,
the anatum peregrine falcon is still listed as endangered by
the Federal Government and so is not available to falconers
from the wild. Falconers are still able to fly such birds as
they have had some birds in possession from before listing
and have been breeding them. The peregrine also includes
several subspecies which are not listed as endangered (Peales
and Tundrius). The peales was never listed and for some time
has been available to falconers to take as eyasses if they
were available to them. However due to the location of
nesting grounds, these were limited to Alaskans. The
peregrine is the species usually talked about when asked
about falconers and endangered species.


-Tod Herman


12. Doesn't the trapping of wild birds damage the natural
populations?


The number of wild birds is kept track of by state Fish
and Game. Counts are taken during migration season over the
flyways, as well as counts of resident birds and nests. Just
this year certain counties in California were re-opened to
the take of Northern Goshawks after having been closed for at
least five years. (Those counties had been closed when I
started looking at falconry. For all I know, it has been
closed for ten or more.) Similar counting causes deer
licenses to be limited and bag limits established.
Redtails and kestrels in the lower 48 are apprentices'
birds because there is an ample supply. Goshawks in Alaska
and red-shoulders in Mississippi are selected for the same
reasons. It must be noted that THE MAJORITY OF THE WILD
HAWKS DIE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR. My tiercel would have been
one of them; he had a severe hunger streak that caused five
feathers to break during the season. In the wild he probably
would not have been able to endure the loss, four of them
being primary feathers.
Finally, in addition to voluntary releases, the number of
escaped falconer's birds also adds to the breeding
population. In a 1994 California DFG report, 11 peregrine
falcons, 4 goshawks, and 22 redtails were listed in the
disposition reports as escaped. These numbers were between
30 and 66% of the total acquisitions (eyass + passage) in the
same year. If these are typical numbers, it implies that,
although we take birds from the wild, we return more than one
might expect.


-Andrea Chen


No. Actually the exact opposite is "probably" true. You
have to understand raptor mortality and reproduction rates.
Most raptors raise 3-5 young each year. Since they are at
the very top of the food chain, most of these have to die to
maintain a steady population. In fact, over 70 percent of
the raptors hatched will not survive their first year. Most
of the deaths, especially after fledging are due to
competition for food. In nesting situations, taking one bird
increases the food available to the remaining nestlings,
creating a stronger brood.


Falconry has always been shown...time and time again, to
have absolutely no measurable impact on wild raptor
populations.... Think back......Raptors of all sorts were
literally slaughtered by the thousands each year during
migrations.... This went on and it took DDT to enter the
picture to bring the populations over the edge...(in that
region)...The effects of falconry are almost non-existent in
comparison to what has up until protection, been the NORM.


-Tod Herman


13. Can anyone recommend specs. for a giant hood?


Anyone Want to fill this one in?


14. What is "Operation Falcon"?


The research and writing for this is currently in progress.


15. Are there any suggested readings for a beginner or for
someone who is interested in falconry?


"A Falconry Manual, Beebe", Frank L. Hancock House, 1984. 197
pages, paperback, $16.95.
A good book on the different types of birds used in
falconry and falconry equipment, care and attention,
training, and hunting.
"The Falconer's Apprentice: A Guide to Training the Passage
Red-Tailed Hawk", William C. Oakes. 120 pages, $11.95.
An excellent book to prepare the novice for the training
and hunting with their red-tailed hawk.


"A Rage For Falcons", Bodio, Stephen. Pruett Publishing.
Boulder, Colorado. 135 pages. paperback, $12.95.
An excellent book describing the joys and sorrows of
being a falconer.


A more expensive and more thorough book which is what the
falconry examination is based upon is:


"North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks", Beebe, Frank L.,
Harold M. Webster, seventh edition 1994, 465 pages,
$65.00


For people in the UK I would reccomend the following book. As
I have been told that this is the bible for UK falconers.


"Falconry and Hawking", Phillip Glasier, 350 pages, $46.50.


All of these books can be obtained from the bookstores
listed in the appendices.


16. Do I have to be rich?


Yes and no. If falconry is really in your blood you will
make do. You will have an initial investment of at least
$600-$1000 in equipment, books, housing facilities,
licensing, and travel. After that, you will have your yearly
license fees and count on minimally $200 per year for food
and equipment replacement. Prices in California start around
$400 for a Harris hawk and can go up to a couple thousand for
a good falcon.


--Andrea Chen


17. What are good sources for hood patterns?


This summer I found three different books that had a
great amount of info. on hood making and hood patterns.


"Falconry and Hawking" by Phillip Glasier had a very
thorough and illustrated chapter on hood making. $47.50 from
Nicholson's bookstore.


His book contains the following patterns:
Falconry Centre hood pattern
Anglo-indian hood pattern
Arab hood pattern
Afghanistan hood pattern
Dutch Hood pattern


"Falconry: Principles and Practice" by Roger Upton also
had a good selection of hood patterns. Can be purchased from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's.


His book contains the following patterns:
Indian hood pattern from the Punjab
" " " Kapurthala state
Anglo-Indian hood pattern.
Arab hood pattern.
Damascus Arab hood pattern.
Syrian Arab hood pattern.
Syrio-Dutch hood pattern.
Dutch hood pattern.
Old metal pattern from Valkenswaard
Dutch Rufter hood pattern.
Turkistan golden eagle hood pattern.
North Afghanistan eagle hood pattern.


"Falconry Equipment" by Kimsey and Hodge. Available from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's or Northwood's limited.


Anglo-indian hood pattern.
Dutch hood pattern. (2 styles)
Syrian and Arab hoods are depicted but patterns are not
given for these.


18. What are good sources for making gloves and glove patterns?


I have found two books that have a great amount of
information on glove and hood making.


"Falconry and Hawking" by Phillip Glasier has written a
great chapter on glove making. He has written a step-by-step
procedure to making a falconry glove. There is one pattern
for a standard long cuff glove with information on how to add
a second reinforcement for handling eagles/large hawks. This
book is available from Nicholson's bookstore.


"Falconry: Principles and Practice" by Roger Upton has a
chapter on glove and hood making. I haven't read the book yet
so I can't say how good the instructions are. His book
contains 5 different glove patterns.


The first glove is a standard falconry glove with 2
variations.
The second glove is an arab hawking glove pattern.
The third glove is a sparrowhawk or merlin "two-finger"
glove.
The last two glove patterns are Indian hawking glove
patterns.


"Falconry:Principles and Practice" can be purchased from
Buteo Books or Nicholson's bookstore.


------------------------------


B. Internet Resources on Falconry.


1. Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ?


Until this FAQ is authorized by the maintainers of
news.answers you may obtain the FAQ from this URL.
http://home.earthlink.net/~fallinghawks/faqsetup.htm


This FAQ is also archived at the Falconry Usenet Post
Archive.
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/usenet_menu.html


When this FAQ is authorized by the news.answers
maintainers it will be posted to news.answers once a month or
when a major change to the FAQ has been made.


2. Are there any newsgroups on falconry?


Yes, there are newsgroups on falconry. Alt.sport.falconry
was first created for the discussion for falconry. Before the
newsgroup had propagated all over the net, someone created
alt.falconry and then later on someone created
alt.sports.falconry. It has been decided by the USENET
community that the proper name for a falconry group should be
þalt.sport.falconry". This is the proper name and the group
that is most widely carried and used by falconers.


Do not post to or discuss falconry on rec.birds.
Rec.birds is for bird watchers and the discussion of bird
watching. You will severely flamed by bird watchers for
discussing falconry on rec.birds.


Rec.hunting is a group dedicated to hunting in general.
You may discuss the hunting aspect of falconry on this group.


3. Are there any URLs or WWW pages on falconry?


The following URLs deal with falconry. There has recently
been an increase in falconry web pages within that last
couple of months. Which is great because there is now a
larger amount of material available on the net.


Falconry:Page by Wesley R. Elsberry:
http://204.96.15.10/nat/user/elsberry/falcon.html


Emma and Steven Ford's British School of Falconry:
http://www.highlandtrail.co.uk/highlandtrail/life2.html


The Falconer: A Monthly WWW publication.
http://www.ionet.net/~hawk/


The Falconry and Raptor Education Foundation
http://members.gnn.com/dzobrist/intro.htm


The Old Hawking Club's WWW page
http://www.demon.co.uk/disciplin/OHC/


The Falcon Mute
http://www.tidepool.com/falconer/Falconry.htm


Falconry Usenet Post Archive
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/usenet_menu.html


Eagle Eyes Legislation Effort
http://www.eskimo.com/~wings/legislation.html


Harrie Knol's Falconry Homepage
http://www.euronet.nl/users/hknol/index.htm


The Net Maker Homepage
http://cc.usu.edu/~marlow/


Eaglewing Publishing Homepage
http://home.earthlink.net/~eaglewing/


Northwood's Limited
http://www.olywa.net/northwoods/


Borch's Falkonerei
http://www.cybercity.dk/users/ccc12787/homeeng.html


FALCONCREST Homepage
http://www.iaehv.nl/users/lenders/


4. My site doesn't receive much news on alt.sport.falconry.
How come?


Some news sites do not receive all of the news that is
posted on alt.sport.falconry. If you are receiving responses
without the original posts then you are probably not
receiving everything that gets posted. Some news sites are
out of the loop and don't receive everything.


As of recently (3/14/96) the USENET service at MSU has
been down for quite awhile and I'm not sure if it will be
back up. However a new public news service has opened up. It
is available on the WWW. The URL for it is:


Zippo Dot Com - alt.sport.falconry
http://drn.zippo.com/news-bin/wwwnews?a ... t.falconry


------------------------------


For the Appendices look at the second part of this FAQ.


?


[ FAQ2.TXT ]
This is the second part of the Alt.sport.falconry FAQ, which contains all
of the appendices. This includes falconry organizations, bookstores, and
falconry equipment retailers.


I would like to thank the following people.


Pat Stong for typing up all of the local falconry groups in the US that are
registered with NAFA.


M. Douglas Johnson, Chief, Systems Management Office, at the US Air Force
Academy library. He gave me list of bookstores that the USAF library buys
books from.


------------------------------


As of October '95 the alt.sport.falconry FAQ has been submitted to the
maintainers of news.answers. I received an automated reply stating that they
were still trying to answer mail from February '95. So in a couple more months
or so this FAQ should be available on alt.answers and news.answers, and it
will also be archived at rtfm.mit.edu.


If there is anything that you would like to add or see added to the faq
let me know. Compiling news threads that discuss questions and topics would be
great to add to the faq.


Please send comments, corrections, suggestions, questions, and flames to me:


fallingha...@earthlink.net (Andrea Chen)


------------------------------


I. Introduction and Intent


The intent of this FAQ is to answer the basic questions about falconry
and to inform the reader about the requirements and sacrifices that must be
made to become a falconer. The FAQ will also act as a pointer to other
sources of information that will further the education of the reader and bring
him/her into to contact with other people that will be able to direct the
person to falconers in his/her area. This document will also try to cover
common questions that are frequently asked on the alt.sport.falconry
newsgroup. This FAQ is NOT intended to be a falconry manual NOR will it cover
every aspect of falconry. Such information is better left to books on
falconry written by experienced falconers.


------------------------------


II. DISCLAIMER


This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this article, the
author/maintainer/contributors (take your pick) assume(s) no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting
from the use of the information contained herein.


------------------------------


The Alt.sport.falconry FAQ


C. Appendices.
1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.
2. List of bookstores that carry books on falconry.
3. Listing of falconry clubs and organizations.
a. National and International organizations.
b. Falconry organizations in Canada.
c. Falconry organizations in the United Kingdom.
d. Falconry organizations in the United States.


------------------------------


C. Appendices:


1. Glossary of terms commonly used in falconry.


Words notated with (n,v) are often used (with appropriate
modifications) as both nouns and verbs. Some words take odd forms,
which I have tried to use as the entry; e.g. intermew or
intermewing are not used, only intermewed.


aspergillosis A fungal disease in the respiratory system;
asper for short.


austringer A falconer who hunts with accipiters (orig.); now includes
both shortwings and broadwings, but an anachronistic term
in any definition.


bate To flutter off the fist or perch for a negative reason
(fear, temper) when the raptor is restrained.


bell A small round bell tied to the tail or legs of a
hawk. The ringing of the bell gives away the location
of a hawk that is down on its prey. This makes it
easier for a falconer to locate a hawk that is hidden
by dense cover or long grass.


bewits Small leather strips that fasten the bell to the legs.


bind (v) To seize and hold onto quarry.


brail A long strip of leather used to restrain one wing of a
newly captured raptor, to prevent it from bating. Not used
in modern falconry.


broadwings Term that describes inclusively the class of Buteo and
Parabuteo.


cadge A portable perch used to carry several raptors into the
field.


carrying A habit where the raptor flies, holding onto
quarry just caught, either from the ground or
as a continuation of a stoop. Most falconers
prefer to discourage this.


cast (n) Two hawks (or more) flown in cooperative hunting. Wild
mated pairs will often work this way. Harris' hawks are
well known for working together in groups. Nestlings that
are raised together will sometimes be flown in a cast.


cast (v) To wrap a raptor in a cloth to restrain its wings (see
sock). This is done for many reasons: jessing a new
capture, imping feathers, etc. Alternate to
anesthetizing.


casting (n,v) The indigestible portion of a raptor's meal (bones, fur,
feathers) is formed into a compact ball (casting, pellet)
and is disgorged through the mouth.


cast off A raptor's launch from the glove


check When a hawk waiting on over a falconer, stoops at or
chases wild game which the falconer has not intended the
hawk to fly at. This happens when wild birds fly into
or across the area where the falconer is hunting. The hawk
is much more interested in stooping at the wild birds than
waiting for the falconer to flush something for her.


cope To trim the beak and/or talons of a raptor when they grow
too long. This is necessary because they do not get as
worn down in captivity as they do in nature.


crab (v) Two raptors grappling in the air, whether over quarry,
territory, or part of the mating ritual.


creance A long line used to train the raptor to come to the
falconer over a distance. About 50 - 150 ft. long.


enseaming The process of feeding small stones (rangle) to a raptor
in order to provide it with something to cast. A medieval
method, but some still defend its value.


enter (v) To train a raptor to a particular quarry or a new quarry.
"I entered her on jacks..."


eyess/eyas/eyeass Refers to a raptor still in the nest, or a raptor of any
age that was obtained as a nestling.


falcon (n) Any bird of the genus Falconidae.


falcon (adj,n) This term has also been reserved for female falcons only.
Male falcons are called tiercels. See tiercel.


feak (v) Scrubbing the beak against the perch or branch to clean it
of excess food/saliva. Songbirds do this constantly; birds
of prey, only after feeding.


ferret A small animal resembling and related to the weasel
family. Ferrets are sometimes used to scare or bolt
rabbits from their hole so that they may be flown at by
hawks.


to flush To chase or scare quarry out into the open or into the
air where it can be hunted by a hawk. It is important for
the falconer to do this at a time when his/her hawk is in
the best possible position and has the best advantage to
overtake its quarry. See also serve.


frounce A disease in the throat and mouth of raptors. Pigeons are
often attributed as being carriers of this disease but
frounce is not limited to pigeons.


gerkin A name specifically for male gyrfalcons also called a
tiercel gyrfalcon. See also tiercel and jerkin.


gorge (n,v) To give a raptor as much as it can eat. "Has been gorged"
or "Has a full gorge".


hack (n) A state of liberty in which young raptors are allowed to
run free and learn early hunting skills. It is provided
with food and watched carefully for the day it doesn't eat
it - indicating that it has caught something on its own.


haggard (n) A wild adult raptor in its second year or more.
A hawk used for falconry is a haggard if it was trapped
from the wild in its second year or later, otherwise it
is an intermewed passager or intermewed eyass.


halsband A piece of light silk rope or cord about eighteen inches
long that has a loop made at the top. The loop is put
round the neck of an accipiter. The falconer then pulls
down on the cord to bring the hawk into a horizontal
position. The falconer then swings his arm forward hurling
the hawk into the air at flushed quarry. This gives the
hawk a boost in speed so that it doesn't to accelerate as
much to overtake its quarry.


hawk Used liberally to encompass all falcons, accipiters,
and buteos. Originally used for birds belonging to the
genus Accipiter.


hob A name specifically used for male ferrets. See also
ferret.


hood A leather cap that covers a raptor's head, blinding it;
used to keep it calm in strange situations, such as
traveling by car. There are several styles of hood; the
most popular are Dutch and Indian.


imp (v) To repair a raptor's damaged feather by splicing on a part
of a moulted feather at the point where the feather has
been broken.


intermewed (adj) A raptor that has molted while in captivity. Can be used
to describe the age of the raptor, e.g. "3x intermewed
passager" indicates the raptor was trapped during
migration and has molted three times, and is thus in its
fourth year.


jack 1. A name specifically for male merlins(Falco. Columbarius,
or one of the merlin variants). Male merlins can also be
referred to as tiercel merlins. See also tiercel.
2. Jack is also short for jack-rabbit.


jangoli An Arabic or Indian name for the piece of equipment known
to European and American falconers as a halsband.
See halsband.


jerkin see gerkin.


jess, jesses, Leather straps attaching the legs of a raptor.


jessi The jesses are then attached to a swivel and leash, or
are held by the falconer while the hawk is on the fist.


jess, Aylmeri A two-piece jess consisting of an anklet held in place by
a grommet, and a jess that passes through the grommet. The
traditional jess was a single piece: because they were
only changed if broken, escaped raptors would get caught
up in branches and die. The Aylmeri jess allows the raptor
to pull out the jess portion, reducing the risk.


jess, slitless Jess that has no hole, or a very small hole, used when the
raptor is free-flying.


jess, mews Jesses that have a slit large enough to pass a swivel
through.


jill A name specifically for female ferrets. See also ferret.


leash Leather, nylon or bungee cord, around 3 ft. long, used to
fasten the raptor to its perch.


longwings Generic term for any bird of genus Falconidae.


lure (n) A simulated quarry on a string used to train raptors,
control their flight, or call the raptor in to the
falconer.


lure (v) To call the raptor in, using a lure.


make in to To approach a raptor on game. This is done so as to not
frighten the raptor into flight.


manning, manned The process of getting the raptor used to seeing people
and not be afraid of them.


mantle (v) To spread the wings and tail over food to protect it from
being viewed by rivals (bird or human). NAFHH, however,
defines mantling as the one-leg-same-wing stretch (see
also warble), and names the above definition as "mantling
over".


mews (n singular) The main sleeping/living quarters for a raptor.


mutes (n) mute (v) The excrement of a raptor.


passage hawk A raptor captured during its first southern migration.


pitch (n) The height a falcon seeks to maintain while waiting for
the falconer to serve it or flush quarry for it. (see
waiting on).


put in To hide in cover. ("The pheasant put in to that bush")


put over To digest food.


rake away When a hawk, waiting on over a falconer, leaves its
position directly over the falconer by veering off in
another direction in search of something else to do. The
hawk may be bored with waiting for the falconer to flush
something or may just enjoy soaring. Either way this puts
the hawk out of position to stoop at flushed quarry.


rangle/rankle Small stones fed to a raptor (see enseaming)


ring, ring up The process taken by a falcon to attain its pitch. A
falcon will gain height by flying in circles around the
falconer.


rouse (v) An action that all birds do, which involves raising all
the feathers until erect, then shaking itself vigorously
to allow the feathers to settle back into place.


row A falcon's practice of gripping the perch with both feet
and flapping its wings in place. Also used to describe
flying in general.


running cunning Is when a hawk that is flown in a cast lets the other
members work hard at stooping or tiring out the prey and
then the hawk takes the quarry just before it puts in or
makes it to cover. This is a vice where the hawk has
learned that he/she has does not have to work hard to
obtain the reward.


seel, seeling A medieval practice of aiding or speeding up the process
of manning a newly caught raptor by stitching the eyes
closed with a single thread. This method has fallen out
of use by modern American and European falconers, but it
is used all the time by modern Arab and Indian falconers.
When done properly it does not hurt the hawk and does
speed the manning process.


serve, serve up To provide a falcon with quarry, particularly
a easy catch.


sharp-set When a hawk is hungry or at flying weight having very
little body fat; displaying qualities of eagerness to
hunt.


shortwings Birds of the Genus accipiter.


slip(v) To provide a hawk with an opportunity to fly at game. This
refers fl

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

Max, can I borrow your PS2?

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

Max, can I borrow your PS2?

Look how each time you quote, it gets thinner. Might not end up the longest thread but could well be one of the thinnest.

[max is gr8]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

[wicked]

WHAT?!?!?!? KoolBak's not a girl????? Are you SURE?????

[max is gr8]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

Max, can I borrow your PS2?

Maybe if you pay me £200 an hour!

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

OK now I will use Wikipedia:

Ghostbusters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ghostbusters

Directed by Ivan Reitman
Produced by Bernie Brillstein
Ivan Reitman
Written by Dan Aykroyd
Harold Ramis
Starring Bill Murray,
Dan Aykroyd,
Sigourney Weaver,
Harold Ramis
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Released June 8, 1984
Running time 107 min.
Language English
Budget $30,000,000
IMDb profile
For other uses, see Ghostbusters (disambiguation).
Ghostbusters (sometimes written Ghost Busters) is a 1984 sci-fi comedy film about three parapsychologists who are fired from Columbia University in New York, and start up their own business investigating and eliminating ghosts.

It was followed by a sequel, Ghostbusters II (1989), and two cartoon series, The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters.

See The Real Ghostbusters for information about the cartoons and the comics, etc., and for information about the Ghostbusters' vehicles and tools/weapons.

The films sparked the catchphrases, "Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!", and "I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts", both from the hit theme song written and performed by Ray Parker Jr. Parker's video performance of the song was a hit for MTV, containing many snippets of the film which flowed well with the lyrics, along with quick cameos of various celebrities answering "Ghostbusters!" to the oft-repeated "Who you gonna call?" and special footage of the four Ghostbusters, in costume and character, joining in the singing.

In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted Ghostbusters the 44th greatest comedy film of all time. In 2005, IGN voted Ghostbusters the greatest comedy ever.

Taglines:

They're Here To Save The World.
Coming To Save The World This Summer.
We're Ready To Believe You.
Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!
The supernatural spectacular.
They ain't afraid of no ghost.
The world's most successful comedy.
Contents [hide]
1 Plot
1.1 Gozer the Gozerian
1.2 The Ghostbusters arrive
2 Franchise history
3 Cast
4 See also
5 External links



[edit]
Plot
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
[edit]
Gozer the Gozerian
Gozer the Gozerian, also known as Gozer the Destructor, Volguus Zildrohar, and The Traveler is a fictional Sumerian god who is the major supernatural enemy in the film, Ghostbusters. The character's name may have been an in-joke, as gozer in Hebrew means "surgeon who performs circumcisions". (In the actual Sumerian religion a somewhat similar deity is known as Tiamat.) According to other sources, the name "Gozer" is from a documented haunting that came to the attention of Dan Aykroyd, but this is unsubstantiated.

Gozer has two dog-like minions called Zuul ("The Gatekeeper") and Vinz Clortho ("The Keymaster"). Gozer the Traveller appears in one of his pre-chosen forms. During the movie Vinz Clortho speaking through Louis Tully claimed that: During the rectification of the Vuldronaii the Traveller came as a large, moving Torb. Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants they chose a new form for him--that of a giant Sloar. Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day, I can tell you.

After World War I, an insane surgeon named Ivo Shandor, leader of a secret apocalyptic cult, designed a massive apartment building in New York City (55 Central Park West) specifically to gather PKE (psychokinetic energy) that would power a portal that would let Gozer and his minions enter the world and destroy it.

By 1984, the building had gathered enough energy to pull Zuul and Vinz Clortho through: the two planned to possess suitable humans to open the portal on top of the building to let Gozer through. Because of this (according to Dr. Spengler's reading), the PKE in the surrounding area in 1984 was a few thousand times normal. As a by-product, numerous ghosts were revived and became active throughout the city as they waited to join their new master.

[edit]
The Ghostbusters arrive
Unfortunately for Gozer, events interfere. Three unemployed parapsychology professors start a business called Ghostbusters, a spectral investigation and removal service armed with technology of their own design that can track down and capture supernatural entities with unprecedented ease.

At first, their clients are few and far between, and the Ghostbusters have to depend on their individual talents to keep the business alive: Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) is a scientific genius, Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) is an expert on paranormal history and metallurgy, and Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), although in some ways a charlatan, has charm and business savvy. Although he initially comes off as a bit of a goof and sleaze, Venkman eventually finds a (subtly) heroic side to himself when he learns that Gozer and his minions are haunting the apartment of Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), a client who has become the object of his lustful (and possibly deeper) intentions.

The business eventually teeters on the verge of bankruptcy until one night, a desperate call comes in from the Sedgewick Hotel about a ghost that needs to be removed quickly and quietly. Although the Ghostbusters have no practical experience and their equipment is barely tested, they successfully catch the ghost after a destructively clumsy hunt.

Soon, business picks up dramatically and the company becomes a household name, due not only to the Ghostbusters building a reputation for themselves, but also due to an initially unexplained increase in supernatural activity. The Ghostbusters add a fourth member to their team, the blue-collar Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) to deal with the rapidly increasing workload. The company captures so many ghosts that the scientists become concerned about the capacity of their custom-built containment grid. Unfortunately, it soon becomes apparent to the Ghostbusters that the spike in paranormal events means they are headed toward a climactic confrontation with Gozer.

An overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck, orders the grid deactivated, against the advice of the Ghostbusters and a ConEd electrician-- causing the spontaneous explosive release of all of the captured ghosts. The main result of the containment grid being shut down was a widespread haunting that immediately sparks chaos throughout the city. Peck then has the Ghostbusters arrested for violating environmental laws. Eventually the Mayor of New York calls for the Ghostbusters to be brought to him. (It is here that Reginald VelJohnson plays a brief cameo as a jail guard.) The Ghostbusters are brought to City Hall. Peck is also there and tries to convince the Mayor that the Ghostbusters are staging a massive illusion - a "light show." However the department heads at the meeting all dispute Peck's claims, and with Venkman coming into his own as a skilled persuader, the Ghostbusters convince the Mayor to let them deal with the crisis.


The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man wreaks havoc on New York.The Ghostbusters leave to confront Gozer as he emerges from the portal on top of Shandor's building. After an initial skirmish, Gozer demands that Ghostbusters choose the form the Destructor would take. Ray Stantz reflexively chooses an innocuous corporate mascot, the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. The result is the bizarre sight of a giant marshmallow man in a sailor suit with an inane smile stomping through New York toward the building. The Ghostbusters eventually stop the god by crossing their proton pack streams as they fired at the portal. This creates total protonic reversal which in turn causes an explosion that apparently closes the portal and destroys (or at least neutralizes) Gozer and his minions, returning the possessed humans to normal.

[edit]
Franchise history

Ghostbusters logo ©1984 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.The concept was inspired by Aykroyd's own fascination with the paranormal, and was conceived by Aykroyd as a vehicle for himself and friend and fellow Saturday Night Live alum John Belushi. The original story as written by Aykroyd was much more ambitious -- and unfocused -- than what would be eventually filmed; in Aykroyd's original vision, a group of Ghostbusters would travel through time, space and other dimensions taking on huge ghosts. Also the ghostbusters wore S.W.A.T.-like outfits and used wands instead of proton packs to fight the ghosts.

Aykroyd pitched the story to director/producer Ivan Reitman, who liked the basic idea but immediately saw the budgetary impossibilities demanded by Aykroyd's first draft. At Reitman's suggestion, the story was given a major overhaul, eventually evolving into the final screenplay which Aykroyd and Ramis hammered out over the course of a few months in a Martha's Vineyard bomb shelter. Aykroyd and Ramis initially wrote the script with roles written especially for Belushi, Eddie Murphy and John Candy. However Belushi passed away during the writing of the screenplay, and neither Murphy nor Candy could commit to the movie due to prior conflicts, so Aykroyd and Ramis shifted some of these changes around and polished a basic, yet sci-fi oriented screenplay for their final draft. In addition to Aykroyd's high-concept basic premise and Ramis' skill at grounding the fantastic elements with a realistic setting, the film benefits from Bill Murray's semi-improvisational performance as Peter Venkman, the character initially intended for Belushi (who had died of a drug overdose while Aykroyd and Ramis were still working on the script). The extent of Murray's improvisation while delivering his lines varies wildly with every re-telling of the making of the film; some say he never even read the script, and improvised so much he deserves a writing credit, while others insist that he only improvised a few lines, and used his deadpan comic delivery to make scripted lines seem spontaneous.

Among the featured New York locations were Columbia University, the New York Public Library, the still active Hook & Ladder 8, Central Park West, Tavern on the Green in Central Park, Lincoln Center, inside a defunct New York jail and various street locations for the montages. The interior of the firehouse was done in LA's Fire Station 23, the basement of the Library was substituted by an LA library, the Biltmore Hotel in LA served as the lobby and entrance for the Sedgewick Hotel, while the other locations were on sound stages. At the Oscar ceremony following the September 11 2001 attacks, clips were screened from various films that were associated with New York - Ghostbusters featured in the montage.

Gozer's temple was the biggest and most expensive set ever to be constructed at that time[citation needed]. In order to properly light it and create the physical effects for the set, other stages needed to be shut down and all their power diverted over to the set. The hallway sets for the Sedgewick Hotel were originally built for the movie Rich and Famous in 1981 and patterned after the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, where Reitman originally wanted to do the hotel bust. The Biltmore was chosen because the large lobby allowed for a tracking shot of the Ghostbusters in complete gear for the first time. Dana Barrett and Louis Tully's apartments were constructed across two stages and were actually on the other side of their doors in the hallway, an unusual move in filmmaking.

A problem arose during filming when it was discovered that a show was produced in 1975 by Filmation for CBS called The Ghost Busters, starring Larry Storch and Forrest Tucker. Columbia Pictures prepared a list of alternative names for the event that the rights could not be secured. During the filming of the crowd for the final battle, the extras were all chanting "Ghostbusters", reportedly inspiring the producers to insist the studio buy rights to use the name.

Ghostbusters was released in the United States on June 8, 1984, starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson, and grossed approx. $240 million in the US and over $50 million abroad during its theatrical run, more than the second "Indiana Jones" installment, making it easily the most successful film of that year, and the most successful comedy of the 1980s. A video game based on the movie was released by Activision for the Atari gaming system and a number of 1980s home computers, and West End Games released Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game. Upon the release of Ghostbusters II, they released an updated "Ghostbusters International" roleplaying game, including an adventure module very loosely based on the second movie.

A song used for the movie, also called "Ghostbusters" was a hit for Ray Parker Jr.. The music video produced for this song, which featured cameos from a number of film and TV stars, is considered one of the key productions of the early music video era. Huey Lewis and the News sued Parker Jr. for plagiarism, citing that Parker Jr. ripped off the main beat from the The News "I Want a New Drug." Ironically, Lewis was approached to compose the main theme song for the movie, but he had to decline due to his work on the soundtrack for Back to the Future.

In 1989, Ghostbusters II was released to mixed reviews, featuring the return of the main cast and a new villain. The second film's storyline was nearly identical to the first, with Venkman again acting flippant until he gradually re-charms Dana, and the Ghostbusters again struggling to keep their business afloat in a city skeptical of the supernatural despite the previous obvious evidence until business picks up again thanks to the rise of another demonic/ghostly ruler from ancient times, as well as a river of pink goo below the city that seemed to be the living embodiment of hate and bad feelings. The movie also gave us the return of meek, mild-mannered accountant Louis Tully (Rick Moranis), who was introduced into the cartoon the following season.

Aykroyd and Ramis struggled for years to get started on a third Ghostbusters film, but were unable to come up with a script that could meet their own satisfaction. The possibility of a third film grew even more complicated as Murray's interest in reprising his role waned over the years, and Aykroyd finally admitted that a third film would probably never happen. At one stage Aykroyd had a working script, and Murray agreed to reprise a bit part, but Columbia would not get on board due to the cost. This quandary was parodied in an episode of The Critic, in which Jay Sherman was asked to write a script for a film called "Ghost-Chasers 3," which was a bomb. In a November 2005 interview with In Focus magazine, Ramis talks about the un-produced Ghostbusters 3 script. [1]

In the 1995 Casper movie, Aykroyd makes a cameo as his Ghostbusting character Dr. Ray Stantz, who fails at ridding the haunted mansion of Casper and his uncles, stating "Who you gonna call? Someone else."

In 2004, 88MPH Studios began releasing their "Ghostbusters: Legion" limited comic book series, which retconned the Ghostbusters' world to 6 months after the first movie and pushed the timeline up 20 years to present time. 88MPH Owner and Operator Sebastien Clavet still has plans to release an ongoing series, but difficult public opinion following delays in the initial comic series mean it is unknown if he will be able to carry on his dream.

A popular cartoon on Nickelodeon, Danny Phantom, is very similar to Ghostbusters in the fact that the main character's parents are also ghost hunters and use ghost hunting weapons. Occasionally, it references Ghostbusters in some way or features similar concepts, such as the manner in which the Fenton Thermos releases captured ghosts in the Ghost Zone (much like the Ghostbusters' containment grid).

Another cartoon show on Cartoon Network, Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, recently featured an episode in which one of the feature characters, "Blue", caught a cold. Blue is rather ghost shaped himself, and when he came down with the cold he turned white. That very evening, some other feature characters had just watched a scary late night TV show about a ghost that looked remarkably like Blue with a cold. Numerous parodies of some memorable "Ghostbusters" moments follow, including: Blue orbiting a chandelier, characters getting slimed by Blue when ever he sneezed, and a character with a one syllable vocabulary being asked who to call to deal with the problem replying in a way to indicate they were shouting 'Ghostbusters!' as per the theme song by Ray Parker Jr. The response was, "Nah, they've been out of business for years."

The film spawned a theme park special effects show at Universal Studios Florida which closed sometime in 2000 to make way for Twister: Ride it Out! The Ghostbusters were also featured in a lyp-synching dance show featuring Beetlejuice on the steps of the New York Public Library facade at the park after the attraction closed. The GBs were all new and "extreme" versions in the show, save for the Zeddemore character. The Ecto-1 was used to drive them around the park, and was often used in the park's annual "Macy's Holiday Parade".The show, Ecto-1, and all other Ghostbuster trademarks were discontinued in 2005 when Universal failed to renew the rights for theme park use. Currently, the Ghostbuster Firehouse can still be seen near Twister, without its GB logo and "Engine 988" ribbon. A "paranormal investigator" ectching on a nearby doorway hints at the old show.

[edit]
Cast

The Ghostbusters in action. From left to right: Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman and Winston Zeddemore.Bill Murray (Dr. Peter Venkman)
Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Raymond Stantz)
Sigourney Weaver (Dana Barrett)
Harold Ramis (Dr. Egon Spengler)
Rick Moranis (Louis Tully)
Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz)
William Atherton (Walter J. Peck)
Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore)
Slavitza Jovan (Gozer the Gozerian)
[edit]
See also
Ectomobile
Ghostbusters II
The Real Ghostbusters
Extreme Ghostbusters
Janine Melnitz
Slimer
Ghost
Dr David Newman (who is the actual real life Egon Spengler)
Mickael Turtle, a fictional turtle who has reworked the Ghostbusters theme

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

Parapsychology is the study of the evidence of mental awareness or influence of external objects without interaction from known physical means. Most objects of study fall within the realm of "mind-to-mind" influence (such as extra-sensory perception, folie a deux and telepathy), "mind-to-environment" influence (such as psychokinesis) and "environment-to-mind" (such as hauntings). Collectively, these abilities are often referred to as "psionics".

The scientific validity of parapsychology research is a matter of frequent dispute and criticism, and is generally referred to as a pseudoscience, refuted by numerous rigorous scientific studies. Nonetheless, many eminent scientists have been firm believers that the field is worthy of analysis, such as Wolfgang Pauli (See Pauli Effect).

Contents [hide]
1 Types of parapsychology
2 History, claims, and evaluation
3 Status of the field
3.1 How science views the field
3.2 Interpretation of the evidence
3.2.1 Criticisms of parapsychological research
3.2.2 Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
3.3 Early Scientific American challenge
3.4 Other objections to parapsychology
4 Other interesting facts
4.1 Critics of parapsychology
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
8.1 Independent research organizations
8.2 University research organizations
8.3 Other



[edit]
Types of parapsychology
The phenomena in question fall into two broad groups.

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) is also known as anomalous cognition, and includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience, clairgustance, clairsentience, precognition, postcognition, psychometry, and dream transference.

Anomalous operation includes psychokinesis (in the past referred to as telekinesis), pyrokinesis, psychogenesis, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, near-death experiences, mediumship, and reincarnation.

The general term "psi phenomena" (or the somewhat older term, "psychic phenomena," which was said to be the "psi factor" in an experiment) covers all of these categories.

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History, claims, and evaluation
See history of parapsychology and claims of parapsychology.

[edit]
Status of the field
The standing of the field of parapsychology has always been controversial within the scientific community.

As its name indicates, parapsychology is sometimes considered a sub-branch of psychology, and this has arisen historically since it involved the study of apparent mental faculties. In its modern form, parapsychology is an interdisciplinary field, which has attracted physicists, engineers, and biologists, as well as psychologists and those from other sciences. (For an argument that parapsychological phenomena may not in fact be psychological, see Peter J. King's "Parapsychology without the 'Para' (or the 'Psychology')" (Think 3, 2003, pp 43 53).)

Parapsychology often involves the use of new and untested technologies and methods such as neurofeedback, Neuro-linguistic programming, past life regression and so on.

Many people are not satisfied with the term, and have proposed alternatives, such as "psi research" (similar to the older term "psychical research"), but "parapsychology" is the term that has gained the greatest acceptance today.

One organization involved in the field, the Parapsychological Association is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). [1]. At present (2006) there are about two hundred and seventy five members in the Parapsychological Association.

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How science views the field
In the scientific disciplines, there is a belief that all claims should be treated with scientific skepticism. Mainstream scientists generally argue that after examining psi claims for over a century, there has been significant difficulty assertaining significant positive evidence for such claims.

Many in the scientific community believe that parapsychology is not a real science, that psi phenomena do not exist, and that parapsychology is a pseudoscience. Many scientists and skeptical observers of the field believe that some parapsychologists knowingly commit fraud; that some are incompetent or misled by their own hopes or desires; and that some are naïve and therefore easily deceived by fraudulent participants; or perhaps some combination of the above. One of the most famous cases in psychology that illustrates being misled by one's hopes is that of Clever Hans. Mr. Wilhelm von Osten, who promoted the horse, did not intend to defraud anyone, but he fooled himself and large audiences nevertheless. [2]

Parapsychologists disagree with this assessment. Many have been formally trained in science, and are familiar with the scientific method. Statistician Jessica Utts has shown in a number of papers that:

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted."[3]
The precise percentage of scientists holding negative views about parapsychology is unclear, since surveys targeting this group are far less common than those targeting the general population. In his article Save Our Science: Paranormal Phenomena and Zetetics, skeptic Henri Broch complains:

"These data are based on an investigation on the belief in parasciences among Frenchmen (published in 1986). [...] Contrary to what might have been thought, the level of belief in the paranormal is directly proportional to the level of education, whatever the religious persuasion may be. Those with higher scientific degrees fare slightly better, although their level of belief is superior to [greater than] the average!"
Some skeptics believe that there is a tendency for parapsychology researchers to select "good days" and discard "bad days" for the people in the test samples. But the "Theory of Runs" shows that the chance of a long run of successes (or failures) increases drastically when the periods of success or failure are selected as part of a larger sample. See: Feller, William (1968), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, p. 86. For a more recent discussion of the theory and the "arcsine law" see [4] or [5]

Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest and a sociologist from the University of Arizona, studied surveys on belief in ESP from 1978 through 1987, and studied the mental health of believers in ESP. The surveys he studied showed that from 1978 through 1987, the number of American adults who reported psychic experiences rose from 58% to 67% (clairvoyance and contacts with the dead were reported by 25% of his respondents). According to Greeley, the elderly, women, widows and widowers, and the conventionally religious report higher incidents of such experiences. He also tested the psychological well-being of people reporting mystical experiences with the "Affect Balance Scale" and found that people reporting mystical experiences received top scores. Greeley summarized his findings by writing,

A few parapsychologists are skeptics, for example Chris French and his colleagues at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in London, and Richard Wiseman and his colleagues at the Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire, both of which units include individuals who are members of the Parapsychological Association. These researchers do not approach the field with a belief in the paranormal, but are rather interested in the purely psychological aspects of those who report paranormal experiences, along with the study of the psychology of deception, hallucination, etc. These researchers also have provided their own guidelines and input to other parapsychologists for the design of experiments and how to properly test those who claim psychic abilities. While some of these guidelines have been useful, many have suffered from a naive understanding of scientific practice in general and in parapsychology in particular, from a distorted view of the methodology actually in use in the field, and the unfortunate habit of some skeptics to make sweeping statements about the applicability of counter-hypotheses to lines of research without actually investigating the appropriateness of those counter-hypotheses to the details at hand. (See, for example a mostly-positive review of one of these guidelines written by skeptics[6].)

The most important point that both proponents and skeptics raise is the need to be critical of the theory, methods, and conclusions of any one who investigates or comments on parapsychology as a science, no matter what point of view they represent. In order to be an objective professional, one must have a first-hand knowledge of the vast past and present published scientific literature in the field, primary and scholarly sources of its age whenever possible, and -- even more important -- have first-hand experience as an experimenter or investigator and a respect for the art of conjuring and its masters. The hands-on approach is essential to scientific progress in the field, whether one approaches it from a "paranormalist" or a "conventional theorist" point of view. Selective and historically uninformed armchair cheerleading and armchair skepticism are equally useless in all fields of inquiry and science.

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Interpretation of the evidence
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Many scientists hold that the entire body of evidence to date is of poor quality and not properly controlled; in their view, the entire field of parapsychology has produced no results whatsoever. Frequently, however, proponents argue that those who hold this view have not had any contact with the published literature of the field such as that which can be found in the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, or in the proceedings of the annual convention of the Parapsychological Association[citation needed]. Instead, they have relied on the analyses made by members of the skeptical community who, wrongly, assume that all parapsychological experiments suffer from flaws and therefore no parapsychological experiment may be considered evidential even in the weak sense of the term. Working psi researchers welcome criticisms that are based on knowledge of the peer-reviewed, published literature of the field. Criticism and blanket statements based on hearsay are not productive and not encouraged in any area of science.

Other scientists hold that there is a small amount of data from properly controlled experiments that can be trusted for a small number of psi phenomena. They hold that this evidence is not definitive, but suggestive enough to warrant further research. [7]

Other scientists, who are familiar with the published literature of the field of parapsychology, believe that a great deal of evidence has been collected, which, if it addressed more conventional phenomena, would be sufficient to provide proof.

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Criticisms of parapsychological research
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Anecdotal evidence, characteristic of most of parapsychology, is inherently unreliable. Anecdotes may have natural, non-anomalous explanations such as random coincidence, fraud, imagination, or auto-suggestion.
If an experiment is not controlled to prevent fraud, then the results may not be trusted. This is especially so given the fact that many people who claimed to possess psi abilities were later proven to be frauds.
Parapsychology experiments are usually poorly designed. They often lack proper controls, allowing paths of intentional or unintentional information leakage through normal means, etc.
Parapsychology experiments are rarely replicated with positive results at independent laboratories.
Positive results in psi experiments are so statistically insignificant as to be negligible, i.e. indistinguishable from chance. For example, parapsychology may have a "file drawer" problem where a large percentage of negative results are never published, making positive results appear more significant than they actually are.
Currently inexplicable positive results of apparently sound experiments do not prove the existence of psi phenomena, i.e., normal explanations may yet be found. Concluding inexplicability from lack of existing explanation constitutes the well-known fallacy Argument from Ignorance.
Psi phenomena cannot be accepted as explanation of positive results until there is a widely acceptable theory of how they operate.
Parapsychologists may prefer and write selective history. The whole story may be avoided.
Parapsychology spends too much time simply trying to show that certain phenomena occur, and too little time trying to explain them — yet it is explanation that constitutes the heart of scientific enquiry, and wider, scientific acceptance of parapsychological phenomena would come only with the provision of explanation. (See King (2003) cited above.)
People who are considered noteworthy psychics could make a lot of money predicting or even controlling (via PK) the outcomes of boxing matches, football games, roulette wheel spins, individual stock price changes, and so on, but none of them seem to do so. Why not?
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Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The hard evidence for psi phenomena today is founded on repeatable experiments and not anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is considered valid in law and many other fields. The validity of anecdotal evidence does not depend upon the opinion of those listening to it. Memory studies by Elisabeth Loftus show that while memory can be capricious, a majority of people are not affected by many controlled memory manipulations. (See [8] for data.)
There is no such thing as a completely foolproof experiment in any field of science, and it is unreasonable to hold parapsychology to a higher standard of epistemology than the other sciences. [9]Fraud and incompetence in parapsychology is addressed in the same way it is addressed in any other field of science: repeating experiments at multiple independent laboratories; publishing methods and results in order to receive critical feedback and design better protocols, etc.
Experimental protocols have been continually improved over time, sometimes with the direct assistance of noted skeptics. Meta-analyses show that the significance of the positive results have not declined over time, but instead have remained fairly constant.
There are certain phenomena which have been replicated with odds against chance far beyond that required for acceptance in any other science. Meta-analyses show that these cannot be accounted for by any file drawer problem.
Anomalous phenomena do not disappear for lack of a theory. There have been many instances in the history of science where the observation of an anomalous phenomenon came before an explanatory theory, and some commonly accepted non-psi phenomena (e.g. gravity) today still lack a perfectly satisfactory, undisputed theory. For instance, in the past, those who sighted meteors falling to the earth were dismissed as madmen or false prophets.
Theories abound in parapsychology for aspects of psi phenomena, though there is not any one that is comprehensive and widely accepted within parapsychology.
It is not necessary to be a licensed psychiatrist or acquainted with clinical psychology to test the validity of psi. The field of parapsychology overlaps many disciplines, including physics and biology, and often physicists, engineers and others trained in the hard sciences, in conjunction with stage magicians and other experts in deception, are in a better position to design experiments for certain types of phenomena than are psychiatrists or psychologists.
The opinion of parapsychologists regarding the overall evaluation of the body of evidence to date is divided. As noted above, some parapsychologists are skeptic and do not believe that there is anything observed so far which cannot ultimately be explained within the existing framework of known science. Probably a majority of parapsychologists believe in the likelihood, or at least the possibility, of actual psi phenomena, though there is a range of attitudes toward the evidence.

Regarding the evidence, the rule of the thumb of the skeptical community is that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since skeptics may consider paranormal claims extraordinary, they may think that the evidence needs to be better than what normally would be required. However, this puts the responsibility for investigating seemingly paranormal phenomena squarely on the shoulders of proponents and "internal" skeptics. Not only is research conducted by "external" critics and skeptics useful to the field as a whole, but it also imparts a kind of craft knowledge to critics and skeptics that makes their criticism and counter-hypotheses more productive and more useful. Further many of the counter-hypotheses proposed by skeptics are so unparsimonious as to be extraordinary claims as well, and in that case, those counter-hypothesis, also require extraordinary evidence.

Most people use this approach to evidence in everyday life. For instance, if the news reports that the president of the USA has just arrived in South Korea for a state visit, most people will take this at face value. The news is considered a fairly reliable source of information, and the president visiting a country such as South Korea is not an extraordinary claim. However, if the same news broadcast later mentioned that a 92-year-old man has improved the world record time on the marathon by half an hour, many reasonable people would require more evidence, even despite the assumed reliability of the source, since the claim is extraordinary. This analogy might be flawed, however. In the case of the 92 year old man, we have positive evidence gained from a lifetime of experience and the reassurance of physiologists that this feat is indeed extraordinary (i.e., improbable). When it comes to parapsychology, however, some would argue we have no positive evidence that it is improbable, only our own cultural bias and a subjective sense that Psionic powers are extraordinary. Hence, some would argue, it is not the sort of extraordinary claim which necessarily needs more evidence than a mundane claim.

Some parapsychologists agree with critics that the field has not yet reached the degree of consistent repeatability of experimental results needed for general consensus. John Beloff, in his book Parapsychology: A Concise History, notes the evanescent – some have said the apparently evasive – nature of psychic phenomena over time, and that the range of phenomena observable in a given era seems to be culturally dependent.

For example, in earlier times, psychic research studied physical phenomena demonstrated by spiritualist mediums that, according to the reports passed down to us in the literature, far surpassed anything that any of today's "psychics" can demonstrate. Skeptics consider this more evidence of the non-existence of psi phenomena. Frequently this particular claim is the result of the proponent community having cut itself off, because of political pressures of conforming to the scientific Zeitgeist, from the community of modern mediums and psychics who operate today. Whether or not the phenomena being exhibited by modern day mediums can provide proof of traditional notions of spirituality or can be attributed to the operation of mundane psychological processes is mostly an open question, due to the lack of research. So it is possible that physical phenomena is being exhibited today, but to what cause the effects may be attributed is an open question, even among parapsychologists.

Many people, especially like John Beloff and Stephen E. Braude, cannot easily dismiss the entirety of all the positive accounts – many of which came from scientists and conjurors of their day. Many began as skeptics - but then changed their minds to become believers and supporters of psychic phenomena when they encountered the inexplicable; and so believe that continued research is justified. Easily recovered critical historical research reveals these individuals were certainly out of their league when it came to the close up deceptions of fraudulent mediums and adept charlatans. (Podmore, 1910 & Price and Dingwall, 1975)

Other parapsychologists, such as Dean Radin and supporters such as statistician Jessica Utts, take the stance that the existence of certain psi phenomena has been reasonably well established in recent times through repeatable experiments that have been replicated dozens to hundreds of times at labs around the world. They refer to meta-analyses of psi experiments that conclude that the odds against chance (null hypothesis) of experimental results far exceeds that commonly required to establish results in other fields, sometime by orders of magnitude.

This is an old argument. See (Rawcliffe 1952, pages 441 & 442). The question whether or not each of these experiments themselves have been efficiently carried out is avoided. In the unsophisticated "language of the street" this would be known as "garbage in garbage out". All of the early experiments that were conducted by noted men of science in Italy and Germany with Eusapia Palladino "proved positive". This same argument did not satisfy the United States Department of Defense when remote viewing experiments were being funded for 20 million dollars. The project was terminated for lack of results.

Instead, many enthusiastic parapsychologists prefer to dismiss proof-oriented research, intended primarily to verify the existence of psi phenomena and, as in the past, jumped to "process-oriented" research, intended to explore the parameters and characteristics of psi phenomena. Time will tell whether these results prove to be evanescent as well. Unfortunately, what complicates the "time will tell" hope that many skeptics and proponents have is the lack of funds available for research from either the conventional or the "paranormalist" perspectives, and the negative impact on career advancement that an interest in these phenomena -- even from a skeptical point of view -- can have. The past history of repeated psi failures and short comings has given parapsychology a poor reputation.

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Early Scientific American challenge
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The offering of prizes for demonstrations is not new to the field. Circa 1924, Scientific American magazine offered a $5000 prize to anyone who could produce any "visible psychic manifestation." Medium Mina Crandon, known in the literature as "Margery," made a bid and was tested by a committee set up by the editorial staff. Her performance was such that the committee members were split, four negative to one positive in their opinions. The magazine published the mixed report in its November 1924 issue, no prize was awarded, and the competition was declared closed the following year. In the early 1900s, the then well-known stage magician Howard Thurston, who had earlier studied to be a medical missionary, was impressed by the mysterious table lifting demonstrations of medium Eusapia Palladino. He advertised in the New York Times his offer of $1000 to charity in the name of any fellow conjuror who could duplicate this feat. He had no takers. In 1910 Eusapia Palladino publicily acknowledged she used tricks to an American reporter. Today many methods of table lifting and other seance secrets are well known to master conjurors, but kept secret as demanded by their art.(Rinn 1950, Christopher 1975 p.208)

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Other objections to parapsychology
There are a variety of other objections to parapsychology as well.

Psi Phenomena as a Violation of the Laws of Physics or Nature
Some critics claim that the existence of psi phenomena would violate "the known laws of physics", and some of these critics believe that this is reason enough that such phenomena should not be studied. Parapsychologists respond that "laws of nature" are simply summaries of existing scientific knowledge and do get revised from time to time during the course of scientific progress, in addition they are not so well understood that with them one could confidently predict the non existence of Psi (Consider quantum mechanics). If the existence of psi phenomenon were ever proved, explaining how they work might require revising or extending the known laws of physics. Precognition, for example, would challenge commonly held notions about causality and the unidirectional nature of time. However, these commonly held notions are often not physical laws, and are already being challenged by modern physical theories, quite apart from psi phenomena. Skeptics and parapsychologists alike generally agree that, as per Occam's Razor, simple explanations should be preferred for any resulting theories of psi. Some parapsychologists are critical of skeptics' frequently-uninvestigated claims about fraud, or the application of conventional hypotheses specifically because these claims are unparsimonious. Conventional explanations, many parapsychologists believe, should also conform to Occam's Razor. Then there are others, both skeptics and proponents, who agree that even in mainstream science nature itself is frequently unparsimonious.
Parapsychology as Taboo
Some believe that paranormal phenomena should not be studied, either because they are forbidden by their religious orientation, or because they believe that to do so opens the investigators to some sort of "spiritual attack". Parapsychology is also seen as a taboo subject in science and the academy and individuals who show an interest in studying seemingly psychic phenomena, even from a skeptical point of view, often find themselves losing or being pushed out of employment, or denied funding. Anthropologist of science, David J. Hess, has written on this topic.[10]
Parapsychology as a Danger to Society
Some believe that parapsychology should not be pursued because it somehow represents a danger to society. As is stated in the Y2000 NSF report Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience[11]:
"Concerns have been raised, especially in the science community, about widespread belief in paranormal phenomena. Scientists (and others) have observed that people who believe in the existence of paranormal phenomena may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Their beliefs may indicate an absence of critical thinking skills necessary not only for informed decision making in the voting booth and in other civic venues (for example, jury duty), but also for making wise choices needed for day-to-day living."
Even "insiders" in the parapsychological community worry about the possible harm that naive belief in paranormal phenomena can have on individuals, on culture and on societies. A great deal of effort has been put into the notion of developing expertise in dealing with reported experiences both in a clinical sense, and as a topic of investigation. Unfortunately organized skepticism and the "taboo" that exists against serious research on such phenomena has impeded the ability of many researchers -- both skeptics and proponents -- from doing the kinds of research that would allow evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Although under the heading 'paranormal phenomena' the report lists topics such as astrology, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster, it also lumps in belief in ESP and, by implication, most parapsychology.

Parapsychology as a Waste of Resources
Some believe that parapsychology should not be funded because it is a waste of resources that would be better spent on other activities. Some of these critics feel so strongly about this that they engage in activism to try to prevent or remove funding from psi research. Psychic detectives may waste valuable police resources. One of the negative -- and probably unintended -- consequences of this point of view is that while 10% of the world's population or over 400 million individuals on the planet, may experience what they believe are psychic phenomena, and may suffer in their daily lives from psychological problems caused by their experiences, few scientists on the planet are able to find the resources to really investigate the phenomena, and therefore very little real knowledge exists that can be used to help these experiencers. While even most parapsychologists would agree there are more urgent problems to solve, having no research address these reported experiences does a grave disservice to people everywhere.
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Other interesting facts
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
German psychiatrist Hans Berger originally used the electroencephalograph (EEG) on humans in 1929 as a tool to study whether telepathy might be explained by brain waves. (Beyerstein, B. L. [12] 1999)
The first and only Ph.D. in Parapsychology awarded by any American university, was the University of California, Berkeley awarding the PhD to Dr Jeffrey Mishlove in 1980. Subsequently some activists unsuccessfully lobbied the Berkeley administration to revoke the degree. Reportedly, as many as 46 people in the UK have doctorates in parapsychology. However, with the exception of Dr. Mishlove, mentioned above, the so-called "46 people in the UK" have doctorates in other disciplines, principally in psychology, but completed doctoral thesis work which included or were devoted to research projects in parapsychology. Such individuals are also expected to be competent in the disciplines in which they received their degrees. Examples of these individuals include: Dr. Susan Blackmore (it says "PhD in Parapsychology, University of Surrey, 1980" on her webpage CV [13], though), Dr. Richard Broughton, Dr. Deborah Delanoy, Dr. Serena-Roney Dougall, Dr. Chris Roe, Dr. Simon Sherwood, Dr. Christine Simmonds, Dr. Matthew Smith, Dr. Carl Williams, Dr. Richard Wiseman, among others. [14]
Patent #5830064, "Apparatus and method for distinguishing events which collectively exceed chance expectations and thereby controlling an output," was granted by the US Patent Office on Nov 3rd, 1998 to inventors including several researchers from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center. The patent in no way relies on the existence of psi phenomena, but in the description the inventors do suggest that "One application of the present invention is the investigation of anomalous interaction between an operator and random physical systems, whether by serious scientists or curious members of the public who would like to conduct experiments on their own."
Throughout the history of the investigations of physical mediums there seems to be no record of simply applying wet paint to a medium's hands and feet to ensure control and eliminate fraud. However, it is naive to think one control would cover all cases.
Joseph B. Rhine began examining psychic abilities after hearing, and being deeply impressed, by a lecture given by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, about the scientific reality of having established contact with the dead. (Rinn 1950)
In reviewing the history of parapsychology from the present back to its birth from 19th century spiritism it becomes apparent that there was a preconceived belief in the existence of psychic phenomena by members of science that led to poor testing conditions, and loosening of controls, so phenomena would be produced and validated, rather than a genuine curious search to discover whether or not psychic phenomena existed at all. (Rawcliffe 1952, Podmore 1963, Christopher 1979)
In early psychic research the advice of master conjurors, such as the sterling case of Houdini, on establishing control has been very valuable, but not appreciated by scientific investigators who had become close and fond of their subjects and their produced phenomena. There are many past examples where serious mistakes were made. (Christopher 1970, Rinn 1950, Hyman 1989, Podmore 1975, Price & Dingwall 1975) As long as this breach continues between master conjurors and scientific parapsychologists, parapsychologists are likely to repeat the same mistakes. The success of James Randi's Project Alpha is a prime example.
Some early and mid 20th century psychologists concluded Psychical research represents a reversion to occult beliefs which have had their origins in the earliest of human cultures.(Rawcliffe 1952)
In the 1984 fictional film Ghostbusters Dr. Peter Venkman claims to have Ph.D.'s in both Psychology and Parapsychology when asked by overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck. It has yet to be explained by scientists why that is an "interesting fact" such that it should appear here.
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Critics of parapsychology
Banachek tricked scientists for 2 years, 120 laboratory hours, into believing he could bend metal with his minds in the much touted 'Alpha Project' experiment, a set-up.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an advocacy group of scientists and rationalist writers arguing for the anti-paranormal point of view.
Derren Brown (Has a detailed TV show, debunking people's beliefs.)
Susan Blackmore — Stopped lecturing and abandoned parapsychology altogether, because she could no longer endure the near fanatic and rude behavior of both believers and non-believers. Perhaps. She also lost faith in the existence of "psi". See her book Adventures of a Parapsychologist
Milbourne Christopher — Noted conjuring historian and master conjuror, his works debunking parapsychology are high quality.
Martin Gardner- Noted rationalist, puzzler, science writer, and master conjuror, has written many exposés.
Ray Hyman- Conjuror and noted research psychologist
James Randi- Master conjuror and author. In one exposé he revealed top evangelist Peter Poppoff and his wife used trickery to take advantage of their faithful congregation.
Ehrich Weiss (Harry Houdini)- Early 20th century master conjuror and author. He wanted to contact his deceased mother; he attended seances with this serious purpose but was always disappointed. In his will Houdini offered his great library to the American Society of Psychical Research on the condition that its president, Malcomb Bird, resigned. Bird refused. Houdini's collection went to the Library of Congress.
Penn and Teller, gives these comic showmen material.
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See also
Clairaudience
Clairvoyance
List of spirituality-related topics
List of parapsychologists
Parapsychology basic topics
Patapsychology
Prophecy
Psionics
Remote Viewing
The Bélmez Faces
True-believer syndrome
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References
↑ Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience, National Science Foundation, 2000.
Parapsychology, by Rene Sudre, Citadel Press, NY, 1960, Library of Congress Catalog 60-13928.
Parapsychology, by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Al-Kitaab Publication, 1985.
The Conscious Universe, by Dean Radin, Harper Collins, 1997, ISBN 0062515020.
Parapsychology: A Concise History, by John Beloff, St. Martin's Press, 1993, ISBN 0312096119.
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, by Richard S. Broughton , Ballantine Books, 1991, ISBN 0345356381.
Our Sixth Sense, by Charles Richet, Rider & Co., 1937, First English Edition
The Elusive Quarry: A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research, by Ray Hyman, Prometheus Books, 1989, ISBN 0879755040.
Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Parapsychology, ed. Antony Flew, Prometheus Books, 1987, ISBN 0-87975-385-4
Sixty Years of Psychical Research : Houdini and I Among the Spirits, by Joseph Rinn, Truth Seeker, 1950
The Newer Spiritualism, by Frank Podmore, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1910 edition
Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Harry Price and Eric J. Dingwall, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1891 edition by Charles F. Pidgeon. This rare, overlooked, forgotten book gives the "insider's knowledge" of 19th century deceptions.
Mediums of the 19th Century Volume Two, Book Four, Chapter One, Some Foreign Investigations by Frank Podmore, University Book, 1963, reprint of Modern Spiriritualism, 1902
Occult and Supernatural Phenomena by D. H. Rawcliffe, Dover Publications, reprint of Psychology of the Occult, Derricke Ridgway Publishing co., 1952
Edgar Cayce on Atlantis by Hugh Lynn Cayce, Castle Books, 1968
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Further reading
Milbourne Christopher, ESP, Seers & Psychics : What the Occult Really Is, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, ISBN 0690268157
Milbourne Christopher, Mediums, Mystics & the Occult by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, 1975
Milbourne Christopher, Search for the Soul , Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, 1979
Georges Charpak, Henri Broch, and Bart K. Holland (tr), Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience, (Johns Hopkins University). 2004, ISBN 0801878675
Hoyt L. Edge, Robert L. Morris, Joseph H. Rush , John Palmer, Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1986, ISBN 0710-0226-1
Paul Kurtz, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology, Prometheus Books, 1985, ISBN 0879753005
Jeffrey Mishlove, Roots of Consciousness: Psychic Liberation Through History Science and Experience. 1st edition, 1975, ISBN 0-394-73115-8 2nd edition, Marlowe & Co., July 1997, ISBN 1569247471 There are 2 editions. They are very different. online
John White, ed. Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science, published by Edgar D. Mitchell and G. P. Putman, 1974, ISBN 39911342-8
Richard Wiseman, Deception and self-deception: Investigating Psychics. Amherst, USA: Prometheus Press. 1997
Benjamin B. Wolman, ed, Handbook of Parapsychology, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977, ISBN 0442295766
[edit]
External links
[edit]
Independent research organizations
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell to explore the frontiers of consciousness through rigorous scientific research.
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) program was established at Princeton University in 1979 by Robert G. Jahn, then Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Society for Psychical Research (SPR). The original scientific society founded in London in 1882.
American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).
Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology, originally part of Duke University, now an independent research center. The accomplished physicist Irving Langmuir, a founder of many studies in atmospheric electricity and plasma physics, visited Rhine at his laboratory in 1934. Rhine admitted (rather proudly and contentiously) to Langmuir that he had discarded data that was "wrong" because it did not support his belief in extrasensory perception. See Langmuir's 1953 talk Pathological Science at Princeton University
Parapsychology Foundation
[edit]
University research organizations
Koestler Parapsychology Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
Global Consciousness Project at Princeton
The VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona
Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit of the Liverpool John Moores University.
Psychology Research Cluster at University College Northampton.
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University.
Division of Personality Studies (DOPS), a unit of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Bigelow Chair of Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) at the University of Adelaide.
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths University of London.
Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire.
[edit]
Other
Articles on Psychics & Mediums
National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Entry on parapsychology in the Skeptic's Dictionary
Parapsychology links
Dean Radin's A Field Guide to Skepticism from his book The Conscious Universe.
The Project Alpha Experiment
Neuro-Kinetik.com Proposes the use of realtime MRI (and related instrumentation) to explore the portions of the brain that relate to parapsychological phenomena.
The online Library of Exploratory Science contains the complete text of many of the major peer reviewed journals in parapsychology and psychical research.
[15] The Need for Responsibility in Parapsychology: My Sixty Years in Psychical Research by Eric Dingwall
Parapsychology forum at forteantimes.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology"
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles lacking sources

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

Parapsychology is the study of the evidence of mental awareness or influence of external objects without interaction from known physical means. Most objects of study fall within the realm of "mind-to-mind" influence (such as extra-sensory perception, folie a deux and telepathy), "mind-to-environment" influence (such as psychokinesis) and "environment-to-mind" (such as hauntings). Collectively, these abilities are often referred to as "psionics".

The scientific validity of parapsychology research is a matter of frequent dispute and criticism, and is generally referred to as a pseudoscience, refuted by numerous rigorous scientific studies. Nonetheless, many eminent scientists have been firm believers that the field is worthy of analysis, such as Wolfgang Pauli (See Pauli Effect).

Contents [hide]
1 Types of parapsychology
2 History, claims, and evaluation
3 Status of the field
3.1 How science views the field
3.2 Interpretation of the evidence
3.2.1 Criticisms of parapsychological research
3.2.2 Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
3.3 Early Scientific American challenge
3.4 Other objections to parapsychology
4 Other interesting facts
4.1 Critics of parapsychology
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
8.1 Independent research organizations
8.2 University research organizations
8.3 Other



[edit]
Types of parapsychology
The phenomena in question fall into two broad groups.

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) is also known as anomalous cognition, and includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience, clairgustance, clairsentience, precognition, postcognition, psychometry, and dream transference.

Anomalous operation includes psychokinesis (in the past referred to as telekinesis), pyrokinesis, psychogenesis, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, near-death experiences, mediumship, and reincarnation.

The general term "psi phenomena" (or the somewhat older term, "psychic phenomena," which was said to be the "psi factor" in an experiment) covers all of these categories.

[edit]
History, claims, and evaluation
See history of parapsychology and claims of parapsychology.

[edit]
Status of the field
The standing of the field of parapsychology has always been controversial within the scientific community.

As its name indicates, parapsychology is sometimes considered a sub-branch of psychology, and this has arisen historically since it involved the study of apparent mental faculties. In its modern form, parapsychology is an interdisciplinary field, which has attracted physicists, engineers, and biologists, as well as psychologists and those from other sciences. (For an argument that parapsychological phenomena may not in fact be psychological, see Peter J. King's "Parapsychology without the 'Para' (or the 'Psychology')" (Think 3, 2003, pp 43 53).)

Parapsychology often involves the use of new and untested technologies and methods such as neurofeedback, Neuro-linguistic programming, past life regression and so on.

Many people are not satisfied with the term, and have proposed alternatives, such as "psi research" (similar to the older term "psychical research"), but "parapsychology" is the term that has gained the greatest acceptance today.

One organization involved in the field, the Parapsychological Association is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). [1]. At present (2006) there are about two hundred and seventy five members in the Parapsychological Association.

[edit]
How science views the field
In the scientific disciplines, there is a belief that all claims should be treated with scientific skepticism. Mainstream scientists generally argue that after examining psi claims for over a century, there has been significant difficulty assertaining significant positive evidence for such claims.

Many in the scientific community believe that parapsychology is not a real science, that psi phenomena do not exist, and that parapsychology is a pseudoscience. Many scientists and skeptical observers of the field believe that some parapsychologists knowingly commit fraud; that some are incompetent or misled by their own hopes or desires; and that some are naïve and therefore easily deceived by fraudulent participants; or perhaps some combination of the above. One of the most famous cases in psychology that illustrates being misled by one's hopes is that of Clever Hans. Mr. Wilhelm von Osten, who promoted the horse, did not intend to defraud anyone, but he fooled himself and large audiences nevertheless. [2]

Parapsychologists disagree with this assessment. Many have been formally trained in science, and are familiar with the scientific method. Statistician Jessica Utts has shown in a number of papers that:

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted."[3]
The precise percentage of scientists holding negative views about parapsychology is unclear, since surveys targeting this group are far less common than those targeting the general population. In his article Save Our Science: Paranormal Phenomena and Zetetics, skeptic Henri Broch complains:

"These data are based on an investigation on the belief in parasciences among Frenchmen (published in 1986). [...] Contrary to what might have been thought, the level of belief in the paranormal is directly proportional to the level of education, whatever the religious persuasion may be. Those with higher scientific degrees fare slightly better, although their level of belief is superior to [greater than] the average!"
Some skeptics believe that there is a tendency for parapsychology researchers to select "good days" and discard "bad days" for the people in the test samples. But the "Theory of Runs" shows that the chance of a long run of successes (or failures) increases drastically when the periods of success or failure are selected as part of a larger sample. See: Feller, William (1968), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, p. 86. For a more recent discussion of the theory and the "arcsine law" see [4] or [5]

Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest and a sociologist from the University of Arizona, studied surveys on belief in ESP from 1978 through 1987, and studied the mental health of believers in ESP. The surveys he studied showed that from 1978 through 1987, the number of American adults who reported psychic experiences rose from 58% to 67% (clairvoyance and contacts with the dead were reported by 25% of his respondents). According to Greeley, the elderly, women, widows and widowers, and the conventionally religious report higher incidents of such experiences. He also tested the psychological well-being of people reporting mystical experiences with the "Affect Balance Scale" and found that people reporting mystical experiences received top scores. Greeley summarized his findings by writing,

A few parapsychologists are skeptics, for example Chris French and his colleagues at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in London, and Richard Wiseman and his colleagues at the Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire, both of which units include individuals who are members of the Parapsychological Association. These researchers do not approach the field with a belief in the paranormal, but are rather interested in the purely psychological aspects of those who report paranormal experiences, along with the study of the psychology of deception, hallucination, etc. These researchers also have provided their own guidelines and input to other parapsychologists for the design of experiments and how to properly test those who claim psychic abilities. While some of these guidelines have been useful, many have suffered from a naive understanding of scientific practice in general and in parapsychology in particular, from a distorted view of the methodology actually in use in the field, and the unfortunate habit of some skeptics to make sweeping statements about the applicability of counter-hypotheses to lines of research without actually investigating the appropriateness of those counter-hypotheses to the details at hand. (See, for example a mostly-positive review of one of these guidelines written by skeptics[6].)

The most important point that both proponents and skeptics raise is the need to be critical of the theory, methods, and conclusions of any one who investigates or comments on parapsychology as a science, no matter what point of view they represent. In order to be an objective professional, one must have a first-hand knowledge of the vast past and present published scientific literature in the field, primary and scholarly sources of its age whenever possible, and -- even more important -- have first-hand experience as an experimenter or investigator and a respect for the art of conjuring and its masters. The hands-on approach is essential to scientific progress in the field, whether one approaches it from a "paranormalist" or a "conventional theorist" point of view. Selective and historically uninformed armchair cheerleading and armchair skepticism are equally useless in all fields of inquiry and science.

[edit]
Interpretation of the evidence
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Many scientists hold that the entire body of evidence to date is of poor quality and not properly controlled; in their view, the entire field of parapsychology has produced no results whatsoever. Frequently, however, proponents argue that those who hold this view have not had any contact with the published literature of the field such as that which can be found in the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, or in the proceedings of the annual convention of the Parapsychological Association[citation needed]. Instead, they have relied on the analyses made by members of the skeptical community who, wrongly, assume that all parapsychological experiments suffer from flaws and therefore no parapsychological experiment may be considered evidential even in the weak sense of the term. Working psi researchers welcome criticisms that are based on knowledge of the peer-reviewed, published literature of the field. Criticism and blanket statements based on hearsay are not productive and not encouraged in any area of science.

Other scientists hold that there is a small amount of data from properly controlled experiments that can be trusted for a small number of psi phenomena. They hold that this evidence is not definitive, but suggestive enough to warrant further research. [7]

Other scientists, who are familiar with the published literature of the field of parapsychology, believe that a great deal of evidence has been collected, which, if it addressed more conventional phenomena, would be sufficient to provide proof.

[edit]
Criticisms of parapsychological research
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Anecdotal evidence, characteristic of most of parapsychology, is inherently unreliable. Anecdotes may have natural, non-anomalous explanations such as random coincidence, fraud, imagination, or auto-suggestion.
If an experiment is not controlled to prevent fraud, then the results may not be trusted. This is especially so given the fact that many people who claimed to possess psi abilities were later proven to be frauds.
Parapsychology experiments are usually poorly designed. They often lack proper controls, allowing paths of intentional or unintentional information leakage through normal means, etc.
Parapsychology experiments are rarely replicated with positive results at independent laboratories.
Positive results in psi experiments are so statistically insignificant as to be negligible, i.e. indistinguishable from chance. For example, parapsychology may have a "file drawer" problem where a large percentage of negative results are never published, making positive results appear more significant than they actually are.
Currently inexplicable positive results of apparently sound experiments do not prove the existence of psi phenomena, i.e., normal explanations may yet be found. Concluding inexplicability from lack of existing explanation constitutes the well-known fallacy Argument from Ignorance.
Psi phenomena cannot be accepted as explanation of positive results until there is a widely acceptable theory of how they operate.
Parapsychologists may prefer and write selective history. The whole story may be avoided.
Parapsychology spends too much time simply trying to show that certain phenomena occur, and too little time trying to explain them — yet it is explanation that constitutes the heart of scientific enquiry, and wider, scientific acceptance of parapsychological phenomena would come only with the provision of explanation. (See King (2003) cited above.)
People who are considered noteworthy psychics could make a lot of money predicting or even controlling (via PK) the outcomes of boxing matches, football games, roulette wheel spins, individual stock price changes, and so on, but none of them seem to do so. Why not?
[edit]
Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The hard evidence for psi phenomena today is founded on repeatable experiments and not anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is considered valid in law and many other fields. The validity of anecdotal evidence does not depend upon the opinion of those listening to it. Memory studies by Elisabeth Loftus show that while memory can be capricious, a majority of people are not affected by many controlled memory manipulations. (See [8] for data.)
There is no such thing as a completely foolproof experiment in any field of science, and it is unreasonable to hold parapsychology to a higher standard of epistemology than the other sciences. [9]Fraud and incompetence in parapsychology is addressed in the same way it is addressed in any other field of science: repeating experiments at multiple independent laboratories; publishing methods and results in order to receive critical feedback and design better protocols, etc.
Experimental protocols have been continually improved over time, sometimes with the direct assistance of noted skeptics. Meta-analyses show that the significance of the positive results have not declined over time, but instead have remained fairly constant.
There are certain phenomena which have been replicated with odds against chance far beyond that required for acceptance in any other science. Meta-analyses show that these cannot be accounted for by any file drawer problem.
Anomalous phenomena do not disappear for lack of a theory. There have been many instances in the history of science where the observation of an anomalous phenomenon came before an explanatory theory, and some commonly accepted non-psi phenomena (e.g. gravity) today still lack a perfectly satisfactory, undisputed theory. For instance, in the past, those who sighted meteors falling to the earth were dismissed as madmen or false prophets.
Theories abound in parapsychology for aspects of psi phenomena, though there is not any one that is comprehensive and widely accepted within parapsychology.
It is not necessary to be a licensed psychiatrist or acquainted with clinical psychology to test the validity of psi. The field of parapsychology overlaps many disciplines, including physics and biology, and often physicists, engineers and others trained in the hard sciences, in conjunction with stage magicians and other experts in deception, are in a better position to design experiments for certain types of phenomena than are psychiatrists or psychologists.
The opinion of parapsychologists regarding the overall evaluation of the body of evidence to date is divided. As noted above, some parapsychologists are skeptic and do not believe that there is anything observed so far which cannot ultimately be explained within the existing framework of known science. Probably a majority of parapsychologists believe in the likelihood, or at least the possibility, of actual psi phenomena, though there is a range of attitudes toward the evidence.

Regarding the evidence, the rule of the thumb of the skeptical community is that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since skeptics may consider paranormal claims extraordinary, they may think that the evidence needs to be better than what normally would be required. However, this puts the responsibility for investigating seemingly paranormal phenomena squarely on the shoulders of proponents and "internal" skeptics. Not only is research conducted by "external" critics and skeptics useful to the field as a whole, but it also imparts a kind of craft knowledge to critics and skeptics that makes their criticism and counter-hypotheses more productive and more useful. Further many of the counter-hypotheses proposed by skeptics are so unparsimonious as to be extraordinary claims as well, and in that case, those counter-hypothesis, also require extraordinary evidence.

Most people use this approach to evidence in everyday life. For instance, if the news reports that the president of the USA has just arrived in South Korea for a state visit, most people will take this at face value. The news is considered a fairly reliable source of information, and the president visiting a country such as South Korea is not an extraordinary claim. However, if the same news broadcast later mentioned that a 92-year-old man has improved the world record time on the marathon by half an hour, many reasonable people would require more evidence, even despite the assumed reliability of the source, since the claim is extraordinary. This analogy might be flawed, however. In the case of the 92 year old man, we have positive evidence gained from a lifetime of experience and the reassurance of physiologists that this feat is indeed extraordinary (i.e., improbable). When it comes to parapsychology, however, some would argue we have no positive evidence that it is improbable, only our own cultural bias and a subjective sense that Psionic powers are extraordinary. Hence, some would argue, it is not the sort of extraordinary claim which necessarily needs more evidence than a mundane claim.

Some parapsychologists agree with critics that the field has not yet reached the degree of consistent repeatability of experimental results needed for general consensus. John Beloff, in his book Parapsychology: A Concise History, notes the evanescent – some have said the apparently evasive – nature of psychic phenomena over time, and that the range of phenomena observable in a given era seems to be culturally dependent.

For example, in earlier times, psychic research studied physical phenomena demonstrated by spiritualist mediums that, according to the reports passed down to us in the literature, far surpassed anything that any of today's "psychics" can demonstrate. Skeptics consider this more evidence of the non-existence of psi phenomena. Frequently this particular claim is the result of the proponent community having cut itself off, because of political pressures of conforming to the scientific Zeitgeist, from the community of modern mediums and psychics who operate today. Whether or not the phenomena being exhibited by modern day mediums can provide proof of traditional notions of spirituality or can be attributed to the operation of mundane psychological processes is mostly an open question, due to the lack of research. So it is possible that physical phenomena is being exhibited today, but to what cause the effects may be attributed is an open question, even among parapsychologists.

Many people, especially like John Beloff and Stephen E. Braude, cannot easily dismiss the entirety of all the positive accounts – many of which came from scientists and conjurors of their day. Many began as skeptics - but then changed their minds to become believers and supporters of psychic phenomena when they encountered the inexplicable; and so believe that continued research is justified. Easily recovered critical historical research reveals these individuals were certainly out of their league when it came to the close up deceptions of fraudulent mediums and adept charlatans. (Podmore, 1910 & Price and Dingwall, 1975)

Other parapsychologists, such as Dean Radin and supporters such as statistician Jessica Utts, take the stance that the existence of certain psi phenomena has been reasonably well established in recent times through repeatable experiments that have been replicated dozens to hundreds of times at labs around the world. They refer to meta-analyses of psi experiments that conclude that the odds against chance (null hypothesis) of experimental results far exceeds that commonly required to establish results in other fields, sometime by orders of magnitude.

This is an old argument. See (Rawcliffe 1952, pages 441 & 442). The question whether or not each of these experiments themselves have been efficiently carried out is avoided. In the unsophisticated "language of the street" this would be known as "garbage in garbage out". All of the early experiments that were conducted by noted men of science in Italy and Germany with Eusapia Palladino "proved positive". This same argument did not satisfy the United States Department of Defense when remote viewing experiments were being funded for 20 million dollars. The project was terminated for lack of results.

Instead, many enthusiastic parapsychologists prefer to dismiss proof-oriented research, intended primarily to verify the existence of psi phenomena and, as in the past, jumped to "process-oriented" research, intended to explore the parameters and characteristics of psi phenomena. Time will tell whether these results prove to be evanescent as well. Unfortunately, what complicates the "time will tell" hope that many skeptics and proponents have is the lack of funds available for research from either the conventional or the "paranormalist" perspectives, and the negative impact on career advancement that an interest in these phenomena -- even from a skeptical point of view -- can have. The past history of repeated psi failures and short comings has given parapsychology a poor reputation.

[edit]
Early Scientific American challenge
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The offering of prizes for demonstrations is not new to the field. Circa 1924, Scientific American magazine offered a $5000 prize to anyone who could produce any "visible psychic manifestation." Medium Mina Crandon, known in the literature as "Margery," made a bid and was tested by a committee set up by the editorial staff. Her performance was such that the committee members were split, four negative to one positive in their opinions. The magazine published the mixed report in its November 1924 issue, no prize was awarded, and the competition was declared closed the following year. In the early 1900s, the then well-known stage magician Howard Thurston, who had earlier studied to be a medical missionary, was impressed by the mysterious table lifting demonstrations of medium Eusapia Palladino. He advertised in the New York Times his offer of $1000 to charity in the name of any fellow conjuror who could duplicate this feat. He had no takers. In 1910 Eusapia Palladino publicily acknowledged she used tricks to an American reporter. Today many methods of table lifting and other seance secrets are well known to master conjurors, but kept secret as demanded by their art.(Rinn 1950, Christopher 1975 p.208)

[edit]
Other objections to parapsychology
There are a variety of other objections to parapsychology as well.

Psi Phenomena as a Violation of the Laws of Physics or Nature
Some critics claim that the existence of psi phenomena would violate "the known laws of physics", and some of these critics believe that this is reason enough that such phenomena should not be studied. Parapsychologists respond that "laws of nature" are simply summaries of existing scientific knowledge and do get revised from time to time during the course of scientific progress, in addition they are not so well understood that with them one could confidently predict the non existence of Psi (Consider quantum mechanics). If the existence of psi phenomenon were ever proved, explaining how they work might require revising or extending the known laws of physics. Precognition, for example, would challenge commonly held notions about causality and the unidirectional nature of time. However, these commonly held notions are often not physical laws, and are already being challenged by modern physical theories, quite apart from psi phenomena. Skeptics and parapsychologists alike generally agree that, as per Occam's Razor, simple explanations should be preferred for any resulting theories of psi. Some parapsychologists are critical of skeptics' frequently-uninvestigated claims about fraud, or the application of conventional hypotheses specifically because these claims are unparsimonious. Conventional explanations, many parapsychologists believe, should also conform to Occam's Razor. Then there are others, both skeptics and proponents, who agree that even in mainstream science nature itself is frequently unparsimonious.
Parapsychology as Taboo
Some believe that paranormal phenomena should not be studied, either because they are forbidden by their religious orientation, or because they believe that to do so opens the investigators to some sort of "spiritual attack". Parapsychology is also seen as a taboo subject in science and the academy and individuals who show an interest in studying seemingly psychic phenomena, even from a skeptical point of view, often find themselves losing or being pushed out of employment, or denied funding. Anthropologist of science, David J. Hess, has written on this topic.[10]
Parapsychology as a Danger to Society
Some believe that parapsychology should not be pursued because it somehow represents a danger to society. As is stated in the Y2000 NSF report Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience[11]:
"Concerns have been raised, especially in the science community, about widespread belief in paranormal phenomena. Scientists (and others) have observed that people who believe in the existence of paranormal phenomena may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Their beliefs may indicate an absence of critical thinking skills necessary not only for informed decision making in the voting booth and in other civic venues (for example, jury duty), but also for making wise choices needed for day-to-day living."
Even "insiders" in the parapsychological community worry about the possible harm that naive belief in paranormal phenomena can have on individuals, on culture and on societies. A great deal of effort has been put into the notion of developing expertise in dealing with reported experiences both in a clinical sense, and as a topic of investigation. Unfortunately organized skepticism and the "taboo" that exists against serious research on such phenomena has impeded the ability of many researchers -- both skeptics and proponents -- from doing the kinds of research that would allow evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Although under the heading 'paranormal phenomena' the report lists topics such as astrology, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster, it also lumps in belief in ESP and, by implication, most parapsychology.

Parapsychology as a Waste of Resources
Some believe that parapsychology should not be funded because it is a waste of resources that would be better spent on other activities. Some of these critics feel so strongly about this that they engage in activism to try to prevent or remove funding from psi research. Psychic detectives may waste valuable police resources. One of the negative -- and probably unintended -- consequences of this point of view is that while 10% of the world's population or over 400 million individuals on the planet, may experience what they believe are psychic phenomena, and may suffer in their daily lives from psychological problems caused by their experiences, few scientists on the planet are able to find the resources to really investigate the phenomena, and therefore very little real knowledge exists that can be used to help these experiencers. While even most parapsychologists would agree there are more urgent problems to solve, having no research address these reported experiences does a grave disservice to people everywhere.
[edit]
Other interesting facts
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
German psychiatrist Hans Berger originally used the electroencephalograph (EEG) on humans in 1929 as a tool to study whether telepathy might be explained by brain waves. (Beyerstein, B. L. [12] 1999)
The first and only Ph.D. in Parapsychology awarded by any American university, was the University of California, Berkeley awarding the PhD to Dr Jeffrey Mishlove in 1980. Subsequently some activists unsuccessfully lobbied the Berkeley administration to revoke the degree. Reportedly, as many as 46 people in the UK have doctorates in parapsychology. However, with the exception of Dr. Mishlove, mentioned above, the so-called "46 people in the UK" have doctorates in other disciplines, principally in psychology, but completed doctoral thesis work which included or were devoted to research projects in parapsychology. Such individuals are also expected to be competent in the disciplines in which they received their degrees. Examples of these individuals include: Dr. Susan Blackmore (it says "PhD in Parapsychology, University of Surrey, 1980" on her webpage CV [13], though), Dr. Richard Broughton, Dr. Deborah Delanoy, Dr. Serena-Roney Dougall, Dr. Chris Roe, Dr. Simon Sherwood, Dr. Christine Simmonds, Dr. Matthew Smith, Dr. Carl Williams, Dr. Richard Wiseman, among others. [14]
Patent #5830064, "Apparatus and method for distinguishing events which collectively exceed chance expectations and thereby controlling an output," was granted by the US Patent Office on Nov 3rd, 1998 to inventors including several researchers from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center. The patent in no way relies on the existence of psi phenomena, but in the description the inventors do suggest that "One application of the present invention is the investigation of anomalous interaction between an operator and random physical systems, whether by serious scientists or curious members of the public who would like to conduct experiments on their own."
Throughout the history of the investigations of physical mediums there seems to be no record of simply applying wet paint to a medium's hands and feet to ensure control and eliminate fraud. However, it is naive to think one control would cover all cases.
Joseph B. Rhine began examining psychic abilities after hearing, and being deeply impressed, by a lecture given by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, about the scientific reality of having established contact with the dead. (Rinn 1950)
In reviewing the history of parapsychology from the present back to its birth from 19th century spiritism it becomes apparent that there was a preconceived belief in the existence of psychic phenomena by members of science that led to poor testing conditions, and loosening of controls, so phenomena would be produced and validated, rather than a genuine curious search to discover whether or not psychic phenomena existed at all. (Rawcliffe 1952, Podmore 1963, Christopher 1979)
In early psychic research the advice of master conjurors, such as the sterling case of Houdini, on establishing control has been very valuable, but not appreciated by scientific investigators who had become close and fond of their subjects and their produced phenomena. There are many past examples where serious mistakes were made. (Christopher 1970, Rinn 1950, Hyman 1989, Podmore 1975, Price & Dingwall 1975) As long as this breach continues between master conjurors and scientific parapsychologists, parapsychologists are likely to repeat the same mistakes. The success of James Randi's Project Alpha is a prime example.
Some early and mid 20th century psychologists concluded Psychical research represents a reversion to occult beliefs which have had their origins in the earliest of human cultures.(Rawcliffe 1952)
In the 1984 fictional film Ghostbusters Dr. Peter Venkman claims to have Ph.D.'s in both Psychology and Parapsychology when asked by overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck. It has yet to be explained by scientists why that is an "interesting fact" such that it should appear here.
[edit]
Critics of parapsychology
Banachek tricked scientists for 2 years, 120 laboratory hours, into believing he could bend metal with his minds in the much touted 'Alpha Project' experiment, a set-up.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an advocacy group of scientists and rationalist writers arguing for the anti-paranormal point of view.
Derren Brown (Has a detailed TV show, debunking people's beliefs.)
Susan Blackmore — Stopped lecturing and abandoned parapsychology altogether, because she could no longer endure the near fanatic and rude behavior of both believers and non-believers. Perhaps. She also lost faith in the existence of "psi". See her book Adventures of a Parapsychologist
Milbourne Christopher — Noted conjuring historian and master conjuror, his works debunking parapsychology are high quality.
Martin Gardner- Noted rationalist, puzzler, science writer, and master conjuror, has written many exposés.
Ray Hyman- Conjuror and noted research psychologist
James Randi- Master conjuror and author. In one exposé he revealed top evangelist Peter Poppoff and his wife used trickery to take advantage of their faithful congregation.
Ehrich Weiss (Harry Houdini)- Early 20th century master conjuror and author. He wanted to contact his deceased mother; he attended seances with this serious purpose but was always disappointed. In his will Houdini offered his great library to the American Society of Psychical Research on the condition that its president, Malcomb Bird, resigned. Bird refused. Houdini's collection went to the Library of Congress.
Penn and Teller, gives these comic showmen material.
[edit]
See also
Clairaudience
Clairvoyance
List of spirituality-related topics
List of parapsychologists
Parapsychology basic topics
Patapsychology
Prophecy
Psionics
Remote Viewing
The Bélmez Faces
True-believer syndrome
[edit]
References
↑ Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience, National Science Foundation, 2000.
Parapsychology, by Rene Sudre, Citadel Press, NY, 1960, Library of Congress Catalog 60-13928.
Parapsychology, by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Al-Kitaab Publication, 1985.
The Conscious Universe, by Dean Radin, Harper Collins, 1997, ISBN 0062515020.
Parapsychology: A Concise History, by John Beloff, St. Martin's Press, 1993, ISBN 0312096119.
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, by Richard S. Broughton , Ballantine Books, 1991, ISBN 0345356381.
Our Sixth Sense, by Charles Richet, Rider & Co., 1937, First English Edition
The Elusive Quarry: A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research, by Ray Hyman, Prometheus Books, 1989, ISBN 0879755040.
Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Parapsychology, ed. Antony Flew, Prometheus Books, 1987, ISBN 0-87975-385-4
Sixty Years of Psychical Research : Houdini and I Among the Spirits, by Joseph Rinn, Truth Seeker, 1950
The Newer Spiritualism, by Frank Podmore, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1910 edition
Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Harry Price and Eric J. Dingwall, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1891 edition by Charles F. Pidgeon. This rare, overlooked, forgotten book gives the "insider's knowledge" of 19th century deceptions.
Mediums of the 19th Century Volume Two, Book Four, Chapter One, Some Foreign Investigations by Frank Podmore, University Book, 1963, reprint of Modern Spiriritualism, 1902
Occult and Supernatural Phenomena by D. H. Rawcliffe, Dover Publications, reprint of Psychology of the Occult, Derricke Ridgway Publishing co., 1952
Edgar Cayce on Atlantis by Hugh Lynn Cayce, Castle Books, 1968
[edit]
Further reading
Milbourne Christopher, ESP, Seers & Psychics : What the Occult Really Is, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, ISBN 0690268157
Milbourne Christopher, Mediums, Mystics & the Occult by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, 1975
Milbourne Christopher, Search for the Soul , Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, 1979
Georges Charpak, Henri Broch, and Bart K. Holland (tr), Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience, (Johns Hopkins University). 2004, ISBN 0801878675
Hoyt L. Edge, Robert L. Morris, Joseph H. Rush , John Palmer, Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1986, ISBN 0710-0226-1
Paul Kurtz, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology, Prometheus Books, 1985, ISBN 0879753005
Jeffrey Mishlove, Roots of Consciousness: Psychic Liberation Through History Science and Experience. 1st edition, 1975, ISBN 0-394-73115-8 2nd edition, Marlowe & Co., July 1997, ISBN 1569247471 There are 2 editions. They are very different. online
John White, ed. Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science, published by Edgar D. Mitchell and G. P. Putman, 1974, ISBN 39911342-8
Richard Wiseman, Deception and self-deception: Investigating Psychics. Amherst, USA: Prometheus Press. 1997
Benjamin B. Wolman, ed, Handbook of Parapsychology, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977, ISBN 0442295766
[edit]
External links
[edit]
Independent research organizations
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell to explore the frontiers of consciousness through rigorous scientific research.
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) program was established at Princeton University in 1979 by Robert G. Jahn, then Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Society for Psychical Research (SPR). The original scientific society founded in London in 1882.
American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).
Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology, originally part of Duke University, now an independent research center. The accomplished physicist Irving Langmuir, a founder of many studies in atmospheric electricity and plasma physics, visited Rhine at his laboratory in 1934. Rhine admitted (rather proudly and contentiously) to Langmuir that he had discarded data that was "wrong" because it did not support his belief in extrasensory perception. See Langmuir's 1953 talk Pathological Science at Princeton University
Parapsychology Foundation
[edit]
University research organizations
Koestler Parapsychology Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
Global Consciousness Project at Princeton
The VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona
Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit of the Liverpool John Moores University.
Psychology Research Cluster at University College Northampton.
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University.
Division of Personality Studies (DOPS), a unit of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Bigelow Chair of Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) at the University of Adelaide.
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths University of London.
Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire.
[edit]
Other
Articles on Psychics & Mediums
National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Entry on parapsychology in the Skeptic's Dictionary
Parapsychology links
Dean Radin's A Field Guide to Skepticism from his book The Conscious Universe.
The Project Alpha Experiment
Neuro-Kinetik.com Proposes the use of realtime MRI (and related instrumentation) to explore the portions of the brain that relate to parapsychological phenomena.
The online Library of Exploratory Science contains the complete text of many of the major peer reviewed journals in parapsychology and psychical research.
[15] The Need for Responsibility in Parapsychology: My Sixty Years in Psychical Research by Eric Dingwall
Parapsychology forum at forteantimes.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology"
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles lacking sources

Manchester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other uses, see Manchester (disambiguation).
City of Manchester


Geography
Status: Metropolitan borough, City (1853)
Region: North West England
Ceremonial county: Greater Manchester
Traditional county: Lancashire, part in Cheshire
Area:
- Total Ranked 228th
115.65 km²
Admin. HQ: Manchester
ONS code: 00BN
Geographical coordinates: 53°29′N 2°15′W
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2004 est.)
- Density Ranked 6th
437,000
3,779 / km²
Ethnicity: 81.0% White
9.1% S.Asian
4.5% Afro-Carib.
1.3% Chinese
Politics

Manchester City Council
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/
Leadership: Leader & Cabinet
Executive: Labour
MPs: Paul Goggins,

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

Parapsychology is the study of the evidence of mental awareness or influence of external objects without interaction from known physical means. Most objects of study fall within the realm of "mind-to-mind" influence (such as extra-sensory perception, folie a deux and telepathy), "mind-to-environment" influence (such as psychokinesis) and "environment-to-mind" (such as hauntings). Collectively, these abilities are often referred to as "psionics".

The scientific validity of parapsychology research is a matter of frequent dispute and criticism, and is generally referred to as a pseudoscience, refuted by numerous rigorous scientific studies. Nonetheless, many eminent scientists have been firm believers that the field is worthy of analysis, such as Wolfgang Pauli (See Pauli Effect).

Contents [hide]
1 Types of parapsychology
2 History, claims, and evaluation
3 Status of the field
3.1 How science views the field
3.2 Interpretation of the evidence
3.2.1 Criticisms of parapsychological research
3.2.2 Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
3.3 Early Scientific American challenge
3.4 Other objections to parapsychology
4 Other interesting facts
4.1 Critics of parapsychology
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
8.1 Independent research organizations
8.2 University research organizations
8.3 Other



[edit]
Types of parapsychology
The phenomena in question fall into two broad groups.

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) is also known as anomalous cognition, and includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience, clairgustance, clairsentience, precognition, postcognition, psychometry, and dream transference.

Anomalous operation includes psychokinesis (in the past referred to as telekinesis), pyrokinesis, psychogenesis, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, near-death experiences, mediumship, and reincarnation.

The general term "psi phenomena" (or the somewhat older term, "psychic phenomena," which was said to be the "psi factor" in an experiment) covers all of these categories.

[edit]
History, claims, and evaluation
See history of parapsychology and claims of parapsychology.

[edit]
Status of the field
The standing of the field of parapsychology has always been controversial within the scientific community.

As its name indicates, parapsychology is sometimes considered a sub-branch of psychology, and this has arisen historically since it involved the study of apparent mental faculties. In its modern form, parapsychology is an interdisciplinary field, which has attracted physicists, engineers, and biologists, as well as psychologists and those from other sciences. (For an argument that parapsychological phenomena may not in fact be psychological, see Peter J. King's "Parapsychology without the 'Para' (or the 'Psychology')" (Think 3, 2003, pp 43 53).)

Parapsychology often involves the use of new and untested technologies and methods such as neurofeedback, Neuro-linguistic programming, past life regression and so on.

Many people are not satisfied with the term, and have proposed alternatives, such as "psi research" (similar to the older term "psychical research"), but "parapsychology" is the term that has gained the greatest acceptance today.

One organization involved in the field, the Parapsychological Association is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). [1]. At present (2006) there are about two hundred and seventy five members in the Parapsychological Association.

[edit]
How science views the field
In the scientific disciplines, there is a belief that all claims should be treated with scientific skepticism. Mainstream scientists generally argue that after examining psi claims for over a century, there has been significant difficulty assertaining significant positive evidence for such claims.

Many in the scientific community believe that parapsychology is not a real science, that psi phenomena do not exist, and that parapsychology is a pseudoscience. Many scientists and skeptical observers of the field believe that some parapsychologists knowingly commit fraud; that some are incompetent or misled by their own hopes or desires; and that some are naïve and therefore easily deceived by fraudulent participants; or perhaps some combination of the above. One of the most famous cases in psychology that illustrates being misled by one's hopes is that of Clever Hans. Mr. Wilhelm von Osten, who promoted the horse, did not intend to defraud anyone, but he fooled himself and large audiences nevertheless. [2]

Parapsychologists disagree with this assessment. Many have been formally trained in science, and are familiar with the scientific method. Statistician Jessica Utts has shown in a number of papers that:

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted."[3]
The precise percentage of scientists holding negative views about parapsychology is unclear, since surveys targeting this group are far less common than those targeting the general population. In his article Save Our Science: Paranormal Phenomena and Zetetics, skeptic Henri Broch complains:

"These data are based on an investigation on the belief in parasciences among Frenchmen (published in 1986). [...] Contrary to what might have been thought, the level of belief in the paranormal is directly proportional to the level of education, whatever the religious persuasion may be. Those with higher scientific degrees fare slightly better, although their level of belief is superior to [greater than] the average!"
Some skeptics believe that there is a tendency for parapsychology researchers to select "good days" and discard "bad days" for the people in the test samples. But the "Theory of Runs" shows that the chance of a long run of successes (or failures) increases drastically when the periods of success or failure are selected as part of a larger sample. See: Feller, William (1968), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, p. 86. For a more recent discussion of the theory and the "arcsine law" see [4] or [5]

Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest and a sociologist from the University of Arizona, studied surveys on belief in ESP from 1978 through 1987, and studied the mental health of believers in ESP. The surveys he studied showed that from 1978 through 1987, the number of American adults who reported psychic experiences rose from 58% to 67% (clairvoyance and contacts with the dead were reported by 25% of his respondents). According to Greeley, the elderly, women, widows and widowers, and the conventionally religious report higher incidents of such experiences. He also tested the psychological well-being of people reporting mystical experiences with the "Affect Balance Scale" and found that people reporting mystical experiences received top scores. Greeley summarized his findings by writing,

A few parapsychologists are skeptics, for example Chris French and his colleagues at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in London, and Richard Wiseman and his colleagues at the Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire, both of which units include individuals who are members of the Parapsychological Association. These researchers do not approach the field with a belief in the paranormal, but are rather interested in the purely psychological aspects of those who report paranormal experiences, along with the study of the psychology of deception, hallucination, etc. These researchers also have provided their own guidelines and input to other parapsychologists for the design of experiments and how to properly test those who claim psychic abilities. While some of these guidelines have been useful, many have suffered from a naive understanding of scientific practice in general and in parapsychology in particular, from a distorted view of the methodology actually in use in the field, and the unfortunate habit of some skeptics to make sweeping statements about the applicability of counter-hypotheses to lines of research without actually investigating the appropriateness of those counter-hypotheses to the details at hand. (See, for example a mostly-positive review of one of these guidelines written by skeptics[6].)

The most important point that both proponents and skeptics raise is the need to be critical of the theory, methods, and conclusions of any one who investigates or comments on parapsychology as a science, no matter what point of view they represent. In order to be an objective professional, one must have a first-hand knowledge of the vast past and present published scientific literature in the field, primary and scholarly sources of its age whenever possible, and -- even more important -- have first-hand experience as an experimenter or investigator and a respect for the art of conjuring and its masters. The hands-on approach is essential to scientific progress in the field, whether one approaches it from a "paranormalist" or a "conventional theorist" point of view. Selective and historically uninformed armchair cheerleading and armchair skepticism are equally useless in all fields of inquiry and science.

[edit]
Interpretation of the evidence
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Many scientists hold that the entire body of evidence to date is of poor quality and not properly controlled; in their view, the entire field of parapsychology has produced no results whatsoever. Frequently, however, proponents argue that those who hold this view have not had any contact with the published literature of the field such as that which can be found in the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, or in the proceedings of the annual convention of the Parapsychological Association[citation needed]. Instead, they have relied on the analyses made by members of the skeptical community who, wrongly, assume that all parapsychological experiments suffer from flaws and therefore no parapsychological experiment may be considered evidential even in the weak sense of the term. Working psi researchers welcome criticisms that are based on knowledge of the peer-reviewed, published literature of the field. Criticism and blanket statements based on hearsay are not productive and not encouraged in any area of science.

Other scientists hold that there is a small amount of data from properly controlled experiments that can be trusted for a small number of psi phenomena. They hold that this evidence is not definitive, but suggestive enough to warrant further research. [7]

Other scientists, who are familiar with the published literature of the field of parapsychology, believe that a great deal of evidence has been collected, which, if it addressed more conventional phenomena, would be sufficient to provide proof.

[edit]
Criticisms of parapsychological research
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Anecdotal evidence, characteristic of most of parapsychology, is inherently unreliable. Anecdotes may have natural, non-anomalous explanations such as random coincidence, fraud, imagination, or auto-suggestion.
If an experiment is not controlled to prevent fraud, then the results may not be trusted. This is especially so given the fact that many people who claimed to possess psi abilities were later proven to be frauds.
Parapsychology experiments are usually poorly designed. They often lack proper controls, allowing paths of intentional or unintentional information leakage through normal means, etc.
Parapsychology experiments are rarely replicated with positive results at independent laboratories.
Positive results in psi experiments are so statistically insignificant as to be negligible, i.e. indistinguishable from chance. For example, parapsychology may have a "file drawer" problem where a large percentage of negative results are never published, making positive results appear more significant than they actually are.
Currently inexplicable positive results of apparently sound experiments do not prove the existence of psi phenomena, i.e., normal explanations may yet be found. Concluding inexplicability from lack of existing explanation constitutes the well-known fallacy Argument from Ignorance.
Psi phenomena cannot be accepted as explanation of positive results until there is a widely acceptable theory of how they operate.
Parapsychologists may prefer and write selective history. The whole story may be avoided.
Parapsychology spends too much time simply trying to show that certain phenomena occur, and too little time trying to explain them — yet it is explanation that constitutes the heart of scientific enquiry, and wider, scientific acceptance of parapsychological phenomena would come only with the provision of explanation. (See King (2003) cited above.)
People who are considered noteworthy psychics could make a lot of money predicting or even controlling (via PK) the outcomes of boxing matches, football games, roulette wheel spins, individual stock price changes, and so on, but none of them seem to do so. Why not?
[edit]
Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The hard evidence for psi phenomena today is founded on repeatable experiments and not anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is considered valid in law and many other fields. The validity of anecdotal evidence does not depend upon the opinion of those listening to it. Memory studies by Elisabeth Loftus show that while memory can be capricious, a majority of people are not affected by many controlled memory manipulations. (See [8] for data.)
There is no such thing as a completely foolproof experiment in any field of science, and it is unreasonable to hold parapsychology to a higher standard of epistemology than the other sciences. [9]Fraud and incompetence in parapsychology is addressed in the same way it is addressed in any other field of science: repeating experiments at multiple independent laboratories; publishing methods and results in order to receive critical feedback and design better protocols, etc.
Experimental protocols have been continually improved over time, sometimes with the direct assistance of noted skeptics. Meta-analyses show that the significance of the positive results have not declined over time, but instead have remained fairly constant.
There are certain phenomena which have been replicated with odds against chance far beyond that required for acceptance in any other science. Meta-analyses show that these cannot be accounted for by any file drawer problem.
Anomalous phenomena do not disappear for lack of a theory. There have been many instances in the history of science where the observation of an anomalous phenomenon came before an explanatory theory, and some commonly accepted non-psi phenomena (e.g. gravity) today still lack a perfectly satisfactory, undisputed theory. For instance, in the past, those who sighted meteors falling to the earth were dismissed as madmen or false prophets.
Theories abound in parapsychology for aspects of psi phenomena, though there is not any one that is comprehensive and widely accepted within parapsychology.
It is not necessary to be a licensed psychiatrist or acquainted with clinical psychology to test the validity of psi. The field of parapsychology overlaps many disciplines, including physics and biology, and often physicists, engineers and others trained in the hard sciences, in conjunction with stage magicians and other experts in deception, are in a better position to design experiments for certain types of phenomena than are psychiatrists or psychologists.
The opinion of parapsychologists regarding the overall evaluation of the body of evidence to date is divided. As noted above, some parapsychologists are skeptic and do not believe that there is anything observed so far which cannot ultimately be explained within the existing framework of known science. Probably a majority of parapsychologists believe in the likelihood, or at least the possibility, of actual psi phenomena, though there is a range of attitudes toward the evidence.

Regarding the evidence, the rule of the thumb of the skeptical community is that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since skeptics may consider paranormal claims extraordinary, they may think that the evidence needs to be better than what normally would be required. However, this puts the responsibility for investigating seemingly paranormal phenomena squarely on the shoulders of proponents and "internal" skeptics. Not only is research conducted by "external" critics and skeptics useful to the field as a whole, but it also imparts a kind of craft knowledge to critics and skeptics that makes their criticism and counter-hypotheses more productive and more useful. Further many of the counter-hypotheses proposed by skeptics are so unparsimonious as to be extraordinary claims as well, and in that case, those counter-hypothesis, also require extraordinary evidence.

Most people use this approach to evidence in everyday life. For instance, if the news reports that the president of the USA has just arrived in South Korea for a state visit, most people will take this at face value. The news is considered a fairly reliable source of information, and the president visiting a country such as South Korea is not an extraordinary claim. However, if the same news broadcast later mentioned that a 92-year-old man has improved the world record time on the marathon by half an hour, many reasonable people would require more evidence, even despite the assumed reliability of the source, since the claim is extraordinary. This analogy might be flawed, however. In the case of the 92 year old man, we have positive evidence gained from a lifetime of experience and the reassurance of physiologists that this feat is indeed extraordinary (i.e., improbable). When it comes to parapsychology, however, some would argue we have no positive evidence that it is improbable, only our own cultural bias and a subjective sense that Psionic powers are extraordinary. Hence, some would argue, it is not the sort of extraordinary claim which necessarily needs more evidence than a mundane claim.

Some parapsychologists agree with critics that the field has not yet reached the degree of consistent repeatability of experimental results needed for general consensus. John Beloff, in his book Parapsychology: A Concise History, notes the evanescent – some have said the apparently evasive – nature of psychic phenomena over time, and that the range of phenomena observable in a given era seems to be culturally dependent.

For example, in earlier times, psychic research studied physical phenomena demonstrated by spiritualist mediums that, according to the reports passed down to us in the literature, far surpassed anything that any of today's "psychics" can demonstrate. Skeptics consider this more evidence of the non-existence of psi phenomena. Frequently this particular claim is the result of the proponent community having cut itself off, because of political pressures of conforming to the scientific Zeitgeist, from the community of modern mediums and psychics who operate today. Whether or not the phenomena being exhibited by modern day mediums can provide proof of traditional notions of spirituality or can be attributed to the operation of mundane psychological processes is mostly an open question, due to the lack of research. So it is possible that physical phenomena is being exhibited today, but to what cause the effects may be attributed is an open question, even among parapsychologists.

Many people, especially like John Beloff and Stephen E. Braude, cannot easily dismiss the entirety of all the positive accounts – many of which came from scientists and conjurors of their day. Many began as skeptics - but then changed their minds to become believers and supporters of psychic phenomena when they encountered the inexplicable; and so believe that continued research is justified. Easily recovered critical historical research reveals these individuals were certainly out of their league when it came to the close up deceptions of fraudulent mediums and adept charlatans. (Podmore, 1910 & Price and Dingwall, 1975)

Other parapsychologists, such as Dean Radin and supporters such as statistician Jessica Utts, take the stance that the existence of certain psi phenomena has been reasonably well established in recent times through repeatable experiments that have been replicated dozens to hundreds of times at labs around the world. They refer to meta-analyses of psi experiments that conclude that the odds against chance (null hypothesis) of experimental results far exceeds that commonly required to establish results in other fields, sometime by orders of magnitude.

This is an old argument. See (Rawcliffe 1952, pages 441 & 442). The question whether or not each of these experiments themselves have been efficiently carried out is avoided. In the unsophisticated "language of the street" this would be known as "garbage in garbage out". All of the early experiments that were conducted by noted men of science in Italy and Germany with Eusapia Palladino "proved positive". This same argument did not satisfy the United States Department of Defense when remote viewing experiments were being funded for 20 million dollars. The project was terminated for lack of results.

Instead, many enthusiastic parapsychologists prefer to dismiss proof-oriented research, intended primarily to verify the existence of psi phenomena and, as in the past, jumped to "process-oriented" research, intended to explore the parameters and characteristics of psi phenomena. Time will tell whether these results prove to be evanescent as well. Unfortunately, what complicates the "time will tell" hope that many skeptics and proponents have is the lack of funds available for research from either the conventional or the "paranormalist" perspectives, and the negative impact on career advancement that an interest in these phenomena -- even from a skeptical point of view -- can have. The past history of repeated psi failures and short comings has given parapsychology a poor reputation.

[edit]
Early Scientific American challenge
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The offering of prizes for demonstrations is not new to the field. Circa 1924, Scientific American magazine offered a $5000 prize to anyone who could produce any "visible psychic manifestation." Medium Mina Crandon, known in the literature as "Margery," made a bid and was tested by a committee set up by the editorial staff. Her performance was such that the committee members were split, four negative to one positive in their opinions. The magazine published the mixed report in its November 1924 issue, no prize was awarded, and the competition was declared closed the following year. In the early 1900s, the then well-known stage magician Howard Thurston, who had earlier studied to be a medical missionary, was impressed by the mysterious table lifting demonstrations of medium Eusapia Palladino. He advertised in the New York Times his offer of $1000 to charity in the name of any fellow conjuror who could duplicate this feat. He had no takers. In 1910 Eusapia Palladino publicily acknowledged she used tricks to an American reporter. Today many methods of table lifting and other seance secrets are well known to master conjurors, but kept secret as demanded by their art.(Rinn 1950, Christopher 1975 p.208)

[edit]
Other objections to parapsychology
There are a variety of other objections to parapsychology as well.

Psi Phenomena as a Violation of the Laws of Physics or Nature
Some critics claim that the existence of psi phenomena would violate "the known laws of physics", and some of these critics believe that this is reason enough that such phenomena should not be studied. Parapsychologists respond that "laws of nature" are simply summaries of existing scientific knowledge and do get revised from time to time during the course of scientific progress, in addition they are not so well understood that with them one could confidently predict the non existence of Psi (Consider quantum mechanics). If the existence of psi phenomenon were ever proved, explaining how they work might require revising or extending the known laws of physics. Precognition, for example, would challenge commonly held notions about causality and the unidirectional nature of time. However, these commonly held notions are often not physical laws, and are already being challenged by modern physical theories, quite apart from psi phenomena. Skeptics and parapsychologists alike generally agree that, as per Occam's Razor, simple explanations should be preferred for any resulting theories of psi. Some parapsychologists are critical of skeptics' frequently-uninvestigated claims about fraud, or the application of conventional hypotheses specifically because these claims are unparsimonious. Conventional explanations, many parapsychologists believe, should also conform to Occam's Razor. Then there are others, both skeptics and proponents, who agree that even in mainstream science nature itself is frequently unparsimonious.
Parapsychology as Taboo
Some believe that paranormal phenomena should not be studied, either because they are forbidden by their religious orientation, or because they believe that to do so opens the investigators to some sort of "spiritual attack". Parapsychology is also seen as a taboo subject in science and the academy and individuals who show an interest in studying seemingly psychic phenomena, even from a skeptical point of view, often find themselves losing or being pushed out of employment, or denied funding. Anthropologist of science, David J. Hess, has written on this topic.[10]
Parapsychology as a Danger to Society
Some believe that parapsychology should not be pursued because it somehow represents a danger to society. As is stated in the Y2000 NSF report Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience[11]:
"Concerns have been raised, especially in the science community, about widespread belief in paranormal phenomena. Scientists (and others) have observed that people who believe in the existence of paranormal phenomena may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Their beliefs may indicate an absence of critical thinking skills necessary not only for informed decision making in the voting booth and in other civic venues (for example, jury duty), but also for making wise choices needed for day-to-day living."
Even "insiders" in the parapsychological community worry about the possible harm that naive belief in paranormal phenomena can have on individuals, on culture and on societies. A great deal of effort has been put into the notion of developing expertise in dealing with reported experiences both in a clinical sense, and as a topic of investigation. Unfortunately organized skepticism and the "taboo" that exists against serious research on such phenomena has impeded the ability of many researchers -- both skeptics and proponents -- from doing the kinds of research that would allow evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Although under the heading 'paranormal phenomena' the report lists topics such as astrology, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster, it also lumps in belief in ESP and, by implication, most parapsychology.

Parapsychology as a Waste of Resources
Some believe that parapsychology should not be funded because it is a waste of resources that would be better spent on other activities. Some of these critics feel so strongly about this that they engage in activism to try to prevent or remove funding from psi research. Psychic detectives may waste valuable police resources. One of the negative -- and probably unintended -- consequences of this point of view is that while 10% of the world's population or over 400 million individuals on the planet, may experience what they believe are psychic phenomena, and may suffer in their daily lives from psychological problems caused by their experiences, few scientists on the planet are able to find the resources to really investigate the phenomena, and therefore very little real knowledge exists that can be used to help these experiencers. While even most parapsychologists would agree there are more urgent problems to solve, having no research address these reported experiences does a grave disservice to people everywhere.
[edit]
Other interesting facts
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
German psychiatrist Hans Berger originally used the electroencephalograph (EEG) on humans in 1929 as a tool to study whether telepathy might be explained by brain waves. (Beyerstein, B. L. [12] 1999)
The first and only Ph.D. in Parapsychology awarded by any American university, was the University of California, Berkeley awarding the PhD to Dr Jeffrey Mishlove in 1980. Subsequently some activists unsuccessfully lobbied the Berkeley administration to revoke the degree. Reportedly, as many as 46 people in the UK have doctorates in parapsychology. However, with the exception of Dr. Mishlove, mentioned above, the so-called "46 people in the UK" have doctorates in other disciplines, principally in psychology, but completed doctoral thesis work which included or were devoted to research projects in parapsychology. Such individuals are also expected to be competent in the disciplines in which they received their degrees. Examples of these individuals include: Dr. Susan Blackmore (it says "PhD in Parapsychology, University of Surrey, 1980" on her webpage CV [13], though), Dr. Richard Broughton, Dr. Deborah Delanoy, Dr. Serena-Roney Dougall, Dr. Chris Roe, Dr. Simon Sherwood, Dr. Christine Simmonds, Dr. Matthew Smith, Dr. Carl Williams, Dr. Richard Wiseman, among others. [14]
Patent #5830064, "Apparatus and method for distinguishing events which collectively exceed chance expectations and thereby controlling an output," was granted by the US Patent Office on Nov 3rd, 1998 to inventors including several researchers from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center. The patent in no way relies on the existence of psi phenomena, but in the description the inventors do suggest that "One application of the present invention is the investigation of anomalous interaction between an operator and random physical systems, whether by serious scientists or curious members of the public who would like to conduct experiments on their own."
Throughout the history of the investigations of physical mediums there seems to be no record of simply applying wet paint to a medium's hands and feet to ensure control and eliminate fraud. However, it is naive to think one control would cover all cases.
Joseph B. Rhine began examining psychic abilities after hearing, and being deeply impressed, by a lecture given by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, about the scientific reality of having established contact with the dead. (Rinn 1950)
In reviewing the history of parapsychology from the present back to its birth from 19th century spiritism it becomes apparent that there was a preconceived belief in the existence of psychic phenomena by members of science that led to poor testing conditions, and loosening of controls, so phenomena would be produced and validated, rather than a genuine curious search to discover whether or not psychic phenomena existed at all. (Rawcliffe 1952, Podmore 1963, Christopher 1979)
In early psychic research the advice of master conjurors, such as the sterling case of Houdini, on establishing control has been very valuable, but not appreciated by scientific investigators who had become close and fond of their subjects and their produced phenomena. There are many past examples where serious mistakes were made. (Christopher 1970, Rinn 1950, Hyman 1989, Podmore 1975, Price & Dingwall 1975) As long as this breach continues between master conjurors and scientific parapsychologists, parapsychologists are likely to repeat the same mistakes. The success of James Randi's Project Alpha is a prime example.
Some early and mid 20th century psychologists concluded Psychical research represents a reversion to occult beliefs which have had their origins in the earliest of human cultures.(Rawcliffe 1952)
In the 1984 fictional film Ghostbusters Dr. Peter Venkman claims to have Ph.D.'s in both Psychology and Parapsychology when asked by overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck. It has yet to be explained by scientists why that is an "interesting fact" such that it should appear here.
[edit]
Critics of parapsychology
Banachek tricked scientists for 2 years, 120 laboratory hours, into believing he could bend metal with his minds in the much touted 'Alpha Project' experiment, a set-up.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an advocacy group of scientists and rationalist writers arguing for the anti-paranormal point of view.
Derren Brown (Has a detailed TV show, debunking people's beliefs.)
Susan Blackmore — Stopped lecturing and abandoned parapsychology altogether, because she could no longer endure the near fanatic and rude behavior of both believers and non-believers. Perhaps. She also lost faith in the existence of "psi". See her book Adventures of a Parapsychologist
Milbourne Christopher — Noted conjuring historian and master conjuror, his works debunking parapsychology are high quality.
Martin Gardner- Noted rationalist, puzzler, science writer, and master conjuror, has written many exposés.
Ray Hyman- Conjuror and noted research psychologist
James Randi- Master conjuror and author. In one exposé he revealed top evangelist Peter Poppoff and his wife used trickery to take advantage of their faithful congregation.
Ehrich Weiss (Harry Houdini)- Early 20th century master conjuror and author. He wanted to contact his deceased mother; he attended seances with this serious purpose but was always disappointed. In his will Houdini offered his great library to the American Society of Psychical Research on the condition that its president, Malcomb Bird, resigned. Bird refused. Houdini's collection went to the Library of Congress.
Penn and Teller, gives these comic showmen material.
[edit]
See also
Clairaudience
Clairvoyance
List of spirituality-related topics
List of parapsychologists
Parapsychology basic topics
Patapsychology
Prophecy
Psionics
Remote Viewing
The Bélmez Faces
True-believer syndrome
[edit]
References
↑ Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience, National Science Foundation, 2000.
Parapsychology, by Rene Sudre, Citadel Press, NY, 1960, Library of Congress Catalog 60-13928.
Parapsychology, by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Al-Kitaab Publication, 1985.
The Conscious Universe, by Dean Radin, Harper Collins, 1997, ISBN 0062515020.
Parapsychology: A Concise History, by John Beloff, St. Martin's Press, 1993, ISBN 0312096119.
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, by Richard S. Broughton , Ballantine Books, 1991, ISBN 0345356381.
Our Sixth Sense, by Charles Richet, Rider & Co., 1937, First English Edition
The Elusive Quarry: A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research, by Ray Hyman, Prometheus Books, 1989, ISBN 0879755040.
Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Parapsychology, ed. Antony Flew, Prometheus Books, 1987, ISBN 0-87975-385-4
Sixty Years of Psychical Research : Houdini and I Among the Spirits, by Joseph Rinn, Truth Seeker, 1950
The Newer Spiritualism, by Frank Podmore, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1910 edition
Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Harry Price and Eric J. Dingwall, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1891 edition by Charles F. Pidgeon. This rare, overlooked, forgotten book gives the "insider's knowledge" of 19th century deceptions.
Mediums of the 19th Century Volume Two, Book Four, Chapter One, Some Foreign Investigations by Frank Podmore, University Book, 1963, reprint of Modern Spiriritualism, 1902
Occult and Supernatural Phenomena by D. H. Rawcliffe, Dover Publications, reprint of Psychology of the Occult, Derricke Ridgway Publishing co., 1952
Edgar Cayce on Atlantis by Hugh Lynn Cayce, Castle Books, 1968
[edit]
Further reading
Milbourne Christopher, ESP, Seers & Psychics : What the Occult Really Is, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, ISBN 0690268157
Milbourne Christopher, Mediums, Mystics & the Occult by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, 1975
Milbourne Christopher, Search for the Soul , Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, 1979
Georges Charpak, Henri Broch, and Bart K. Holland (tr), Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience, (Johns Hopkins University). 2004, ISBN 0801878675
Hoyt L. Edge, Robert L. Morris, Joseph H. Rush , John Palmer, Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1986, ISBN 0710-0226-1
Paul Kurtz, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology, Prometheus Books, 1985, ISBN 0879753005
Jeffrey Mishlove, Roots of Consciousness: Psychic Liberation Through History Science and Experience. 1st edition, 1975, ISBN 0-394-73115-8 2nd edition, Marlowe & Co., July 1997, ISBN 1569247471 There are 2 editions. They are very different. online
John White, ed. Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science, published by Edgar D. Mitchell and G. P. Putman, 1974, ISBN 39911342-8
Richard Wiseman, Deception and self-deception: Investigating Psychics. Amherst, USA: Prometheus Press. 1997
Benjamin B. Wolman, ed, Handbook of Parapsychology, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977, ISBN 0442295766
[edit]
External links
[edit]
Independent research organizations
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell to explore the frontiers of consciousness through rigorous scientific research.
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) program was established at Princeton University in 1979 by Robert G. Jahn, then Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Society for Psychical Research (SPR). The original scientific society founded in London in 1882.
American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).
Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology, originally part of Duke University, now an independent research center. The accomplished physicist Irving Langmuir, a founder of many studies in atmospheric electricity and plasma physics, visited Rhine at his laboratory in 1934. Rhine admitted (rather proudly and contentiously) to Langmuir that he had discarded data that was "wrong" because it did not support his belief in extrasensory perception. See Langmuir's 1953 talk Pathological Science at Princeton University
Parapsychology Foundation
[edit]
University research organizations
Koestler Parapsychology Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
Global Consciousness Project at Princeton
The VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona
Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit of the Liverpool John Moores University.
Psychology Research Cluster at University College Northampton.
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University.
Division of Personality Studies (DOPS), a unit of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Bigelow Chair of Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) at the University of Adelaide.
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths University of London.
Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire.
[edit]
Other
Articles on Psychics & Mediums
National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Entry on parapsychology in the Skeptic's Dictionary
Parapsychology links
Dean Radin's A Field Guide to Skepticism from his book The Conscious Universe.
The Project Alpha Experiment
Neuro-Kinetik.com Proposes the use of realtime MRI (and related instrumentation) to explore the portions of the brain that relate to parapsychological phenomena.
The online Library of Exploratory Science contains the complete text of many of the major peer reviewed journals in parapsychology and psychical research.
[15] The Need for Responsibility in Parapsychology: My Sixty Years in Psychical Research by Eric Dingwall
Parapsychology forum at forteantimes.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology"
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles lacking sources

Manchester
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For other uses, see Manchester (disambiguation).
City of Manchester


Geography
Status: Metropolitan borough, City (1853)
Region: North West England
Ceremonial county: Greater Manchester
Traditional county: Lancashire, part in Cheshire
Area:
- Total Ranked 228th
115.65 km²
Admin. HQ: Manchester
ONS code: 00BN
Geographical coordinates: 53°29′N 2°15′W
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2004 est.)
- Density Ranked 6th
437,000
3,779 / km²
Ethnicity: 81.0% White
9.1% S.Asian
4.5% Afro-Carib.
1.3% Chinese
Politics

Manchester City Council
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/
Leadership: Leader & Cabinet
Executive

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

Parapsychology is the study of the evidence of mental awareness or influence of external objects without interaction from known physical means. Most objects of study fall within the realm of "mind-to-mind" influence (such as extra-sensory perception, folie a deux and telepathy), "mind-to-environment" influence (such as psychokinesis) and "environment-to-mind" (such as hauntings). Collectively, these abilities are often referred to as "psionics".

The scientific validity of parapsychology research is a matter of frequent dispute and criticism, and is generally referred to as a pseudoscience, refuted by numerous rigorous scientific studies. Nonetheless, many eminent scientists have been firm believers that the field is worthy of analysis, such as Wolfgang Pauli (See Pauli Effect).

Contents [hide]
1 Types of parapsychology
2 History, claims, and evaluation
3 Status of the field
3.1 How science views the field
3.2 Interpretation of the evidence
3.2.1 Criticisms of parapsychological research
3.2.2 Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
3.3 Early Scientific American challenge
3.4 Other objections to parapsychology
4 Other interesting facts
4.1 Critics of parapsychology
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
8.1 Independent research organizations
8.2 University research organizations
8.3 Other



[edit]
Types of parapsychology
The phenomena in question fall into two broad groups.

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) is also known as anomalous cognition, and includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience, clairgustance, clairsentience, precognition, postcognition, psychometry, and dream transference.

Anomalous operation includes psychokinesis (in the past referred to as telekinesis), pyrokinesis, psychogenesis, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, near-death experiences, mediumship, and reincarnation.

The general term "psi phenomena" (or the somewhat older term, "psychic phenomena," which was said to be the "psi factor" in an experiment) covers all of these categories.

[edit]
History, claims, and evaluation
See history of parapsychology and claims of parapsychology.

[edit]
Status of the field
The standing of the field of parapsychology has always been controversial within the scientific community.

As its name indicates, parapsychology is sometimes considered a sub-branch of psychology, and this has arisen historically since it involved the study of apparent mental faculties. In its modern form, parapsychology is an interdisciplinary field, which has attracted physicists, engineers, and biologists, as well as psychologists and those from other sciences. (For an argument that parapsychological phenomena may not in fact be psychological, see Peter J. King's "Parapsychology without the 'Para' (or the 'Psychology')" (Think 3, 2003, pp 43 53).)

Parapsychology often involves the use of new and untested technologies and methods such as neurofeedback, Neuro-linguistic programming, past life regression and so on.

Many people are not satisfied with the term, and have proposed alternatives, such as "psi research" (similar to the older term "psychical research"), but "parapsychology" is the term that has gained the greatest acceptance today.

One organization involved in the field, the Parapsychological Association is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). [1]. At present (2006) there are about two hundred and seventy five members in the Parapsychological Association.

[edit]
How science views the field
In the scientific disciplines, there is a belief that all claims should be treated with scientific skepticism. Mainstream scientists generally argue that after examining psi claims for over a century, there has been significant difficulty assertaining significant positive evidence for such claims.

Many in the scientific community believe that parapsychology is not a real science, that psi phenomena do not exist, and that parapsychology is a pseudoscience. Many scientists and skeptical observers of the field believe that some parapsychologists knowingly commit fraud; that some are incompetent or misled by their own hopes or desires; and that some are naïve and therefore easily deceived by fraudulent participants; or perhaps some combination of the above. One of the most famous cases in psychology that illustrates being misled by one's hopes is that of Clever Hans. Mr. Wilhelm von Osten, who promoted the horse, did not intend to defraud anyone, but he fooled himself and large audiences nevertheless. [2]

Parapsychologists disagree with this assessment. Many have been formally trained in science, and are familiar with the scientific method. Statistician Jessica Utts has shown in a number of papers that:

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted."[3]
The precise percentage of scientists holding negative views about parapsychology is unclear, since surveys targeting this group are far less common than those targeting the general population. In his article Save Our Science: Paranormal Phenomena and Zetetics, skeptic Henri Broch complains:

"These data are based on an investigation on the belief in parasciences among Frenchmen (published in 1986). [...] Contrary to what might have been thought, the level of belief in the paranormal is directly proportional to the level of education, whatever the religious persuasion may be. Those with higher scientific degrees fare slightly better, although their level of belief is superior to [greater than] the average!"
Some skeptics believe that there is a tendency for parapsychology researchers to select "good days" and discard "bad days" for the people in the test samples. But the "Theory of Runs" shows that the chance of a long run of successes (or failures) increases drastically when the periods of success or failure are selected as part of a larger sample. See: Feller, William (1968), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, p. 86. For a more recent discussion of the theory and the "arcsine law" see [4] or [5]

Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest and a sociologist from the University of Arizona, studied surveys on belief in ESP from 1978 through 1987, and studied the mental health of believers in ESP. The surveys he studied showed that from 1978 through 1987, the number of American adults who reported psychic experiences rose from 58% to 67% (clairvoyance and contacts with the dead were reported by 25% of his respondents). According to Greeley, the elderly, women, widows and widowers, and the conventionally religious report higher incidents of such experiences. He also tested the psychological well-being of people reporting mystical experiences with the "Affect Balance Scale" and found that people reporting mystical experiences received top scores. Greeley summarized his findings by writing,

A few parapsychologists are skeptics, for example Chris French and his colleagues at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in London, and Richard Wiseman and his colleagues at the Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire, both of which units include individuals who are members of the Parapsychological Association. These researchers do not approach the field with a belief in the paranormal, but are rather interested in the purely psychological aspects of those who report paranormal experiences, along with the study of the psychology of deception, hallucination, etc. These researchers also have provided their own guidelines and input to other parapsychologists for the design of experiments and how to properly test those who claim psychic abilities. While some of these guidelines have been useful, many have suffered from a naive understanding of scientific practice in general and in parapsychology in particular, from a distorted view of the methodology actually in use in the field, and the unfortunate habit of some skeptics to make sweeping statements about the applicability of counter-hypotheses to lines of research without actually investigating the appropriateness of those counter-hypotheses to the details at hand. (See, for example a mostly-positive review of one of these guidelines written by skeptics[6].)

The most important point that both proponents and skeptics raise is the need to be critical of the theory, methods, and conclusions of any one who investigates or comments on parapsychology as a science, no matter what point of view they represent. In order to be an objective professional, one must have a first-hand knowledge of the vast past and present published scientific literature in the field, primary and scholarly sources of its age whenever possible, and -- even more important -- have first-hand experience as an experimenter or investigator and a respect for the art of conjuring and its masters. The hands-on approach is essential to scientific progress in the field, whether one approaches it from a "paranormalist" or a "conventional theorist" point of view. Selective and historically uninformed armchair cheerleading and armchair skepticism are equally useless in all fields of inquiry and science.

[edit]
Interpretation of the evidence
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Many scientists hold that the entire body of evidence to date is of poor quality and not properly controlled; in their view, the entire field of parapsychology has produced no results whatsoever. Frequently, however, proponents argue that those who hold this view have not had any contact with the published literature of the field such as that which can be found in the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, or in the proceedings of the annual convention of the Parapsychological Association[citation needed]. Instead, they have relied on the analyses made by members of the skeptical community who, wrongly, assume that all parapsychological experiments suffer from flaws and therefore no parapsychological experiment may be considered evidential even in the weak sense of the term. Working psi researchers welcome criticisms that are based on knowledge of the peer-reviewed, published literature of the field. Criticism and blanket statements based on hearsay are not productive and not encouraged in any area of science.

Other scientists hold that there is a small amount of data from properly controlled experiments that can be trusted for a small number of psi phenomena. They hold that this evidence is not definitive, but suggestive enough to warrant further research. [7]

Other scientists, who are familiar with the published literature of the field of parapsychology, believe that a great deal of evidence has been collected, which, if it addressed more conventional phenomena, would be sufficient to provide proof.

[edit]
Criticisms of parapsychological research
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Anecdotal evidence, characteristic of most of parapsychology, is inherently unreliable. Anecdotes may have natural, non-anomalous explanations such as random coincidence, fraud, imagination, or auto-suggestion.
If an experiment is not controlled to prevent fraud, then the results may not be trusted. This is especially so given the fact that many people who claimed to possess psi abilities were later proven to be frauds.
Parapsychology experiments are usually poorly designed. They often lack proper controls, allowing paths of intentional or unintentional information leakage through normal means, etc.
Parapsychology experiments are rarely replicated with positive results at independent laboratories.
Positive results in psi experiments are so statistically insignificant as to be negligible, i.e. indistinguishable from chance. For example, parapsychology may have a "file drawer" problem where a large percentage of negative results are never published, making positive results appear more significant than they actually are.
Currently inexplicable positive results of apparently sound experiments do not prove the existence of psi phenomena, i.e., normal explanations may yet be found. Concluding inexplicability from lack of existing explanation constitutes the well-known fallacy Argument from Ignorance.
Psi phenomena cannot be accepted as explanation of positive results until there is a widely acceptable theory of how they operate.
Parapsychologists may prefer and write selective history. The whole story may be avoided.
Parapsychology spends too much time simply trying to show that certain phenomena occur, and too little time trying to explain them — yet it is explanation that constitutes the heart of scientific enquiry, and wider, scientific acceptance of parapsychological phenomena would come only with the provision of explanation. (See King (2003) cited above.)
People who are considered noteworthy psychics could make a lot of money predicting or even controlling (via PK) the outcomes of boxing matches, football games, roulette wheel spins, individual stock price changes, and so on, but none of them seem to do so. Why not?
[edit]
Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The hard evidence for psi phenomena today is founded on repeatable experiments and not anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is considered valid in law and many other fields. The validity of anecdotal evidence does not depend upon the opinion of those listening to it. Memory studies by Elisabeth Loftus show that while memory can be capricious, a majority of people are not affected by many controlled memory manipulations. (See [8] for data.)
There is no such thing as a completely foolproof experiment in any field of science, and it is unreasonable to hold parapsychology to a higher standard of epistemology than the other sciences. [9]Fraud and incompetence in parapsychology is addressed in the same way it is addressed in any other field of science: repeating experiments at multiple independent laboratories; publishing methods and results in order to receive critical feedback and design better protocols, etc.
Experimental protocols have been continually improved over time, sometimes with the direct assistance of noted skeptics. Meta-analyses show that the significance of the positive results have not declined over time, but instead have remained fairly constant.
There are certain phenomena which have been replicated with odds against chance far beyond that required for acceptance in any other science. Meta-analyses show that these cannot be accounted for by any file drawer problem.
Anomalous phenomena do not disappear for lack of a theory. There have been many instances in the history of science where the observation of an anomalous phenomenon came before an explanatory theory, and some commonly accepted non-psi phenomena (e.g. gravity) today still lack a perfectly satisfactory, undisputed theory. For instance, in the past, those who sighted meteors falling to the earth were dismissed as madmen or false prophets.
Theories abound in parapsychology for aspects of psi phenomena, though there is not any one that is comprehensive and widely accepted within parapsychology.
It is not necessary to be a licensed psychiatrist or acquainted with clinical psychology to test the validity of psi. The field of parapsychology overlaps many disciplines, including physics and biology, and often physicists, engineers and others trained in the hard sciences, in conjunction with stage magicians and other experts in deception, are in a better position to design experiments for certain types of phenomena than are psychiatrists or psychologists.
The opinion of parapsychologists regarding the overall evaluation of the body of evidence to date is divided. As noted above, some parapsychologists are skeptic and do not believe that there is anything observed so far which cannot ultimately be explained within the existing framework of known science. Probably a majority of parapsychologists believe in the likelihood, or at least the possibility, of actual psi phenomena, though there is a range of attitudes toward the evidence.

Regarding the evidence, the rule of the thumb of the skeptical community is that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since skeptics may consider paranormal claims extraordinary, they may think that the evidence needs to be better than what normally would be required. However, this puts the responsibility for investigating seemingly paranormal phenomena squarely on the shoulders of proponents and "internal" skeptics. Not only is research conducted by "external" critics and skeptics useful to the field as a whole, but it also imparts a kind of craft knowledge to critics and skeptics that makes their criticism and counter-hypotheses more productive and more useful. Further many of the counter-hypotheses proposed by skeptics are so unparsimonious as to be extraordinary claims as well, and in that case, those counter-hypothesis, also require extraordinary evidence.

Most people use this approach to evidence in everyday life. For instance, if the news reports that the president of the USA has just arrived in South Korea for a state visit, most people will take this at face value. The news is considered a fairly reliable source of information, and the president visiting a country such as South Korea is not an extraordinary claim. However, if the same news broadcast later mentioned that a 92-year-old man has improved the world record time on the marathon by half an hour, many reasonable people would require more evidence, even despite the assumed reliability of the source, since the claim is extraordinary. This analogy might be flawed, however. In the case of the 92 year old man, we have positive evidence gained from a lifetime of experience and the reassurance of physiologists that this feat is indeed extraordinary (i.e., improbable). When it comes to parapsychology, however, some would argue we have no positive evidence that it is improbable, only our own cultural bias and a subjective sense that Psionic powers are extraordinary. Hence, some would argue, it is not the sort of extraordinary claim which necessarily needs more evidence than a mundane claim.

Some parapsychologists agree with critics that the field has not yet reached the degree of consistent repeatability of experimental results needed for general consensus. John Beloff, in his book Parapsychology: A Concise History, notes the evanescent – some have said the apparently evasive – nature of psychic phenomena over time, and that the range of phenomena observable in a given era seems to be culturally dependent.

For example, in earlier times, psychic research studied physical phenomena demonstrated by spiritualist mediums that, according to the reports passed down to us in the literature, far surpassed anything that any of today's "psychics" can demonstrate. Skeptics consider this more evidence of the non-existence of psi phenomena. Frequently this particular claim is the result of the proponent community having cut itself off, because of political pressures of conforming to the scientific Zeitgeist, from the community of modern mediums and psychics who operate today. Whether or not the phenomena being exhibited by modern day mediums can provide proof of traditional notions of spirituality or can be attributed to the operation of mundane psychological processes is mostly an open question, due to the lack of research. So it is possible that physical phenomena is being exhibited today, but to what cause the effects may be attributed is an open question, even among parapsychologists.

Many people, especially like John Beloff and Stephen E. Braude, cannot easily dismiss the entirety of all the positive accounts – many of which came from scientists and conjurors of their day. Many began as skeptics - but then changed their minds to become believers and supporters of psychic phenomena when they encountered the inexplicable; and so believe that continued research is justified. Easily recovered critical historical research reveals these individuals were certainly out of their league when it came to the close up deceptions of fraudulent mediums and adept charlatans. (Podmore, 1910 & Price and Dingwall, 1975)

Other parapsychologists, such as Dean Radin and supporters such as statistician Jessica Utts, take the stance that the existence of certain psi phenomena has been reasonably well established in recent times through repeatable experiments that have been replicated dozens to hundreds of times at labs around the world. They refer to meta-analyses of psi experiments that conclude that the odds against chance (null hypothesis) of experimental results far exceeds that commonly required to establish results in other fields, sometime by orders of magnitude.

This is an old argument. See (Rawcliffe 1952, pages 441 & 442). The question whether or not each of these experiments themselves have been efficiently carried out is avoided. In the unsophisticated "language of the street" this would be known as "garbage in garbage out". All of the early experiments that were conducted by noted men of science in Italy and Germany with Eusapia Palladino "proved positive". This same argument did not satisfy the United States Department of Defense when remote viewing experiments were being funded for 20 million dollars. The project was terminated for lack of results.

Instead, many enthusiastic parapsychologists prefer to dismiss proof-oriented research, intended primarily to verify the existence of psi phenomena and, as in the past, jumped to "process-oriented" research, intended to explore the parameters and characteristics of psi phenomena. Time will tell whether these results prove to be evanescent as well. Unfortunately, what complicates the "time will tell" hope that many skeptics and proponents have is the lack of funds available for research from either the conventional or the "paranormalist" perspectives, and the negative impact on career advancement that an interest in these phenomena -- even from a skeptical point of view -- can have. The past history of repeated psi failures and short comings has given parapsychology a poor reputation.

[edit]
Early Scientific American challenge
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The offering of prizes for demonstrations is not new to the field. Circa 1924, Scientific American magazine offered a $5000 prize to anyone who could produce any "visible psychic manifestation." Medium Mina Crandon, known in the literature as "Margery," made a bid and was tested by a committee set up by the editorial staff. Her performance was such that the committee members were split, four negative to one positive in their opinions. The magazine published the mixed report in its November 1924 issue, no prize was awarded, and the competition was declared closed the following year. In the early 1900s, the then well-known stage magician Howard Thurston, who had earlier studied to be a medical missionary, was impressed by the mysterious table lifting demonstrations of medium Eusapia Palladino. He advertised in the New York Times his offer of $1000 to charity in the name of any fellow conjuror who could duplicate this feat. He had no takers. In 1910 Eusapia Palladino publicily acknowledged she used tricks to an American reporter. Today many methods of table lifting and other seance secrets are well known to master conjurors, but kept secret as demanded by their art.(Rinn 1950, Christopher 1975 p.208)

[edit]
Other objections to parapsychology
There are a variety of other objections to parapsychology as well.

Psi Phenomena as a Violation of the Laws of Physics or Nature
Some critics claim that the existence of psi phenomena would violate "the known laws of physics", and some of these critics believe that this is reason enough that such phenomena should not be studied. Parapsychologists respond that "laws of nature" are simply summaries of existing scientific knowledge and do get revised from time to time during the course of scientific progress, in addition they are not so well understood that with them one could confidently predict the non existence of Psi (Consider quantum mechanics). If the existence of psi phenomenon were ever proved, explaining how they work might require revising or extending the known laws of physics. Precognition, for example, would challenge commonly held notions about causality and the unidirectional nature of time. However, these commonly held notions are often not physical laws, and are already being challenged by modern physical theories, quite apart from psi phenomena. Skeptics and parapsychologists alike generally agree that, as per Occam's Razor, simple explanations should be preferred for any resulting theories of psi. Some parapsychologists are critical of skeptics' frequently-uninvestigated claims about fraud, or the application of conventional hypotheses specifically because these claims are unparsimonious. Conventional explanations, many parapsychologists believe, should also conform to Occam's Razor. Then there are others, both skeptics and proponents, who agree that even in mainstream science nature itself is frequently unparsimonious.
Parapsychology as Taboo
Some believe that paranormal phenomena should not be studied, either because they are forbidden by their religious orientation, or because they believe that to do so opens the investigators to some sort of "spiritual attack". Parapsychology is also seen as a taboo subject in science and the academy and individuals who show an interest in studying seemingly psychic phenomena, even from a skeptical point of view, often find themselves losing or being pushed out of employment, or denied funding. Anthropologist of science, David J. Hess, has written on this topic.[10]
Parapsychology as a Danger to Society
Some believe that parapsychology should not be pursued because it somehow represents a danger to society. As is stated in the Y2000 NSF report Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience[11]:
"Concerns have been raised, especially in the science community, about widespread belief in paranormal phenomena. Scientists (and others) have observed that people who believe in the existence of paranormal phenomena may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Their beliefs may indicate an absence of critical thinking skills necessary not only for informed decision making in the voting booth and in other civic venues (for example, jury duty), but also for making wise choices needed for day-to-day living."
Even "insiders" in the parapsychological community worry about the possible harm that naive belief in paranormal phenomena can have on individuals, on culture and on societies. A great deal of effort has been put into the notion of developing expertise in dealing with reported experiences both in a clinical sense, and as a topic of investigation. Unfortunately organized skepticism and the "taboo" that exists against serious research on such phenomena has impeded the ability of many researchers -- both skeptics and proponents -- from doing the kinds of research that would allow evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Although under the heading 'paranormal phenomena' the report lists topics such as astrology, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster, it also lumps in belief in ESP and, by implication, most parapsychology.

Parapsychology as a Waste of Resources
Some believe that parapsychology should not be funded because it is a waste of resources that would be better spent on other activities. Some of these critics feel so strongly about this that they engage in activism to try to prevent or remove funding from psi research. Psychic detectives may waste valuable police resources. One of the negative -- and probably unintended -- consequences of this point of view is that while 10% of the world's population or over 400 million individuals on the planet, may experience what they believe are psychic phenomena, and may suffer in their daily lives from psychological problems caused by their experiences, few scientists on the planet are able to find the resources to really investigate the phenomena, and therefore very little real knowledge exists that can be used to help these experiencers. While even most parapsychologists would agree there are more urgent problems to solve, having no research address these reported experiences does a grave disservice to people everywhere.
[edit]
Other interesting facts
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
German psychiatrist Hans Berger originally used the electroencephalograph (EEG) on humans in 1929 as a tool to study whether telepathy might be explained by brain waves. (Beyerstein, B. L. [12] 1999)
The first and only Ph.D. in Parapsychology awarded by any American university, was the University of California, Berkeley awarding the PhD to Dr Jeffrey Mishlove in 1980. Subsequently some activists unsuccessfully lobbied the Berkeley administration to revoke the degree. Reportedly, as many as 46 people in the UK have doctorates in parapsychology. However, with the exception of Dr. Mishlove, mentioned above, the so-called "46 people in the UK" have doctorates in other disciplines, principally in psychology, but completed doctoral thesis work which included or were devoted to research projects in parapsychology. Such individuals are also expected to be competent in the disciplines in which they received their degrees. Examples of these individuals include: Dr. Susan Blackmore (it says "PhD in Parapsychology, University of Surrey, 1980" on her webpage CV [13], though), Dr. Richard Broughton, Dr. Deborah Delanoy, Dr. Serena-Roney Dougall, Dr. Chris Roe, Dr. Simon Sherwood, Dr. Christine Simmonds, Dr. Matthew Smith, Dr. Carl Williams, Dr. Richard Wiseman, among others. [14]
Patent #5830064, "Apparatus and method for distinguishing events which collectively exceed chance expectations and thereby controlling an output," was granted by the US Patent Office on Nov 3rd, 1998 to inventors including several researchers from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center. The patent in no way relies on the existence of psi phenomena, but in the description the inventors do suggest that "One application of the present invention is the investigation of anomalous interaction between an operator and random physical systems, whether by serious scientists or curious members of the public who would like to conduct experiments on their own."
Throughout the history of the investigations of physical mediums there seems to be no record of simply applying wet paint to a medium's hands and feet to ensure control and eliminate fraud. However, it is naive to think one control would cover all cases.
Joseph B. Rhine began examining psychic abilities after hearing, and being deeply impressed, by a lecture given by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, about the scientific reality of having established contact with the dead. (Rinn 1950)
In reviewing the history of parapsychology from the present back to its birth from 19th century spiritism it becomes apparent that there was a preconceived belief in the existence of psychic phenomena by members of science that led to poor testing conditions, and loosening of controls, so phenomena would be produced and validated, rather than a genuine curious search to discover whether or not psychic phenomena existed at all. (Rawcliffe 1952, Podmore 1963, Christopher 1979)
In early psychic research the advice of master conjurors, such as the sterling case of Houdini, on establishing control has been very valuable, but not appreciated by scientific investigators who had become close and fond of their subjects and their produced phenomena. There are many past examples where serious mistakes were made. (Christopher 1970, Rinn 1950, Hyman 1989, Podmore 1975, Price & Dingwall 1975) As long as this breach continues between master conjurors and scientific parapsychologists, parapsychologists are likely to repeat the same mistakes. The success of James Randi's Project Alpha is a prime example.
Some early and mid 20th century psychologists concluded Psychical research represents a reversion to occult beliefs which have had their origins in the earliest of human cultures.(Rawcliffe 1952)
In the 1984 fictional film Ghostbusters Dr. Peter Venkman claims to have Ph.D.'s in both Psychology and Parapsychology when asked by overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck. It has yet to be explained by scientists why that is an "interesting fact" such that it should appear here.
[edit]
Critics of parapsychology
Banachek tricked scientists for 2 years, 120 laboratory hours, into believing he could bend metal with his minds in the much touted 'Alpha Project' experiment, a set-up.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an advocacy group of scientists and rationalist writers arguing for the anti-paranormal point of view.
Derren Brown (Has a detailed TV show, debunking people's beliefs.)
Susan Blackmore — Stopped lecturing and abandoned parapsychology altogether, because she could no longer endure the near fanatic and rude behavior of both believers and non-believers. Perhaps. She also lost faith in the existence of "psi". See her book Adventures of a Parapsychologist
Milbourne Christopher — Noted conjuring historian and master conjuror, his works debunking parapsychology are high quality.
Martin Gardner- Noted rationalist, puzzler, science writer, and master conjuror, has written many exposés.
Ray Hyman- Conjuror and noted research psychologist
James Randi- Master conjuror and author. In one exposé he revealed top evangelist Peter Poppoff and his wife used trickery to take advantage of their faithful congregation.
Ehrich Weiss (Harry Houdini)- Early 20th century master conjuror and author. He wanted to contact his deceased mother; he attended seances with this serious purpose but was always disappointed. In his will Houdini offered his great library to the American Society of Psychical Research on the condition that its president, Malcomb Bird, resigned. Bird refused. Houdini's collection went to the Library of Congress.
Penn and Teller, gives these comic showmen material.
[edit]
See also
Clairaudience
Clairvoyance
List of spirituality-related topics
List of parapsychologists
Parapsychology basic topics
Patapsychology
Prophecy
Psionics
Remote Viewing
The Bélmez Faces
True-believer syndrome
[edit]
References
↑ Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience, National Science Foundation, 2000.
Parapsychology, by Rene Sudre, Citadel Press, NY, 1960, Library of Congress Catalog 60-13928.
Parapsychology, by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Al-Kitaab Publication, 1985.
The Conscious Universe, by Dean Radin, Harper Collins, 1997, ISBN 0062515020.
Parapsychology: A Concise History, by John Beloff, St. Martin's Press, 1993, ISBN 0312096119.
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, by Richard S. Broughton , Ballantine Books, 1991, ISBN 0345356381.
Our Sixth Sense, by Charles Richet, Rider & Co., 1937, First English Edition
The Elusive Quarry: A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research, by Ray Hyman, Prometheus Books, 1989, ISBN 0879755040.
Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Parapsychology, ed. Antony Flew, Prometheus Books, 1987, ISBN 0-87975-385-4
Sixty Years of Psychical Research : Houdini and I Among the Spirits, by Joseph Rinn, Truth Seeker, 1950
The Newer Spiritualism, by Frank Podmore, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1910 edition
Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Harry Price and Eric J. Dingwall, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1891 edition by Charles F. Pidgeon. This rare, overlooked, forgotten book gives the "insider's knowledge" of 19th century deceptions.
Mediums of the 19th Century Volume Two, Book Four, Chapter One, Some Foreign Investigations by Frank Podmore, University Book, 1963, reprint of Modern Spiriritualism, 1902
Occult and Supernatural Phenomena by D. H. Rawcliffe, Dover Publications, reprint of Psychology of the Occult, Derricke Ridgway Publishing co., 1952
Edgar Cayce on Atlantis by Hugh Lynn Cayce, Castle Books, 1968
[edit]
Further reading
Milbourne Christopher, ESP, Seers & Psychics : What the Occult Really Is, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, ISBN 0690268157
Milbourne Christopher, Mediums, Mystics & the Occult by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, 1975
Milbourne Christopher, Search for the Soul , Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, 1979
Georges Charpak, Henri Broch, and Bart K. Holland (tr), Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience, (Johns Hopkins University). 2004, ISBN 0801878675
Hoyt L. Edge, Robert L. Morris, Joseph H. Rush , John Palmer, Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1986, ISBN 0710-0226-1
Paul Kurtz, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology, Prometheus Books, 1985, ISBN 0879753005
Jeffrey Mishlove, Roots of Consciousness: Psychic Liberation Through History Science and Experience. 1st edition, 1975, ISBN 0-394-73115-8 2nd edition, Marlowe & Co., July 1997, ISBN 1569247471 There are 2 editions. They are very different. online
John White, ed. Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science, published by Edgar D. Mitchell and G. P. Putman, 1974, ISBN 39911342-8
Richard Wiseman, Deception and self-deception: Investigating Psychics. Amherst, USA: Prometheus Press. 1997
Benjamin B. Wolman, ed, Handbook of Parapsychology, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977, ISBN 0442295766
[edit]
External links
[edit]
Independent research organizations
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell to explore the frontiers of consciousness through rigorous scientific research.
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) program was established at Princeton University in 1979 by Robert G. Jahn, then Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Society for Psychical Research (SPR). The original scientific society founded in London in 1882.
American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).
Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology, originally part of Duke University, now an independent research center. The accomplished physicist Irving Langmuir, a founder of many studies in atmospheric electricity and plasma physics, visited Rhine at his laboratory in 1934. Rhine admitted (rather proudly and contentiously) to Langmuir that he had discarded data that was "wrong" because it did not support his belief in extrasensory perception. See Langmuir's 1953 talk Pathological Science at Princeton University
Parapsychology Foundation
[edit]
University research organizations
Koestler Parapsychology Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
Global Consciousness Project at Princeton
The VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona
Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit of the Liverpool John Moores University.
Psychology Research Cluster at University College Northampton.
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University.
Division of Personality Studies (DOPS), a unit of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Bigelow Chair of Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) at the University of Adelaide.
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths University of London.
Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire.
[edit]
Other
Articles on Psychics & Mediums
National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Entry on parapsychology in the Skeptic's Dictionary
Parapsychology links
Dean Radin's A Field Guide to Skepticism from his book The Conscious Universe.
The Project Alpha Experiment
Neuro-Kinetik.com Proposes the use of realtime MRI (and related instrumentation) to explore the portions of the brain that relate to parapsychological phenomena.
The online Library of Exploratory Science contains the complete text of many of the major peer reviewed journals in parapsychology and psychical research.
[15] The Need for Responsibility in Parapsychology: My Sixty Years in Psychical Research by Eric Dingwall
Parapsychology forum at forteantimes.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology"
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles lacking sources

Manchester
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For other uses, see Manchester (disambiguation).
City of Manchester


Geography
Status: Metropolitan borough, City (1853)
Region: North West England
Ceremonial county: Greater Manchester
Traditional county: Lancashire, part in Cheshire
Area:
- Total Ranked 228th
115.65 km²
Admin. HQ: Manchester
ONS code: 00BN
Geographical coordinates: 53°29′N 2°15′W
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2004 est.)
- Density Ranked 6th
437,000
3,779 / km²
Ethnicity: 81.0% White
9.1% S.Asian
4.5% Afro-Carib.
1.3% Chinese
Politics

Manchester City Council
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/
Leadership: Lea

[pennywise]

TROLL FAQ.

What is a troll?


The term "troll" has several meanings on usenet. You have the
Real Life[tm] meanings as given to us by Merriam Webster:


troll (trol) v. 1.To fish for by running a baited line behind a
slowly moving boat n 1. A creature of Scandinavian folklore
variously portrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under
bridges.


And then there's the usenet meanings - which are actually rather
similar to those above. In the case of the verb, the definition
is close - with one small twist; _you_ are the thing that
someone is trying to catch - and catch you they will if you
aren't wary. For bait, the troll will often take the form of a
derogatory post - one that is designed to incite as much
reaction as possible. For each person who responds, the poster
will consider that person "caught". The troll is considered to
have been a complete success if it disrupts the normal traffic
on a newsgroup. In extreme cases, trolls are posted by groups of
people and crossposted to unrelated newsgroups in an attempt to
destroy those groups by flooding them with flames and off-topic
ranting. Then, there is the noun, which again is nearly dead on,
but this type of troll has an e-mail account, a global bridge to
hide under, and a fishing pole to match - beware, for the hills
are full of 'em.


How can I spot a troll?


Most trolls take the form of blanket statements designed solely
to generate as many irate responses as possible. Posts with
subject lines such as: "Macs suck Worse than Amiga's!" or "Mac
Users are pathetic losers" Are most likely trolls.


Also, trolls love to generate mayhem by crossposting derogatory
statements to two rival groups and watching the sparks fly as
the groups flame each other into oblivion. That being the case,
it is usually a good idea to think _very_ long and hard before
responding to anything that is crossposted. If you must reply to
a crossposted message - edit the header to only include one
newsgroup; otherwise, take it to e-mail - or risk being branded
a weenie for life. Trolls can also pop up in existing threads.
These are usually the most distressing as they are unsuspected.
Suddenly, you are confronted with someone you believe to be a
mac user , who has taken a ridiculous position which just pisses
you off from here to hades. Remember, if you find yourself
thinking, "I can't believe this guy", it's a good chance that
the post is a troll. You'll know for sure if the same person is
consistently stupid and infuriating throughout the majority of
his posts to the newsgroup.


Are trolls made by real people?


Nope. Trolls are made by nasty little people who crave far more
attention than they deserve. Most of them are inadequate losers
with absolutely_no_lives_what_so_ever! Remember that, a troll,
by virtue of their lack of a life, will always have more time on
his hands than you - it's part of the inhuman nature of the
beast. Also, be advised that trolls will also band together.
There is a group of people known as alt.syntax.tactical who make
it their life's work to destroy as many groups as they can. They
consider a group destroyed when more than three quarters of the
threads on a group have been started by them; and the group is
unusable for normal traffic.


Why do trolls troll?


Ah, good question. While there is no way of knowing why all
trolls troll, there are some good theories. The general
concensus is that the troll is trying to build up a flaccid ego;
the troll sees himself as superior to anyone who responds to the
bait. The worst thing you can do, in the eyes of the troll, is
not respond at all - to absolutely ignore them. By not reacting,
you have completely defeated their purpose in life. In other
words, the troll sees his self-worth in how much of a reaction
he can inspire - ignore him, and you confirm his worthlessness.
It's your best weapon.


What's the best way to deal with a troll?


Contrary to most people's natural instincts, the best tactic is
to do absolutely nothing. In other words, _DO_NOT_ respond to a
troll. To do so is to play entirely into the trolls hands. I
cannot stress this enough. If left alone, the troll will usually
get bored and go away - leaving many happy Mac Users to ride off
into the sunset doing various backwards and forwards victory
dances. Read that last paragraph carefully. It is of the highest
importance if we are to keep trolls at bay. So, remember, a
troll's greatest joy is to piss _YOU_ off. Unless you deny him
what he wants, he will stay around for more - gleefully feasting
off your frustration, anger, indignation and vain attempts to
reason with him. If you look right through him like everyone
else in his miserable stinking life has, then he will usually
slither back into his cave and/or find his prey elsewhere.


I can flame with the best of 'em - shouldn't I just drive them
off?


Unfortuantely, no. The above assumption is based on the premise
that trolls are actually like real people. They are not; they
thrive off of negative input. Input in any form makes them feel
more important and will only cause them to stay. Sure, you may
be able to successfully spank a troll here or there if you are
good - and we mean DAMN good. Flaming is an art that many, many,
try, few master, and nearly all think they are good at. As a
rule, DON'T flame 'em, it does NOT work and will only prolong
the agony for everybody else.


But they make me so mad I want to scream - can I?


By all means no! If you must scream, do so at your neighbors cat
or the PC at work. It will be much more effective than screaming
at the troll. If you absolutely must respond due to some
personal neurological disorder, please do so in email and not on
the group. Admitedly screaming at the troll via e-mail isn't
always possible because of certian troll tactics, but it is your
only recourse. To respond to the troll on the newsgroup will
only invite alt.mac members to flame you and beat you about the
head, - and not necessarily in that order.


The troll won't go away - there must be *something* I can do?


YES! Some trolls just don't know when to give up. These can be
referred to as "klingons" - as they keep "clinging on" to the
notion that their continued presence his going to eventually
make somebody snap. You have several lines of defense at your
disposal. The first, and possibly the best, thing that you can
do is learn how to use a killfile. A killfile is a list of
people and places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore.
Thus, if you add the troll to your killfile, you'll barely know
they exist. It's like magic (amazing, eh?). The second major
thing you can do is complain to their postmaster. The postmaster
is the person who has the job of making sure that everything
runs smoothly at a given news/internet provider. Since a
postmaster is often overworked, the last thing he wants to deal
with is some weenie on his site causing all kinds of problems.
Thus, the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the
source. That's right, enough complaints to the postmaster, and
the nasty little trolls are gone - tossed onto the streets and
looking for another cave to be miserable in. -BUT- and this is a
big but, if the troll is using a forged account, your complaints
either won't mean a thing, or will get someone else (other than
the troll) in hot water. So, be careful and don't do try it
unless you know what you're doing.


Okay, then how do I contact a postmaster?


It's easy! Just send e-mail to:
postmaster@troll's_originating_orginization Let's say some guy,
who's e-mail address is klingon@flaccid_manhood.com, really
pissed you off for the last time and you feel it's time to
complain. To complain to his postmaster you would end it to:
postmaster@flaccid_manhood.com. It's that simple! One problem
with this, though, is many trolls use fake addresses or anon.
remailers; so getting the trolls real address is impossible. If
the address is fake (rather than a remailer), checking the
header can often give you the originating site Also, a good
letter to a postmaster should start with a brief and polite
comment, saying that the troll in question is causing trouble on
the newsgroup with his off-topic rantings. Most postmasters will
not yank accounts just for offensive behaviour (thank goodness,
since anything you say has the potential to offend -someone-);
but they will yank accounts for persistent off-topic posting.
Lastly, the letter should then include the -entire- text of the
offensive post, WITH HEADERS INTACT. Do not edit.


But, I want to rip the troll's throat out so hard it makes his
whole family hurt for years - what else is there that I can do?


Well, while I don't officially advocate it, you _can_ engage in
"A Slight Case of Overbombing." That is: The Mail Bomb- a nasty
weapon usually reserved for the nastiest of trolls and is best
when done by many people working in concert with one another.
Mailbombs _can_ blow up in your face, even if they are
successful. Once a "person's" mailbox is full, all mail sent is
often reflected back at the sender. There are also other
nastinesses that can transpire, but they are beyond the scope of
this.


What's a flame?


Well, the following is taken from the EFF's Guide to the
Internet, v.2.21 - it seems to sum it up the best:


"A flame is a particularly nasty, personal attack on somebody
for something he or she has written. Periodically, an exchange
of flames erupts into a flame war that begins to take up all the
space in a given newsgroup (and sometimes several; flamers like
cross-posting to let the world know how they feel). These can go
on for weeks (sometimes they go on for years, in which case they
become "holy wars," [-usually on such groundbreaking topics as
the relative merits of Macintoshes vs. IBMs]. Often, just when
they're dying down, somebody new to the flame war reads all the
messages, gets upset and issues an urgent plea that the flame
war be taken to e-mail so everybody else can get back to
whatever the newsgroup's business is. All this usually does,
though, is start a brand new flame war, in which this poor
person comes under attack for daring to question the First
Amendment, prompting others to jump on the attackers for
impugning this poor soul... You get the idea." Just in case
you're thinking this might be agood idea: DO NOT FLAME TROLLS -
IT DOES NOT WORK.


Some lame-headed Mac User is responding to this troll. What
should I do?


Well, in a perfect world this would not happen, but with the
constant influx of newbies there will always be somebody who
will give the troll the satisfaction of a reply. If this
happens, the best course is education - i.e. kindly direct the
infractor towards this FAQ or alert them to the error of their
ways (then beat them). If the newbie persists, and is convinced
that he or she is a net.rambo who is up to any challenge, beat
them first, then ask yourself if the person is who they seem. In
such cases, there is the slight chance that the respondant is
not just a clueless newbie, but a fellow troller - or even the
troll himself in disguise. A favorite tactic of organized troll
groups is to plant a "mole" into the group - someone who looks
and acts like a regular. Often, the mole is planted a few weeks
to a month in advance of an attack. That way, it looks as though
the invaders were attacking "one of us." Be wary of it, as it
lends to the mischief as unsusspecting do-gooders are sucked
into the fray as they come to the defense of the the "attacked."


What is all this talk about Spam?


Spam is a message that has been needlessly crossposted to
several different groups or it is a message that is posted
multiple times to the same newsgroup. Both methods are
frequently used by trolls to overload a group and make it
unusable. A post is generally considered spamming if it is
posted more than two or three times, or if it is posted to more
than about 4 or 5 groups. Generally, spamming is considered very
rude because spams waste bandwidth in a big way, as they result
in a bunch of off-group posts from idiots who have yet to
discover the secrets of editing subject headers in their replys.
This usually degrades into morons throughout the country having
arguments about the Bee-Gees on multiple groups, while other
morons blather back and forth about how a discussion of the
Bee-Gees has nothing to do with alt.save_my.chickens_please and
alt.white_power. It's a vicious circle, and one which
sophisticated trolls love to use. The moral of this story? In
short, DON'T respond to the spam on the newsgroup - do so in
e-mail. And again, if you _must_ reply publicly to a crossposted
message due to weird hairs making their way through your anatomy
- edit the header to only include one newsgroup; otherwise, you
run the risk being banned to alt.fan.bill_gates for eternity.


Are there other places that I can go to get info?


Well, this is the internet, after all. Give these a try:


Net Abuse FAQ:
http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html and Bill's
WWW page "Everything You'd Rather Not Have To Know About
Net-Abuse" : http://www.tezcat.com/~haz1/netabuse/netabuse.html


What's a killfile?


A killfile is an "editing" device that allows you to essentially
shut out articles and people who you don't want to hear from or
about. That is to say, the killfile is a list of people and
places that you want your newsbrowser to ignore. Thus, if you
add a troll or spammer to your killfile, you have sort of
"rubbed them out" electronically - at least as far as you're
concerned. Think about it, the possiblities are nearly endless.
If you're having trouble setting up, read the help files and
documentation on your particular newsreader for more info; or
ask if anyone using the same newsreader can help you set up a
killfile for a specific troll.


How can I spot a troll?


1. Off-topic. A large number of trolls are wildly off-topic and
have nothing to do with the newsgroup. 2. Highly inflammatory
language. Of course a non-troll can be inflammatory, but blatant
flamebaiting when combined with other tell-tale troll signs
should give you a clue. Be especially alert if the post targets
the entire group: "This is a stupid newsgroup" or "You are all
stupid. Get a Life!" are most likely trolls. 3. Obscene
language. A large number of trolls are sexual in nature. Think
before you respond to a post about people's sexuality or body
parts. 4. Claims of inside info from brand new posters whose
names you have never seen. Wait and see, especially if the info
seems too fantastic to be true. It probably is. 5. Fake
accounts.Many trolls are smart enough not to use their real
accounts .They may make up a fake account, or they usually get a
free one from hotmail. They may make up a new identity on an ISP
which allows for multiples, like AOL. This doesn't mean that all
people on those accounts are trolls!!! People may have many good
reasons for using a fake name, a free acount or a multiple AOL
id! But if a suspicious post comes from such an account, be
careful. Also be aware that the troll may be using somebody
else's account. 6. Crossposting to non-mac binary groups along
with mac-binary groups (especially to alt.flame, alt.bigfoot,
alt.syntax-tactical, alt.religion.kibology) and re-routed
messages. Sometimes a person has a good reason to crosspost; an
item may be of interest to more than one group (like the
different x-files groups, or maybe sci-fi groups.) But if the
crossposting seems to make NO sense, it may simply be for
trolling. Some groups are dedicated to trolls and flaming (see
the groups noted above) and posts crosslisted may be for
trolling purposes.


Remember: None of these signs, in and of itself, makes a troll.,
But if you see several put together, you should be suspicious.


---------------- Protocols for Safe Troll Handling:


First, identify the troll from a safe distance. You may find
yourself tempted to respond, but do not. In most cases, Do
NOTHING!!! Remember the troll wants your attention and postings,
needs it, craves it. Some may appear cute, but most are rabid,
so you must be careful! If you do not feed it, it will not take
up residence. Most of the time, the best response is to IGNORE
the troll.


Consider the needs of the newsgroup. Will your response add to
an already tense situation? A light-hearted joke might help more
than a flame. If the troll is tying up lots of space already,
you might actually do harm by adding to the confusion. Remember,
the troll is not after you personally; he/she has targeted the
whole group.


If you feel you must do something, consider doing it behind the
scenes. You can look up the troll's posting profile on Deja News
and see what other mischief it has been up to. You can e-mail
or post an alert to Troll Trackers on the newsgroup if you are
really concerned. You can E-mail the newservice provider of the
offending Troll. You can e-mail the troll if you feel you must,
but most trolls will not bother to respond in any helpful and/or
intelligent manner. This is not generally recommended, as it
might draw the troll's attention to you and your e-mail address.
(The troll may be using a fake address, or even someone else's
address, anyway.) Remember, the troll WANTS public attention.
Resist the urge to give it!


Above all, keep your sense of humor. Or at least, your sense of
scientific detatchment. The troll can actually be a humourous
little entity, with its strange world view and its dim little
mind. You may learn to chuckle at its frantic attempts to draw
attention. You can also view the troll as an interesting
scientific specimen, a sort of study in Usenet psychology and
sociology. Whether it knows it or not, the troll walked into the
laboratory when it began its mischief. View it as an experiment,
if nothing else.


Responded to a troll, eh? Don't feel bad. They are seductive,
for some reason. The best thing to do is to pull back, calm
down, and call the thing for what it is: A TROLL! Stop replying
IMMEDIATELY. Do not read any of the troll's responses to you. It
is trying to draw you further into its lair. Remember: your
ultimate weapon is your refusal to play the troll's game! Kill
file the troll if you can. Do NOT respond to its baits.


The troll is usually a solitary creature, but gangs of trolls do
exist on Usenet. In fact, entire newsgroups are dedicated to
breeding trolls. Some troll invasions are carefully plotted by
more than one troll. You can learn more about trolls in general
at this excellent FAQ: regarding Trolls and Flames:
http://digital.net/%7Egandalf/trollfaq.html


Your best weapon against Trolls is your refusal! (and don't
forget your laughter....)


Ok, couple of more questions?


What is the meaning when a Troll goes HA! HA! HA!? Or HE! HE! HE!


Answer: When a troll goes HE! HE! HE! , That is warning that he is on
the attack. You might call it a fair warning. When a troll goes, HA!
HA! HA!, that means he/she has got you caught.


What is a FAKE FLAME WAR?


When the troll is trying to create a flame war, he will fake one yy
arguing with him self. He will change his identity and post messages
to himself. You think it's two people going back and forth;
it's actually just one person. Let's say "Monkey
dung" has a flame war with "Boner-head" . Eventually
one of them will win the flame war, making one of them a hero.
That's what the troll wants, to show the newsgroup that he is a
swell person.


What can a Troll do to you?


Some can do some basic computer hacking, and post your personnel
information on the newsgroup. Like posting your address or telephone
number. At worse, they can send you a virus to your E-Mail. Or do an
E-Mail bomb. Most like to accuse the victims of being Child Molesters
and spread the rumor all over usenet.


Anything else?


Yes there is: Trolls like to impersonate other posters. If a Troll is,
let's say of a conservative bent, they like to pretend they are
Liberals. The reason for this is to the discredited their adversaries
by making outrageous statements. They choose names that are very
imaginative. Like characters from a Hollywood movies. There are times
they are so transparent. They do take time to research their
adversary's rhetoric. One troll was trying to pass himself as an
American Conservative. He used British slang in his posts. Then there
are the "Gender Benders". Most of the time, they are males
pretending to be Females. Some times it is vis-à-vis. Those Trolls are
found on chat rooms, message-boards or chat rooms. But you do find
them on newsgroups.


In conclusion, some trolls have a political agenda. Some are just
mental cases. It does not matter. A Troll is a Troll. Just ignore the
bastards. Do not let them intimidate you. They want to scare you off
newsgroups. That's the whole idea. Newsgroups are a great place
to meet people and have interesting discussions.


Happy posting!

I always wanted to know that mike

Well you know, they're not paying me to sit around. I thought I'd do some good for the world!

That's interesting you know its fun quoting stuff you just got off wikipedia.

Yeah but I don't use Wikipedia, I use Google Groups. Old skool etc.

Eddie Murphy was originally going to star in Ghostbusters.

Parapsychology is the study of the evidence of mental awareness or influence of external objects without interaction from known physical means. Most objects of study fall within the realm of "mind-to-mind" influence (such as extra-sensory perception, folie a deux and telepathy), "mind-to-environment" influence (such as psychokinesis) and "environment-to-mind" (such as hauntings). Collectively, these abilities are often referred to as "psionics".

The scientific validity of parapsychology research is a matter of frequent dispute and criticism, and is generally referred to as a pseudoscience, refuted by numerous rigorous scientific studies. Nonetheless, many eminent scientists have been firm believers that the field is worthy of analysis, such as Wolfgang Pauli (See Pauli Effect).

Contents [hide]
1 Types of parapsychology
2 History, claims, and evaluation
3 Status of the field
3.1 How science views the field
3.2 Interpretation of the evidence
3.2.1 Criticisms of parapsychological research
3.2.2 Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
3.3 Early Scientific American challenge
3.4 Other objections to parapsychology
4 Other interesting facts
4.1 Critics of parapsychology
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
8.1 Independent research organizations
8.2 University research organizations
8.3 Other



[edit]
Types of parapsychology
The phenomena in question fall into two broad groups.

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) is also known as anomalous cognition, and includes telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience, clairgustance, clairsentience, precognition, postcognition, psychometry, and dream transference.

Anomalous operation includes psychokinesis (in the past referred to as telekinesis), pyrokinesis, psychogenesis, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, near-death experiences, mediumship, and reincarnation.

The general term "psi phenomena" (or the somewhat older term, "psychic phenomena," which was said to be the "psi factor" in an experiment) covers all of these categories.

[edit]
History, claims, and evaluation
See history of parapsychology and claims of parapsychology.

[edit]
Status of the field
The standing of the field of parapsychology has always been controversial within the scientific community.

As its name indicates, parapsychology is sometimes considered a sub-branch of psychology, and this has arisen historically since it involved the study of apparent mental faculties. In its modern form, parapsychology is an interdisciplinary field, which has attracted physicists, engineers, and biologists, as well as psychologists and those from other sciences. (For an argument that parapsychological phenomena may not in fact be psychological, see Peter J. King's "Parapsychology without the 'Para' (or the 'Psychology')" (Think 3, 2003, pp 43 53).)

Parapsychology often involves the use of new and untested technologies and methods such as neurofeedback, Neuro-linguistic programming, past life regression and so on.

Many people are not satisfied with the term, and have proposed alternatives, such as "psi research" (similar to the older term "psychical research"), but "parapsychology" is the term that has gained the greatest acceptance today.

One organization involved in the field, the Parapsychological Association is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). [1]. At present (2006) there are about two hundred and seventy five members in the Parapsychological Association.

[edit]
How science views the field
In the scientific disciplines, there is a belief that all claims should be treated with scientific skepticism. Mainstream scientists generally argue that after examining psi claims for over a century, there has been significant difficulty assertaining significant positive evidence for such claims.

Many in the scientific community believe that parapsychology is not a real science, that psi phenomena do not exist, and that parapsychology is a pseudoscience. Many scientists and skeptical observers of the field believe that some parapsychologists knowingly commit fraud; that some are incompetent or misled by their own hopes or desires; and that some are naïve and therefore easily deceived by fraudulent participants; or perhaps some combination of the above. One of the most famous cases in psychology that illustrates being misled by one's hopes is that of Clever Hans. Mr. Wilhelm von Osten, who promoted the horse, did not intend to defraud anyone, but he fooled himself and large audiences nevertheless. [2]

Parapsychologists disagree with this assessment. Many have been formally trained in science, and are familiar with the scientific method. Statistician Jessica Utts has shown in a number of papers that:

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted."[3]
The precise percentage of scientists holding negative views about parapsychology is unclear, since surveys targeting this group are far less common than those targeting the general population. In his article Save Our Science: Paranormal Phenomena and Zetetics, skeptic Henri Broch complains:

"These data are based on an investigation on the belief in parasciences among Frenchmen (published in 1986). [...] Contrary to what might have been thought, the level of belief in the paranormal is directly proportional to the level of education, whatever the religious persuasion may be. Those with higher scientific degrees fare slightly better, although their level of belief is superior to [greater than] the average!"
Some skeptics believe that there is a tendency for parapsychology researchers to select "good days" and discard "bad days" for the people in the test samples. But the "Theory of Runs" shows that the chance of a long run of successes (or failures) increases drastically when the periods of success or failure are selected as part of a larger sample. See: Feller, William (1968), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, vol. I, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, p. 86. For a more recent discussion of the theory and the "arcsine law" see [4] or [5]

Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest and a sociologist from the University of Arizona, studied surveys on belief in ESP from 1978 through 1987, and studied the mental health of believers in ESP. The surveys he studied showed that from 1978 through 1987, the number of American adults who reported psychic experiences rose from 58% to 67% (clairvoyance and contacts with the dead were reported by 25% of his respondents). According to Greeley, the elderly, women, widows and widowers, and the conventionally religious report higher incidents of such experiences. He also tested the psychological well-being of people reporting mystical experiences with the "Affect Balance Scale" and found that people reporting mystical experiences received top scores. Greeley summarized his findings by writing,

A few parapsychologists are skeptics, for example Chris French and his colleagues at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College in London, and Richard Wiseman and his colleagues at the Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire, both of which units include individuals who are members of the Parapsychological Association. These researchers do not approach the field with a belief in the paranormal, but are rather interested in the purely psychological aspects of those who report paranormal experiences, along with the study of the psychology of deception, hallucination, etc. These researchers also have provided their own guidelines and input to other parapsychologists for the design of experiments and how to properly test those who claim psychic abilities. While some of these guidelines have been useful, many have suffered from a naive understanding of scientific practice in general and in parapsychology in particular, from a distorted view of the methodology actually in use in the field, and the unfortunate habit of some skeptics to make sweeping statements about the applicability of counter-hypotheses to lines of research without actually investigating the appropriateness of those counter-hypotheses to the details at hand. (See, for example a mostly-positive review of one of these guidelines written by skeptics[6].)

The most important point that both proponents and skeptics raise is the need to be critical of the theory, methods, and conclusions of any one who investigates or comments on parapsychology as a science, no matter what point of view they represent. In order to be an objective professional, one must have a first-hand knowledge of the vast past and present published scientific literature in the field, primary and scholarly sources of its age whenever possible, and -- even more important -- have first-hand experience as an experimenter or investigator and a respect for the art of conjuring and its masters. The hands-on approach is essential to scientific progress in the field, whether one approaches it from a "paranormalist" or a "conventional theorist" point of view. Selective and historically uninformed armchair cheerleading and armchair skepticism are equally useless in all fields of inquiry and science.

[edit]
Interpretation of the evidence
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Many scientists hold that the entire body of evidence to date is of poor quality and not properly controlled; in their view, the entire field of parapsychology has produced no results whatsoever. Frequently, however, proponents argue that those who hold this view have not had any contact with the published literature of the field such as that which can be found in the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, or in the proceedings of the annual convention of the Parapsychological Association[citation needed]. Instead, they have relied on the analyses made by members of the skeptical community who, wrongly, assume that all parapsychological experiments suffer from flaws and therefore no parapsychological experiment may be considered evidential even in the weak sense of the term. Working psi researchers welcome criticisms that are based on knowledge of the peer-reviewed, published literature of the field. Criticism and blanket statements based on hearsay are not productive and not encouraged in any area of science.

Other scientists hold that there is a small amount of data from properly controlled experiments that can be trusted for a small number of psi phenomena. They hold that this evidence is not definitive, but suggestive enough to warrant further research. [7]

Other scientists, who are familiar with the published literature of the field of parapsychology, believe that a great deal of evidence has been collected, which, if it addressed more conventional phenomena, would be sufficient to provide proof.

[edit]
Criticisms of parapsychological research
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
Anecdotal evidence, characteristic of most of parapsychology, is inherently unreliable. Anecdotes may have natural, non-anomalous explanations such as random coincidence, fraud, imagination, or auto-suggestion.
If an experiment is not controlled to prevent fraud, then the results may not be trusted. This is especially so given the fact that many people who claimed to possess psi abilities were later proven to be frauds.
Parapsychology experiments are usually poorly designed. They often lack proper controls, allowing paths of intentional or unintentional information leakage through normal means, etc.
Parapsychology experiments are rarely replicated with positive results at independent laboratories.
Positive results in psi experiments are so statistically insignificant as to be negligible, i.e. indistinguishable from chance. For example, parapsychology may have a "file drawer" problem where a large percentage of negative results are never published, making positive results appear more significant than they actually are.
Currently inexplicable positive results of apparently sound experiments do not prove the existence of psi phenomena, i.e., normal explanations may yet be found. Concluding inexplicability from lack of existing explanation constitutes the well-known fallacy Argument from Ignorance.
Psi phenomena cannot be accepted as explanation of positive results until there is a widely acceptable theory of how they operate.
Parapsychologists may prefer and write selective history. The whole story may be avoided.
Parapsychology spends too much time simply trying to show that certain phenomena occur, and too little time trying to explain them — yet it is explanation that constitutes the heart of scientific enquiry, and wider, scientific acceptance of parapsychological phenomena would come only with the provision of explanation. (See King (2003) cited above.)
People who are considered noteworthy psychics could make a lot of money predicting or even controlling (via PK) the outcomes of boxing matches, football games, roulette wheel spins, individual stock price changes, and so on, but none of them seem to do so. Why not?
[edit]
Responses from parapsychologists to criticisms
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The hard evidence for psi phenomena today is founded on repeatable experiments and not anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal evidence is considered valid in law and many other fields. The validity of anecdotal evidence does not depend upon the opinion of those listening to it. Memory studies by Elisabeth Loftus show that while memory can be capricious, a majority of people are not affected by many controlled memory manipulations. (See [8] for data.)
There is no such thing as a completely foolproof experiment in any field of science, and it is unreasonable to hold parapsychology to a higher standard of epistemology than the other sciences. [9]Fraud and incompetence in parapsychology is addressed in the same way it is addressed in any other field of science: repeating experiments at multiple independent laboratories; publishing methods and results in order to receive critical feedback and design better protocols, etc.
Experimental protocols have been continually improved over time, sometimes with the direct assistance of noted skeptics. Meta-analyses show that the significance of the positive results have not declined over time, but instead have remained fairly constant.
There are certain phenomena which have been replicated with odds against chance far beyond that required for acceptance in any other science. Meta-analyses show that these cannot be accounted for by any file drawer problem.
Anomalous phenomena do not disappear for lack of a theory. There have been many instances in the history of science where the observation of an anomalous phenomenon came before an explanatory theory, and some commonly accepted non-psi phenomena (e.g. gravity) today still lack a perfectly satisfactory, undisputed theory. For instance, in the past, those who sighted meteors falling to the earth were dismissed as madmen or false prophets.
Theories abound in parapsychology for aspects of psi phenomena, though there is not any one that is comprehensive and widely accepted within parapsychology.
It is not necessary to be a licensed psychiatrist or acquainted with clinical psychology to test the validity of psi. The field of parapsychology overlaps many disciplines, including physics and biology, and often physicists, engineers and others trained in the hard sciences, in conjunction with stage magicians and other experts in deception, are in a better position to design experiments for certain types of phenomena than are psychiatrists or psychologists.
The opinion of parapsychologists regarding the overall evaluation of the body of evidence to date is divided. As noted above, some parapsychologists are skeptic and do not believe that there is anything observed so far which cannot ultimately be explained within the existing framework of known science. Probably a majority of parapsychologists believe in the likelihood, or at least the possibility, of actual psi phenomena, though there is a range of attitudes toward the evidence.

Regarding the evidence, the rule of the thumb of the skeptical community is that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since skeptics may consider paranormal claims extraordinary, they may think that the evidence needs to be better than what normally would be required. However, this puts the responsibility for investigating seemingly paranormal phenomena squarely on the shoulders of proponents and "internal" skeptics. Not only is research conducted by "external" critics and skeptics useful to the field as a whole, but it also imparts a kind of craft knowledge to critics and skeptics that makes their criticism and counter-hypotheses more productive and more useful. Further many of the counter-hypotheses proposed by skeptics are so unparsimonious as to be extraordinary claims as well, and in that case, those counter-hypothesis, also require extraordinary evidence.

Most people use this approach to evidence in everyday life. For instance, if the news reports that the president of the USA has just arrived in South Korea for a state visit, most people will take this at face value. The news is considered a fairly reliable source of information, and the president visiting a country such as South Korea is not an extraordinary claim. However, if the same news broadcast later mentioned that a 92-year-old man has improved the world record time on the marathon by half an hour, many reasonable people would require more evidence, even despite the assumed reliability of the source, since the claim is extraordinary. This analogy might be flawed, however. In the case of the 92 year old man, we have positive evidence gained from a lifetime of experience and the reassurance of physiologists that this feat is indeed extraordinary (i.e., improbable). When it comes to parapsychology, however, some would argue we have no positive evidence that it is improbable, only our own cultural bias and a subjective sense that Psionic powers are extraordinary. Hence, some would argue, it is not the sort of extraordinary claim which necessarily needs more evidence than a mundane claim.

Some parapsychologists agree with critics that the field has not yet reached the degree of consistent repeatability of experimental results needed for general consensus. John Beloff, in his book Parapsychology: A Concise History, notes the evanescent – some have said the apparently evasive – nature of psychic phenomena over time, and that the range of phenomena observable in a given era seems to be culturally dependent.

For example, in earlier times, psychic research studied physical phenomena demonstrated by spiritualist mediums that, according to the reports passed down to us in the literature, far surpassed anything that any of today's "psychics" can demonstrate. Skeptics consider this more evidence of the non-existence of psi phenomena. Frequently this particular claim is the result of the proponent community having cut itself off, because of political pressures of conforming to the scientific Zeitgeist, from the community of modern mediums and psychics who operate today. Whether or not the phenomena being exhibited by modern day mediums can provide proof of traditional notions of spirituality or can be attributed to the operation of mundane psychological processes is mostly an open question, due to the lack of research. So it is possible that physical phenomena is being exhibited today, but to what cause the effects may be attributed is an open question, even among parapsychologists.

Many people, especially like John Beloff and Stephen E. Braude, cannot easily dismiss the entirety of all the positive accounts – many of which came from scientists and conjurors of their day. Many began as skeptics - but then changed their minds to become believers and supporters of psychic phenomena when they encountered the inexplicable; and so believe that continued research is justified. Easily recovered critical historical research reveals these individuals were certainly out of their league when it came to the close up deceptions of fraudulent mediums and adept charlatans. (Podmore, 1910 & Price and Dingwall, 1975)

Other parapsychologists, such as Dean Radin and supporters such as statistician Jessica Utts, take the stance that the existence of certain psi phenomena has been reasonably well established in recent times through repeatable experiments that have been replicated dozens to hundreds of times at labs around the world. They refer to meta-analyses of psi experiments that conclude that the odds against chance (null hypothesis) of experimental results far exceeds that commonly required to establish results in other fields, sometime by orders of magnitude.

This is an old argument. See (Rawcliffe 1952, pages 441 & 442). The question whether or not each of these experiments themselves have been efficiently carried out is avoided. In the unsophisticated "language of the street" this would be known as "garbage in garbage out". All of the early experiments that were conducted by noted men of science in Italy and Germany with Eusapia Palladino "proved positive". This same argument did not satisfy the United States Department of Defense when remote viewing experiments were being funded for 20 million dollars. The project was terminated for lack of results.

Instead, many enthusiastic parapsychologists prefer to dismiss proof-oriented research, intended primarily to verify the existence of psi phenomena and, as in the past, jumped to "process-oriented" research, intended to explore the parameters and characteristics of psi phenomena. Time will tell whether these results prove to be evanescent as well. Unfortunately, what complicates the "time will tell" hope that many skeptics and proponents have is the lack of funds available for research from either the conventional or the "paranormalist" perspectives, and the negative impact on career advancement that an interest in these phenomena -- even from a skeptical point of view -- can have. The past history of repeated psi failures and short comings has given parapsychology a poor reputation.

[edit]
Early Scientific American challenge
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
The offering of prizes for demonstrations is not new to the field. Circa 1924, Scientific American magazine offered a $5000 prize to anyone who could produce any "visible psychic manifestation." Medium Mina Crandon, known in the literature as "Margery," made a bid and was tested by a committee set up by the editorial staff. Her performance was such that the committee members were split, four negative to one positive in their opinions. The magazine published the mixed report in its November 1924 issue, no prize was awarded, and the competition was declared closed the following year. In the early 1900s, the then well-known stage magician Howard Thurston, who had earlier studied to be a medical missionary, was impressed by the mysterious table lifting demonstrations of medium Eusapia Palladino. He advertised in the New York Times his offer of $1000 to charity in the name of any fellow conjuror who could duplicate this feat. He had no takers. In 1910 Eusapia Palladino publicily acknowledged she used tricks to an American reporter. Today many methods of table lifting and other seance secrets are well known to master conjurors, but kept secret as demanded by their art.(Rinn 1950, Christopher 1975 p.208)

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Other objections to parapsychology
There are a variety of other objections to parapsychology as well.

Psi Phenomena as a Violation of the Laws of Physics or Nature
Some critics claim that the existence of psi phenomena would violate "the known laws of physics", and some of these critics believe that this is reason enough that such phenomena should not be studied. Parapsychologists respond that "laws of nature" are simply summaries of existing scientific knowledge and do get revised from time to time during the course of scientific progress, in addition they are not so well understood that with them one could confidently predict the non existence of Psi (Consider quantum mechanics). If the existence of psi phenomenon were ever proved, explaining how they work might require revising or extending the known laws of physics. Precognition, for example, would challenge commonly held notions about causality and the unidirectional nature of time. However, these commonly held notions are often not physical laws, and are already being challenged by modern physical theories, quite apart from psi phenomena. Skeptics and parapsychologists alike generally agree that, as per Occam's Razor, simple explanations should be preferred for any resulting theories of psi. Some parapsychologists are critical of skeptics' frequently-uninvestigated claims about fraud, or the application of conventional hypotheses specifically because these claims are unparsimonious. Conventional explanations, many parapsychologists believe, should also conform to Occam's Razor. Then there are others, both skeptics and proponents, who agree that even in mainstream science nature itself is frequently unparsimonious.
Parapsychology as Taboo
Some believe that paranormal phenomena should not be studied, either because they are forbidden by their religious orientation, or because they believe that to do so opens the investigators to some sort of "spiritual attack". Parapsychology is also seen as a taboo subject in science and the academy and individuals who show an interest in studying seemingly psychic phenomena, even from a skeptical point of view, often find themselves losing or being pushed out of employment, or denied funding. Anthropologist of science, David J. Hess, has written on this topic.[10]
Parapsychology as a Danger to Society
Some believe that parapsychology should not be pursued because it somehow represents a danger to society. As is stated in the Y2000 NSF report Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience[11]:
"Concerns have been raised, especially in the science community, about widespread belief in paranormal phenomena. Scientists (and others) have observed that people who believe in the existence of paranormal phenomena may have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. Their beliefs may indicate an absence of critical thinking skills necessary not only for informed decision making in the voting booth and in other civic venues (for example, jury duty), but also for making wise choices needed for day-to-day living."
Even "insiders" in the parapsychological community worry about the possible harm that naive belief in paranormal phenomena can have on individuals, on culture and on societies. A great deal of effort has been put into the notion of developing expertise in dealing with reported experiences both in a clinical sense, and as a topic of investigation. Unfortunately organized skepticism and the "taboo" that exists against serious research on such phenomena has impeded the ability of many researchers -- both skeptics and proponents -- from doing the kinds of research that would allow evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

Although under the heading 'paranormal phenomena' the report lists topics such as astrology, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster, it also lumps in belief in ESP and, by implication, most parapsychology.

Parapsychology as a Waste of Resources
Some believe that parapsychology should not be funded because it is a waste of resources that would be better spent on other activities. Some of these critics feel so strongly about this that they engage in activism to try to prevent or remove funding from psi research. Psychic detectives may waste valuable police resources. One of the negative -- and probably unintended -- consequences of this point of view is that while 10% of the world's population or over 400 million individuals on the planet, may experience what they believe are psychic phenomena, and may suffer in their daily lives from psychological problems caused by their experiences, few scientists on the planet are able to find the resources to really investigate the phenomena, and therefore very little real knowledge exists that can be used to help these experiencers. While even most parapsychologists would agree there are more urgent problems to solve, having no research address these reported experiences does a grave disservice to people everywhere.
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Other interesting facts
A fellow editor requested that someone provide references or some sources for the information in this section.
German psychiatrist Hans Berger originally used the electroencephalograph (EEG) on humans in 1929 as a tool to study whether telepathy might be explained by brain waves. (Beyerstein, B. L. [12] 1999)
The first and only Ph.D. in Parapsychology awarded by any American university, was the University of California, Berkeley awarding the PhD to Dr Jeffrey Mishlove in 1980. Subsequently some activists unsuccessfully lobbied the Berkeley administration to revoke the degree. Reportedly, as many as 46 people in the UK have doctorates in parapsychology. However, with the exception of Dr. Mishlove, mentioned above, the so-called "46 people in the UK" have doctorates in other disciplines, principally in psychology, but completed doctoral thesis work which included or were devoted to research projects in parapsychology. Such individuals are also expected to be competent in the disciplines in which they received their degrees. Examples of these individuals include: Dr. Susan Blackmore (it says "PhD in Parapsychology, University of Surrey, 1980" on her webpage CV [13], though), Dr. Richard Broughton, Dr. Deborah Delanoy, Dr. Serena-Roney Dougall, Dr. Chris Roe, Dr. Simon Sherwood, Dr. Christine Simmonds, Dr. Matthew Smith, Dr. Carl Williams, Dr. Richard Wiseman, among others. [14]
Patent #5830064, "Apparatus and method for distinguishing events which collectively exceed chance expectations and thereby controlling an output," was granted by the US Patent Office on Nov 3rd, 1998 to inventors including several researchers from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center. The patent in no way relies on the existence of psi phenomena, but in the description the inventors do suggest that "One application of the present invention is the investigation of anomalous interaction between an operator and random physical systems, whether by serious scientists or curious members of the public who would like to conduct experiments on their own."
Throughout the history of the investigations of physical mediums there seems to be no record of simply applying wet paint to a medium's hands and feet to ensure control and eliminate fraud. However, it is naive to think one control would cover all cases.
Joseph B. Rhine began examining psychic abilities after hearing, and being deeply impressed, by a lecture given by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, about the scientific reality of having established contact with the dead. (Rinn 1950)
In reviewing the history of parapsychology from the present back to its birth from 19th century spiritism it becomes apparent that there was a preconceived belief in the existence of psychic phenomena by members of science that led to poor testing conditions, and loosening of controls, so phenomena would be produced and validated, rather than a genuine curious search to discover whether or not psychic phenomena existed at all. (Rawcliffe 1952, Podmore 1963, Christopher 1979)
In early psychic research the advice of master conjurors, such as the sterling case of Houdini, on establishing control has been very valuable, but not appreciated by scientific investigators who had become close and fond of their subjects and their produced phenomena. There are many past examples where serious mistakes were made. (Christopher 1970, Rinn 1950, Hyman 1989, Podmore 1975, Price & Dingwall 1975) As long as this breach continues between master conjurors and scientific parapsychologists, parapsychologists are likely to repeat the same mistakes. The success of James Randi's Project Alpha is a prime example.
Some early and mid 20th century psychologists concluded Psychical research represents a reversion to occult beliefs which have had their origins in the earliest of human cultures.(Rawcliffe 1952)
In the 1984 fictional film Ghostbusters Dr. Peter Venkman claims to have Ph.D.'s in both Psychology and Parapsychology when asked by overzealous EPA inspector, Walter Peck. It has yet to be explained by scientists why that is an "interesting fact" such that it should appear here.
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Critics of parapsychology
Banachek tricked scientists for 2 years, 120 laboratory hours, into believing he could bend metal with his minds in the much touted 'Alpha Project' experiment, a set-up.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an advocacy group of scientists and rationalist writers arguing for the anti-paranormal point of view.
Derren Brown (Has a detailed TV show, debunking people's beliefs.)
Susan Blackmore — Stopped lecturing and abandoned parapsychology altogether, because she could no longer endure the near fanatic and rude behavior of both believers and non-believers. Perhaps. She also lost faith in the existence of "psi". See her book Adventures of a Parapsychologist
Milbourne Christopher — Noted conjuring historian and master conjuror, his works debunking parapsychology are high quality.
Martin Gardner- Noted rationalist, puzzler, science writer, and master conjuror, has written many exposés.
Ray Hyman- Conjuror and noted research psychologist
James Randi- Master conjuror and author. In one exposé he revealed top evangelist Peter Poppoff and his wife used trickery to take advantage of their faithful congregation.
Ehrich Weiss (Harry Houdini)- Early 20th century master conjuror and author. He wanted to contact his deceased mother; he attended seances with this serious purpose but was always disappointed. In his will Houdini offered his great library to the American Society of Psychical Research on the condition that its president, Malcomb Bird, resigned. Bird refused. Houdini's collection went to the Library of Congress.
Penn and Teller, gives these comic showmen material.
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See also
Clairaudience
Clairvoyance
List of spirituality-related topics
List of parapsychologists
Parapsychology basic topics
Patapsychology
Prophecy
Psionics
Remote Viewing
The Bélmez Faces
True-believer syndrome
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References
↑ Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience, National Science Foundation, 2000.
Parapsychology, by Rene Sudre, Citadel Press, NY, 1960, Library of Congress Catalog 60-13928.
Parapsychology, by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Al-Kitaab Publication, 1985.
The Conscious Universe, by Dean Radin, Harper Collins, 1997, ISBN 0062515020.
Parapsychology: A Concise History, by John Beloff, St. Martin's Press, 1993, ISBN 0312096119.
Parapsychology: The Controversial Science, by Richard S. Broughton , Ballantine Books, 1991, ISBN 0345356381.
Our Sixth Sense, by Charles Richet, Rider & Co., 1937, First English Edition
The Elusive Quarry: A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research, by Ray Hyman, Prometheus Books, 1989, ISBN 0879755040.
Readings in the Philosophical Problems of Parapsychology, ed. Antony Flew, Prometheus Books, 1987, ISBN 0-87975-385-4
Sixty Years of Psychical Research : Houdini and I Among the Spirits, by Joseph Rinn, Truth Seeker, 1950
The Newer Spiritualism, by Frank Podmore, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1910 edition
Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Harry Price and Eric J. Dingwall, Arno Press, 1975, reprint of 1891 edition by Charles F. Pidgeon. This rare, overlooked, forgotten book gives the "insider's knowledge" of 19th century deceptions.
Mediums of the 19th Century Volume Two, Book Four, Chapter One, Some Foreign Investigations by Frank Podmore, University Book, 1963, reprint of Modern Spiriritualism, 1902
Occult and Supernatural Phenomena by D. H. Rawcliffe, Dover Publications, reprint of Psychology of the Occult, Derricke Ridgway Publishing co., 1952
Edgar Cayce on Atlantis by Hugh Lynn Cayce, Castle Books, 1968
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Further reading
Milbourne Christopher, ESP, Seers & Psychics : What the Occult Really Is, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, ISBN 0690268157
Milbourne Christopher, Mediums, Mystics & the Occult by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, 1975
Milbourne Christopher, Search for the Soul , Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, 1979
Georges Charpak, Henri Broch, and Bart K. Holland (tr), Debunked! ESP, Telekinesis, and Other Pseudoscience, (Johns Hopkins University). 2004, ISBN 0801878675
Hoyt L. Edge, Robert L. Morris, Joseph H. Rush , John Palmer, Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1986, ISBN 0710-0226-1
Paul Kurtz, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology, Prometheus Books, 1985, ISBN 0879753005
Jeffrey Mishlove, Roots of Consciousness: Psychic Liberation Through History Science and Experience. 1st edition, 1975, ISBN 0-394-73115-8 2nd edition, Marlowe & Co., July 1997, ISBN 1569247471 There are 2 editions. They are very different. online
John White, ed. Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science, published by Edgar D. Mitchell and G. P. Putman, 1974, ISBN 39911342-8
Richard Wiseman, Deception and self-deception: Investigating Psychics. Amherst, USA: Prometheus Press. 1997
Benjamin B. Wolman, ed, Handbook of Parapsychology, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977, ISBN 0442295766
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External links
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Independent research organizations
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) was founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell to explore the frontiers of consciousness through rigorous scientific research.
The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) program was established at Princeton University in 1979 by Robert G. Jahn, then Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Society for Psychical Research (SPR). The original scientific society founded in London in 1882.
American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR).
Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology, originally part of Duke University, now an independent research center. The accomplished physicist Irving Langmuir, a founder of many studies in atmospheric electricity and plasma physics, visited Rhine at his laboratory in 1934. Rhine admitted (rather proudly and contentiously) to Langmuir that he had discarded data that was "wrong" because it did not support his belief in extrasensory perception. See Langmuir's 1953 talk Pathological Science at Princeton University
Parapsychology Foundation
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University research organizations
Koestler Parapsychology Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
Global Consciousness Project at Princeton
The VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona
Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit of the Liverpool John Moores University.
Psychology Research Cluster at University College Northampton.
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) at Princeton University.
Division of Personality Studies (DOPS), a unit of the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the University of Virginia.
Bigelow Chair of Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) at the University of Adelaide.
Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths University of London.
Perrott-Warrick Research Unit in the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire.
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Other
Articles on Psychics & Mediums
National Spiritualist Association of Churches
Entry on parapsychology in the Skeptic's Dictionary
Parapsychology links
Dean Radin's A Field Guide to Skepticism from his book The Conscious Universe.
The Project Alpha Experiment
Neuro-Kinetik.com Proposes the use of realtime MRI (and related instrumentation) to explore the portions of the brain that relate to parapsychological phenomena.
The online Library of Exploratory Science contains the complete text of many of the major peer reviewed journals in parapsychology and psychical research.
[15] The Need for Responsibility in Parapsychology: My Sixty Years in Psychical Research by Eric Dingwall
Parapsychology forum at forteantimes.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parapsychology"
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles lacking sources

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