OK, it’s been nearly a week since the election, and I know you all are waiting with baited breath for my detailed analysis of the results. Since everybody else and their cousin – on both sides – are indulging in that nonsense, thus far I have refrained.

Having said that, and having commented in the previous post that it’s better to look forward than analyze the whys of yesterday, I will say this about that – and pay attention, because this is really important – somebody had to win.

There you have it. With the exception of 1800, 1876 and 2000, there’s always a winner. And we wouldn’t have it any other way, because it’s too stressful when there isn’t a winner. Am I right here?

Every four years we have an election and generally somebody wins. They go on to be a good, average or bad chief executive, but the bottom line is: we go on. So save the gnashing of teeth, vows to fire employees or quit your job if you live in a state that went for the “wrong guy”…big waste of time!

Now that I’m done with that exhaustive analysis, I want to talk about trolls. Trolls? Creatures that live under bridges and make you answer a question if you want to pass? Ah, no…people who disguise themselves as normal human beings and then go to websites and get folks all hysterical with outrageous, disgusting and often borderline insane rhetoric. Do you know about this?

I first heard about it from the little Slumdog Millionaire guy on The Newsroom. Since then, every time I look at comments on an other-wise intelligent site like The Atlantic or The New Republic, there they are! After a little practice, you recognize them. Here’s some tips:

They almost always post a picture to accompany a fake name – like a young, white girl with an inocuous sounding name who spews racist comments like there’s no tomorrow. Or a sweet young white couple in an innocent embrace, doing the whole conspiracy theory thing (regardless of the topic at hand). That always brings out the responders, first saying “what has that to do with the topic”? Then telling the troll how awful they are. Quite predictable…

So the next time you’re tempted to push that “Send a Comment” button and scream at someone you think is racist, sexist, crazy or otherwise repugnant, ask yourself the question: is this likely a troll? Did I just get spoofed or punk’d or whatever kids call it? I also recommend you consider any statement coming from the mouth of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, or Ann Coulter in exactly the same context. If only the national media would do the same … maybe they would just go away…OK had to indulge a little bit!