Today I learnt the word Troll - Internet slang for someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community. I am currently looking at ways in which they - just like an annoying fly - can be controlled.
Apparently Trolls are all around. And especially within. They need to be guarded against fiercely and excluded immediately.
Poor Trolls.
Not sure why, but just thinking about that reminded me of an amusing incident in a previous existence. Back when I was 16, I had a holiday job at Air Products in Bracknell, Berks. One of my duties - during a two week cold snap - was to keep a busy loading bay (where cryogenic tankers would re-load) free of ice.
On the first morning the Manager stood next to me explaining what needed to be done. He showed me where the bags of road salt were kept, and in one huge sweep of the shovel, how to cover a swathe of iced tarmac, keeping the precious tankers firmly grounded.
And as he demonstrated, he told me about a 'stupid namby-pamby little boy' they had employed the previous winter, who had 'pranced around' delicately sprinkling little handfuls of salt here and there as if he were some 'poncey ice skater'.
Naturally I agreed with the Manager, laughing animatedly at his amusing characterisation. All the while realising that the boy he was talking about, was me.
