Greg, thank you for clearly explaining what a “troll” means. It sounds to me more like describing sadism, and those people who you mentioned fit the bill. Thank you for keeping us so well informed. Always look forward to reading your columns and watching you and LB.
TGIF 🎉🎉🎉 Let’s all get out there tomorrow for Patriots’ Day around the country. As the man said, “Now is the time to come to the aid of your country…” (Check your local Indivisible site for times and locations)
Ahhh, yes, the trolling that is this administration. Where would they be without it? I suspect, trying to seriously govern, but they have NO idea how to do that, so they troll. What you neglected to mention, Greg, is that, to us, the "normies," they are trolls, and to the 70-some million that voted for this bullshit, they are not trolls, but the heroes. Every time something like this happens and the Trump administration responds like it does, the MAGAts cheer for it. What pisses us off makes them stronger.
I'm still in my "ignore the news" phase, and have been feeling MUCH better about life, work, and everyday things. I said at the beginning that Trump was NOT going to get in my head this time, and then he started to, and I pulled back because if that's what it takes, that's what I'm doing. Ironically, over the past two weeks, I've read all three books that are currently out about the 2024 election as I'm still very interested in any history I can glean BEFORE 01/20/2025. Good books, all of them, and surprisingly, very little crossover in reporting. The trolling, however, was in full swing during Trump's campaign in all three books. Trump has been doing this since 2015 when he first came down the escalator -- "... [Mexico is] not sending their best. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people..." is a HUGE troll right out of the gate. The trolling, like the casual cruelty, is the point. It just makes him stronger, and Hillary would have been a bit more accurate had she caused "HALF his supporters," a basket of trolls, rather than deplorables.
Every time dog-killer Kristi Fucking Noam appears on TV to bleat on about being the Secretary of Homeland Security, with her "we will find you, and we will deport you," bullshit, is a troll. Trump's garbage truck in the last weeks of the election campaign was a troll. The alleged comedian at the MAGA-Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden calling Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage, was a troll. Telling the public that "the virus will just disappear, like a miracle," while telling a reporter writing a book that he knew COVID was bad, was a troll (that killed hundreds of thousands.) Just name it, and it's a troll with the ultimate goal being to own the libs. Every. Fucking. Thing. they do is to own the libs. They don't care about governing; they only care about owning the libs. I don't even need a show of hands to know that that is no way to run a country. So, look for the trolls, because they're there every single day. Try to stop them upsetting you because it's 1) bad for your mental health, and 2) exactly what they want. Being upset by Trump's trolling is a form of obeying in advance, and none of us should be doing that.
Thanks, Steve. I think that realizing a troll is a troll is a way to step out of an emotional response and thus neutralize the intended effect. As for Noem's "we will find you," I will paraphrase a line from Glengarry Glen Ross which we saw last weekend: She couldn't find a sofa in her living room with a map, a compass, and an excited JD Vance.
If Homan, Noem, Cruz, Miller, Leavitt, Bannon, trump, Johnson, Vance or any of the rest of trump's cruel cabal were shipped to this hellhole, I would enjoy it immensely. Sad, but true.
Thanks for this. Apart from what you accurately describe as trolling, it also serves another purpose, distraction. While people get riled up they miss other things happening. It's hard but I try not to get upset at the obvious, rather look to see other things are going on, such as disenfranchising women's vote with this married women name change shenanigans.
You’re right, the first Five 8 1/2 show with Nadine Smith and Lisa Graves was wonderful! Made me think about things in a new way. For example, I hadn’t considered that the story behind Niemöller’s quote “First they came…” is about not only fighting for the rights of others but also warning that the tyrant won’t stop the shakedown once you appease him. Columbia U should tune in!
Good troll description. Their trolling can pop up in the strangest places. Tired of supporting H&R Blechh, I used a government free-file site to prep and file my 2024 taxes. Elizabeth Warren, for one, has been trying to fight Husk's alleged intent to terminate the IRS free Direct File, as we mustn't help the public at the expense of Blechh and friends. Hitting "send" to file, I got back a Captcha-type screen asking which of three words contained a certain letter. The first word was "trump." I could picture some pocket-protector twerp snickering as he planted that little troll device.
I’ve been thinking of these people as sadists. But I don’t know that sadists laugh at their victims’ misery, and you say that trolls do. Also, trolls are easy to visualize as ugly and menacing. So thanks for adding another dimension to the imagery of these dangerous Nazi oppressors.
I have to say that I think trolls and sadists get some degree of pleasure from their power to inflict pain. Sort of like the repubs get off on “owing the libs.” Mark Davis, a MAGAt before there were MAGAts, recently wrote that chump was doing something right if democrats were having such a cow. Pleased him to no end.
Every damn one of 47’s regime and ;7 himself are all shit bird peckerheads in my book. Bukele is just a propped up tinpot dick; forget the tator part. As for US citizens getting snatched by ICE, there’s this from Jesse Dollemore: https://youtu.be/H-3iQyWrFHA?si=rI1LfHP7T2Wc9-3W
I’m grateful to know Abrego Garcia is alive (yet not while stuck in that hell hole) and that Senator VanHollen returned safely. I was afraid he’d face a repeat of the massacre Rep Leo Ryan and his delegation including former Rep Jackie Speier faced in Jonestown.
Greg, “trolls” is a perfect word to describe this deplorable destructive & deadly administration.
Same here. I did my deep breathing until I knew he (Van Hollen) was ok. I’m generally not a “impending doom” pessimist but it’s difficult while the quislings and clowns are running wild.
You always hit the nail on the head. Sort of like you read my mind. That said, your comments about trolls should be on the front page of our “legacy” newspapers. That’s exactly what they are, trolling Nazis. Enjoying the results of their efforts, and the pain of their victims. They can’t let Garcia go because he would be a hero, no matter where he went. Muskrat bared his soul when he made that comment and told what most of these cretins keep a lid on. He’s new at this, but chump and most of the MAGAts claim the most high-minded reasons for their cruelty (with porn pics) as proof of their concern for “real Americans.” Muskrat was even confused that people didn’t see him as the good guy. Well, you chose evil, so wallow in it while we figure out how to defeat you. ALL of you. Thank you Greg.
Thanks, JD. Musk is so lost. I knew today -- 4/20 -- was his favorite day bc of the dumb marijuana reference, and it's Hitler's birthday, but it's also his mom's birthday, the only person alive who actually likes him...
I almost felt sorry for him when he was so surprised that people didn’t see him as the good guy. He is indeed lost, and money won’t heal a thing. But my sorry is reserved for the victims of this freak show. A parenting failure of epic proportions. He and chump have that in common but chump would be surprised if people (besides MAGAts) thought he was a good guy.
Greg, thank you for clearly explaining what a “troll” means. It sounds to me more like describing sadism, and those people who you mentioned fit the bill. Thank you for keeping us so well informed. Always look forward to reading your columns and watching you and LB.
Maybe trolling is passive aggressive sadism, seasoned with a sneer.
Great description
Well said!
Thanks, Rusalka. Trolling, like pranks, like bullying, is an outgrowth of sadism, I think.
😶🌫️ ☕️☕️☕️ on my third cup. 🕗 Thanks for another excellent column! True… 👍🏼— Looking forward to more comments.
Thanks, Steven!
TGIF 🎉🎉🎉 Let’s all get out there tomorrow for Patriots’ Day around the country. As the man said, “Now is the time to come to the aid of your country…” (Check your local Indivisible site for times and locations)
We will keep coming!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
Me too. Bet I’m most interested in the China thang. Billserle.com
Trump gives China the Advantage
Bukele with his “Oopsie , too late.” tweet and then a troll you missed, Little Marco’s retweet. Seriously sick men.
Oh, I didn't spare Marco...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMbpOXSLJk
Ahhh, yes, the trolling that is this administration. Where would they be without it? I suspect, trying to seriously govern, but they have NO idea how to do that, so they troll. What you neglected to mention, Greg, is that, to us, the "normies," they are trolls, and to the 70-some million that voted for this bullshit, they are not trolls, but the heroes. Every time something like this happens and the Trump administration responds like it does, the MAGAts cheer for it. What pisses us off makes them stronger.
I'm still in my "ignore the news" phase, and have been feeling MUCH better about life, work, and everyday things. I said at the beginning that Trump was NOT going to get in my head this time, and then he started to, and I pulled back because if that's what it takes, that's what I'm doing. Ironically, over the past two weeks, I've read all three books that are currently out about the 2024 election as I'm still very interested in any history I can glean BEFORE 01/20/2025. Good books, all of them, and surprisingly, very little crossover in reporting. The trolling, however, was in full swing during Trump's campaign in all three books. Trump has been doing this since 2015 when he first came down the escalator -- "... [Mexico is] not sending their best. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people..." is a HUGE troll right out of the gate. The trolling, like the casual cruelty, is the point. It just makes him stronger, and Hillary would have been a bit more accurate had she caused "HALF his supporters," a basket of trolls, rather than deplorables.
Every time dog-killer Kristi Fucking Noam appears on TV to bleat on about being the Secretary of Homeland Security, with her "we will find you, and we will deport you," bullshit, is a troll. Trump's garbage truck in the last weeks of the election campaign was a troll. The alleged comedian at the MAGA-Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden calling Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage, was a troll. Telling the public that "the virus will just disappear, like a miracle," while telling a reporter writing a book that he knew COVID was bad, was a troll (that killed hundreds of thousands.) Just name it, and it's a troll with the ultimate goal being to own the libs. Every. Fucking. Thing. they do is to own the libs. They don't care about governing; they only care about owning the libs. I don't even need a show of hands to know that that is no way to run a country. So, look for the trolls, because they're there every single day. Try to stop them upsetting you because it's 1) bad for your mental health, and 2) exactly what they want. Being upset by Trump's trolling is a form of obeying in advance, and none of us should be doing that.
Thanks, Steve. I think that realizing a troll is a troll is a way to step out of an emotional response and thus neutralize the intended effect. As for Noem's "we will find you," I will paraphrase a line from Glengarry Glen Ross which we saw last weekend: She couldn't find a sofa in her living room with a map, a compass, and an excited JD Vance.
If Homan, Noem, Cruz, Miller, Leavitt, Bannon, trump, Johnson, Vance or any of the rest of trump's cruel cabal were shipped to this hellhole, I would enjoy it immensely. Sad, but true.
24/7 webcams for us to enjoy! Yes!
This site, with an easy to remember name: BLOP (big list of protests) is pretty easy to use.
https://theblop.org
Thank you!
Thanks for this. Apart from what you accurately describe as trolling, it also serves another purpose, distraction. While people get riled up they miss other things happening. It's hard but I try not to get upset at the obvious, rather look to see other things are going on, such as disenfranchising women's vote with this married women name change shenanigans.
The SAVE act needs to be ditched. Hope enough Dems are awake to make a serious effort on that
Yes, absolutely, Old Man. Excellent point. Some days it's hard to know what to focus on...
You’re right, the first Five 8 1/2 show with Nadine Smith and Lisa Graves was wonderful! Made me think about things in a new way. For example, I hadn’t considered that the story behind Niemöller’s quote “First they came…” is about not only fighting for the rights of others but also warning that the tyrant won’t stop the shakedown once you appease him. Columbia U should tune in!
Thanks, Mary Ann. I'm glad you enjoyed it. We did too! So happy it's there!
Good troll description. Their trolling can pop up in the strangest places. Tired of supporting H&R Blechh, I used a government free-file site to prep and file my 2024 taxes. Elizabeth Warren, for one, has been trying to fight Husk's alleged intent to terminate the IRS free Direct File, as we mustn't help the public at the expense of Blechh and friends. Hitting "send" to file, I got back a Captcha-type screen asking which of three words contained a certain letter. The first word was "trump." I could picture some pocket-protector twerp snickering as he planted that little troll device.
Thanks, Maureen. Ugh, that's just gross, and such a subtle, stupid DOGE-y troll.
I’ve been thinking of these people as sadists. But I don’t know that sadists laugh at their victims’ misery, and you say that trolls do. Also, trolls are easy to visualize as ugly and menacing. So thanks for adding another dimension to the imagery of these dangerous Nazi oppressors.
Trolling is, I think, an extension of sadism.
I have to say that I think trolls and sadists get some degree of pleasure from their power to inflict pain. Sort of like the repubs get off on “owing the libs.” Mark Davis, a MAGAt before there were MAGAts, recently wrote that chump was doing something right if democrats were having such a cow. Pleased him to no end.
I recall having posted that Trump himself is the quintessential troll, wasting the time of us all, laying waste to our fields, etc.
And so he is. You are right as usual, Richard.
Every damn one of 47’s regime and ;7 himself are all shit bird peckerheads in my book. Bukele is just a propped up tinpot dick; forget the tator part. As for US citizens getting snatched by ICE, there’s this from Jesse Dollemore: https://youtu.be/H-3iQyWrFHA?si=rI1LfHP7T2Wc9-3W
Have a great weekend y’all while you still can.
Thanks, SPW. He's also a big Putin guy, Bukele. Screw him.
I’m grateful to know Abrego Garcia is alive (yet not while stuck in that hell hole) and that Senator VanHollen returned safely. I was afraid he’d face a repeat of the massacre Rep Leo Ryan and his delegation including former Rep Jackie Speier faced in Jonestown.
Greg, “trolls” is a perfect word to describe this deplorable destructive & deadly administration.
I had the same thought re Leo Ryan and was afraid to even tweet it.
Same here. I did my deep breathing until I knew he (Van Hollen) was ok. I’m generally not a “impending doom” pessimist but it’s difficult while the quislings and clowns are running wild.
I remember that horror, and the danger is not past
You always hit the nail on the head. Sort of like you read my mind. That said, your comments about trolls should be on the front page of our “legacy” newspapers. That’s exactly what they are, trolling Nazis. Enjoying the results of their efforts, and the pain of their victims. They can’t let Garcia go because he would be a hero, no matter where he went. Muskrat bared his soul when he made that comment and told what most of these cretins keep a lid on. He’s new at this, but chump and most of the MAGAts claim the most high-minded reasons for their cruelty (with porn pics) as proof of their concern for “real Americans.” Muskrat was even confused that people didn’t see him as the good guy. Well, you chose evil, so wallow in it while we figure out how to defeat you. ALL of you. Thank you Greg.
Thanks, JD. Musk is so lost. I knew today -- 4/20 -- was his favorite day bc of the dumb marijuana reference, and it's Hitler's birthday, but it's also his mom's birthday, the only person alive who actually likes him...
I almost felt sorry for him when he was so surprised that people didn’t see him as the good guy. He is indeed lost, and money won’t heal a thing. But my sorry is reserved for the victims of this freak show. A parenting failure of epic proportions. He and chump have that in common but chump would be surprised if people (besides MAGAts) thought he was a good guy.