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Site was Down …. Trolling for a Troll

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“THIS ” WILLYS ” FORUM IS FOR RANK AMATEURS — WHERE WERE YOU CRETINS WHEN I WAS DRIVING , BUILDING , COLLECTING WILLYS VEHICLES IN THE 1960’S ? ? — SING WITH ME — ” MICKEY MOUSE “” …. from the eWillys Troll.

You might have noticed that eWillys was down for about 24 hours. I apologize for that.

instead of doing updates yesterday, I spent time focusing on another issue: A troll. You might be asking, what is a troll? A troll is a “person who starts quarrels or upsets people on the Internet to distract and sow discord by posting inflammatory and digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community”.

Our troll is an old man who harasses readers, who calls me names, who makes inappropriate comments, who uses inappropriate language on what is supposed to be a family friendly site.

He’s been around for a couple years, but he’s grown worse, forcing me to monitor all his comments. For example, here is one of over a hundred comments from the troll that I didn’t allow to appear:

“EXCUSE ME , NO REAL WILLYS FANS WANT TO POST ON HERE — ITS CENSORED — THE FORUM MODERATOR IS LIKE A LITTLE HITLER , STALIN , TRUMP ?? — LETS BURN SOME BOOKS ?? — I KNOW FAR MORE ABOUT WILLYS – JEEPS THAN ALL OF YOU PUT TOGETHER — SO SAD — THIS IS A FRAUD — MONEY BACK PLEASE ?? — PS , REMEMBER , I FOUGHT IN THE STREETS OF BERKELEY FOR FREE SPEECH , STOPPED THE VIET NAM WAR , SAVED THE REDWOODS AND YOU —- DIDNT !!!!” (06/01/2019)

Naturally being a troll, he lacks backbone, too afraid to use his real name, too afraid to use his real email. He claims a relationship with Neil Young that likely never existed, as I doubt Neil would ever befriend a troll.

He also can’t keep to his word. Several times he has complained that I edited (which is true) his argumentative comments, then promised he would never come back to the site. Here is an example of that in another post I did not allow:

“THIS IS MY LAST POST ON HERE , MY MOM SAYS I CANT USE THE COMPUTER NO MORE , OH WELL , MY POSTS ARE TOO CAUSTIC ANYWAYS ..” (07/31/2019) 

He fancies himself all-powerful behind his keyboard. He claims he has the right to say whatever he wants (which just shows he doesn’t understand the 1st amendment). He has little useful to say, so instead he babbles, insults, and pontificates. He claims he has jeeps, but instead of spending his time pulling jeeps from his rust pile and repairing them, he lets them rot while he shamefully trolls, perhaps because he isn’t as capable of a jeep mechanic as his bravado might indicate.

Most of his comments are automatically flagged for approval, but some still get through. Some I’ve allowed, as they were either useful or relevant. Most of the others I delete as quickly as I can, but I have also allowed a few that I felt were relevant to the discussion.

However, I’m done being patient (and I have been very patient).

That brings us to what happened yesterday. In my attempt to install a plug-in to help block this troll on a more permanent basis, the plug-in caused a problem with the site, taking it down temporarily. Hence, the troll is the singular reason the site was down. No doubt his parents and family are proud of his accomplishment.

So, feel free to alert me if you see one of his comments. Or, feel free to respond to him; however, because he is too afraid to use his real email address, he may not see your comment.

 

 

 

 

30 Comments on “Site was Down …. Trolling for a Troll

  1. charles

    dear david so sad to read this – as ewillys is a top site – this person has to be pardonned because there is something wrong with him – but keep the ewillys high – best greetz

  2. David Eilers Post author

    Charles,

    Thanks for the kind words. I have tried encouraging, explaining, pardoning, giving 2nd and 3rd chances, etc, but it’s proven useless. Enough readers are noticing his posts that I decided it was time to describe what was happening.

    – Dave

  3. Michael

    Hi Dave—sorry you have to deal with people like this. Your site is the first one I click on every morning and enjoy the expert dialogue of everyone here. Those of us that respect and admire your site are truly disgusted by this kind of attacks. Keep up the good work! Remember the Eddie Money song “You can’t keep a good man down”.

  4. JohnfromSC

    Dave, I savor every day you continue to publish this site, as I know your intent to conclude it. WRT this miscreant, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

    Just want to say thank you for all of your work and your kindness to us, the readership.

  5. Thad Gibson

    Thank Dave for doing what you do. You have a life and don’t need to deal with this. This is the first place I hit as I do my morning constitution! Lol thank you for taking care of this moron. Best of regards, Thad.

  6. Chuck

    Thanks for the explanation Dave.
    Trolls can be fun when they are intelligent, wax poetic or have a sense of humor. From what I’ve read, this one has has none of those qualities. But it is kinda sad; he sounds like a old man stuck in a rest home perhaps in the beginning stages of dementia. Sometimes I wonder what I’d be like when I am too old to drive my Jeeps up to the mountains – a sad day indeed. : (
    However you can’t continue to let him ruin the site for others – at least he can still look at the pics : ) 👍

  7. Allan J. Knepper

    Dave……thanks for explaining what has been going on with this individual. As others have said……I really, really appreciate this site and my daily visits are often the high point of my morning……OK…..almost as good as the muffin and hot Italian roast coffee that is also a part of my site visit !!
    Keep up the good work……we’d be lost without you

  8. Mike W

    Dave,
    While i have never met you. I have always felt respected by you and the ewillys site is the first thing i look at every weekday morning at work. I know this is a thankless job and a labor of love more than a profitable business for you. So i thank you for taking the time to do this. sucks to have trolls but they have always existed. Before the internet they were on CB radio. Before that they possibly actually lived under a bridge…… Have a great labor day weekend. The less attention this guy gets the better for us all.

  9. Mike from NJ

    Dave, Ewillys has become a daily part of my life over the years, I commend you for time, enthusiasm and expertise. I’ve learned a lot from this page and the commentary, and as you know all too well, enjoy commenting, along with my never ending Jeep tales from the past.

    What we used to say in NJ, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down”.

    Thanks Dave for all you do.

  10. Dan B.

    Thanks Dave.

    I’ve offered to meet with him several times to talk Willys, but never received a response.

  11. Bob in nc

    I thought this clown was a friend of yours.

    As gayland said earlier, it’s your way or the highway. End of discussion.

    I never checked anything he said but whoever he is he knows something about Jeep’s. Sounded like he had at least one of every jeep ever made. Maybe all that was bullshit too.

  12. peter45cj

    Hi Dave you are more than patient. Thanks for the explanation and keeping this ship afloat. What name did he post with? Well I won’t be around much longer this site you created has been a great source of info and entertainment during my declining health. Thanks again.

  13. David Eilers Post author

    Larry: No need to register, but if you want to register, go here: http://www.ewillys.com/wp-login.php?action=register … If you have a question, feel free to email me at d @ deilers.com.

    UPDATE from the front line: Thanks for all the kind comments. Our many-named adversary was unhappy to discover that I was able to block all of today’s comments, so he has spent the past hour attacking me.

    On a positive note, he did claim that he will now go make his own jeep website (fine with me) and that he will ban me from said website (again, fine with me) and that he has “DELETED “EWILLYS” FROM MY SUPER-COMPUTER” (which he of course wrote after he supposedly deleted the site).

    Despite his promise today to leave, I fully expect he’ll return. So, if you see one of his comments (usually written in all caps), don’t hesitate to message or email me and I’ll deal with it.

    Thanks for your patience with this.

  14. Ill Chris

    Dave. People like that are miserable humans, and they want to bring everybody else down to there level. The people that visit this site are by far way above that thinking. After you ditch this guy we call laugh!!!! Keep up the good work.

  15. Paul Valerio

    Dave, People, like this troll, aren’t worth discussing. I appreciate the time and effort that you put into ewillys. He is probably a P.O.S. Millennial living in his parents basement! A good friend of mine has a saying….. Why do they have to be like that? More unchecked mental illness. Keep up the good work and don’t let it drive you crazy. Life’s too short!

  16. Frank Frain

    Dave. Thanks for all you do for us, too bad there are so many negative and hateful people out there.
    “ don’t let it get you down,it’s only castles burning”

  17. Tom in Paris

    Dave, thank you for all you do, and all that you’ve done. I’ve learned more on Willys than I could learn anywhere else. You’re doing all of us a service, as are those who contribute legitimate content.

  18. JW

    Dave,
    Thank you for your efforts to keep ewillys running and enjoyable for all of us. I noticed the site’s absence from my daily routine as well, but I knew it’d be back. Also, thank you for booting that miserable fool. I grew tired of his tall tales, ornery comments and broken caps lock key long ago. He certainly will not be missed. It is a shame he couldn’t interact with the rest of us Jeep people in a normal, considerate way, but it was his choice to be a troll. I feel zero sympathy for his loss of access to this extraordinary part of the Jeep community. Keep it up, Dave!

  19. Mark

    Dave these trolls are everywhere! I don’t think it’s a hobby issue but a false sense of ‘over-importance!’ Thanks for all you do for getting information out there for those of us who refuse to grow up! I may get older but when I hear an old 4 cylinder engine starting up and they have and flat fenders with a top speed around 50 mph it’s like reliving the first time firing up my old jeep and it just never goes away! Sorry you have to put up with this but I’m glad you do!
    Mark

  20. Tim D

    Dave, as others have mentioned, your site is one of my first stopping places each morning. Thanks for the time and effort you put into it. Sorry you have to deal with a person who chooses to make things difficult for you.

  21. Quentin Wyne

    Hey Paul Valerio, above “…P.O.S. millennial…”? Millennials are members of a demographic cohort defined by a period of time. As it happens, my children fall into that cohort and probably many others here either have millennial children or may be millennials themselves. You owe my children and probably others an apology. I suggest you want to mind your public statements, as that kind of thing is not only hateful, but like racism, directs negativity against people who did not chose how, when, where or from whom they were born.
    Not to mention that you can probably expect one of those illennials to be pushing your wheelchair one day.
    Sorry Dave, people have to take a stand against bullies, as your post suggests.

  22. Paul Valerio

    Quentin, I appreciate your comments regarding my post. I too have a millennial son who has a good job as a wildlands hotshot, owns his own home, and can drive a manual transmission. My comment was not directed at “the exceptions to the rule”, which obviously your kids must fall into. So, my apologies to you. The reality of the situation is that unfortunately many people today, regardless of age, have that mentality, of which most of us can do without. Not trying to bully… just trying to be real. Sorry Dave… will keep my comments to myself next time. I’m just not a P.C. kinda guy. Keep doing what you do so well! And Quentin… have a beer and relax this weekend… it’s all good!

  23. David Eilers Post author

    Quentin’s point is well taken and I appreciate the explanation Paul.

    I have 3 millennial young adults. Two have graduated from college, are very responsible, and have great positions. The third, my youngest, is really struggling to get started in life, yet might just be the smartest of the three. They’ve had to overcome a more difficult and disrupted upbringing than I ever did. I don’t envy them in that regard.

    I also don’t envy the kids of today who can’t make a mistake, because it really does land on their permanent record (that was a kind of joke when I was in school in the 1970s; now it’s reality). Lord knows I made plenty of mistakes growing up. I am so glad there was no YouTube to capture the video, no Instagram to record the photos, and no Facebook to share my blunders with my friends and family.

  24. David Graham

    Thanks for the website and all the great information you share. I’m a Troll Hunter and understand your frustrations with people like that. They are of the belief that what they do is for fun. Also that the only opinion that really matters is theirs, mainly because they are like Professor Irwin Corey Worlds Foremost Expert on Nothing. Keep up the great work.

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