User talk:Mbz1

Template:Blocked user

archives 1

Thanks for the inspiration!

Inspiration for real-life creativity award

Hey there! I saw your article, Dead Women Crossing, Oklahoma, on DYK a while back. My goal this summer has been to write six short plays, and your article proved to be an intriguing basis for the first of six that I wrote, aptly titled Dead Women Crossing. It turned out to be an exciting mystery, and though I changed many of the details and, in fact, assigned the blame for the crime to someone other than the person to whom the article assigned it, it still proved a very solid and mysterious basis in fact. I just wanted to give you props for starting the article that inspired this one-act. Thanks so much, and keep it up! BobAmnertiopsis∴ChatMe! 03:11, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

Thank you so much for letting me know my work was useful for you! It is the best award any wikipedia contributor could get. Good luck with your work.--Mbz1 (talk) 03:16, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

You're so welcome. It was an intriguing article. BobAmnertiopsis∴_ChatMe! 03:26, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

Blocked

Per your email request today, I've indefinitely blocked you. Take care, Rd232 ^talk 10:15, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Bluff erosion in Pacifica 2.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on July 26, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-07-26. howcheng {chat} 02:45, 27 July 2011 (UTC)

Congratulations

Congratulations on getting today's feature picture on the main page. I'm also sorry to see that you've allowed the bullies push you into despair to leave the project. You are a valued editor and have contributed more in several days than they have since they registered. I understand that you are leaving the project because of trolls and administrators that are acting on their behalf. I'm hoping to see you back when you are ready. --Shuki (talk) 06:19, 27 July 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for kind words, Shuki! Actually I was going to leave the project for quite some time because I am busy in real life, and not because of trolls and wikihounds. Leaving the project because of trolls and their pet administrators acting on their requests means allow them to win. It is not for me. But you are right about trolls taking over the project. In June of 2005 RickK, who I believe was an administrator had this to say: "There is a fatal flaw in the system. Vandals, trolls and malactors are given respect, whereas those who are here to actually create an encyclopedia, and to do meaningful work, are slapped in the face and not given the support needed to do the work they need to do." It is sad that now in July of 2011 (6 years after it was said) I could sign under each statement RickK made. I also could sign under this comment that definitely is true concerning quite a few administrators: "The way you dish out blocks is worse than any admin I've ever seen, but you cannot or will not accept that there is a problem. You lack the judgement, and the thickness of skin, to do the job properly; you lack the compassion, humanity and humility to admit it when you fuck up". OK, I guess I'd better stop here :-) Best wishes, and happy editing to you,Shuki.--Mbz1 (talk) 17:47, 27 July 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for "compassion, humanity and humility"! I makes me sad to see the best leaving. Looks like I could have written my essay on "rejected" also for you, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:05, 29 July 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for kind words,Gerda. I've just read some editor's contributions, and it made me sad seeing such interesting content contributor got so desperate that they decided to leave.It was very kind of you,Gerda, to be there for this person, when they needed some words of support. Best wishes, and happy editing.--Mbz1 (talk) 13:05, 29 July 2011 (UTC)

Marvellous photos of natural optical phenomena

I just want to express my sincere gratitude to Mbz1 for making these fantastic photos of spectacular natural optical phenomena publicly available. I used her photos in two of my research papers published in professional scientific journals:

Mishchenko, M. I., 2009: Gustav Mie and the fundamental concept of electromagnetic scattering by particles: a perspective, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 110, 1210-1222

Mishchenko, M. I., and L. D. Travis, 2008: Gustav Mie and the evolving discipline of electromagnetic scattering by particles, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc. 89, 1853-1861

In both cases Mbz1's photos served as vivid illustrations of profound physical laws controlling the interaction of light with small cloud particles suspended in air. I hope Mbz1 will continue to make such photos and post them on the web -- this is a great service to both professional scientists, amateur researchers, and all admirers of nature.

Thank you for the kind words.Best wishes.--Mbz1 (talk) 10:59, 29 July 2011 (UTC)

MfD nomination of Wikipedia:The best way to avoid ever being blocked

This discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
Wikipedia:The best way to avoid ever being blocked, a page you substantially contributed to, has been nominated for deletion. Your opinions on the matter are welcome; please participate in the discussion by adding your comments at Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:The best way to avoid ever being blocked and please be sure to sign your comments with four tildes (~~~~). You are free to edit the content of Wikipedia:The best way to avoid ever being blocked during the discussion but should not remove the miscellany for deletion template from the top of the page; such a removal will not end the deletion discussion. Thank you. Nikthestoned 08:40, 29 July 2011 (UTC) Thank you for the funniest MfD I've ever got, and for making fun of me :-) I like to laugh even, if the subject is myself, and I mean it. Best wishes.--Mbz1 (talk) 13:22, 29 July 2011 (UTC) I'd hardly call it making fun of you when you requested the block yourself by email... Nikthestoned 11:45, 1 August 2011 (UTC) It's OK. I really do not mind, if somebody making fun of myself.As a matter of fact I am the first one to make fun of myself, and it is funny that an editor who is blocked indefinitely was not able to follow her own simple instructions :-) in order not to get blocked :-) Besides no matter of the outcome of this MfD I am having a great time with this. First of all during the three days it was nominated it got many more views than it got during its prior lifespan (so my work did not go down in vain :-)), second of all I am really enjoying some laughable arguments of two File:TrollFace.svg (I hope they recognize themselves in these pictures :-) ), so thanks to you I am having a good time all around with this MfD. Cheers.--Mbz1 (talk) 16:00, 1 August 2011 (UTC)

Come back!

Come back! We need you! Your contributions were invaluable!♦ Dr. Blofeld 10:14, 31 July 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for the kind words, but I am afraid that now after my blocking administrator has retired coming back for me would be quite impossible :-) On a more serious note I am busy in a real life. I might come back one day, but it will not be any time soon. Best wishes.--Mbz1 (talk) 15:44, 1 August 2011 (UTC)

notice

Hello. This message is being sent to inform you that there is currently a discussion at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard regarding an issue with which you may have been involved. Thank you. Tarc (talk) 19:24, 1 August 2011 (UTC)

Mbz1, I've reblocked without talkpage access, as this breaches our informal email agreement on what sort of use of your talkpage while blocked is acceptable. Sorry, but there it is. On the bright side, you now have no excuse at all not to seek out greener pastures. Rd232 ^talk 19:38, 1 August 2011 (UTC)

I have no idea why this prolific user would be denied talk page access for saying "trolls" with a pair of cartoons, while this edit summary raised no eyebrows, even as that editor seemed involved with some odd argument about moving around comments on this userpage which doubtless had some role in provoking this response. I'm just glad that Mbz1 and his exceptional photography are still welcome on Commons, which still remembers that content should always be the highest priority. Wnt (talk) 21:03, 2 August 2011 (UTC)

Wnt, it is actually much worse than that. Do you rememberthis AfD? In your vote you commented on the personal attacks made against the author of the article mbz1. You said " Especially I ask that the ad hominem arguments against the editor who started the article be ignored - I've been running into a glut of these arguments with santorum, Marcus Bachmann, even Bernard Lewinsky ... they are perverting the whole AfD process into a series of political trials, where articles are judged based on "whose side" they were created for and which side can get out the vote as needed. ". Then a few days later an absolutely innocent essays Mbz1 wrote was nominated on deletion. The same user that attacked Mbz1 on AfD now comes to MfD with more personal attacks. When that user is asked by another user to elaborate what she meant, she simply ignores the question. A few hours later yet another user comes up to the same MfD with more personal attacks and more false accusations against mbz1 "This is not reflective of anything other than the personal opinion of one of the worst battleground- mentality pov-warriors to grace the I-P topic area in recent memory. Repeatedly blocked and now indef'ed, this last finger-in-the-eye to the Wikipedia community should not be left to stand." What that user is voting about? Does this humors essay has anything at all to do with I/P conflict not to say that all accusations of that user are very, very far from the reality. The vast majority of Mbz1's articles have nothing to do with I/P conflict, and the ones that do, well, what POV Mbz1 pushed with Allah Made Me Funny or with Yoni Jesner and Ahmed Khatib or with The Mountain of Israeli-Palestinian Friendship or with Arab rescue efforts during the Holocaust? Should I go on with this list? What other editor wrote such articles about the opposite side of the conflict?

After Mbz1 is personally attacked a few times in the same MfD she responds to the attacks in the only place she was able to do it on her own talk page. One of the attackers takes her to AN, and bah her talk page access is removed without giving her an opportunity to say a single word in her defense. It is much worse than Kangaroo court. Now Mbz1's talk page access is removed and her attackers are not even warned. Way to go Wikipedia. Broccolo (talk) 16:34, 3 August 2011 (UTC)

Mbz1 was blocked at her request, and as I said there was a private agreement not to use her talkpage while blocked for attacking other editors. Concurrently, it is very bad form to come to a blocked user's talkpage to attack them, so I hope there will be no more of that. But even concerned/interested comments like yours are not really necessary or helpful at this point. Those interested in talking to her can reach her at Commons, where her account is not blocked (though not currently active). Rd232 ^talk 10:22, 3 August 2011 (UTC)

Hmmmm... Well, as someone who's had many, many POV differences with Mbz1, frankly I'd suggest her talkpage access ought to be restored. It seems to me that talkpage access being restricted is a rather extreme, "bind and gag" measure, which ought to be reserved for grossly disruptive behavior. Mbz1 may a persistent I-P warrior and the source of constant consternation, but this strikes me as pretty far from grossly disruptive behavior.

Without trying to appear too critical of Rd232 - "private agreement"s are probably not the best way to operate, particularly in cases where the editor you're going into a "private agreement" with is often the source of wikilawyering. NickCT (talk) 13:18, 3 August 2011 (UTC)

Mbz1's exit involved private issues, which required a private agreement to resolve. I've restored access now (before seeing your comment). Rd232 ^talk 08:22, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Ok Rd232. I guess without having the details of the "private issues", one can only assume you acting properly and in good faith. Thanks for restoring the access. NickCT (talk) 13:42, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Mbz1, talkpage restored. Please be very careful not to use it make comments which may be construed as attacks on other editors, regardless of what other editors are saying here or elsewhere. Rd232 ^talk 08:22, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

DYK for Arabic Mein Kampf

Panyd^{The muffin is not subtle} 00:13, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for an interesting article! It's now at Portal:Germany. I tell others editors: feel free to place DYK related to Germany there yourself. Feel free?! - I took your caring words above to my heart, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:32, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Please come back in your own time

I do hope you will come back at some stage, Mbz1. You can be exasperating and high maintenance, and I get really annoyed with how volatile you get and with some of your politics. You are also magnificently off field and deliciously creative. If Wikipedia can't accommodate you, that is a really serious indictment of Wikipedia, not of you. --Epipelagic (talk) 14:07, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Yes, that's right, and then Jimbo complains wikipedia is loosing contributors. Broccolo (talk) 19:40, 6 August 2011 (UTC)

Request permission to use image

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing on behalf of Singapore's National Parks Board. My company is right now at pre-production stage of a multimedia presentation, for the project "Gardens by the Bay" located in Marina South, Singapore. Gardens by the the Bay is a city garden and is currently under construction. Some key features and activities of the garden include conservatories for cool climate plants, mass floral displays showcasing horticulture and floriculture.

We are creating a video (comprising of various photos as well as stock footage of different events and happenings that are a result of climate change and global warming) aims to educate the public on global issues related to climate change. While researching online, I found a picture on this site (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glaciers_and_Icebergs_at_Cape_York.jpg) that is perfect for our purpose as we are looking at real untouched pics, documentary-like visuals. Thus I am writing you this email to seek your permission to use the picture.

This exhibition will be completed in June - Year 2012 and we hope you will have the opportunity to visit the site in the near future.

Hope to receive a reply from you soon : )

Jayne Multimedia People Pte Ltd Singapore — Preceding unsigned comment added by 119.75.202.48 (talk) 02:53, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

Great Photos!

I am a professor at the University of Montana Western in Dillon, and I am co-authoring the second edition of the Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone Country with Dr. William J. Fritz. I was searching the web for a photo of Grand Prismatic and found your pictures. The book we are publishing is through Mountain Press, and we do not have budget for purchasing photos. However, we appropriately credit all photos. I was wondering if it would be possible to use a few of your photos from Yellowstone in the book? Thanks for your consideration and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Cordially, Dr. Robert C. Thomas Professor of Geology The University of Montana Western

Well, it is time to say goodby

Why I asked to be blocked

There was a record in my block log that became a constant torture to me. So I asked to be blocked in order to remove this record, but later on, after I was blocked, I realized that it was not the record itself that tortured me, but rather it was my own behavior, when I cowardly agreed on humiliating and unwarranted unblock conditions, and in this I have nobody to blame but myself. Of course it is only a website, but I suddenly thought: what if in a real life I would agree to say something that is going against my principles as easy as I did here,on wikipedia, and it was this thought that tortured me. Now, when I am blocked, I feel better. I am trying to think about this as that I turned the clock back, that I have never agreed to be unblocked by betraying myself.Of course it is not exactly honest approach, the clock cannot be turned back,but it was the best I could have done. That's why I no longer care about my block log's record, if somebody wants to bring back the record in question, please do.It is not the redaction of my block log's record that is important to me, but the block itself, and that's why I've decided to follow tarc's wish, and to add template indefinitely blocked user to my talk page (would appreciate somebody adds the same template to my user page as well.)

I'd also like to say very clear: I will never sock. As I explained above this self-requested block was requested to come to terms not with wikipedia, but with myself. That's why I am going to respect this block, and I will never violate it. It is also why I cannot appeal the block. If back in December, I've chosen to stay blocked and appealed it to ArbCom, it would have been the right thing to do. Now appealing self-requested block would be a very silly thing to do. So no appeal is possible for me in my situation, which means I will never (what a scary word "never") come back.

I know that probably most of you would have difficulties in understanding the meaning of what I said above. Well, it is because I came from a different culture, and because of my English, but I tried to explain my feeling the best I could.

Rd232

I'd like to thank Rd232 for being kind and brave. The redaction that he did in my block log was a courageous thing to do. A few days ago Rd232 removed my talk page access. He was right to do it. I promised to him in a private email do not use my talk page to attack other users even, if I am attacked myself. I broken my promise, and my talk page access was removed. I was very hurt, when it happened, but now I am glad that I was proven that my block is for real because of the reasons I stated above. The more real my block is the better I feel.

I'd like to apologize to Rd232 for letting him down.

I am very sorry that Rd232 decided to retire because he is one of a very few administrators who were making difference in dispute resolution process.

HJ Mitchell

I will never be able to express how thankful I am to HJ Mitchell who on two occasions kindly reverted grave dancing posts from my talk page.

I'd also like to ask everybody to be kinder to each other, most of all to people who are down, who cannot respond. We all, including me, should remember "Do not do to others that which you do not want them to do to you".

Having said this, I personally became much stronger over the last few days, and I no longer ask you to be kind to me. Everybody, and I mean everybody, is welcome to this talk page, and is welcome to say whatever he/she wishes to say about me, if it makes him/her feel better.

Goodby

I'd like to thank everybody who stopped by in the last few days. I wish you a happy editing, and... well... it is a time to say goodby.--Mbz1 (talk) 21:42, 8 August 2011 (UTC)

Image request

Dear Mila,

We are in the course of producing a series of two comprehension books for secondary students and would like to reproduce your picture 'Two silhouette profile or a white vase' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Two_silhouette_profile_or_a_white_vase.jpg in one of our books.

Details of our publication: Title: EnglishWise: Comprehension 1 and 2 Territory: Singapore Format: print (paperback) First print run: 3,000 copies Publication date: November 2011

Due acknowledgements will be provided. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards Louisa Mew Publishing Manager Learners Publishing Pte Ltd Address: 222 Tagore Lane #03-01 TG Building Singapore 787603 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.255.1.106 (talk) 02:10, 10 August 2011 (UTC)

Oh I am sorry you are gone

Hello Mila, If you read this, I am very sorry that you are not here anymore even a little. I very much enjoyed working with you on so many fascinating articles such as Fata Morgana, Earth's shadow and so on. Your photography is truly world-class and you seem to be interested in just about everything! I will miss you a lot. I am grateful to have known you a little bit. Feel free to email me if you ever want to. Invertzoo (talk) 22:33, 10 August 2011 (UTC)

Me too. I've just come back from a wikibreak and I'm sorry to hear you've gone. Thanks for the many magnificent photos you've given us. I'm glad that retiring has made you feel better about your block log record, at least. Au revoir, Avenue (talk) 00:24, 12 August 2011 (UTC)

Thank you, Susan, I will always be grateful for your help on many articles we wrote together!

Thank you, Avenue! --Mbz1 (talk) 15:37, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

New book

Dear Mila, I'd like to let you know that the book I used your image for is now announced at Springer:

The book is now at the designer and scheduled for release late October/November. Springer decided not to include the CD with the book as in the Norwegian version - but rather include the CD content on a dedicated webpage for download - what they call: Springer Extra's website. The content includes a lot of animations as well as a PPT version of the book contents. Very useful for lectures.

Read more here:
http://www.springer.com/astronomy/extraterrestrial+physics%2C+space+sciences/book/978-1-4614-0570-2

Book flyer:

http://filer.romsenter.no/Clients/paal/flyer_the_sun.pdf

It will also be available from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Explosive-Sun-Visual-Source/dp/146140570X/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312879357&sr=1-1

Sincerely, Pål Brekke Seniorrådgiver // Senior Advisor Norsk Romsenter // Norwegian Space Centre Drammensvn 165, N-0212 Oslo, Norway — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.109.105.231 (talk) 16:11, 11 August 2011 (UTC)

A kitten for you!

Just a little appreciation for your lovely work, and wish you luck in your life...

~ AdvertAdam ^talk 19:36, 11 August 2011 (UTC)

Thank you, they are so cute, and just what I need now :-)--Mbz1 (talk) 15:37, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Swimming Green Turtle

An image created by you has been promoted to featured picture status Your image, File:Green turtle swimming over coral reefs in Kona.jpg, was nominated on Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates, gained a consensus of support, and has been promoted. If you would like to nominate an image, please do so at Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates. Thank you for your contribution! Makeemlighter (talk) 22:26, 12 August 2011 (UTC)

Puffer_Fish_DSC01257.JPG

Hi Mila

I am assisting Cheryll Williams with her book
Medicinal Plants in Australia Vol3
and she would like to use your image of a Puffer Fish at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Puffer_Fish_DSC01257.JPG

in the volume
If you agree please advise of the attribution that you require should the publisher use the image.
We are a non-profit group supporting Daintree Wildlife Rescue in the Daintree Rainforest in North Queensland, Australia
(daintreewildliferescue.webs.com)
rgds

Ringpicker (talk) 00:38, 22 August 2011 (UTC)

use of an image of a solar glory in a textbook

Hi Mila,

I contacted you last month about using a solar glory image for a textbook being published by Pearson Science and I am working also on the newest edition of that book (the previous book was a reprint) and the author would like to use another photo of yours of a solar glory found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_glory_at_the_steam_from_hot_spring.jpg

It says in the Creative Commons license that it is ok to make use of it as commercial work, but I just wanted to verify that.

This is the book info:

Atmosphere 12e Lutgens/Tarbuck ISBN: 0321756312 c. 2012

Thanks!

Kristin — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wanderlustphotos (talk • contribs) 14:14, 26 August 2011 (UTC)

SONNET: WHEN BULLIED TO HUMILIATE YOURSELF written by Proofreader77 for Mbz1

{MBZ.001.01} ____ WHEN BULLIED TO HUMILIATE YOURSELF {MBZ.001.02} ____ the suffering is gnawing to your soul. {MBZ.001.03} ____ Your ego slips down to the lowest shelf. {MBZ.001.04} ____ THE BULLY SMILES: They've scored another goal. {MBZ.001.05} ____ THE BULLY'S PLEASURE — pushing folks around — {MBZ.001.06} ____ is amplified when they can make you push {MBZ.001.07} ____ yourself into a hole — then strip the sound {MBZ.001.08} ____ out of your voice. The power of the "Shush!" {MBZ.001.09} ____ "You will be silent, that's what you will do." {MBZ.001.10} ____ __________________________________ {MBZ.001.11} ____ __________________________________ {MBZ.001.12} ____ __________________________________ {MBZ.001.13} ____ It seems I've mixed up who this sonnet's for. {MBZ.001.14} ____ __________________________________. [Final line options] a. Perhaps for all who're locked outside the door. b. Yevgeny Yevtushenko or Al Gore? c. The ones locked out, or trapped inside the door? d. ........................................... e. In any case, some more Proofreader lore. LoL f. ........................................ g. .......................................... h. .......................................... i. .......................................... j. (Proofreader's blocked for sonnets — here's one more.)

We are the ones who're "trapped inside the door" and for you, Mila, who's locked outside the door here is a little bird of freedom File:Animalibrí.gif

Thank you, freedom is good :-)--Mbz1 (talk) 15:37, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

September 11

Her dreams, they are as broken wing,
The song that she is not to sing,
Doorbell that never is to ring,
The winter in the middle of spring,

The child whom she would never hold,
The kiss that would be snowy cold,
The story that would stay untold,
The stars that she’s not to behold,

The flower that’s not to bloom,
The dance that’s never to resume,
The empty bed in empty room,
The never worn or smelled perfume,

The creek that’s not to reach the sea,
The sadness of root out tree,
The bird that never would fly free
From night that’s crying as banshee,

She could have put on bridal gown,
To marry guy who lives next door,
If only she would've made it down
From the one hundred second floor.

She’s gone, and now only pain
Pours rain as tears and tears as rain.

--Mbz1 (talk) 15:37, 11 September 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Dead trees at Mammoth Hot Springs.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on September 15, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-09-15. howcheng {chat} 15:55, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

Beautiful! --Gerda Arendt (talk) 16:47, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Development of Green Flash.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on October 10, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-10-10. howcheng {chat} 17:28, 6 October 2011 (UTC)

Hello Mila,

I recently stumbled across one of your photos attached to the Wikipedia article on Parallax. I was entranced. I must have stared at this work for at least ten minutes before I found myself clicking every link I could find to see if there were more. You ma'am, have a great talent. Thank you so much for doing what you do and allowing Wikipedia so share it so freely. It's folks like you that I'm grateful for in the world.

A twenty-minute old fan, Christina — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.5.138.215 (talk) 01:51, 7 October 2011 (UTC)

Um... sorry... I think you've come to the wrong place. Mila just doesn't belong here... she's finally realized that and gone. We block inconvenient people like Mila and hound them til they leave. But if you yourself have no talent, take yourself tremendously seriously, and most profoundly detest anything that might be fun, creative or sparkling, then welcome, welcome, welcome, you have come home. --Epipelagic (talk) 03:43, 7 October 2011 (UTC)

Yes, Epipelagic, you're correct. Mila is gone, bullied away by people with motives that are anything but pure, but she's still taking pictures and writing interesting and informative articles. Only now she's doing it in a much friendlier and more congenial environment. And there's one more difference. One now has to pay to read Mila's articles. Sad loss for Wikipedia. Sad loss for knowledge.--Jiujitsuguy (talk) 18:34, 7 October 2011 (UTC)

Image Request for Mila

Dear Mila,

I am a Producer on a programme for the National Geographic Channel about the sinking of the Titanic. We are currently trying to get hold of images of superior mirages and looming. I was very interested in one your photos, see below:

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/fz168.htm.

Is there any chance that I could get hold of this image for our programme? The Director would like to use it for filming this week if possible?

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Karen Kirk Bedlam Productions — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.143.254.50 (talk) 17:45, 10 October 2011 (UTC)

Mila, you are everywhere. First BBC requested your image and now National Geographic Chanel did!

Agree with Jiujitsuguy and Epipelagic, there's something wrong with Wikipedia community that bullied away such unique contributor as Mbz1.

Please come back. Broccolo (talk) 21:19, 10 October 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Mauna Loa from the air.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on October 13, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-10-13. howcheng {chat} 17:49, 11 October 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:2010 mavericks competition.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on October 20, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-10-20. howcheng {chat} 16:35, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Carpilius convexus is consuming Heterocentrotus trigonarius in Hawaii.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on October 25, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-10-25. howcheng {chat} 17:52, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

Commercial use of a photograph of yours

Dear Ms. Zinkova:

I am about to publicize a website containing a photograph of yours, obtained through Wikimedia Commons. The end result is the following:

http://sites.google.com/site/aldoloup/home/not-all-that-glitters-is-ufo

The same page in Spanish, Portuguese and maybe other languages will follow. A printed version is envisioned too.

I want to be sure that you have no complaint about this use of your work. I really don't want to have problems over copyright issues down the road.

I want to thank for the opportunity to use your work in commercial ventures.

If you have any issue with this use of your work, please let me know immediately.

I am acting in good faith, in the firm belief that the license for commercial use that appears in the Wikimedia Commons page of your photograph is completely valid, accurate and current.

Thank you very much.

Aldo Loup.

aldoloup@hotmail.com — Preceding unsigned comment added by 186.16.8.119 (talk) 19:49, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

Miss you

I hope you are doing well. I miss you. Invertzoo (talk) 18:44, 31 October 2011 (UTC)

Hi Susan, thank you for this post! It is very kind of you to miss me after all extra boring copy-editing work I was asking you to do, when I was around :-)

I do miss you too.

It is interesting that I saw your post today, when I logged in for the first time since September 11, and I did it to communicate with you, Susan.

I would like to ask you for a favor please. It is about this article.

I was asked to read an article about mirages that is going to be published in a serious journal,and provide my expert :-) opinion on some images and so on. One of the images used in the article is this image.

I have no idea what I was thinking of, when I provided the description for it as "Superior mirage of the boats". This image does not depict a realistic phenomena or as Dr. Andy Young put it: "It does not realistically depict actual phenomena -- except maybe psychological ones".

The first problem is that the mirage of the right yacht is much longer than the real yacht herself is. Mirages never change the length of the objects. The distortion always occurs only in a vertical direction.

The second problem is that both mirages depicted too high above the horizon. It is never like this in a real life. The mirages are seen only in a narrow strip (duct) just above the horizon.

So to make a long story short, it was an unforgivable error I made, when I put such description as I did for this image. I should have known better.

The only thing that makes me feel better is that even some scientists sometimes get it wrong.I've been doing lot's of reading about mirages lately, and came upon this article published by Cambridge University Press. As you see it claims that mermen and mermaids described by 13 century navigators in the King's Mirror are nothing else but superior mirages of orcas, walrus or even boulders. It is definitely an interesting suggestion that might even have some grounds, except one cannot see a superior mirage of an orca, maybe an inferior mirage, but not a superior one. A breaching orca is still way too small to see him from the distance required for seeing a superior mirage.

So, Susan, could you please fix the description of the image itself, and maybe in the article too to make it very clear for everybody that it is not a realistic superior mirage.

Thank you and best wishes.--Mbz1 (talk) 04:51, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Oh, Hi Mila, sorry it took me weeks to get back to you, I only just now saw that you had replied to me! I went ahead and changed both the description and the caption in the article. I hope that what I wrote seems OK to you now. All very best wishes to you, Invertzoo (talk) 14:29, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Per your request

By your email request I reviewed this post and I would agree that Daedalus's posting to Gwen's talk page could be taken as campaigning because it wasn't neutral (i.e. actively asking for a block). It would have been better for Daedalus to post to the ANI discussion that was happening at that time (which would be the case in all such situations). Given that, it may not have been the best decision for Gwen to block you; that decision may have better been left to another admin for transparency. Thanks, Black Kite (t) 01:40, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for your honest review and for being not afraid to say it publicly, Black Kite!

Mbz1 (talk) 03:45, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Mercury transit 2.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on November 7, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-11-07. howcheng {chat} 19:57, 4 November 2011 (UTC)

POTD notification

POTD

Hi Mila,

Just to let you know that the Featured Picture File:Kohala coast at the Big Island of Hawaii from the air levels.jpg is due to make an appearance as Picture of the Day on November 11, 2011. If you get a chance, you can check and improve the caption at Template:POTD/2011-11-11. howcheng {chat} 01:19, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Use Request

I work with Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit that supports the work of the National Park Service at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Among other activities, we produce park-related products and publications. We're now working on products for the new Lands End Lookout, a visitor center at Merrie Way, near the Cliff House.

One of the products, which will also appear as part of a Visitor Center exhibit, is a set of "fortunetelling" cards: on one side of each card will be an illustration and on the other is a photo of an individual Lands End attraction, along with a short fortune.

We'd like to use your photo of Ocean Beach and the Cliff House (posted on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cliff_House_from_Ocean_Beach.jpg) on one of the cards. The cards are vertical, so we'd need to crop it somewhat.

I see that you've allowed the photo's use under the Creative Commons license, but thought it would be a good idea to check in with you directly as well. We will, of course, credit you on the card.

May we proceed?

Susan Tasaki — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.226.227.200 (talk) 21:07, 11 November 2011 (UTC)

Your Photo

Dear Ms. Zinkova,

I am a production assistant at Singularity, LLC. We are producing a documentary film about the end of the Mayan Calendar on 12/21/2012. You can our trailer on You Tube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlI86ukGmM

We would like to use your image from the link below in our film. We believe that you have copyright to this image. If you do not, could you possibly reference us to its source? If you do hold copyright, could we have your permission to use it in our film? If so please reply indicating we can use the image, and as well, please let us know how we should attribute the credits. Thanks in advance.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dry_lake_bed_in_Death_Valley.JPG

Sincerely, -Emma Paul — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.22.15.219 (talk) 21:54, 14 November 2011 (UTC)

Image use

Hello Mila,

We'd like to use your images of solar glories and fogbows for a slide show on Scientific American's web site. I hope you do not mind. Please let me know if you need any further information.

Sincerely, Monica Bradley Photo Editor Scientific American — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.199.186.2 (talk) 22:41, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Impressive, how real magazines ask for your photos, girl!

And to think I got you to take a geeky science one also!

Hey, could you start a WR thread on a presentation I wrote? Put it in the Annex so that meanie Glassbead does not shit on it. (should they put the whole forum in the annex...like some Klein bottle?) But am interested in what more quantitative ones like Peter Damian and Kohs and the like think. Also, there is a lot of institutional memory there, so if this was all done years ago...they will know. I don't have an account there and they seem really harsh with all the outing and stuff. Sorry, no hot pictures for Horsey.

See here: PowerPoint: Wikipedia's poor treatment of its most important articles

69.255.27.249 (talk) 15:57, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for commenting on my images.

I believe WR thread was started by someone else. Sorry I check on my talk page here only once in a while now.

Good luck with your struggle.--Mbz1 (talk) 20:22, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Cliff House from Ocean Beach

An image created by you has been promoted to featured picture status Your image, File:Cliff House from Ocean Beach.jpg, was nominated on Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates, gained a consensus of support, and has been promoted. If you would like to nominate an image, please do so at Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates. Thank you for your contribution! Jujutacular talk 01:55, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

For Mila

Just saying thanks for all the pretty pictures. If I had photos of that quality, I'd never have the selflessness to upload them for Wikipedia. Nightw 13:44, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you, Night w!

But me uploading images on wikipedia has nothing to do with selflessness. To me the best award for my images is an ability to share them with as many people as possible. I love taking pictures, and most of the time quality is of a little importance to me. For example one of my favorite subjects are mirages. It is hard to take a good image of a superior mirage because it always located far away, and in my city it is almost always against the sun. These images will not pass FPC, but, if some people learned something new from my images, and maybe became enthusiastic about looking for an amazing display themselves, it means that the time I spent on wikipedia was not wasted.

I am still taking images, but now without ability to edit wikipedia, I am looking for a different venues to share them. A few weeks ago I observed an interesting mirage, and I submitted my image to EPOD.

Thank you once again for your kind words!

Happy editing!--Mbz1 (talk) 20:36, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Wow I just realised, I've seen your mirage work before on the Fata Morgana article! But I was more referring to the kind of work seen on your userpage. Do you have a Flickr account? It's one of the main hunting grounds for contributions to photography and natural science publications... Nightw 04:36, 29 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you. As a matter of fact user:Invertzoo and me were the ones who completely re-wrote the article. From many images that are used in the article I believe this one is one of the most interesting. I saw this kind of display only two times, two days in a row. I was surprised to find out that This effect was first described in the medieval King's Mirror like this "hafgerdingar look as if all the storm-waves of the sea were gathered together in three continuous combers; the three wavecrests surround the whole sea in such a way that there is no escape (opening) ; they are higher than big mountains and as steep as precipices, so that in but few cases have people escaped from the sea when this has occurred." It is amazing that medieval explorers saw and described it. I assume it looked really scary to them.

I have Flickr account, but I forgot, when I used it the last time.

Best wishes.--Mbz1 (talk) 20:20, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

symbolic unblock request

What you will see below is my symbolic unblock request for my December block that was lifted almost a year ago. So why am I doing it now? I am doing it now not to take a revenge,not to sanction somebody, but for two reasons only:

1. To explain why users who accused me in hounding and in being "disingenuous at best" were wrong. I am sure there is no day expiration to set the record straight.

2. To help others who find themselves in a similar situation.How I could help others? Well, here's my advise to you:If you believe your block was wrong never agree on unwarranted unblock conditions,never admit the block was right, never give in to bullying. I did (after my blocking admin Gwen Gale intimidated me first with an indefinite block, and then with removing my talk page access), and this opened a way to even more bullying and more harassment. If you believe you are right, stand by it to the end whatever this end is going to be. Never betray yourself and your principals. I did, and I cannot forgive myself for doing so.

On the other hand there's absolutely nothing wrong in issuing an apology, if you agree you were in a wrong.

So here's my symbolic unblock request. I agree it is something different. I do not want to be really unblocked. When I requested this indefinite block I am under now, it was done partly to punish myself for giving in to a bully, but with the time passed I started to look at my block as at my protection shield against bullies. Yes, I am a coward. I admit I am afraid of ever coming back to wikipedia because I am afraid of being bullied as I was. I was never afraid of anything in my life. I was not afraid to snorkel with 50 feet long whale sharks in a middle of Indian Ocean, I was not afraid to do cage diving with great white sharks, I was not afraid of a charging Komodo Dragon, I was not afraid of walking over active lava tube that could have caved at any moment with the red lava boiling just beneath my feet... I, who was not afraid of anything, am afraid of getting back to wikipedia because I have been bullied even after I was blocked, but on a smaller rate.

I will never ask to be really unblocked, so my bullies could relax.

What results I am looking for from filing this symbolic unblock request. I would like that this symbolic unblock request being symbolically accepted without a real unblock. I kind of doubt that this is going to happen because such an action requires a really honest and unafraid admin, and admin who cares.

I will not be surprised, if this symbolic unblock request is symbolically declined. After all I am disrupting my own talk page while blocked. It's OK. I had to put this symbolic unblock request, and I did.

I will not be surprised, if there is no response at all. After all who cares? Right?

This user's unblock request has been reviewed by an administrator, who declined the request. Other administrators may also review this block, but should not override the decision without good reason (see the blocking policy).

Mbz1 (block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser (log))

---

Request reason:

The block message

Around a year ago I was blocked. In her blocking reason my blocking admin has stated: "Straight off your interaction ban, you began wantonly hounding that editor and others, again. I have blocked you for one week, owing to harassment and disruption. If, when this block lifts, you carry on with this behaviour, your next block will be much longer. Gwen Gale (talk) 18:32, 23 December 2010 (UTC)"

My response to Gwen Gale's rational

1. Gwen Gale writes: "Straight off your interaction ban". Gwen Gale failed to provide a difference to support her claim about "Straight off your interaction ban". In reality a three month interaction ban issued by my own request has ended (not started) more than 6 month before the incident in question. 6+ months could hardly be called "straight off".
2. Gwen Gale writes: "you began wantonly hounding that editor and others, again". Gwen Gale failed to provide a difference to support her claim about hounding, but I am willing to do her job for her. Let's talk about me hounding "that editor and others, again". First of all I have never hounded either that "editor" or anybody else.I made a single comment on an/i in a thread started by someone else. This comment cannot be called "hounding" because I did not even watch "that editor" contributions. I had AN/I at my watch list, and, when I saw another editor in distress,having the same experience I did with "that editor", I decided to express my support for the editor in distress. To be exact not only I have never "hounded" "that editor", but "that editor" was hounding me, and was warned more than once to leave me alone: administrator:NuclearWarfare who wrote: "Frankly, I don't care how uncivil you perceive Mbz1 to be. The fact of the matter is your constant pursuit of them across multiple fora ..." and "I find the behavior that you and Baseball Bugs have shown towards Mbz1 in this matter to be utterly inexcusable. Your persistent templating of Mbz1 despite the editor's valid removal of these warnings is childish beyond belief. Granted, Mbz1 did not act in all civility with his comments on the SSP, but to persistently fuel and escalate this matter with your warnings is not acceptable. "Repeatedly restoring warnings does nothing but antagonize users" sums up the matter. I urge you to refrain from contacting Mbz1 for this matter; your input into this matter has not been helpful."
3. I could only guess what "others" editors Gwen Gale is talking about, but my best guess Gwen Gale had in mind user Demiurge1000. Why? I guess probably because I filed SPI request concerning Demiurge1000 and Dædαlus.

SPI and canvassing

Let's talk about SPI and canvassing. I filed this SPI in a hurry because I took a bait, but I filed it in a good faith not to harass anybody, but in trying to defend myself. When back then I filed a real unblock request SarekOfVulcan declined with this message: "decline=You know well by now that editors are supposed to be notified when they're discussed on ANI, so running around claiming "canvassing" is disingenuous at best. That frivolous SPI was clearly harassment, and you were properly blocked. "

1. SarekOfVulcan writes: "You know well by now that editors are supposed to be notified when they're discussed on ANI, so running around claiming "canvassing" is disingenuous at best". My response:No, SarekOfVulcan, you are mistaking about this.There's no requirement to notify everybody, who's mentioned in a thread, only users who are the subject of a discussion should be notified. The notified users were not the subjects of the thread, they were not even discussed in the AN/I thread at all, they had nothing to do with the AN/I thread. They were only artificially brought to AN/I thread by user betsythedevine and user Demiurge1000 in order of "to sway consensus by selectively notifying editors who have or are thought to have a predetermined point of view or opinion". I am willing to assume a good faith towards actions of betsythedevine and Demiurge1000. They wanted to have me blocked, but I believe they were sure their actions were within the policies,and I only like to ask you to assume a good faith towards my actions too. The notified users were chosen selectively, there is no requirement of notifying everybody, who is mentioned on AN/I. I had a very good reasons to call it canvassing, and I did. And I stand by this definition even now, a few months later.
2. SarekOfVulcan writes:"That frivolous SPI was clearly harassment". I discussed that SPI above. I filed it not to harass anybody, but to defend myself because I looked for an explanation why Demiurge1000 is going above and beyond in order to make me blocked (I was not surprised about actions of betsythedevine, who once hounded me even to Commons). The first explanation I came up with was that he is a sock of the filer. Wrong, yes? Not well thought of? Yes? Harassment? No.

Conclussion

I am not saying I've done nothing wrong. I am only saying that all my actions I discussed in this unblock request were done in a good faith either to support an editor in distress, or to defend myself, and definitely not to harass and/or to hound anybody.

Decline reason:

Procedural Decline; user requests not to be unblocked. UltraExactZZ ^Said ~ Did 20:14, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

---

If you want to make any further unblock requests, please read the guide to appealing blocks first, then use the {{unblock}} template again. If you make too many unconvincing or disruptive unblock requests, you may be prevented from editing this page until your block has expired. Do not remove this unblock review while you are blocked.

Once again this is a symbolic unblock request. I would not like to be unblocked. As I explained above I consider my block to be a blessing. --Mbz1 (talk) 20:07, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

I'm not familiar with your circumstances, but I do know that we don't use the unblock template without actually, you know, wanting to be unblocked. Of course your statements remain, and I'm sure other admins will comment further as necessary. Best, UltraExactZZ ^Said ~ Did 20:14, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

It should be removed - after all, we don't use unblocks to WP:SOAP. Mbz1, you're a good editor when you keep yourself reined in. Your blocks and many of your interactions were your own damned fault, but you often blamed others. This martyring of yourself kinda proves it in the long run. (talk→ BWilkins ←track) 20:18, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

BWilkins, I am not blaming others, I am defending myself.I am not martyring myself.I am not a martyr. I am a human, and humans make mistakes. I did too, many mistakes. As I mentioned above I only wanted to explain why the accusations of me hounding others and being "disingenuous at best" are false. I know I should have done it at the time I was blocked, but I was so upset back then that I was not able to do it. Once again I wrote this request not because I wanted to take a revenge but only because I believe there is no time expiration for setting the record straight.

What would have been helpful for me, if you,BWilkins, are to tell me, what would have you done, if you were sure you were falsely accused. Thanks.--Mbz1 (talk) 20:28, 6 December 2011 (UTC)

So here it is

• 'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
  'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
  'I don't much care where —' said Alice.
  'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat

Spumoni

Spumoni

• 'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
  'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
  'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
  'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.'
  

Request image use

Mila,

I work for a company that designs and fabricates natural history museum exhibits. We are currently working on an exhibit that will illustrate biodiversity. It will require a large photo mural of a tide pool. I happened upon your image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/Tide_pools_in_santa_cruz.jpg via a web search .

Our mural will be about 28 ft. wide x 9 ft. high.

1) What usage fee would you charge to have your tide pool image reproduced at that size as part of a museum exhibit? 2) In what format does the image exist (4x5 transparency, high-resolution digital image...)?

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for your time.

Allan Burch — Preceding unsigned comment added by Aburch11 (talk • contribs) 01:23, 7 December 2011 (UTC)