Amergin: I am going to weigh in on this "troll thing", since I've already taken a stand here. If I'm responding to a troll thereby, I apologize to all Mudcat members and administrators.

Amergin, I'd have to say that, in this case, the answer to your question is "yes". "GUEST, Maire" started this thread by saying, "So, here is what I'm wondering. Of all you Mudcat regulars (members and guests)..." She immediately separates herself from the "regulars" with that statement – granted, she seldom posts, but why take an attitude of exclusivity? – and she also phrases it as if it's a continuation of a discussion, not a new discussion.

The only other discussion Maire has posted to today, before starting this thread, is the "BS: I will not respond to a troll" thread, in which she made several degrading remarks about Mudcat members, calling some of them "bloody eejits", "thin-skinned primadonnas" and "a few clueless fecking Americans" for whom everything has to be "so bloody dumbed down" (so this could be seen as being the "first offensive post"). After she criticized the "Mudcat group" a second time, gnu responded with a "GFY". Later in that thread, she criticized a member for his "pompous arrogance". When gnu reacted again, she told him to "feck off and go take the bloody pledge [not to respond to trolls]" which could be interpreted to mean that she was identifying herself as a troll.

That was at 1:24 pm. Then she posted this thread at 1:41 pm. Unrelated to her previous postings today? Sorry, but I have to wonder. If she had posted as a member asking the same question, she wouldn't have made it clear that she is holding herself apart from members and being disparaging and harshly judgmental of them.

For that reason, I've decided to be circumspect about revealing the details of my posting habits on other forums, on this thread. If she's just genuinely and innocently interested in other people's forum-reading habits, then that's all well and good, but it's not paranoia to be wary of someone who says loudly that she looks down on people and then suddenly acts pleasantly toward those same people.

Sharon