Yeah... provoking us delicate ladies with too sexy clothes I get, but the stubbornness around things like wearing boots to the zoo in summer was part of what I found interesting, what was the endgame, inquiring minds want to know!!!
Just a boot fetishist? But some other outfits weren't even sexy, IMHO.

If I had thought she was real, Jules, I too would have been utterly fascinated. But cynical me was so suspicious. (The slick photography, head cropping, etc. just didn't let me buy it.)

I have no idea how it is now, but when I lived in Tokyo in the mid-80's, women would always be dressing up for everything. I remember being on a mountain excursion (well, we went by bus up a paved road, but there were places to walk from there). It was November, pretty cold, and one young woman was wearing super high heels and no coat, because you know, cute short dress. She was on a date. She really looked uncomfortable.

To be clear, I think I always got that it was fake or at least really off, but yet somehow I'm still fascinated I guess I feel she was pleasant and contributed to others' threads more than some people who seem more "real", so I don't really have a problem with... whatever that was.

I guess I usually find trolls' motivation more transparent, so maybe that's the fascination. Thanks for helping me figure it out

The way I see it, there is no difference between what I say here and what I may say in a restaurant or on the bus or anyplace for that matter, where someone can overhear my conversation. Think about it, I am sure we all talk about going on vacation, movies or anytime we may not be home, then get in our cars with the license plate visible for all to see. And for that matter, more info is available about us in our mail box than is here I am sure. Personally, I refuse to live in a cave and never come out. I would rather play with my friends and share conversations.

Well, the forum seems tidied up! Thanks to everyone who had the wherewithal to alert TPTB to unusual posts, and to Greg, et al for sorting it out during what is probably one of the craziest times of the year for the YLF team! Now, kids, back to our regular program!

Jules, I'm with you in finding the whole thing quite fascinating...I was very curious about who this person was, really. At the same time, I hate to think that others might be wasting time in good faith responses. No wonder it's a tough call for Greg and Angie sometimes. If one person can be so conflicted about it, what about a forum of hundreds?

How did I sleep through this whole thing? That's what I'd like to know.

I was mostly inactive on the forum in the past few months, and getting more active had made me notice that there was indeed an unusual amount in the forum-inadequate behaviour once I 'returned'. By inadequate I mean posters who clearly just landed here as if visiting just another platform to get their agenda visible or to have their sort of fun, and who did not bother at all to get to know the community.

I personally find it quite rude when someone just starts opening threads without investing any time in introducing themselves or posting on other threads so we can get to know them -- because once you do realise what kind of place you've discovered, you treat it with due respect instantly. But I keep reminding myself that it is also rather logical outcome of Angle and Greg's tolerant policy, as well as that such cases mostly do die out because the community takes care of them two ways - either we report spammers or it quickly becomes clear to that sort of newbies that there is not point in hanging around here with their agenda. Advertisers are easy to spot, but I do remember some colourful examples form the past who did invest time in building up their profile.

I disagree with annagybe that we can sometimes we can be too cliquey, but that may be down to my own negative interpretation of 'cliquey'. If anything, I'd say that we are protective of the rich, healthy, constructive and welcoming, all of which makes this very unique and precious place, community -- and rightly so. And don't think that anyone who had bothered to invest time and energy in getting to know how this place lives and breathes would find it anything but open-armed to those who want to enrich it by their own honest participation.

With that in mind, careful and in line with my own privacy concerns continually readjusted, I'd say -- onward and upward, Repot Post button is that gear icon located at the lower right-hand corner of any suspicious post.

Well said, Ornella!

In the time I've been here, anyone who wants to join the forum in an honest, respectful way has received a warm welcome. It's totally natural for bonds to form between forum members who participate regularly, but it's also these members who frequently are the first to reach out and welcome new members.

I will echo what others have said about never saying or writing about anything here that I wouldn't mind everyone I work with knowing. And, I was lucky enough to have a coworker recognize me here and introduce herself, so I got to know someone I might not have otherwise! Someone with fab style, I might add :).

I have also mostly been out of action this week visiting family. I treat this like my Facebook page ( where I have settings set to private). I still don't post anything here that I would dislike to get out......but I have shared personal details and thoughts. This is such a lovely warm supportive community that I value.

I belong to one other forum (foodie) where I rarely post, and where I have seen trollers cause havoc. It is sad that is a hobby for people.

I have wondered whether off topic should be only available to veterans, patrons or trusted active members. Just a suggestion.

Ah yes, I've noticed sort of a "cat's away, mice will play" situation on the forum. Angie and Greg, I've noticed this before near NAS, and when you travel. And again this week. Is it possible that some individuals act when they think you'll be less present that usual?

I have made pretty liberal use of the "report post" option. I keep it light hearted, knowing Greg's on the other end of the message and is better able to make a wise decision that I am. I trust that he understands my good hearted motives and checks into things.

Maybe to beat a dead horse, but I also found the whole thing fascinating, Suz. (I think there's at least a short story there, about a dominatrix marine biologist. Or let's just say sartorially clueless scientist. All the issues we're bringing up here would lend themselves to such an interesting and potentially hysterical exploration.)

What made me annoyed, and I am guessing this hit home for the other women here, is the already-mentioned issue of feeling played by an imposter....but even before that, I think the problem we have with that kind of dress is the blatant disregard of the herculean effort women in the working world go through to be taken seriously. Before I had positive proof that she was a fake, I would think, "Well, this is Europe...would they be more loose about it there? Etc." But no, I really suspect not. At least not when Ms. Scientist is acting as the public face of her organization. And the obtuseness around that was supremely irritating.

This has been an interesting discussion. Typically when there are 70-plus comments, I don't read all of them, but I did read all of these. Thanks everyone for thoughtful commentary. This is why I find this forum to be brilliant. Mochi's comment above, about being annoyed by being played, strikes me as true. I had read the original posts from the "scientist" and instantly mentally tagged her as a faker/troll and didn't read more. But those types of people do render things difficult for those of us who do play by the rules.

This has been a great conversation. As a relatively new poster I have always felt welcomed, supported, and helped. Like some others, I don't post what I wouldn't say in real life. Here I've found a group that are "my clothing people"--I don't really have these people in my "real" life. I'd hate if some of the very wise veteran members stopped posting. I see the pictures and the stories of real life meetings and friendships between members and I think that is so very special to YLF!

Really great thread. I like lurking and commenting. I like sharing information. I don't mind posting sensitive topics because I'm very transparent. I try not to judge or be dismissive because we all are different. Some spammers happen I just don't feed the fire. We are a great group and I appreciate that.

I missed most of it ...rats....☺

Wow, how's that for jumping right back into the fire? This is the first thread I've commented on in ages, and it's a beauty! Really interesting comments, and I must admit to an overpowering curiosity to find the marine biologist's posts and check things out for myself. But I want to add one thing. The fact that we can identify specific instances of trolling like this speaks to exactly how well Greg and Angie have protected us all. I suspect if you took a poll of those of us likely to be reading this thread, most of us would identify the same handful of people among legendary historic YLF trollers (the 10-year-old girl, barefoot boyfriend chick, etc). Clearly sexy McScientist joins their ranks. But in my view, the fact that years worth of collective input from us all would likely yield such a short list speaks volumes. Even the fact that a relative spike in troll activity would go noticed to the extent it was makes me feel safe here. Although I must admit the discussion around pictures has made me think more consciously about the risk I run in posting images that can be shared without my consent. We are all at the same risk of such a violation, but unlike you, I would never be able to recognize my own face if it's posted to other media.