User talk:Risker

Beware! This user's talk page is monitored by talk page watchers. Some of them even talk back.

Column-generating template families

The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

Column templates

Type	Family	Handles wiki table code?†	Responsive/ mobile suited	Start template	Column divider	End template
Float	"col-float"	Yes	Yes	{{col-float}}	{{col-float-break}}	{{col-float-end}}
	"columns-start"	Yes	Yes	{{columns-start}}	{{column}}	{{columns-end}}
Columns	"div col"	Yes	Yes	{{div col}}	–	{{div col end}}
	"columns-list"	No	Yes	{{columns-list}} (wraps div col)	–	–
Flexbox	"flex columns"	No	Yes	{{flex columns}}	–	–
Table	"col"	Yes	No	{{col-begin}}, {{col-begin-fixed}} or {{col-begin-small}}	{{col-break}} or {{col-2}} .. {{col-5}}	{{col-end}}

^† Can template handle the basic wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, special templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}})—or HTML tags (<table>...</table>, <tr>...</tr>, etc.)—need to be used instead.

Notes to self

Column-generating template families

The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.

Column templates

Type	Family	Handles wiki table code?†	Responsive/ mobile suited	Start template	Column divider	End template
Float	"col-float"	Yes	Yes	{{col-float}}	{{col-float-break}}	{{col-float-end}}
	"columns-start"	Yes	Yes	{{columns-start}}	{{column}}	{{columns-end}}
Columns	"div col"	Yes	Yes	{{div col}}	–	{{div col end}}
	"columns-list"	No	Yes	{{columns-list}} (wraps div col)	–	–
Flexbox	"flex columns"	No	Yes	{{flex columns}}	–	–
Table	"col"	Yes	No	{{col-begin}}, {{col-begin-fixed}} or {{col-begin-small}}	{{col-break}} or {{col-2}} .. {{col-5}}	{{col-end}}

^† Can template handle the basic wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, special templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}})—or HTML tags (<table>...</table>, <tr>...</tr>, etc.)—need to be used instead.

My talk page is also my "to-do" list

No really, I do read all my messages in a timely manner. I also archive fairly regularly once the subject of the message has been resolved. I keep things on my talk page until they've been addressed, so stuff tends to be out of date order. Consider the top half of this page my to-do list. Some things just take time. See also User:Risker/Copyedit Requests. Risker (talk)

Attention talk page watchers

Lots of hardworking editors have dropped by my page asking for assistance in improving the quality of the encyclopedia. It doesn't look like I am going to get very far into the list below for a while, but you (yes, you!) can help, even if it is grammar correction, cleaning up typos, fixing refs, or simply giving some feedback to the editors. Here's the list of requests I've received in the last little bit that I've not yet addressed. There's not much doubt our colleagues will appreciate any support you can provide.

Crown Fountain (Torsodog)
Dredg (Ars Sycro)
McGill University (Sunsetsunrise)
Sideshow Bob (Scorpion)
Belldandy (Bilby)
The World Ends with You (MASEM)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (season 3) (Parent5446)
Literature in the Hoysala Empire (Dineshkannambadi)
Pilot (30 Rock) (User:Jamie jca)
Félix Houphouët-Boigny (Nishkid64)
Bone Wars (David Fuchs)

So...what are you waiting for? Click on a link and go for it! There's a bit of everything here, from history to literature, places, people, television shows, video games, and even a band. Give it a whirl. And thanks. Risker (talk) 05:50, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

Photo of dead combatants

I posted a notice at MILHIST about the discussion [1]. In my opinion, using photos of dead combatants is fine. Reliable source is the aplicable policy relevant to whether a photo should be included. Bottom line, war is about achieving goals by killing people and breaking things. So, such images are appropriate for war articles. I've used several such images in articles I've written. See Battle of the Tenaru, Battle of Edson's Ridge, Actions along the Matanikau, Battle for Henderson Field, and here (don't look if you're real squeamish). I'll post this comment in the discussion somewhere also. Cla68 (talk) 02:33, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Merry Christmas!

Willking1979 (talk) is wishing you a Merry Christmas! This greeting (and season) promotes WikiLove and hopefully this note has made your day a little better. Spread the WikiLove by wishing another user a Merry Christmas, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past, a good friend, or just some random person. Don't eat yellow snow!

Spread the holiday cheer by adding {{subst:User:Flaming/MC2008}} to their talk page with a friendly message.

Willking1979 (talk) 21:52, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Congrats, friend

I'm do glad you changed your mind and ran. We need minds like yours on the committee. Looking forward to seeing the job you do on the committee. SDJ 04:53, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Congrats. :) Good luck on the Committee. GlassCobra 20:49, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Happy Risker's Day!

User:Risker has been identified as an Awesome Wikipedian, and therefore, I've officially declared today as Risker's day! For being such a beautiful person and great Wikipedian, enjoy being the Star of the day, dear Risker! Peace, Rlevse ~ A record of your Day will always be kept here.

For a userbox you can add to your userbox page, see User:Rlevse/Today/Happy Me Day! and my own userpage for a sample of how to use it. — Rlevse • Talk • 00:40, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Hi: Thanks for the compliments. I'm fixing it up right now based on a GA review from Skomorokh. I hope you enjoy reading the article and if you see any way to improve it please let me know.Manhattan Samurai (talk) 02:30, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Sorry Risker

It seems our illustrious arbs must take an age to decide the simplest of things. Quite why contributors in general are held with such contempt around here, rather than supported and defended is an absolute mystery to me - too many kids running around suddenly feeling empowered with positions way above what they might achieve in real life, but still harbouring their adolescent anti-authoritarian rebellion - it might be ok for Britney Spears articles but makes for a pretty poor environment for serious academics. Oh look - Giano's just been blocked again by his tormentors! FFS.......--Joopercoopers (talk) 17:11, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

• I think they're really trying to chase him off now. Sometimes the paranoid are actually being persecuted. SDJ 17:15, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Seriously, gentlemen...what would the holiday season be without a bit of pageantry, and the attendant excellent editing that seems to attend with it? This time last year, Queluz National Palace was the article so graced - and a fine article it is. As I recall, it was the epitome of collaborative writing, with over 20 editors participating in its final form, not to mention the brilliant photographs, and the technical expertise required to best organise them with the text into a coherent whole. It's a bit more complex this time because of the editing locale, of course. Risker (talk) 20:48, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

You should take a look

I noticed you on JW's page, and I thought you might find this very interesting. It was posted after your last there, so I wasn't sure you had seen it yet. SDJ 20:29, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Congratulations on your appointment to arbcom

It is apparently official. Viridae^Talk 21:55, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Ermm...nothing official at this stage, Viridae, but thank you for your good wishes. That just means I identified to the Foundation. I am sure that something a bit more official than that will show up in the next day or so, provided Jimbo hasn't been stranded in some airport with the nasty weather we're having in the Northeast. :-) Risker (talk) 22:09, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

The essence of judgment

Precepts on the secret of success in life drafted by Tokugawa Ieyasu from the collection of Nikkō Tōshō-gū.

In this interval between the close of Arbcom voting and whatever comes next, this could be a timely opportunity to share a bit of wisdom attributed to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of Japan's Tokugawa shogunate. I modestly offer a translation of the calligraphy -- with an emphasis not in the original:

Life is like walking along a long road shouldering a heavy load; there is no need to hurry.

One who treats difficulties as the normal state of affairs will never be discontented.

Patience is the source of eternal peace; treat anger as an enemy.

Harm will befall one who knows only success and has never experienced failure.

Blame yourself rather than others.

It is better not to reach than to go too far. --Tokugawa Ieayasu, 1604

I hope this becomes helpful in the year ahead. --Tenmei (talk) 04:38, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Alright. NOW I can say "Congrats, Madame Arbitrator!" (ducks just in case you throw something at me) :D SirFozzie (talk) 12:08, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

For reals this time!

Now it's really official! Huzzah! At first, I wasn't sure you were electable, but I was enthusiastic to vote for you anyway. I'm glad it turned out my doubts about your ability to win proved completely groundless. Do us proud, Risker. Heimstern Läufer (talk) 08:50, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

Random Congratulations

congratulations - hope you didn't need your free time for rest or excersise....--Rocksanddirt (talk) 18:33, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

"editprotected"

Regarding WP:VPP#New individual access level: editprotected: I generally carefully avoid "badgering the opposes", and I practice DGAFism religiously, but because I'm aware of how many people are deeply affected in one way or another by RfA, this is one issue where I do GAF, and if it's okay, I'd like to talk about that. I'm concerned that an oppose by the guy who just came in 2nd in the Arbcom elections might have a chilling effect ... which is fine if we need to be chilled, but I'm not convinced that there's no safe way forward.

When I see things like "Strong Support - I could use this tool now and then, though due to the immense hostility at RFA I'd be unlikely to pass. ~the editorofthewiki", it makes me sad. We don't need all that many admins on Wikipedia, so we can afford to be choosy, and people are choosy at RfA ... nothing wrong with that ... exactly. But this leaves us with a big pile of very earnest people who probably can't pass RfA yet who would like to contribute, who deserve a community "thumbs up" for the work they've done so far, who are left with the feeling that RfA people are hostile and don't appreciate them. In theory, it would be a win-win if we could break off one or two less-dangerous admin tools for these guys. For them, the experience of trying to convince an admin to grant the tools, and trying to use them correctly, could be a very useful baby-step towards adminship. (I think people are leaning towards relying on individual admins to grant the mini-tools, but if so, we need to get medieval on any admin who doesn't train and watch the people they give the tools to.)

Even if you don't buy any of that, we do have a steady stream of people like User:lustiger seth who need to be able to edit something that's protected (in his case, the spam blacklist), who we (in theory) really need to help us, who probably shouldn't be an admin and doesn't even want to be an admin, he just wants to edit the spam blacklist ... but it looks like we're about to hand him the mop, solely because we need him. It would be nice if we didn't have to twist and warp RfA to try to get it to fit this purpose.

You make a very good point that this tool is currently a dangerous thing to be handing out. I think the supporters are saying that of all the admin tools, this is the one that people most often ask for when they aren't ready for and don't need all the other tools, and the one tool that we most often want to give people so that they can do us a favor. It seems to me, in theory, we could select out the set of protected pages that wouldn't break the wiki if someone screwed around with them, only give access to these, and, as I say, get medieval with any admin who doesn't pay attention to whether the tool-user is misbehaving or not.

A couple of people have said "Nice idea, but the ability to edit protected pages isn't going to be so incredibly useful that it's worth the extra process and the extra headache." If this idea is persuasive, then I think we should throw in one or two other admin tools that aren't going to break the wiki, such as the ability to semi-protect pages. Watching how someone does with that job would be a great way to figure out whether they'll make a good admin or not.

Thoughts? (I'm watchlisting for a few days.) - Dan Dank55 (send/receive) 22:57, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Hi Dank55. I appreciate your popping over here to discuss this, because you have some good points too. I share your frustration with the RfA process; in fact, after I read the discussion on the Village Pump, I went right over and read the RfA for lustiger seth, and supported his nomination, just as I have done for other editors who have specialised skills and needs for the tools. My main concern with respect to handing out editprotected access is in the article space, where I can foresee editors simply editing through protection to carry on an edit war; and in template space, where an ill-considered edit through protection can affect thousands of pages at once. Having individual administrators hand out this tool worries me; there will be no agreed-upon standard (just look at rollback, where some admins hand it out after as few as 20 edits), and it could lead to admin-shopping or worse.

I agree that we do have to find a way to reduce the pressure at RfA, and if there was a way to do some sort of RFA-lite for individuals who clearly need (or will effectively use) one or two tools, I'd probably support it. I do have some concerns that we place far too much emphasis on the importance of adminship generally, and the RFA process specifically; even in the less than a year since my successful nomination, the toxicity of the RFA process has significantly increased. I don't have a good answer as to why.

It might take me a while to get used to the idea that doing some particularly icky scutwork will mean my opinions could be inflated to something more than that of an experienced editor; please bear with me while I make that transition. My opposition to handing out "editprotected" is based on my experience as an editor and an admin, and is certainly not any kind of "official" position. I've also taken a gander at MBisanz's talk page, and he certainly explains some of the technical points far better than I ever could. Thanks again for touching base, because I appreciate the opportunity to discuss it with you. Best, Risker (talk) 04:11, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

You're the 4th person (including myself) who would prefer RfA-lite to having individual admins hand out a new userright; if we're not getting anywhere with the current proposal, I will try to sell this approach to my cohorts. I have pointed some people to Matthew/MBisanz's reply, which seems really helpful. If not "editprotected", which of the admin userrights would be not too dangerous to hand out, useful for reducing backlogs, and good practice for eventual adminship? - Dan Dank55 (send/receive) 04:41, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

2 more deletes

Thanks for deleting one of my old archives. I had tagged three total, but it looks like ClueBot remove the tags on these two:

• User:ClueBot III/Master Detailed Indices/User talk:Jwy/Archive/Apr. 2006 - May. 2007‎‎
• User:ClueBot III/Master Detailed Indices/User talk:Jwy/Archive/Dec. 2005 - Mar. 2006‎‎

Could you delete them as well? Thx (John User:Jwy talk) 05:58, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Happy to help, they've both been deleted now. Risker (talk) 06:04, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

cool. thx. (John User:Jwy talk) 06:06, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

NPA

May you want to comment? See Wikipedia_talk:No_personal_attacks#Addition. ≈ jossi ≈ (talk) 20:06, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Could you please take a look? Your original addition was changed later on to formulation that avoids addressing the reason you added that in the first place. ≈ jossi ≈ (talk) 22:01, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Thanks Jossi for the heads-up. I have commented now; however, I will be AFK for several hours so won't be able to follow this discussion further this evening. Risker (talk) 23:17, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Happy First Day Of Winter!

Happy First Day of Winter!

A stand of Pine trees beautifully coated in winter snow.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa!

Just wishing you a wonderful First Day of Winter 2008! Mifter (talk) 17:25, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

If you live in the Southern Hemisphere and are entering the season of Summer not Winter then I wish you a happy First Day of Summer 2008!
To spread this message to others, add {{subst:First Day Of Winter}} to their talk page with a friendly message.

Congrats on your appointment to the Arbcom and Best of Luck :)! --Mifter (talk) 17:25, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

Access granted

Your Checkuser and Oversight access has been granted per request at Meta. I also turned on access to checkuser-l. Thanks and best wishes. ++Lar: t/c 05:33, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

Thanks

Okay. Thanks for the heads up, Risker. Carabera (talk) 13:17, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

You're joking, right?

After what Seattlehawk94 went through and hundreds if not thousands of falsely attacked editors go through trying to appeal nonsensical blocks based on lies, you actually thought it was proper to remove the fixes to that page? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.197.8.210 (talk) 18:30, 23 December 2008 (UTC)

On the proposal you told me about...

Am I off-base?

Thanks

For the undelete Risker, and a merry Christmas to you. --Joopercoopers (talk) 16:00, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

The grockles, I'm unreliably informed is a fairly recent term used by the royal family to describe the general public. Originally I think it was a west country word for tourists, which doubtless the young princes picked up at Rock, Cornwall. <you even get a citation - gasp!>. Cheers --Joopercoopers (talk) 16:04, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

"For some reason, I imagine a rather awkward, heavyset fellow whose pants are too short." Sounds like I was more or less correct... Risker (talk) 16:39, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

If you'd like to characterise the inhabitants of an entire island so, be my guest - I wouldn't disagree with you over David Beckham. --Joopercoopers (talk) 16:47, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

Xmas

• a fine Xmas message for all of us to be mindful of.... hehehe. Cheers, Casliber (talk · contribs) 22:49, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

Wishing you the very best for the season. Guettarda (talk) 23:56, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

Best of the season

I wish you a very Happy Holidays too, Risker, and a belated congratulations on your impressive ArbCom candidacy. I'm confident you'll do a fine job. Enjoy this week of peace and goodwill from all men, because I fear its the last time you will experience those particular blessings for a while ;) Rockpocket 01:04, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Same sentiments from me Risker, in an effort to help you prepare to be an arbitrator, I've found a very useful guide to writing ArbCom findings. Hope it helps! :)

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a happy Christmas and New year. It's going to be hard to guess what those comments were!!Dineshkannambadi (talk) 01:49, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Thanks Risker. A Happy Holidays to you, your family & friends. Luved the video, the blond was gorgeous (LOL). GoodDay (talk) 02:10, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

PS- Have ya noticed on YouTube lately, their print is in Chinese. GoodDay (talk) 02:35, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Have a good holiday. :) Ottava Rima (talk) 03:37, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Your mailing list

I trust that you will recuse yourself, as an arbitrator, from arbitrations that involve those to whom you are showering favors upon now. Is you mailing list made up of favorites made up of those that voted for you? I am an editor whose question your chose to ignore and not answer during the recent voting for Arbcom members (thus provoking me to vote against you). Therefore, I will watch with great interest where you come down, not only on the issue of favoritism regarding those editors mentioned in the question you chose to ignore, but in conflicts involving these (many) favorites you choose to bestow holiday greeting to now. Many happy holidays and best wishes for next year and all the years to come. Cheers, —Mattisse (Talk) 04:02, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Well, actually, Mattisse, I was extending a greeting to the people who have come and posted on this page in the past year. Some of them I agreed with, and some of them I didn't, but I appreciated the attempt at dialogue. I was just about done, so you should receive yours very soon. Incidentally, I did not ignore your question; as you repeated it, in greater detail, on the candidate question page, I responded there instead, as I indicated in the thread on this page. Best of the season to you. Risker (talk) 04:10, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

I never saw the reply, nor did another who asked me to post diffs for you, so I am not the only one who perceived your lapse.

As long as you recuse yourself on these issues and others regarding these editors, I will have no problem. Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season, and happiness, health and hopefulness in 2009. I trust you'll enjoy this little token, a favorite performance of that video Humm, How Complicated Things Are!, for your holiday amusement. And please, you need not spam my page. I am not the fuzzy wuzzy type. Cheers, —Mattisse (Talk) 04:02, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Well, now that you have spammed my talk page, with a meaningless link back to here, where the heck is your answer to the question I asked you during the arbom elections, entitle "Question from Mattisse"? If you answered it somewhere else, where? —Mattisse (Talk) 04:31, 25 December 2008 (UTC)