For a long time I agreed with you on Flipper. He's too wishy washy, and sometimes too emotional to be paid. But after many years of reading that board, I've come to the conclusion that all of it is just part of his schtick. It's an art, and he uses it effectively to appear sometimes skeptical, sometimes critical, to establish credibility. But if you step back and look at the whole of the content he has produced over many years, the patterns are undeniable. He is constantly connecting far-flung dots to generate responses and keep the speculation going. He is especially active in this regard any time the overall board sentiment starts drifting increasingly negative. The whole of the character has all the signs of being a paid pumper.

I just can't think of another reason, other than mental health issues, why anyone would make dozens of posts on that board every day in the way that he does. His posts never amount to anything, but sometimes they will initiate discussions and debates that go on for weeks and months. That is his purpose, I think, and I am now convinced that his role has just been a long-running part of the NWBO online PR strategy.