With all the festivities and celebrations going on in the lounge

[RagingInMiami]

Does anyone truly feel insulted? Suckered? Duped? As if they’ve been had for several months or even longer by the person or persons that are the root of these celebrations?

Everybody is jumping for joy and acting so relieved and unsurprised at the news, but the truth is, they or he were actually quite popular on DU, judging by the number of responses their threads could generate.

The Cohiba half of the equation was most definitely one of those DUers who was taken very seriously by a significant bulk of DUers.

What does that say for the rest of us whose threads are quick to die as soon as they are posted?

That being said, good riddance to the multi-personality impostor.

[crispini]

1. No, I don't feel that way

but then, I didn't interact with that person much.

And, WRT: threads that dies as soon as they are posted. Here's the deal, see. Said person was sort of meta-posting, you know, sort of creating a persona, writing posts not based on what he thought but based on wanting to create a certain effect or yank strings or something. Reality, IMO, is not always as interesting ... and certainly not as attractively packaged ... as fiction. And I think that's what it says about the rest of us who author rapidly sinking threads. :shrug: :7

[jukes]

2. RagingInMiami

with some chagrin
i admit
i was taken in
and shd have been alert
to two visages so pert

where DID that zitty 12 YO find those fotos?

[MadHound]

3. Heck, I'd just like to know what's going on.

I haven't a clue, and nobody is talking, just partying. Somebody, PM me with details if you kindly would. Thanks, then I can party too.

[crispini]

4. Done. nt

[Debi]

18. Would you share with me as well?

I'm so confused! :wtf:

[crispini]

22. Done

nt

[Debi]

33. Thank you!

:hi:

[DS1]

46. Yes, I'd like to know

too, please.

[crispini]

51. Done. nt

[Bok_Tukalo]

32. Let me know too crispini

I'm a little in the dark.

[crispini]

36. Done. nt

[WI_DEM]

100. I'm curious too

It seems to be an open secret but nobody is sharing it publically--and yet we have all of these threads regarding something which is kind of wierd if you don't know what is going on.

[Mutley]

113. whats going on?

[AngryAmish]

103. me too please

[BurtWorm]

5. Check your PMs

;)

[lukasahero]

13. I hate to be a pest and I know you don't know me but

could you let me in on the secret too? Please? I'll buy you some Swedish fish if that's what's required these days. :)

[BurtWorm]

20. Done.

:hi:

[Tyrone Slothrop]

47. I also have no idea what any of this is about

It's very confusing...

[dogonarug]

69. Join the club

Is there some kind of secret club initiation to be let in on the big secret?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

71. We must not have enough posts, Dogonarug

Maybe if we combine our post-counts...

Welcome to DU, btw!

[dogonarug]

78. I think your'e right

Thanks for the welcome, even though I have been around quite awhile. Seems their is an ELITIST agenda afoot with this big secret thing. Silly me, I didn't request the supersecret decoder ring when I donated to DU...Live and learn.

[lukasahero]

81. PM'd you too. eom

[lukasahero]

79. I sent you a pm

It seemed to work. Check your inbox. :)

[dogonarug]

82. Thanks lukasahero!

[NoSheep]

90. And I'll buy you a lampshade for your head if you'll PM me with the NEWS

:D

[sniffa]

6. yes and no

i've been feuding with said puppets for some time now - however, it sickens me that he made cathoLics Look bad (and that's exactLy what he did).

i feeL betrayed by another offshoot of this investigation but i'm not certain on that count yet.

[RagingInMiami]

7. You mean there's more to come?

[sniffa]

10. maybe

probabLy not. there were some eery coinky-dinks at some of the Links though.

[Beware the Beast Man]

12. Not only that,

but he used the death of a soldier as a device for personal validation, which is sickening in of itself. It was a blatant troll for a negative response of some type; kind of thing "other" forums expect from and assume of us.

[sniffa]

21. that too

but, i don't care what the bad guys say about us.

i do care however, about infighting among us.

[RevCheesehead]

87. you don't know how glad I am to see those words, sniffa.

Thank you, so very much, for that. :thumbsup:

I, too, had my suspicions, but took him at his word. I just hope there aren't a lot of hurt people out there. I also hope people won't think that this kind of behavior is indicative of all persons of faith. (it feels like Judas in our midst)

(and just for the record, I really am who I present myself to be)

[sniffa]

98. bah

i'm still an asshole though. :P

i'm glad those words were good for you. :D

[RevCheesehead]

106. well, as a good friend once said to me,

"we're all a part of the body of Christ - and every body's got an asshole." :P

So am I. :)

[gardenista]

99. Self delete- dupe

[gardenista]

101. First of all, I still don't really know what happened, or who we are

really talking about. The PMs I've gotten have shown only that there were two user names on OTHER SITES logged onto with the same IP.

My husband and I would show up on the same IP if we both posted on this site.

The other thing the PMs I have gotten seem to show is that there is likely a lie being promulgated as to the age of said member(s) at OTHER SITES, and that they probably enjoyed some extra-curricular sexual exploration, made even more tittilating because *gasp* they are homosexuals.

Finally, the PMs seem to indicate that at least one of the members had accepted (but *I* found no evidence of solicitation, maybe others have) a camera from a member of ANOTHER SITE, and somehow the results of this "gift" were not bourne out in the manner expected, which has led to a great deal of animosity on ANOTHER SITE.

The mods have not felt it was important to explain what happened, and seem to feel it's appropriate to let the lounge become a turdblossom of speculation, rumor and innuendo.

Because of my own skepticism about the "facts" in this situation, and my lack of personal animosity for the members in question, I have been accused of being a "sock puppet", as have others. This has become just about as fun as the inquisition, and the irony of that is not lost on me.

[sniffa]

107. i'm gLad you repLied to me

[gardenista]

108. Are ya? I meant to reply to the original post, but I'm kind of flummoxed.

Do you always capitalize your "L"s?

[JI7]

8. it seems kind of weird that the irish one never existed

i'm guessing the cuban one was the real one and had made up the other.

from what i remember the irish one was here first. i just looked through the thread where he said he is getting his book published and everyone happy for him.

but personally thinking of how he made up all this shit kind of makes me laugh also. how did he decide what to lie about . that thread where he said he was going to be a published author which we now know is all made up he is expressing some real joy and he thanks everyone who congratulates him. did he get a high off of something like that ? or was it kind of like young kids who have imaginary friends and somewhat believe it to be real.

[RagingInMiami]

16. I remember that thread

It was one of the few times I ever responded to anything he wrote. I congratulated him. As a writer myself, I was genuinely happy for the guy.

Then, a few weeks or months later, it was uncovered that he was a plagiarist. Then I regretted congratulating him in the previous thread.

[Left Is Write]

61. I really started wondering about that one

when the plagiarism came out.

[JI7]

64. i don't remember when the plagiarism came out

did he discuss it on here under any of his names ?

[smirkymonkey]

92. Who are you talking about?

Can you PM me - I have no clue as to what this is about. Thanks :)

[JI7]

102. here is a link to the thread i am talking about

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=2620236

[smirkymonkey]

114. Hah! I thought so!

If you pay attention - they are usually pretty easy to spot. :)

[Aiptasia]

9. I could really care less

I live in a resort town, so when I read about DU gatherings in places like the mid-west or Boston or wherever, I think..

Whooopadeee do! Someplace i'd rather not go to meet a bunch of strangers. True, like minded souls that waste time co-habitating online here at DU, but strangers none the less.

Call me antisocial, but i've had to deal with strangers and tourists for most of my life invading my hometown, year after year, so I have no desire to become a tourist myself.

At least not in Boston. Sorry red sox fans, fix the big dig (unfixable) and then we'll talk.

[sniffa]

15. wait, who are you?

[Mizmoon]

11. Still in the dark

Could I get a PM too please?

[jukes]

28. i sent a PM

very condensed version. there's a huge list of posts & discussion being circ'd, y some1 will surely pass it your way. if not, catch Kleeb when he reappears, he seems to have the good stuff.

[Texasgal]

14. I feel a bit angry.

I am angered that someone who fought so passionately about certain topics has turned out to be a complete LIAR. I never agreed with much of this posters opinions, but I do know that there were MANY people who did.

I am a tad more angered that this person was allowed restricted access, if ya know what I mean. :mad:

[Bunny]

23. Seriously. He(they) were mods at different times.

With access to private stuff.

I know that Admin seldom discusses individual bannings, and they've been VERY generous in letting us vent our anger, but I would like to hear some kind of statement from them about this. It might be reassuring.

And on edit: with all the people asking for PM's so they can know the story, we might as well just come out with it, so everyone can hear the evidence once and for all. There have probably been several thousand PM's flying around here the past few days!

[RagingInMiami]

26. Yes, they've done it in the past

And this is so bigger than anything I've seen in the almost-six months I've been on DU.

[fluffernutter]

i agree.

it should just be out in the open and it would be nice to hear something from the Admin.

i feel a tad po'd at the gall of people who do this kind of crap and especially when they take money from caring people.

[crispini]

38. Yes. THAT's a problem.

This FRAUD who got that level of access.

I wish mods would make a statement too. THAT's the real issue here IMO.

[Texasgal]

62. Oh, I totally agree!

The admins have consistently quelled our fears about the wrong people being in those positions. I would like to know how this security breach has happened.

[miss_kitty]

17. No I never liked either one of them

and felt there was something up with the xtreme Catholic Defending, then a denial that that was happening. It was too weird for words.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

39. WIth me it was when we were discussing an American refusenik

US Navy sailor refused to board a ship to Iraq, willingly turned himself in. The Caribbean One nearly blew a gasket. I asked "why the anger?" He backpedalled in a very lame way, obviously trying to cover his RW-ness. That was well before the BC pill thing.

I'll PM links if you'd like.

[miss_kitty]

109. Actually I saw that

I finally, last week asked how a queer could defend the shit out of the catholic churh. He said It wasn't defending, but presenting the facts. Mmmmhmmm. All the 'facts' are pro catholic, and they hate you. Basically the argument. I still am puzzled as to why people waste time doing shit like that...What a fucking saddo.

[seaglass]

65. I didn't either but it went back to the primaries and I haven't

paid any attention to them since.

In fact I accused them of being the same person back then, which was denied and I believe I got my post deleted (I know, it was wrong of me but I was mad and really believed it). Oh well.

[redqueen]

19. Nah... I feel sorry for them.

Why should I feel insulted or duped for taking other people at their word? I won't become a cynic. I refuse to. I consider it a good thing that I don't treat others with suspicion if there's no reason to.

All it says is they had the gift of gab... why try to read more into it?

[Lavender Brown]

25. I feel sorry for the people who may have given him $

and sorry that there are people out there who would go that much trouble to create a fake identity and persona. It was quite elaborate... and for what? Why was that worth his time? :shrug:

[redqueen]

29. People gave him $?

:o

WHY?!

I feel sorry for anyone whose life is that sad. Those creeps that obsess on DU... think about how empty their lives... their very SELVES... must be in order to be so other-focused. And not just other-focused in a somewhat positive way (e.g. with your kids, your spouse, your family) but in a wholly negative way. I know I sound like a spiritual / religious whack-job sometimes... but I do pray for them. Imagine how much better the world would be if they were healed of these negative obsessions.

[tigereye]

80. yeah that's how I feel too

RQ. Why would someone waste all that time developing a false persona, just to play around, though? I suppose it was very clever, but it's also very weird.

[redqueen]

86. Why? Who knows...

Well one reason I can think of is that their life is just that empty. If that's the case, it's really heartbreaking.

Another possibility is that they're evil, heartless manipulators with ulterior motives of the worst kind. In that case, it's sad that they're so evil, but I feel much less sympathy for them.

:hi:

[GOPFighter]

24. Gee, I'd like to feel angry or duped...

...but I don't have a clue as to what's going on. I feel like I'm back in the 5th grade again and everyone but me knew Gina wasn't wearing any panties... <sigh>

[MadHound]

27. Dude, Gina wasn't wearing any panties!?

Why am I never told these things? Damn! :evilgrin:

[Bunny]

31. check your PM

[Modem Butterfly]

30. Good riddance indeed

I did believe some of what he said, mostly about his nephew. But then again, there's all kinds of scammers out on the net, aren't there?

[Texasgal]

40. That's got to be the worse...

People really were heartfelt in those posts. They truly wanted to comfort him.

Using the death of a solider to fuel your sick fucking Internet "look at me" illness, is just UNFORGIVABLE.

I hope that asshole is reading these posts.

[Modem Butterfly]

50. I'm sure he is

Probably getting his sick fucking jollies from it, too.

[_testify_]

34. actually it feels like sitting in traffic

and looking over at the car next to you full of giggling teenage girls and feeling incredibly jealous that I don't have a clue about what's going on...

[Miami Liberal]

35. I've been out of the loop

what happened RIM?

[crispini]

41. Check

your PM.

[Miami Liberal]

49. Thanks crispini!

OH. MY. GOD. Is all I can say right now. :wow:

[RagingInMiami]

42. I just PM'd you

[Miami Liberal]

54. I was only familiar with one of the names

That is beyond creepy! :scared:

[VelmaD]

37. In a way he did us a service...

I know I will remember who else around here posted and actually agreed with some of the sexist BULLSHIT he spewed.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

45. All right, DAMN IT

I hate to say I don't know what's going on and I'm curious what is going on...please help!

[crispini]

52. Check

your PM.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

48. I totally agree with you...

it's an effective way to "out" the more unpleasant anti-woman/anti-gay elements in the party. ;)

[efhmc]

111. This is probably why I do not have a clue about this. I refuse

to acknowledge anyone as a human, much less a member of DU and a progressive, liberal person who is antiFEMALE. You keep that list honey, I have a feeling (a sad one) that it is not short.

[phusion]

43. What the hell?

What's all the hoopla about? Anyone care to PM me so I feel like I belong? :evilgrin:

[crispini]

53. Done. nt

[babylonsister]

44. I remember giving linoleum advice to the

bagpiper who was re-doing his sainted granny's kitchen floor, and commiserating with the cohiba about his sainted granny arriving in the US, as well as arguing about his dear departed pater. :wtf:
This might make me a tad more skeptical of people in the future, sadly.

[Thtwudbeme]

59. OK, I have a similar one...the Irish one PM'd me

about the bookstore he bought, talking about the value of used books...etc. Even went so far as to name the location. I WISH I had kept it--was from at least a year ago, or more.

Just freaking bizarre.

[Misunderestimator]

55. Number of posts certainly doesn't gauge popularity...

especially considering that flamewars seem to chalk up the most responses.

[RagingInMiami]

57. And there she is

The woman (at least one of them) of the hour. Good job!

[Misunderestimator]

58. Only one of....

and only a small part... just a loud voice. :)

[bloom]

56. From what I could see

he/they were mostly here to stir up trouble - so no - I was not "duped".

[Left Is Write]

60. Yeah, actually, I do feel angry.

I've seen this type of thing happen time and again, so I shouldn't be surprised or angry, but I am angry.

I've seen longtime, elaborate ruses revealed on parenting boards - many of them very emotional places by their nature - that caused damage to many people. I've seen people exposing these types of stories get accused of being trolls, and in at least one case I know of, banned themselves!

There will always be people who lie online. Some will be white lies to protect real-life identities, and others will be layers and layers of lies and deception, such as in this case here on DU.

What makes me the most angry is people who deliberately play upon the emotions, sympathies and friendships of others. People who don't give a good god damn about anyone else's feelings or who they may hurt. People who would, for example, take another family's dark tragedy and turn it to their own benefit on an internet message board. And perhaps all along laughing at those who offer caring, love, and sympathy.

For some, it's just a way of getting their jollies. For others, it's sickness. And what this one did is just sick. It's probably reading our words now, once again laughing at the control it still has over us.

[nini]

70. I feel the same way...

especially the fact they're reading this and laughing they had many duped. I wouldn't say I'm angry about them playing games but I am pissed at how they played on some very nice people here and their kindness.

I'm kind of surprised there are that many people who were on to them all along. I know some were definitely on to them, but I'm not buying that just about everyone was that is now saying so.

I'll admit, they/he had me fooled. But I didn't get involved enough with them to think otherwise.

It's really pathetic that someone would spend that amount of time doing that. You've got to wonder about mental health of a person to go to that extent.

[gollygee]

63. I didn't like either of the alter-egos anyway

I recall some maddening threads. I'm relieved to know it wasn't a progressive who had those odd self-hating and mysogynist beliefs.

What I think is pathetic is that this person must have been so proud of being able to get all the way to MODERATOR status, but then what did he do with it? Just sat on his hands. "Oh wow, I have such power, I could really disrupt . . ." and then didn't even have the nerve to disrupt. I guess once you've spent so much time on an elaborate ruse you don't want to give it up? It's still a pretty weak "disruption".

[Bunny]

66. Can you be sure he didn't try to disrupt?

I've heard a rumor about that...

[gollygee]

67. Then instead of not having the nerve he didn't have as much power

as he thought he had. Still weak.

[Bunny]

68. Yeah, I agree.

[tigereye]

83. ok spill it!

:)

[bloom]

72. Progressives don't have such beliefs.

That's the whole thing.

Some of us were more attuned to how really insulting he was.

People who mostly just fight and insult people with progressive ideals are not progressives.

[gollygee]

77. It made my brain hurt

to read his posts and see the second half of his name attached to them (I'm talking about the two-word-named alter ego here).

[Bonhomme Richard]

73. Some help please. What's going on?

[SammyWinstonJack]

Since I don't know what the Party is about

I can't say if I feel insulted or suckered or duped. :shrug:

[youthere]

74. I'd like to know what's going on.

[never cry wolf]

75. I am afraid that I am in the dark

Could someone let me in on it? I have a clue from this thread, but don't know the details...

[belladonna]

76. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing

Relief and gratitude that the "posse", as CL liked to call them, exposed the whole thing before anyone got taken for money. And I'd bet THAT would have happened sooner or later.

But I also feel sorta depressed and maybe a bit paranoid now. I defended this guy SO many times from gay bashing freepers and, once, from some asshole who obviously had a problem with Hispanic people. I felt so horrible for him when he came out with the fake dead nephew BS, as did alot of other people.

I do understand the need for celebration though. Usually a troll comes out on HIS terms and does it in a fairly spectacular way if the mods don't get there right away. THAT'S the game for these assholes, and the payoff is being able to thumb their nose and call us all morons for not catching on to them. What happened yesterday was a turning of the tables, and that's fun to watch :D

[Droopy]

85. Could someone PM me and let me know what happened?

Pretty please.

[crispini]

104. Done. nt

[Droopy]

110. Thank you

[Shakespeare]

84. I'm wondering if this is the much-rumored "ultimate freep"

Old timers will remember what I'm talking about. Whatever it was, it's contemptible.

[amazona]

88. will someone please let me know?

I really feel left out. :-(

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[foreigncorrespondent]

89. Not as popular...

...as some might think.

I for one am truly glad it has gone! And I congratulate each and every DUer who obviously worked hard to achieve this result. Good job guys and gals. :)

[scarlet_owl]

91. I feel duped.

All the times I prayed for "their" various family members.

[Zomby Woof]

93. I never liked 'em/him

There was just something false about a guy with "Liberal" in his name who rarely espoused liberal views.

But that's just me. I am an asshole, after all. :P

[ScreamingMeemie]

94. But you're cute!

:bounce:

[Zomby Woof]

97. Awwww!

Yeah, I can see that. :P ;-)

[Terran]

95. Could you clue me in too?

I saw that some high-profile person got banned but no one will state who it was.

[crispini]

105. Done. nt

[Beaverhausen]

96. I never liked him either but now I am suspicious of everyone

can't decide if that is a good thing or not.

But every argument I got into with him - always about health care for women - made me suspicious as to his motives.

[efhmc]

112. Is there an "official" version of my pieced together montage? If so, I

would greatly appreciate the information. Also, why is this so dang important?