I apologize to all for this post because it has nothing to do with Columbo per se.

I came to this site a few months ago, and guess I am pretty much the same as most of the people who post here. (There are not many of us - this is not You Tube or other sites that get hundreds, thousands of hits.) I will come to site every so often, sometimes weeks pass or I might take a look every few days. Like everyone else I come look and move on. This is a nice site. It is about Colubmo for goodness sakes, not politics or religion - there is no reason for anyone fear posting anything, no reason for anyone to be critical.

However we do have someone who comes here every few weeks. He has gone under the name G Whizz, IM Sure, IC Thruya and now Mark Miwords. It took me all of five minutes to figure that out, which means it would take anyone else a minute to figure this out. Thanks to comments from real users it is obvious that this Mark - Whizz - Thruya - also steals user names too. This user oomes in, is critical, makes remarks, seems very angry, and then thankfully disappears for a time, never long enough.


Of course he is not doing any real damage - who can't take a few remarks. Its just Columbo goes back to a more civil time. We just need to read the nonsense of an occasional visitor who only comes in to be hurtful.


Plus this guy makes it so obvious - anyone wanting to do a few minutes of 'detective work' can go to the post of the usernames (there are others he has used to) There is only one or two for each name. His post come at intervals, he quotes and uses the same language. As I said it is very easy to see that he is the same person. If he committed a crime he'd leave far too much evidence around and he would be arrested in minutes.

Hopefully he w

I appreciate your good will, Ed, and I'm sure that can be said of all the genuine users of this site. I apologize for the off-topic post I made earlier in your other topic, but I couldn't resist taking a jab at our "mysterious" friend, especially after the rude comment he made in response to your question. As you said, such ridiculous comments are actually quite harmless to most people, as they're readily recognized as vain attempts that merely waste the time and dignity of the one who made them. And if by any chance our friend thinks WE are wasting OUR time in responding to his drivel, he should understand that order and decency is a privilege to exercise, and comes at no cost to anyone but the person who's being called out.
Again, thank you, Ed, for putting the spotlight on this matter!

Yes, “Mark Miwords” is in fact the same troll who has also posted as “IM Sure,” “IC Throoya,” “Cut Meabreak,” “I Mean Come ON,” “Frank Lee Speeking [sic],” “Yeah Right” and so on. He might also be the same idiot who, some years ago, posted anti-semitic rants here about Peter Falk, and who in turn was definitely the same guy who posted elsewhere on the web about wanting to herd all Jews into boxcars, and about how America is hiding Chinese armies underground, but that is just a guess based on their similar writing styles and some other things, so I could be wrong about that connection. (But I know that the guy still lurks here, and I know who he is -- and he is a very sick man.)

In any event, let it be said that “it takes all kinds,” and that I am proud of the outstanding quality of posts that we get here, despite the occasional trolls and crackpots.

The troll’s complaint about the “pets” post is a useful illustration: The “Pets” post was in fact a good one that led to numerous thoughtful replies, and that caused many of us to reflect upon all of the episodes as an exercise in memory and brain-teasing. Let’s be honest: We love “Columbo” but it is a finite body of work no longer supplemented, so the beauty and the wonder is that the content is rich enough to be sliced-and-diced so many different ways by those who know and love it so well. Some people are focused only on clues, others enjoy more personal or eccentric aspects of the show – which is all fine, and welcome here. And if the troll doesn’t like that, he can get lost, or go find himself a boxcar.

Thank you, Ted, for calling this guy out. I didn't realize the guy is such a lunatic, but I'm glad you've made these possible connections, to paint him as ugly as he is. And I love your recommendation that he find himself a boxcar Anyway, thanks again!

Just a follow up to my earlier comment - is there a way we can password protect this forum? If so, I think we could cut down on any and all issues, including those issues we have faced with the individual(s) who have stolen mine and other names.

This joker using my name seems to have stepped up his gag, using my name to pretend to be me complaining about him using my name! It sounds all incredibly absurd and confusing, and is, of course, but I'm sorry, "Bryce", no matter how convoluted you make things, I really don't think it's going to do much for you, except compound your vain and ineffectual efforts (if they can be called that). One useful thing I've learned from this most recent comment of yours, though, is that you're obviously pretending to be me, and not just another user with my name. I suppose this means I can go all out in maligning you, should you choose to use this goofball tactic again (not that I had any doubt in the first place, but now it's official).

You have my complete sympathy. A few years back, when I was fairly inactive here, someone used my name to make snarky,cruel comments toward others. Didn't catch it until I searched up a past comment, but the damage appeared to be done. If I may offer a two-fold piece of advice, it's a) If these idiots show up, ignore them completely (attention's what they demand); and b.) If a post from a familiar name seems totally out of character for the poster, please consider the probability that it's from another source.

Thanks for the tips, Martin. We have the ability to (sort-of) ban people from the Forum, but I don't like to use a big club on a stupid little clown, especially on a forum like this where I think we can rely on the intelligence of everyone else to know (as you suggest) when some imbecilic troll is yanking our chains.

Still, let it be said that on ANY message board, no matter how tolerant or how hair-trigger the sensitivity, a cardinal rule is that it is wrong, wrong, wrong to impersonate another poster -- it's a form of slander, and an invitation to chaos. And yes, we *do* know when this happens. So if you really want to get "banned," that's a great way to do it.

Meanwhile, a word to one and all: If you do nothing else online today, do yourself a favor and visit Martin's Columbo fanfic site -- featuring some of the most original "Columbo" ideas ever, some so brilliant that they are better than certain episodes of the actual show!:

http://www.planetpreset.com/colfanfic.html

Thank you, Martin, I deeply appreciate that. I'm immensely happy that the "Columbo" fan community is one that is reasonable and thoughtful, unlike the absolute messes one finds in other "communities", with almost complete chaos in the comments sections of the majority (it seems) of YouTube videos, as well as so many other places on the internet that are brimming with self-important lunatics. Of course, the tone of "Columbo" lends itself to respectful discussions, with the series never having provided fodder for the kinds of derision that is rampant elsewhere.
Again, thank you, Martin, and thank you, Ted, for posting the address for Martin's site! I'll definitely have to check it out