YouTube Guerilla Tactics

Yesterday I uploaded some videos I had compiled from assorted clips, and what seems to be a common occurrence these days and what's been happening for weeks now is that the video quickly receives a number of 'dislikes.' The person(s) doing this are specifically targeting Zeitgeist members, for the simple reason in that they dislike the information presented by the Zeitgeist Movement. And by the way, 'we' advocate applying the scientific method for social concern. Nothing outlandish really. Yet some people feel so threatened apparently that they have to put a negative spin on everything that is forwarded. I myself am by no means the only person who gets this treatment.

As you can see in the screenshot above there's also something highly unusual going on. My video had in fact only gotten 3 views when I captured that image, but the number of 'dislikes' already reached 13. That's a clear indication someone is using some additional software that creates multiple votes. That's an escalation if you ask me in how far some people are willing to go. People are not just voting a single time but use different accounts to vote multiple times or have downloaded software to that effect. If that doesn't sum up YouTube guerilla tactics I don't know what will. Like I mentioned before, many people who upload material that promotes the Zeitgeist Movement get the same treatment.

What's also fascinating is that some segments of society actually get instructed to vote down certain material. In this video (filmed in secrecy) it becomes readily apparent that young members of the Tea Party at a lecture are advised to vote down anything that's too progressive or otherwise doesn't fit their ideology. Highly unorthodox and outright undemocratic if you ask me. I thought the Tea Party stood for freedom and democracy, maybe they have another interpretation? What I've noticed on YouTube is that a number of critics of the Zeitgeist Movement are also supporters of the Tea Party Movement. Is there a correlation?


What I found out about the YouTube "troll" responsible for all the dislikes is that this person is from Florida. One video of mine that rarely got any views got the same treatment. YouTube allows you to see the data (to some extent) of who's viewing your videos and where they are from. When the dislikes start appearing and the troll is the only one who visited the video you get something like in the picture above. A clear indication of where this person is from.

Another hint is mannerism or behavior. There are only a couple of Zeitgeist critics (that I know) who are from Florida and one person by the YouTube handle of 'MarioBrothaYT' (Mario Rodriguez) fits the bill right on when it comes to sociopathic behavior. He runs a blog here, filled with the most asinine comments a person can come up with. By far the most probable candidate responsible for the YouTube guerilla style warfare. You would almost feel sorry for such a misguided person were it not for the mayhem he creates.

Sketchzoid #30

Cryptoclosure

Lately there has been a lot of news about alleged Extraterrestrials and documents (released under the Freedom of Information Act) from intelligence services. To be honest I'm not sure what to make of them. Above is a picture from a NSA document titled 'Key To The Extraterrestrial Messages' by H. Campaigne. This story also broke on a Dutch newspaper website. The document apparently acknowledges the existence of extraterrestrial communication, originating with the Sputnik satellite! Some 29 messages were recorded, encoded mind you. You can read the NSA document here. Note, it is the official NSA website.

Not all the messages were decoded but it seems that dr. Howard Campaign is an actual cryptologist who has worked with various U.S. intelligence services. While this news is stunning of course, one must always remain vigilant. I've read people comment that government officials release documents as "declassified" and not as "unclassified," the latter being visible in the NSA document. Some people have also suggested that the 'Key To The Extraterrestrial Messages' is some sort of training operation, a fictional setting for young cryptologists to wrap their heads around. And there is also the realization, at least with me, that some secrets will never see the light of day even though intelligence services are required by law to release documents (under certain conditions). Papers can always accidentally fall into the shredder.


People have also commented that the document was already released in 2004 (as is visible in the NSA pdf), and therefore is old news, untrustworthy and probably debunked already. Eh, that's not entirely accurate. While the document was cleared for release in 2004, the NSA apparently stonewalled it and managed to delay the release (in court) until April 21, 2011. Kevin W. Smith wrote a detailed blog about it here.

So, what to make of it? To be honest; I don't know. Like blogger Smith I would love to see some government officials commenting on this matter on camera and explain it in greater detail. That should be fun and entertaining.

Jackdaw

Last week I had the pleasure of taking a few snapshots of a bird, the Jackdaw. It's a common bird throughout Europe and especially in Holland. It's a member of the Crow family although a separate species. They also make towns their habitat and are pretty much used to humans. Sometimes they barely get out of the way when you're on the sidewalk although they do tend to keep a comfort zone of a few meters. The bird in the picture above was even tamer. I was sitting in my garden and the bird just touched down a meter away from in order to take a zip from the water in the birdbath. If you check the picture you'll also notice a band on the leg of the bird. Meaning it was probably raised (helped) by humans as a chick and released later on. That would explain the calmness around humans.


What these birds also tend to do is "bathing" in the sun. Might seem weird, laying in the sand with wings stretched out but I've been told that has a purpose. Since the bird is already colored black it soaks up a lot of heat on its feathers. Birds also tend to pick up flees just like dogs or cats, that sunbathing they're doing is intended to kill the parasites they are carrying in their feathers. They seem to get hot pretty quick on a sunny warm day because after the treatment they fly for the shades and need a drink of water. They are also intelligent birds and just like crows they like shiny objects. I had thrown out old bread that had gotten hard and this bird just picked it up, moved to the birdbath and threw the bread in to soften it and then it was eaten. Pretty clever if you ask me.

Dude, Where's My Car? IX

Some people never learn. When you think you're heading down a parking garage but your car barely fits between the walls, chances are it's a bicycle garage.

Venus Split

This morning I listened to a meeting between Roxanne Meadows and coordinators (and other members) of the Zeitgeist Movement. Judging from Roxanne's words the split between the Venus Project and the Zeitgeist Movement seems to be definitive. An interview uploaded on YouTube last week where Jacque Fresco criticizes TZM and Peter Joseph already sent shockwaves through many Zeitgeist members. Many were hoping this was a fling, Jacque having a bad day and shooting off his mouth. Happens to each and everyone of us at times. Sadly, everything said was sincere.

Instead of issuing an apology, Roxanne Meadows reiterated the split. I, and a lot of other Zeitgeist supporters are naturally very disappointed. This is like a figurative slap in the face. While Roxanne Meadows thanked the people involved for all the work they have done it didn't take the feeling away that she was being very unapologetic. She vaguely listed Zeitgeist going in another direction as to what the Venus Project stands for as the main reason. Which is unsatisfactory since Zeitgeist has supported TVP for years now. In fact TZM put the Venus Project on the map. It's only because of the efforts of Peter Joseph (and other people involved) that support for TVP grew substantially.

Meadows also feels that they (TVP) have no say over matters. So part of this argument seems to be centered around not only direction but control of the information as well. You have to wonder how this kind of distrust originated. Roxanne also had the gall to ask for (direct) support from Zeitgeist members in that meeting, to join the Venus Project. Inside information also reveals that Meadows and Fresco were on more than one occasion concerned that their material was properly credited. That tells me, and others noticed it as well, that ego issues are also part of this equation.

Perhaps the worst part is the timing. People have worked tirelessly on promoting the Venus Project for years and have put their heart and soul in it. Right now they barely get a 'thank you' and followed by a 'we'll take it from here!' That's probably the most hurtful for those involved. The Venus Project also asked for donations for a movie project to which many Zeitgeist members responded in donating money. Further adding to the friction. Adversaries of Zeitgeist and the Venus Project also have a field day because of this split. They couldn't be happier and when trolls are happy, that's saying something.

When all of the emotions have settled we must also get back to the original motivation. That is striving for a better world. This split is also a reminder of letting trivial or minor aspects get in the way of the greater good. It's a reminder that we are all vulnerable to matters of the ego. When the dust has settled the focus must return on the core motivation, and we'll simply take it from there in order to move forward.

P.S.
Here's a reaction from TZM international coordinator Gilbert Ismael.

An article by Zeitgeist U.S. chapter coordinator Jen Wilding.

And a response by Peter Joseph.

Tulipa 2

Ok, these are the last 2 photographs of tulips, for this year. I especially like the second shot (below) because of the awkward lighting. Had the camera faced against the setting sun but the flash went off anyway, creating a mist of light. You learn something about photography every day.

JFO

Well, this is interesting. The English website Mail Online issued an article about the late U.S. president John F. Kennedy and documents released under the Freedom of Information Act pertaining UFOs. The documents themselves were released by the CIA which is noteworthy, even more food for thought are the dates. JFK wrote requests to the CIA and NASA 10 days before his assassination. Of course this isn't proof of any kind but you can bet your bottom dollar that some people are going to connect these dots.

Personally I find it fascinating that JFK showed such an interest in the subject. The theory that JFK was killed because of UFOs has been circling on the internet and in underground books for decades. Of course many theories float around on this particular subject (the assassination). Regardless of all of that, it's interesting to see that the president requested that kind of information from the director of the CIA. That's an indication that he wasn't fully briefed when he took office, and sought more. He also apparently sought a kind of cooperation with the Soviet Union. Surely that must have send shockwaves through the channels of power. That period of time isn't remembered for its detente.

I would love to see some renowned experts comment on the matter, both from within the UFO circles and mainstream. A president asking for information about UFOs? Something tells me there's more information on this subject.

Queen Of Night

Above is one of the most exquisite tulips you can get, the 'Queen of Night.' The flower itself is dark purple which is an amazing attribute to ones garden. It's one of the late-blooming tulips and what I've noticed is that one bulb can produce more than one flower. Planted 10 of them and have 13 flowers right now. That's a bonus. I must also add that the flower seems to have gotten even more dark than in the shot. It's very close to black, which was a sought after prize here in Holland a few centuries back when the tulip trade reached insane proportions. Below is a shot of most of the tulips I planted.

Nothingmen

Read an interesting article just this morning. It's about Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme. As probably everyone knows Bernie was engaged in an investment fraud and many people lost their money. What probably not many people realize is that Madoff himself conducted his business through a bank. In this case JP Morgan. What the article mentions is that U.S. government officials are investigating what actions JP Morgan took in this matter, or more importantly didn't took. When you run a bank it's quite easy to see large amounts of money going on and off an account.
This is like first grade math to these guys. The issue comes up if they could have detected the fraud and if they should have reported it to the appropriate authorities. A number of employees of JP Morgan are under investigation. John Hogan, Matthew Zames and Carlos Hernandez seem to be the ones that are held accountable and all are part of the executive committee. According to the investigation these 3 men already discussed the Madoff situation in 2007 and suspected it was a Ponzi scheme. You know what these men did? Nothing! No warnings to shareholders or watchdogs. They did nothing.

Vultures Delight

Well, it turned out to be an eventful day. Peter Joseph, founder of the Zeitgeist Movement (the activist arm of the Venus Project) and its de facto leader, stepped down as official spokesman of this organization. It's highly probable that a video that was uploaded on YouTube on the 11th of April was the cause of the breakup. In that video Jacque Fresco, founder of the Venus Project, criticizes Peter Joseph of the Zeitgeist Movement and the organization itself - generally speaking - of not doing his/its best. Of course what Fresco said was surely not a smart thing to do since no man has done more for the Venus Project in the media than Peter Joseph.

I also figure that this was the final straw for Peter Joseph. He already mentioned before the release of Zeitgeist Moving Forward that he was feeling exhausted and hadn't gotten much sleep meeting the deadline of the movie release. Joseph is also a constant target of attack by critics who seem to be engaged full time in discrediting the Venus Project, the Zeitgeist Movement and the people that are involved - on a personal level. It even goes to the extreme, and Joseph is labeled and pictured as the next Hitler or a dictator. This is actually how far some people are willing to go in order to dismiss another ideology and it's just unbelievable.

I'm also thinking that Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows are already regretting this incident. Likewise, I think Peter Joseph also regrets this situation but he just reached the limits of what he could take. All of this is unfortunate of course yet on the other hand we must realize that this was never about individuals. It is about the concept, the idea of a new sustainable and stable, peaceful society, and the people that carry the torch will eventually have to pass that on anyway. It's about moving the idea forward.


What's perhaps even more striking is the actions of the critics. I've noticed that when pro-Zeitgeist or Venus Project videos get uploaded it doesn't take that long before 'dislike' votes appear. Meaning, that some person(s) are actively monitoring the uploads and voting them down but also are looking for dirt. (I myself am privileged to 10 instant 'dislikes' whenever I upload something.) This is what happened with the video where Fresco makes his critique as well. There are many videos where people take a tour in Venus, Florida. The channel on which the video in question was presented didn't get that many views, but the critics found it amazingly fast anyway. That is simply an indication of intense monitoring.

The vultures were also quick to jump on (what they perceived to be) the carcass, the final nail in the coffin of the Zeitgeist Movement and the Venus Project. Videos quickly appeared on the YouTube channels belonging to critics, highlighting the critique Fresco made, with added phrases such as "this is the end." While I'm sure that is the intent of their actions, and btw these are the same people that insanely yell that we supporters are in a cult, I'm afraid that's all they can hope for.

Whether you agree or disagree with the Venus Project, what some people on the foreground might say to one another, you can't take the motivation away in people. That motivation is striving for a better world. That's nothing cult-like or evil. It's just the quest for peace and harmony. And that's why the Zeitgeist Movement and Venus Project will simply move on. That's why it also doesn't matter that Peter Joseph steps down. Kudos to him. He has done wonderful work. Now it's simply time that other people continue in his footsteps.

Tulipa

Last fall I planted 4 different kinds of tulips and they are coming out great. Above is the 'Red Emperor' which doesn't grow that high but on the other hand has a huge flower. The 'Apeldoorn's Elite' (below) is an orange mix that grows a bit higher and has a normal sized flower. That's a lot of fun for only €1.50 a bag.

Muscari

The Muscari is 'the' finest bulb plant you can put in your garden. It beats the tulip and crocus easily, because it's a sturdy plant and blooms each spring without fail. Requires little maintenance and once the blooming period is over you can cut them just like grass with no ill-effects. It's also a plant that multiplies incrementally each year, so don't be surprised that after 5 years or so you have double of what you planted. Muscari is a member of the Hyacinth family, yet much stronger. Insects, like bees, also love the plant. Blooms for about 2-3 weeks each year in the spring. If you're seriously looking for bulbous plants in your garden I highly recommend this one as it is, in my experience, the best one you can get.

The Shooter

Information is poring in about Tristan van der Vlis, the shooter who killed 6 people yesterday in a Dutch mall and wounded many more. It's sad really, and in retrospect a textbook case of a disaster in the making. Today the news came out that Tristan already spend time in a mental hospital for depression and suicidal urges. In 2006 he even mentioned to people in the institution that he thought about not only killing himself but other people as well.

It is clear he also had a fascination for weapons. In 2003 he wounded himself with a BB gun which was reported by the police. Somehow he managed to get a permit for 5 weapons, of which he carried 3 on his shooting spree. In Holland only semi-automatic weapons are allowed to citizens (with a host of other strict regulations), yet the weapons used by him were full automatics. That implies that he had probably got his hands on illegal gun parts or he made the modifications himself. Gun owners are also obliged to take up membership with a shooting association - which he did.

In his suicide note, the one found in his car, he wrote that he had left explosives in 3 other malls, which turned out to be false. He also left a note to his mother which the police is still investigating but they did mention that it had more to do with 'spiritual matters' along side his wish for dying.
While this not may be the appropriate time, I do wonder why this person slipped through all the social safeguards. The combination of guns, depression, police contact and expressed violent urges should have set off alarm bells with several people or institutions. He was also described as a loner, which probably aided him in not being detected as a danger to society. What strikes out, at least for me, is that there were many (social) indicators of a disaster waiting to happen. Psychologists, police officials and social workers really should do a study on this as to prevent such tragedies happening in the future.

Dutch Shooting

Shocking news today here in Holland. A disturbed person with an automatic rifle killed 7 people (so far) and wounded 15 more (some are in critical condition) in a mall in the town of 'Alphen aan den Rijn.' Apparently 24 year-old Tristan van der Vlis was responsible for the shooting. He committed suicide. There are pictures of his remains which I wont put up here on this blog. He was wearing camouflage trousers and a black sweater. Sources mention he was no stranger to the police and one of his previous felonies was possession of a firearm and abuse of his girlfriend. What really motivated him is anyones guess.

It's just mind-blowing to see these kinds of outbursts of violence. Last week there was mass murder in a school in Rio. 2 years ago in Holland, a person by the name of Karst Tates tried to kill the Royal Family with his car. He didn't succeed in that yet did manage to kill 8 people when driving his car through the crowd that was watching the (Royal) parade. I'm having a hard time fathoming why these things happen. What drives these people to go so very wrong? Professional psychologists really should look into this and do studies on it.

Dutch Treat

A Dutch newspaper article yesterday was pretty amazing. There are rumors circulating that 10.000 jobs will vanish in defense, along with military equipment such as tanks, minesweepers and F-16s. Safe to say that economically-wise things aren't going that well. What's even more remarkable is that these political decisions are made by a right-wing administration. Normally, and in most conservative governments, defense is not a department to cut back on. In the U.S. such a matter is almost non-debatable, while over here in a similar government it's considered and possibly implemented.
That says something about our current state of economic affairs. Right now the Dutch government is 2 billion euros short in their budget. Even after all the austerity measures they implemented. Health care seems to be a continuous thorn in the side. Lets not forget that the negative balance was caused after the credit crisis of 2008 and saving Dutch banks. Economic policies seem to be going down the drain no matter how much they cut back. Personally, I wonder where the world of economics is heading. Holland used to be a tolerant welfare state where people didn't have much to complain, yet all of that seems to be disappearing.

Sketchzoid #29

Scott's Heel?

Started reading the book 'Seeing Like A State' by Professor James C. Scott. Although there are a number of folks who challenged me to read it, because I am a member of the Zeitgeist Movement and supporter of the Venus Project and its resource based economy, these same people are often adversaries of the previous general ideology but that's not the reason why I delved into the material. I honestly wonder if things could go terribly wrong even if the plan sounds that good and where people have the best of intentions. It's also never a bad thing to increase your knowledge or to test what you have.

I already read summaries on the internet so I, generally speaking, already knew what it was about. Scott criticizes central planning and 'utopian' plans, arguing that 'micro-factors' will always be swept aside for the greater common good - thus doing damage and that this methodology is ultimately self-defeating. Certainly powerful arguments since not recognizing elements that could do harm is not desirable no matter what you do. Yet I wonder about things on another level. Having read 70 pages of the book so far I'm not really in a position to make a definitive conclusion on Scott's thesis, yet my mind is already wrestling with the information.


Above is a brief excerpt of what Scott is getting at (in the material I've read so far). While he makes a point, I can not escape the notion that his conclusion is not the fiasco he portrays it to be. Did the planning really fail (that much)? Much of what he described as more or less inadequate is to some extent standard practice these days in most parts of the world. Surnames, managing forests, land tenure and legible cities are these days accepted, while they were resisted when these changes were implemented.

The level I wonder about is this; the dynamic flux of transformation. In essence, the mechanics of order vs chaos. What I mean by that is that you can have a natural and organic forest, city or human construct - no matter how chaotic it might appear - but when you disturb that natural order, does it result in lasting chaos or does an equilibrium reassert itself over time? Because what I see in Scott's thesis so far an equilibrium and new natural order did manifest once again. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself since there's a lot more reading to be done. More on this later.

Starling Darling

When you go out in your garden on an early sunday morning you can find a lot of birds hard at work at this time of year. They start to build nests and are very active. With most people still in their beds there also isn't much noise around, that's why you can also hear them more clearly and soak in the atmosphere. In the pictures a Starling couple is transporting material to their nest-hideout. They also go back to that spot on the roof each year. Photogenic creatures for sure.

Zeitgeist Movies

Ordered the 3 Zeitgeist flicks a couple of weeks ago and found them in my mailbox last week. Paid around $30 for all of them, including packaging and posting. That's just over €20 so for European buyers it's even relatively cheaper. The DVD's themselves are of good quality and I had no problems running them in my player. When ordering them (as a European) you do need the international NTSC version, keep that in mind. Now buy the dvd. :-)

Nuclear Morons

Don't we live in a fine European democracy? You know what the European Parliament decided last weekend? They decided to raise the E.U. radiation norms for Japanese import. Meaning that previously irradiated food that would have been automatically rejected can now enter the European zone unrestricted. In fact the European radiation standard is higher than the Japanese. In Japan the food available for consumption will contain less radiation than what the European consumer will get. I really have to ask; 'how stupid can you be as a member of the European Parliament?'

It's funny how strict laws can be bend by those in power. The latest example here is of course done for economical reasons. They decided to give Japanese exports a break and by default their economy. Otherwise no country in the world would import any kind of Japanese food (or other products) that could possibly contain radioactive materials. The elected officials, in their infinite wisdom, decided once again that economics have to prevail over public health because suddenly we are allowed more of the nasty stuff. What would a Japanese manufacturer do? Dispose of his contaminated product or ship it overseas for profit?

Now I don't want to sound too heartless. Clearly Japan got a bum deal with the earthquake and tsunami, and the failing nuclear plant at Fukushima. My sympathies to those who lost loved ones. I also feel for the workers at the nuclear plant who worked non-stop at the problems and risk their lives for a triple salary. Once again the fault must go to the ones who ultimately made the decision to build nuclear reactors at such a dangerous place and for keeping the plant running even though it was already beyond its 40 year warranty. Economical decisions are to blame.

Sadly enough I saw a lot of commentary on a Dutch newspaper website just after the earthquake and where not much was still known about the radioactive contamination at Fukushima. Many people kept supporting nuclear energy because it's relatively cheap and less polluting than coal/oil/bio-matter. Until something goes very wrong that is. That in itself is strange because I thought that people had learned from Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Fukushima seems to be latest reminder of how dangerous nuclear energy in fact is.

I recall reading a newspaper article a few years back and it was about what would happen to all the buildings and constructions the human race has made if we were to disappear one day. How long would it take for all the evidence that shows that we were here to erode away? Wood rots away in hundreds of year. Concrete and metal takes thousands of years. You know what that article mentioned as the last measurable proof that we humans ever inhabited this Earth? The nuclear reactor cores would still be emitting radiation and therefore be detectable after a hundred thousand years. If that's a testament to our ingenuity I don't know.

Operation Earnest Voice

The US military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda.

A Californian corporation has been awarded a contract with United States Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US armed operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, to develop what is described as an "online persona management service" that will allow one US serviceman or woman to control up to 10 separate identities based all over the world.

The project has been likened by web experts to China's attempts to control and restrict free speech on the internet. Critics are likely to complain that it will allow the US military to create a false consensus in online conversations, crowd out unwelcome opinions and smother commentaries or reports that do not correspond with its own objectives.

The discovery that the US military is developing false online personalities – known to users of social media as "sock puppets" – could also encourage other governments, private companies and non-government organisations to do the same.

Above is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the Guardian on the 17th of March. Wikipedia has information on it as well. Quite fascinating to see that sophisticated methods of propaganda and outright influencing opinions are not only allowed but made very public as well. Maybe the latter serves another purpose in that it increases the distrust that already lurks in parts of the internet. Some people who disagree with a certain concept or ideology are sometimes already made out as 'disinformation agents' with the common standard reply; 'you're a conspiracy nut!'

Judging from the article it turns out that disinformation agents actually exist. While it is stated that they are only allowed to operate outside the U.S. and in conjunction with (religious) extremism it wont hold the notion back that these operators do their work as well domestically countering undesirable elements in their own society. It's virtually guaranteed to add animosity on the internet where some individuals already adopted a philosophy of distrust. Not without reason I might add. I've been on the internet for some 10 years now and seen a number of instances where an individual creates havoc.

Such individuals are often described as trolls, or you guessed it, disinformation agents. What happens is that on a particular media (like a forum) one person will do almost anything to denounce, distort, downplay or debunk a certain subject at the expense of everyone else. The harmony of that forum is completely disrupted, and often such disruptive elements are removed from a forum only to return later on under a different alias. I've seen this happen on forums multiple times, any etiquette is completely ignored. Is the U.S. military already engaged in false online personalities domestically?

The U.S. military awarded the contract for "online persona management" (a.k.a. sockpuppetry) to a company named Ntrepid. More importantly Ntrepid sells a product named "Anonymizer" and as the name suggests it will hide and scramble ones internet data. You wont be able to see an i.p. number or location if you do a search and that's the whole point of the software. It provides the user with anonymity. While I can appreciate the need for privacy when someone is on the internet, the same software is also possible for abusing the situation as should be clear by now.

Oddly enough, I've already seen some people use the Anonymizer software and what do you know? These people were highly disruptive. I recall one occasion where I uncovered one person on an internet forum who had used half a dozen pseudonyms in the space of 6 months. His philosophy was also completely contradictory to the forum, subsequently he got banned yet kept returning on the forum even pretending to be woman when it was obvious he was a man. I exposed him on that forum pointing out his messages and the dozen or so blogs he ran with opposing views. Within hours I received 2 dozen emails, at first glance from many different addresses and people.

Yet there was something wrong with that. Some addresses (partly) had the word 'anonymizer' in it. Meaning that the sender used the software in question to hide his true identity. While I received different messages with apparent support for this individual it quickly became clear to me that all of the messages were generated by the same individual. Not long after this incident my Yahoo email was also blocked because someone apparently had filed a complaint. I objected to the complaint yet the deletion of my email account was never reversed. Many blogs the person had made also disappeared.

Of course there are people unaffiliated with the military or intelligence services that staunchly and very vocally disagree with a certain subject and there are some folks who get their rocks off making other people feel miserable. The internet holds very few restrictions and doesn't have the normal inhibitions as with a face to face conversation. Yet there are ways to detect those that have a real agenda because they never seem to get tired in driving their message home. As with the person I detected trolling a forum they almost exclusively return to the same position on matters. Their habits and inability to compromise on the subject is also a clear sign.

Even when they are hiding under different names you can still detect them. One is that they have a fixed ideology which is understandable since they have an agenda to follow. Two is there inability to compromise even on an intellectual level and when the argument is clearly on your side. Three, you can detect them by their mannerism. Often they will use similar words and phrases, and with the "disinformation agent" I uncovered they can make repeating typos or grammatical peculiarities which can give them away. Not many people seem to realize that what you type on the internet is what you think. It leaves a detectable psychological footprint. The answer lies in profiling the other person.

Of course it's difficult to prove that there are real disinformation agents operating in your neck of the virtual woods. On the other hand the U.S. military readily admits that they are there, not on the home front of course. And you believe everything the government says.