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171. A lot of the real Russians gave themselves away

Thu May 19, 2022, 05:06 PM

May 2022

I'm sure the IRA and Directorates/Units 26165 and 74455 of the GRU have figured out in the meantime that their trolls have to get a hand on how English speakers use articles like "a, an & the," if they want to stop being instantly spotted as Russians. It's very difficult for a native speaker of a Slavic language because they don't have articles in their languages, and it takes a LOT of practice to know when to use them, and when not to.

I guess I shouldn't gloat. When I see how many people post in Republicanese instead of English (for example, using an apostrophe to form a plural), I guess the Russian trolls get their snickers at our expense, too. Since no school in the English-speaking world teaches children to form a plural with an apostrophe, you'd think no English-speaking person WOULD write that way. But some do anyway.

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Serious question: Was former DUer Catherina some sort of Russian disinfo op? [View all] Tommy Carcetti May 2022 OP

I remember I looked at her Twitter account back then and there were a bunch of tweets posted in JoanofArgh May 2022 #1

i think you have a good point. It seems to be a russian plotter samsingh May 2022 #2

Probably a dupe AZProgressive May 2022 #3

We aren't allowed to call them out in real time. LakeArenal May 2022 #4

I was wondering Meowmee May 2022 #8

There are many trolls here CrackityJones75 May 2022 #134

That was my impression as well. Meowmee May 2022 #135

I've been called a troll, paid by David Brock, a Republican, wealthy, stupid, because I betsuni May 2022 #136

The really good, professional trolls PatSeg May 2022 #154

Yes true Meowmee May 2022 #173

Yes PatSeg May 2022 #181

Hmmm. I'd always thought that might be the case. hlthe2b May 2022 #14

I trashed the term after a while. Scrivener7 May 2022 #45

So did I canetoad May 2022 #89

Oh, so that guy was "wypipo" guy? Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #49

I'm still laughing my ass off about that "drama." hunter May 2022 #58

I did not know that Effete Snob May 2022 #29

What?! Starfish Saver and Effie Black were the same?!? intheflow May 2022 #32

They attacked everything I posted. kentuck May 2022 #149

I Didn't Either RobinA May 2022 #167

woah catsudon May 2022 #52

You might try the search engine. I think the thread by Earl G was pinned. LakeArenal May 2022 #54

yikes catsudon May 2022 #75

Or many people. hamsterjill May 2022 #60

Yep. That's how it worked. They knew how far to push to get disagreements an alert LakeArenal May 2022 #62

Accounts liek that can also be shared accounts obamanut2012 May 2022 #160

Exactly. hamsterjill May 2022 #165

I had a post hidden when I called Starfish Saver on its BS. Roisin Ni Fiachra May 2022 #180

Meta! Iggo May 2022 #5

I confess: I find meta fascinating. Remember the meta forum? That Scrivener7 May 2022 #50

At times it was more like a collapsed septic tank... hunter May 2022 #64

Sputter! Scrivener7 May 2022 #67

That whole experiment was fascinating...and hilarious! Iggo May 2022 #68

I kind of miss it. Scrivener7 May 2022 #70

It was adddictive. Often toxic, but addictive. hlthe2b May 2022 #76

It was. They were right to can it. But it was interesting while it lasted. Scrivener7 May 2022 #116

I confess obamanut2012 May 2022 #161

There are pootpoot trolls all over the Internet alphafemale May 2022 #6

I think we have collectively learned something Hekate May 2022 #88

e gods.. look at that line up of fans.. Cha May 2022 #7

I generally notice names I disagree with AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #19

Exactly.. a glaring reminder.. So Grateful! Cha May 2022 #22

Hi Cha DURHAM D May 2022 #20

Oh yeah... I noticed with Cha May 2022 #24

+1000 Nixie May 2022 #26

Although in fairness, DU crashed on election night in 2016 and a lot of accounts got crunched meadowlander May 2022 #81

Mine got crunched, yagotme May 2022 #94

A lot of the names I recognized ended up at JPR AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #119

A lot of people of that type noisily refused to vote for Hillary in the GE, Hortensis May 2022 #84

They hated Pres. Obama with a passion, Cha mcar May 2022 #111

That shocked me. Everyone was united in opposition to the Bush administration, but some people betsuni May 2022 #122

I joined DU because I wanted to elect Democrats... LeftInTX May 2022 #168

Yeah, I know.. I left for 2 years Cha May 2022 #170

And there others who sneak in here now from time to time relayerbob May 2022 #9

Either that or an ignorant dupe. Elessar Zappa May 2022 #10

Kicking for visibility SheltieLover May 2022 #11

I barely remember her, but if she was a troll - she wasn't the first and won't be the last. BlackSkimmer May 2022 #12

Maybe Catherine wasn't even a real person. A bot or a Macedonian troll. Budi May 2022 #13

There are legitimate leftists that use the term. Caliman73 May 2022 #16

Yes, but defending Putin isn't a legitimate leftist position iemanja May 2022 #27

100% correct. Caliman73 May 2022 #47

His reach is thankfully shorter because of our NATO alliance Budi May 2022 #34

Good post. I would take exception to one thing scipan May 2022 #74

Seeding MSM with such positions goes back several decades bucolic_frolic May 2022 #15

I think it was pretty obvious the poster wasn't real obamanut2012 May 2022 #17

I remember her well. She had quite the following here and she was intelligent, but... hlthe2b May 2022 #18

I noticed that the overwhelming majority Wednesdays May 2022 #21

And the bulk seemed to have disappeared right after Clinton won the nomination... AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #25

It's nice to feel important, but DU does not drive politics in the outside world. brooklynite May 2022 #23

The Russians try to sway opinion iemanja May 2022 #28

In 2014 and 2015, it was rather obvious. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #30

Russia used active measures on both sides since 2014 AZProgressive May 2022 #41

You started an intriguing and valuable thread, Tommy C. Thanks. Hekate May 2022 #92

THIS !!!! ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾 If Trial balloons agro here they agro EVERYWHERE. That's not small time uponit7771 May 2022 #102

Yes. At first glance it is hard to think why they would target both the extremist RW and hlthe2b May 2022 #130

Both groups share a common hatred... OneGrassRoot May 2022 #137

Why do you? W_HAMILTON May 2022 #51

Bots are not a substantial investment. Caliman73 May 2022 #57

Feel free to post your assumption on a base of diminishing returns. 58Sunliner May 2022 #59

Just like any other social media outlet IronLionZion May 2022 #65

I remember a lot of pro-Russian and pro-BREXIT posts here. yardwork May 2022 #115

And pro-Calexit. The guy heading up that group IRL had his office in Russia, acc to the LA Times... Hekate May 2022 #145

I forgot about them! Just ridiculous. yardwork May 2022 #174

The hammer and sickle in the avatar moondust May 2022 #31

Yup, that kinda makes ya ask, Why would anyone use that as their logo? Budi May 2022 #40

I watched the Death of Stalin last night Sympthsical May 2022 #33

Isn't that such a good movie??? obamanut2012 May 2022 #35

I hadn't read anything about it Sympthsical May 2022 #37

Yup, vastly underrated obamanut2012 May 2022 #39

A better alternative to having them all use fake Russian accents pecosbob May 2022 #96

On Netflix? hlthe2b May 2022 #127

It's on AMC+ subscription on Amazon Prime Sympthsical May 2022 #131

Thanks! I have a 30 days left on a Comcast special for AMC+ so I will check it out. hlthe2b May 2022 #132

AMC+ via Prime obamanut2012 May 2022 #164

Such a hidden gem! egduj May 2022 #138

This Post Exposes her Twitter feed about Pres Obama & putin.. Cha May 2022 #36

That person was un-American pos. Putin push anti-American propaganda against the President rockfordfile May 2022 #44

Wow, I get the impression Kingofalldems May 2022 #48

Yeah, a sad time on DU Cha May 2022 #66

There were many Putin lovers here in those days mcar May 2022 #38

I know LeftInTX May 2022 #110

I remember her! kentuck May 2022 #42

I mean...maybe? Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #46

Yikes Hekate May 2022 #87

I need to take some time to remind myself of why I posted that and what it was about, bigtree May 2022 #91

I was linking to Catherina's response, not your OP Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #97

maybe because my post was dragged into this troll hunt bigtree May 2022 #105

It was in no way meant to be an attack on you. Or anyone else who responded to your post. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #107

Would not surprise me. shrike3 May 2022 #43

Even though I check in with DU daily I don't recall Catherina. SleeplessinSoCal May 2022 #53

(Examining my scars: ) - Yip, found a couple or three from flamefests she coordinated. UTUSN May 2022 #55

Good riddance! LiberalFighter May 2022 #56

I'm curious rockfordfile May 2022 #61

She had conversations that weren't about international politics muriel_volestrangler May 2022 #63

Interesting. Nt Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #79

Slightly off topic, but in the same realm... LiberatedUSA May 2022 #69

That thread is like the opening lineup for Jackpine Radicals. Scrivener7 May 2022 #71

That guy was so obnoxious. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #83

When I first joined DU he was popular and I never knew what the hell was funny betsuni May 2022 #125

Gawd. I had to train myself to not even look at his posts. Just another character in the 'hood, tho. Hekate May 2022 #141

One of those situations where I really should've blocked them AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #155

I hate blocking people (tho I have done so) because then subthreads disappear too Hekate May 2022 #158

The only ones I have blocked are posters who spam AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #159

You're on a roll lately with the archaeological finds. Harker May 2022 #72

I'm not trying to make it a regular thing. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #172

I appreciate your thoughtfulness in replying. Harker May 2022 #175

And FWIW, Catherina was pushing Hillary's emails and the hacking thereof pretty hard. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #186

Gads. Harker May 2022 #187

Wow! Joinfortmill May 2022 #73

Well, they lasted that many years on DU without getting the boot so they must not have been too yaesu May 2022 #77

I remember the name (back when I was simply BlueCheese) BlueCheeseAgain May 2022 #78

Catherina who? Dave says May 2022 #80

I remember someone once posted a bunch of photos of North Korea BradAllison May 2022 #106

That person broke the record for repeating the magic word "neoliberal." betsuni May 2022 #82

Yes. The real clue to her following was anti-Democratic propaganda, Hortensis May 2022 #86

I don't remember her as being anti-democratic, she was anti-American imperialism Arazi May 2022 #95

Well, there are a lot of "influencers" whose schtick is undermining Democrats, Hortensis May 2022 #103

Very interesting, Tommy C. I guess we'll watch developments... Hekate May 2022 #85

I was thinking the same thing, along with a few of her fan club. MerryBlooms May 2022 #90

Excellent question msfiddlestix May 2022 #93

Post removed Post removed May 2022 #98

And you are? Hekate May 2022 #99

Post removed Post removed May 2022 #109

That was quick, Cunoze! Wonder what your reply was before you were PPR'd. Hekate May 2022 #112

Don't ya just hate it when you miss seeing the comment? hlthe2b May 2022 #128

There was a lot on DU in the early 2010s that smelled Russian Recursion May 2022 #100

A lot of the real Russians gave themselves away DFW May 2022 #171

This looks more like hard left ranting Renew Deal May 2022 #101

Who remembers nadinbrzezinski ??? BradAllison May 2022 #104

Journo Nadin? Scrivener7 May 2022 #113

I follow her on Twitter AZProgressive May 2022 #114

I didn't think she was Pro Russian per se BradAllison May 2022 #184

Can one really forget her? GP6971 May 2022 #117

I just randomly ran across her on Twitter AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #118

I remember her ... one time we traded info on animals Raine May 2022 #120

Who could forget Nads? N/T Texasgal May 2022 #124

My favorite! betsuni May 2022 #126

The journalist with the East County Times treestar May 2022 #142

I'd forgotten about the government agents cosplaying at Comic Con! AZSkiffyGeek May 2022 #156

Oh it was windmills! BradAllison May 2022 #185

Okay you guys. I used to enjoy interacting with her, until something happened ... Hekate May 2022 #146

oh god no obamanut2012 May 2022 #162

There were many posters who were like her on DU LeftInTX May 2022 #108

Some us learned Russian not only because of us thinking it was cool DFW May 2022 #133

Understand completely. Some in my generation had the curiosity for languages & cultures & music Hekate May 2022 #140

There are people who learn it just to read the poetry in the original treestar May 2022 #144

People's opinion of Russia has changed over the years... kentuck May 2022 #147

Actually, poor Romney made a Freudian slip and said "USSR"--I think that's what got him mocked Hekate May 2022 #151

They are not communists or socialists, they love Russian autocrats obamanut2012 May 2022 #163

I'm talking "old school" LeftInTX May 2022 #166

I don't recall her, I guess I never interacted with her. nt Raine May 2022 #121

Ha! I remember some of those Putin fans1 Coventina May 2022 #123

It's really odd that I have absolutely no memory of her. Crunchy Frog May 2022 #129

If she was a Russian/other troll/disruptor, why would she voluntarily quit DU Roisin Ni Fiachra May 2022 #139

Does anyone remember Carlos Jiacinto? kentuck May 2022 #143

Good times, good times Hekate May 2022 #148

Yes! XanaDUer2 May 2022 #152

I remember him, yes. n/t Coventina May 2022 #169

Oh yes, I remember him. I think that Raine May 2022 #176

This is the first I've heard of her. N/t NNadir May 2022 #150

Here's a thread of her directing people to RT (Russia Today), adding "I don't watch the MSM" Noahv May 2022 #153

+1 dalton99a May 2022 #177

Absolutely an operative. Iterate May 2022 #157

My troll antenna goes up... kentuck May 2022 #178

Back then I concluded that Catherina was a man. Tanuki May 2022 #179

Pretending to be a woman is common among trolls Noahv May 2022 #182

I always thought it might have been a reference to Catherina (Catherine) the Great. Tommy Carcetti May 2022 #183