(I borrowed and shortened up this article I found. It was so "right on" I had to pass it on. I was a newbie on a forum 2yrs ago and the Troll that I met then is still an occasional problem to this day.)

Trolls

Essentially, a troll is a person who posts with the intent to insult and provoke others,  The goal is to disrupt the normal traffic of a discussion group beyond repair. A group is considered to be cohesively destroyed when two-thirds to three-quarters of the messages are a result of trolls comments. They often target new users, who are more likely to take offense, hence the term "troll" (as in "trolling" for newbies).

Many trolls are characterized by having an excess of free time and are probably lonely and seeking attention. They often see their own self-worth in relation to how much reaction they can provoke," he says.


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      Spamming troll: Posts to many newsgroups with the same verbatim post.
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      Kooks: A regular member of a forum who habitually drops comments that have no basis on the topic or even in reality.
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      Flamer: Does not contribute to the group except by making inflammatory comments.
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      Hit-and-runner: Stops in, make one or two posts and move on.
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      Psycho trolls:  Has a psychological need to feel good by making others feel bad.

The last type, are "sick individuals."  They seem to have some formidable computer hacking skills as well. Even when site administrators try to ban them from the system, they find work-arounds.
Then they hit at a more personal level when a group of people set up a blog, forum or something similar, aimed at mocking and attacking prominent members of the targeted community. Some of the material included are photographs depicting their targets in any altered, humiliating way imaginable. Or bogus Myspace accounts. Bogus Youtube accounts. Just to gain access to harrass you.
 

Cyberstalkers

 Characterized by a continuing pattern of communication that the recipient considers to be offensive. Other common traits of cyberstalkers are malice, premeditation, repetition, distress to the victim, an obsession on the part of the stalker, seeking of revenge, threats that make victims fear for their physical safety and disregarded warnings to stop.

As with trolls, there are several different types of cyberstalkers:

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      Delusional stalkers: This type of stalker builds an entire relationship with the victim in his or her mind, whether any prior contact has taken place or not. Such stalkers are likely to have a major mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or erotomania, which means they believe the victim is in love with them. The typical delusional stalker is unmarried, socially immature and a loner who is unable to sustain close relationships with others.
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      Vengeful stalker. This type of person is angry with the victim due to some real or imagined insult or injury. Some of these stalkers are psychopaths -- a person affected with an antisocial personality disorder -- who have no conscience or remorse. They may have paranoid delusions, often feeling that they themselves are victims and are striving to get even.

What to do


1. Know the trolls' tactics
 The first rule for dealing with trolls is to avoid being deceived by them in the first place. Don't trust anything you receive or read without verifying the poster through known, reliable sources, he says. Also, ignore postings or private e-mails that are suspicious, such as those that praise, flatter or evoke a sympathetic response.

2. DFTT
This is one of the more important acronyms in the blog world, meaning, "Don't feed the trolls." Just like in-person bullies, trolls feed off your reaction. Under no circumstances should you acknowledge the behavior or repay it with anger or defensiveness. If you don't react, they'll get bored and go away. (Not always)


3. Maintain your privacy
Don't publish any personal information, such as your address or phone number. If you need to, use a Post Office box number.

4. Block and ban

5. Keep a log
Be sure to keep a copy of anything you receive from the harasser. If they contact you by phone rather than e-mail, take notes on what they say and how often they call. You'll need proof, you'll want a log that says, 'He called at 9:14 p.m.

Above all, when you have an online presence, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility of becoming a target. Especially when invited.

Another reason for Someone to turn Troll (I found out there in Google Land is); Jealousy

Because I am moving on the 14th of July, I'm going to hold off listing anything on Ebay until August. That will give me time to get settled in the new house and the new studio set up.

Based on how much room I'll now have for my doll collection, I'll may be reselling some. I will not be reselling any Misfit Orphans. The resell dolls will be listed under EerieExhibition on Ebay. (Formerly Called Creative Cuddles)

That is all...hope to see you soon.
Sue

http://cgi.ebay.com/ooak-angel-fairy-faerie-spectrestudios-goth-horror-adsg_W0QQitemZ230265201502QQihZ013QQcategoryZ84626QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/Red-Devil-Demon-Evil-Horror-Gothic-Clay-Figure_W0QQitemZ320267563795QQihZ011QQcategoryZ84642QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Well, I thought there was a way to post links here....darn
 

This Friday, I'll have a doll ready to list. I'm gonna do the dollies under Paranormalbabies and other things will list under EerieExhibition. Some things I plan to work on aren't gonna be suitable to be called a baby.

The doll for Friday will have on an outfit by BlackCatbabies's Kathy. I purchased it last year and I'm just getting around to it. That is...if it'll fit with the replacement jointed body she'll have. I replace the orig Berenguer cloth bodies because those arms just bug me. Too short and it reminds me of my sister's childhood doll callled Drowsy. Arms connected at the neck.

I'm dreading this listing because of the craziness I've been reading about  on  Ebay.  AND not only that, but the econmy.  But ...bottom line, I gotta make some money to pay for all the supplies I've ordered over the  last couple of months.

Good luck to you sellers,
Nice bidders, you don't know how much you are appreciated,