Wednesday, January 22, 2025

The Troll

 People are interesting, aren't they? I have opinions. I will admit to having strong opinions. I know that many readers of this blog believe differently, and that's their right. Some of them have blogs of their own, and they are quick to give their own opinions, opinions that, while they are as strong as my own, are diametrically opposed to my own. 

And that's okay.

But I believe that you need to be able to cite your sources, if challenged. 


Yesterday's blog post introduced me to a troll. Well. We have 'met' before. She's not unknown. She is right. Always right, and as usual, when she is being rude, she cowers behind 'anonymous'. 

I should have copied her comment before deleting it. She vented her spleen a bit (yawn) and finished it off with her thoughts that I should give "the Elon Musk thing a rest". (She is quite fond of him.) She then claimed that Obama and Biden both gave Nazi salutes while they were in office, which is pure bullshit. If she would have posted under her name, I could have challenged her to cite her sources, to put her money where her mouth is. 

I deleted the comment, and I will continue to delete her anonymous comments. She is welcome to spew her 'truth' on her own blog, but she's not going to do that here, and if she doesn't like it, she is free not to read. 

That's enough of that. 

Today was cold. Last night it got to -14F. I woke up in the night and needed an aspirin. Our bedroom was freezing. I am not sure what it was last night, but today, in the single digits, the bedroom was 51 degrees, so I expect it was chillier than that last night. It is not something that you notice snug under the covers, with two bodies generating heat, but once out of bed, you notice immediately. I padded down the hall to the kitchen, got my aspirin, and padded back down the hall to bed, and I could not get warm again to save my soul. It took forever to fall asleep. 

We have the wood stove going in the library, and the gas heaters going in the kitchen and the office which concentrates the heat where we need it and reduces the need for running the big furnace. We don't have a heater in the bedroom because we like a cool bedroom, but last night was extreme. 

We worked on the new house yesterday, and before we left, I walked down to feed the cats. Strangely, they did not come. I heard some scrabbling around on the second floor, but they didn't come down, not even when I popped the lids on 3 cans of cat food, a sound that usually brings them all running. They do roam now. We can see that now that there is snow on the ground, and they range pretty far, so I figured maybe they were mostly out hunting. Maybe Minnie the antisocial was not brave enough to come out on her own.

I fed my invisible cats and headed out the door. As I walked back to the house, some tracks caught my eye. I stopped and looked carefully, and I could see very plainly claws, something that you do not see with cat prints. 

When I got to the car, Tim said, "What did you see?" and I said, "Well...I think they are coyote tracks. Maybe a fox. I don't know, but you can see the claws," and he said, "Let me take a look..." and off he went. 

We discussed it on the way home. I said, "Surely a coyote can't get into the garage, right?" He said, "No..." but mused, "I'm not sure about a fox though." We discussed whether a fox would run up a ladder (it's a wooden one at a steep angle. The kittens learned to climb it right away). Tim didn't think a fox could, so he felt quite sure that the cats were safe on the second floor. I said, "Well...I will start

 putting their food upstairs for them then."

By the time we got home a second thought occurred to us. The temperature was supposed to fall well below zero. We should have taken their insulated cat houses upstairs so that they would be warm enough on the cold night. Tim said, "The heat rises and that corner of the upstairs will be warm enough. I think." 

I made our supper but before I could pop it into the oven, Tim said, "We need to go back up there before it gets dark." 

I was a bit surprised because I hadn't said anything, but that's what we did. I gathered up some extra old blankets and rugs, and we loaded up the car. 

I'm not sure what has happened. The cats did not come downstairs at all. We put the coolers upstairs, and made an insulated corner cave for them.We put their food pans upstairs. I could hear furtive scrabbling on the other side of the garage, but they did not show their faces. 

Tim set up his game camera to keep an eye on things, and we left the garage light on for them. 

I had an appointment today, and so Tim went to the house alone to work on the bathroom. For the second day, the cats did not come when they were called. Something has frightened them, and for the first time, I'm beginning to think that I need to start grabbing them whether they like it or not and bring them indoors. 

Tim is getting steady pictures of them on the game camera though. 

46 comments:

  1. I've never delt with cats in a situation like this. Best wishes to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. They seem to have gotten over it, and last night we watched them on the camera, lolling around on the carpet in front of the furnace. They have pretty good instincts.

      Delete
  2. Here's a fervent hope that the kittens are ok. If they're on the game camera they must be alive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would just like to add that you and Tim are saints for providing this much care and concern for the kittens.

      Delete
    2. Cripes. We're not saints, that's for sure. We are just humans being. When you have a chance to do a good turn, you ought to do it. I really think that most people are like that, really.

      Delete
  3. um... the Elon Musk salute was pure Nazi alright and Obama and Biden never had designs on being the next Fuhrer unlike oh nevermind! I hope we get good news on those ghost kittens the poor things 😢 🙏

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was, and it shocks me that so many 'news' groups are going to try to explain that away. His own words to the Germans back up his gesture.

      Delete
  4. We see too many comments that are not based on evidence except that created in somebody's head.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As Tasker commented, people have their opinions...and they form their facts to fit the scenario they are trying to foist on everyone else.

      Delete
  5. I 100% agree that it is totally unacceptable to post a rude comment on someone's blog. Good on you for calling it out. You are very generous with your time and thoughts - something that I for one really appreciate. If someone disagrees, yes they should be welcome to POLITELY present their alternative viewpoint, or simply stop reading. But there is no excuse for rudeness. If someone can't be civil, they shouldn't comment!
    Good luck with the kittens. Better wear good protection if you are going to grab them, and also have a good antiseptic on standby to clean up any scratches that sneak through. Might be best to try to start with Minnie, or you will never catch her when she is on her own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not so much that it was rude. It was superior and condescending, but what bugged me the most was that it ended with a bold faced lie, claiming that Obama, Biden, and Pelosi gave Nazi salutes during their time in office. There are a whole bunch of radical right wing sites posting that, and the pictures they show are just pictures of democrats waving. They are not Nazi salutes. The question begs an answer: who did anonymous think they were saluting? Leaders are saluted to. They do not salute others.

      Delete
  6. I try very hard to not listen to the news or read the news about trump, but of course it is everywhere. In my opinion, both trump and musk are sociopaths. They are despicable human beings and if they happened to be poor men, they'd probably both be in jail, or beaten up a lot. It's so sad that there are people like them, and the people who follow them, who prop them up and enable them, are despicable as well.
    I hope the kittens recover from their scare. Are you going to catch them and have them sterilized? That should be interesting:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Foxes can climb. They are evil. I hope none of the kittens has been injured but I agree they need to be captured and rehomed or whatever you are planning to do with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, whatever frightened them has not figured a way into the garage. Or is too big to get into the garage, one of the two. They are well and seem to have recovered from their fright.

      Delete
  8. Please keep us updated on the kitties, life is hard enough for them without this. Again, well done on that troll!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've come out of hiding. I think that it helps to leave a light on. It may make predators a bit more leery about coming in close to the garage.

      Delete
  9. Interesting adventures about the kitties. Hope they're ok. Glad you have the cameras. Linda in Kansas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are all accounted for. They spent last night lolling around in front of the furnace.

      Delete
  10. Something has scared them, and the weather hasn't helped..fox is very possible.
    Good idea putting a trail camera on there, hopefully that will answer a few questions

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We've not seen anything inside, which is good news. The next step will be setting something up outside to keep an eye on what's sniffing around. Perhaps it was a one off, but we really can't rely on that.

      Delete
  11. Life has its ups and downs for both kittens and trolls. As long as the kittens can escape upstairs they should be safe. Also there are four of them, a little army.
    As for trolls, or people who believe their viewpoint is the only one - there is not much salvation, each to his own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly. I don't mind trolls until they come out from under their bridge.

      Delete
  12. I know some bloggers won't accept anonymous commenters and I can understand why.
    I hope the kittens are safe - very worrying. You and Tim are such good souls.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a soft spot for cats. It seems to have rubbed off on Tim. He really is fond of the garage gang.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous can go anon. 😊 I don't have the patience anymore, but I don't accept anonymous comments.

    Those cats must really be spooked. I wonder what happened. Are they all accounted for in the videos?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anvilcloud Shakespeare!! Something did frighten those cats. But interestingly enough, after we set their little insulated cubbies upstairs and provided extra blankets, last night, the four of them were curled up together on the carpet in front of the furnace.

      Delete
    2. Oh, pooh. I also meant to say that whatever was prowling around was prowling around the garage. I imagine that they could hear it snuffling around and perhaps trying to find a way in. They are very wary creatures. They would have known to scamper upstairs and hide themselves away.

      Delete
  14. Oh, I wish I'd seen the troll comment! I don't allow anonymous comments so I avoid them on my own blog. I don't mind contrary opinions but people have to identify themselves. (Even if an internet "identity" is a dubious thing.)

    I wonder if the cats are simply tucked away somewhere for warmth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How do you block those comments though? Do you have a way to put them into some sort of 'hold' until you have a chance to review and delete, if necessary, or release them if it is someone like Ceci who can't post under her name, for whatever reason?

      Delete
    2. On your Blogger dashboard, under "settings," scroll down to "comments." Click on "who can comment," and you're given three options: "Anyone, including anonymous" (which I think is default); "Users with Google accounts"; or "Only members of this blog." Choose "Users with Google accounts." No more anonymous comments!

      You can also choose "Comment moderation" and set it to "Always," "Sometimes" or "Never." I have mine set to "Sometimes," for posts five days old or older, which restricts spam and other unwanted comments on posts from the past.

      Delete
  15. Good that the camera shows them still around.
    Another thing that irritates me is bloggers who select their arguments and evidence to support one extreme side of an argument, often using unsupported 'facts', and using childish names for those on the other side. There's one popular blog I no longer read because of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know. I know. I don't mind different opinions, but when you counter with your own viewpoint and back it with a source, only to be ridiculed and deleted...it all comes back around to the big question: "Why do people blog?" I am convinced some people blog for no other reason that to feel superior to others.

      Delete
  16. Oh man, poor kitties must have been scared for sure. I love how well you take care of them, and Tim seems like he is a toughy but he has a soft heart for them. The internet was made for trolls. People who have nothing better to do but spread lies and deceit. It's the modern version of a "whisper campaign" only with much longer arms. Delete delete!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is surprisingly tenderhearted about the cats. I was trying to find a home for them. He wants to keep them. All of them.

      Delete
  17. I have a systems issue so show up as Anon.... Thanks for the kittens update and for going back with more cold protection for them. On the fox front, I have seen our suburban foxes climb to the top of an 8 foot privacy fence; I don't think an inclined ladder would be much of a challenge, and they are hungry at this point. I'm hoping the blatant Nazism runs its course, although as a New England friend said about those who display various hate emblems, it certainly makes identification clearer and easier.

    Thanks as always for your thoughtful blog.

    Ceci

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's a difference between a person who purposely signs out to become anonymous and then makes his comment.

      Delete
  18. The thing is, people who. hide behind anonymous when they write hateful things KNOW they are writing hateful things. If they truly believed their shite to be valid, they'd not be hesitant to post under their own names.
    Yes. I think a fox might be able to climb that ladder. Poor kittens but also, poor you for having this worry on your soul. You two are definitely going way beyond what most people would to feed and protect them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tim has a game camera set up. We haven't seen anything inside the garage, which is comforting.

      Delete
  19. I do hope that those kittens are okay - the new kitten here is an indoor only cat so her biggest danger is eating the rubbish that Paris leaves lying around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These cats were 'born to be wiiiiiiild...' They are (were?) getting friendlier, and 3 out of 4 of them allowed petting.

      Delete
  20. If you are so steadfast in what you believe then you should not be anonymous. But, of course, they will have excuses for that as well. Sorry you are having to deal with that. I had a few trolls back in the day and I eventually just blocked them. Hope the cats are well and the temps start to rise in the right direction. Too cold for me. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It doesn't bother me at all, not really. I'm just not going to give them space to post lies here.

      Delete
  21. Trolls only comment for attention. When they don't get it, they don't bother commenting again. All comments on my blog have to be approved by me before they're seen on the blog, so it deters the assholes. It's a pain in the butt for commenters sometimes, but it's the price I pay for not giving dorks a platform to spew on. Lots of readers tell me it can be such a hurdle that they give up and don't comment. I regret that, but not keeping the Ursulas off my pages.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, my problem seems to have solved itself. We will see, but it remains an option.

      Delete
  22. Oh, dear, coyotes and cats are not friends. :( Sorry about your troll. I'm knocking on wood that I've rarely (never?) had one. I've had some who expressed different opinions but always with a name. My dad, never one to mince words, would have called anon a "chicken shit." Excuse my (his) language!

    ReplyDelete

I'm glad you're here!

Boud

 I want to direct you to something.  https://fieldfen.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-shadbush-shad-and-gift-economy.html It is written by Boud, wh...