User talk:Drmies

Here's something rather astonishing

I was just watching a BBC television programme, What Do Artists Do All Day, which featured a taxidermist called Polly Morgan. She built a replica of Gonsales's Engine complete with flying gansas, which apparently sold for about £90,000. Malleus Fatuorum 02:21, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• Wow...what did it look like? Real? You think it might have worked? Oh, I tried to find an edition of Godwin in Powell's but may not have looked in the right sections (the store occupies an entire city block). I don't want to read it online and I've asked my boss, but I was wondering what you were reading. Drmies (talk) 14:29, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
• Pity--the BBC iPlayer doesn't work on my side of the Atlantic... Drmies (talk) 14:39, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

  I'm reading the online edition here. The Engine was only on screen for a second or two, but it looked very much like the book illustration. Would it have worked? I doubt it, as all of the "gansas" were stuffed. Malleus Fatuorum 14:42, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• I'll have a look, thanks. BTW, we have an article (sort of) on "gans": Gans (surname). I assume he knew German. Drmies (talk) 14:46, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

  Actually, I just watched that bit of the programme again. The artwork is called "Departures", and you can see it here. But it's not based on Gonsales's Engine, it's based on an 1865 invention by someone unnamed. Also, it's carried by eagles, not gansas. So I got it wrong basically. Malleus Fatuorum 15:13, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• Ha, a wild goose chase... I couldn't find larger images of Departures, but it sure looks impressive. Drmies (talk) 15:43, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

I've finished reading the book and topped up the Plot summary. The story ends rather abruptly in China with Gonsales sending a letter home to Spain, a bit odd really. The book is only 47 pages long, not 70 as I said earlier; the last part is an entirely different story, A Journey of Several English Merchants from Oratava in Teneriff ..., which is unconnected with Gonsales's story.

"The language Gonsales encounters on the Moon bears no relation to any language on Earth, and it takes him months to acquire enough fluency to communicate properly with the inhabitants." I'm not sure I entirely agree with this introduction to the Lunar language section. Gonsales makes the point that the Chinese spoken by the mandarins is very like the language spoken by the Lunars. Malleus Fatuorum 16:01, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

My boss doesn't have a copy. I'll keep looking. I'll check the source on the language bit. Drmies (talk) 16:40, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

OK--I based this on a quote from Gonsales, early on, "because it hath no affinitie with any other that ever I heard." I overextended the range. Thanks, Drmies (talk) 16:44, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Yes we are. Thanks. I'm printing out the linked version; I wish I had an edited version, but I'm not about to drop $20 on the Broadview (a press which, by the way, I like a lot, and I'd trust their edition). Drmies (talk) 17:06, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

That is one slowly developing narrative. Foreseeing WiFi, though, is a nice touch. Drmies (talk) 18:48, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Malleus--on the topic of language, I came across this, Silbo Gomero language. Pity Gonsales wasn't temporarily delayed by those natives. Drmies (talk) 19:12, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• After reading the section above I was wondering which Portland you were in, but Powell's nails it: OR. One of my favorite US cities and not just because I have some great friends there. Free public transportation, for one. And I'm a card-carrying member of a church there (the First Church of Elvis... :-)). Powell's is awesome, wish I could spend a few days or a week in there... (Although that might clutter up my house even more with books than is already the case). --Randykitty (talk) 18:07, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
  • Not free, Randy, but cheap: $5 for a day pass. I spent $150 at Powell's, almost all of it on modern fiction that "rubbishes romantic love" (Lust). Sex will never be the same again. Drmies (talk) 18:29, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
    • Oh no, did they change that? A few years ago it was still completely free (at least in the city center). Still, 5 bucks is indeed not much for a day pass. As for books, I'm afraid that my interests are rather limited apart from work-related stuff and newspapers: since I was 13, I only read science fiction (and my collection is now nearing 40 stretching meters... :-) --Randykitty (talk) 18:35, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• Having read through the whole book now I'm rather puzzled by the introduction (page 6 of the 2nd edition), which says this: "... his going on board an India ship bound for Europe; his safe arrival in his own country, where he made his discoveries to the King of Spain, who held several cabinet councils to deliberate on a proper use of these discoveries", but none of that appears in the book. What do you think is going on? Malleus Fatuorum 21:19, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
  • I'll finish reading tomorrow--today was a long day and my brain is fried (too much Herta Muller and leveling in Middle English). I am puzzled by the introduction as well and will look at it again when I'm done with the whole thing--it's one of the reasons I wanted to look at a modern edition, and I may order one through ILL. As a matter of fact, I was hoping the Wikipedia article would clear up one of the things that bothered me. The irony! Drmies (talk) 04:55, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

    That introduction also calls the gansas "geese", whereas Gonsales describes them as swans. My suspicion is that the introduction was written by the publisher, not by Godwin, trying to tie the two stories together, but I don't have access to the first edition. Of course nobody else does either, but that's by-the-by. Malleus Fatuorum 05:06, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

You two have seen this article, right? I keep wondering whether he was thinking of the Sanskrit word that can refer either to a goose or a swan, hansa, but the date is so early it's more likely the answer lies in the Latin, which the article seems to say preceded the English? I went looking for discussion of the Latin version and found nowt. Yngvadottir (talk) 17:06, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• Thanks for that link, Yngvadottir; I've printed the article and am looking forward to reading it (have some Marlowe criticism to read first). Drmies (talk) 21:39, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Reformatting of comments

Sorry about the reformatting; I sometimes indent comments in order to make them easier for readers to discern at a glance. I didn't think you'd mind. Nightscream (talk) 21:02, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

• Thanks for your note. Occasionally I like to stick my "keep" or "delete" in the swing of things, to make it look less like a vote and more like a conversation. Drmies (talk) 02:46, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

DYK...

that the banjo is a symphonic instrument? I saw the evidence tonight as the composer performed his Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra: The Imposter with the UGA Symphony Orchestra. It was followed by an encore of improvised variations on "Happy Birthday" + "Dueling Banjos" + "Theme from The Beverly Hillbillies" (and all that followed the orchestra's playing of Debussy and Bernstein). The universe conspired to make me hear this fine music by not having me work my usual evening this week and then throwing a free ticket at me. Life is good. LadyofShalott 02:47, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• Banjo? Cool! Take a break, Lady, you deserve it. Also, you're a hot chick and I gave Writ Keeper your number. Drmies (talk) 03:21, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
  • Drmies, the matchmaker. Forget WP:NOT. Love is in the air, maybe. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 05:21, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
    • That's right Cullen. Spring is here; time for little birds to make little nests. Ah, to be young and randy again. Drmies (talk) 16:32, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
      • <just grins and shakes head> LadyofShalott 01:57, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
        • ...How you doin'? ;) Writ Keeper (t + c) 03:25, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
          • What a great running gag that was. Drmies (talk) 14:56, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

  There's a discussion of the polyphonic charms of the guitar in the classic guide to orchestration, Berlioz, I think. The banjo was the stringed rhythm instrument in jazz bands until the the forces of guitar production improved: The American company Martin invented steel strings, a truss-rodd (to keep the neck stable despite the tension of steel strings), and I believe the Dreadnought body-size; also archtop guitars increased the volume. With the higher volume of the improved guitars, plectrum/pick players moved from banjo to guitar en masse. Kiefer.Wolfowitz 17:17, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Some cookies!

	Here's a plate full of cookies to share!
	Hi Drmies, here are some delicious cookies to help brighten your day! However, there are too many cookies here for one person to eat all at once, so please share these cookies with at least two other editors by copying {{subst:Sharethecookies}} to their talk pages. Enjoy! AutomaticStrikeout (T • C • AAPT) 15:49, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• TY muchly. Drmies (talk) 16:36, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• No problem, but please do share. I'm trying to start a sort of chain-wikilove thing with this template. It had some early momentum, but then it basically stopped. AutomaticStrikeout (T • C • AAPT) 16:40, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• I prefer spreading Wikilove, since it's spring and kittens are gluten-free. Drmies (talk) 16:54, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

You quoted me?

I see you quoted me on your userpage. Would you mind removing it?--MONGO 18:53, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

• I will be happy to, Mongo, without conditions, though I would be pleased to hear you say that you no longer adhere to that sentiment. Drmies (talk) 21:38, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

  I don't. Hasty words can be misconstrued...it was just me being to blame since so many seemed to want to blame me...so I was being sarcastic actually.--MONGO 22:50, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

  Thanks...I see you went ahead and did it anyway. Best wishes.--MONGO 22:52, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Eine Frage

Though my first interaction with you wasn't so great on my end (for which I apologize), I have come with a question. Feel free to redirect me if you feel that's best. I'm trying to beef up Marlen Haushofer and her novel The Wall, but most of my sources are auf Deutsch. (I know the pages both need other work besides, citations, etc.) Now, I have no problem translating appropriate quotes for use from academic articles (from JSTOR and the like), but do you know how in the heck I would cite such a thing (my own translating of the material, that is)? I've looked around (maybe not enough), and all I can find is WP:NONENG, which basically just said it's okay to use Wikipedia-editor translations if others aren't available. Again, I'm sorry to bother you, and I apologize for my earlier brashness. I'm constantly trying to reign in the snark on my end, and sometimes I do a less than stellar job. Icarus of old (talk) 18:40, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) I do this all the time. Summarise whenever possible; include the original in the footnote where you quote in your own translation, and where the statement may be surprising or contentious; use what English translations there are, as alternate renderings if you don't think they are so great; and footnote to what English sources there are, a bit more generously than you would based on what they add. Yngvadottir (talk) 18:46, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Thanks a lot! I appreciate it! Icarus of old (talk) 20:22, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

I have little to add to Yngvadottir's advice, except for this: thank you for your note, which was kind and gracious. I saw that you had made an edit to Lust, for which I thank you also: that article was unbecoming and you have made it better. Please feel free to drop by any time--and to correct me when I am wrong and admonish me when I'm impatient, which all the talk page stalkers know happens frequently. Drmies (talk) 21:36, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

MoscowConnection

He's over at ANI Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents#Apparently I'm marked by 2channel. Being wiki-stalked, character assassination, wholesale reverts, just thought I'd let you know. Ryan Vesey 21:53, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Grundläggande kunskaper

Jag vet ju att holländarna är fullkomligt tokiga med alla sina språk, men är inte "grundläggande kunskaper i svenska" att gå lite väl långt? Vad ska du ha dom till? Bishonen | talk 22:20, 27 March 2013 (UTC).

• I take "basic" quite literally, dear Bish. "Basic" is advanced enough to understand (most of) what you just wrote; to get directions to Kävlinge and to learn that I mispronounced the initial sound (of course); to find the Pripps Blå in the supermarket; et cetera. I will gladly admit that I couldn't write a word of this in Swedish, and that my sj was meager (though not terrible--it's found in my uncle's family name). But hey, if I manage to seduce a woman in a given language, I'll consider that advanced. To be young and randy again... Drmies (talk) 22:39, 27 March 2013 (UTC)
• Hmm. The source of the family name is a red link even on the Swedish wiki: Skapar Viksjö, Borgholms kommun. Drmies (talk) 22:41, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

[/me is in a frenzy of envy at the sheer number of Drmies' babelboxes. Mentally lists the languages in which she herself might conceivably seduce someone. Would it be fair to include Danish and Norwegian? Yes! Why the hell not! But the list is still pathetically short.] Now I'm sad. But at least I'm still randy. Bishonen | talk 10:06, 28 March 2013 (UTC).

"pathetically short..."--that's what she said, I suppose, in Swedish. Drmies (talk) 14:55, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

• Kiefer, we need to look into this. I thought all Pripps Bla was Lättöl--the article doesn't confirm that. Plus it needs a major overhaul. Drmies (talk) 16:05, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

  Swedish beer (or what my Danish friends refer to as Swedish piss) comes in at least four alcohol-grades: Lättöl (2.2%, I think, available at university cafeterias), 2.8%, 3.5%, and higher (State monopoly). Fil has some alcohol, but printing it would benefit from scientific notation. Kiefer.Wolfowitz 17:10, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Text almost entirely quotes

...Mostly from plaques: 14th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry monument. What to do? LadyofShalott 03:41, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

• Time to act, and act quickly. Lady, it seems that Writ Keeper's life, without you, is so hollow that he had to resort to doing silly undeletions and moves and all. Next thing you know he's merging histories and doing Requested moves. That boy needs a life, and some love. Also, our next Wiki meet-up should be in Portland, a nice, clean, liberal hippie town. Drmies (talk) 03:47, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
• Ha, it was worse--a copyvio from the get-go since it totally copied an NPS article. Drmies (talk) 03:51, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
  • Can...anybodeeeeeeeee...find me...somebody toooo love... Writ Keeper (t + c) 03:52, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
    • Oh for Pete's sake do I have to give you her NUMBER????!!!??? Drmies (talk) 03:53, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
    • So I went to get dinner at the local burrito place (best beer selection in town as well) and one of my students is working there--she looked even cuter than in class. But as the Lady can tell you I am a person of high morals. Yes sir. Drmies (talk) 03:55, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
      • Also: technically I don't think that counts as a copyvio; a NPS website would presumably be public domain. Still plagiarism if it's not fully attributed, though. Writ Keeper (t + c) 03:58, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
        • I don't think so. Hmm interesting: I just read this disclaimer and you appear to be right (unusual!). Well, maybe you should undelete it, PROD it as plagiarized terrible writing (the entire article was simply copied), delete it next week, and then rewrite it using the NPS source? The way you're going, you're not getting a date for a long time. Drmies (talk) 04:03, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
          • Yeah, I didn't jump on the deletion, because I wasn't sure it was technically a copyvio, but it sure was poorly done. LadyofShalott 04:17, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

InSystems Corporation

Hey Drmies, I came across InSystems Corporation during NewPage patrol at Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation (in article space at that name). I moved it to the page it's at now but upon further inspection I'm not sure if it should perhaps be moved into AfC space. I can't find any evidence of it being in AfC space to begin with (looking at the authors contribs). I'm not quite sure what's happened but I suspect perhaps that the author has simply created the article and added the AfC tags to avoid it being deleted? I want to WP:AGF on this so I thought I'd ask an admin to take a looksee at it Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 15:44, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

I also asked User:Edgar181 to have a look at this and directed him here. Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 15:52, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

I gotta tell ya, I know very little about AfC (anymore)--how things start, how they get moved, etc. I looked at the history but that's above my pay grade and my brain is clogged up today anyway. More important to me is the current state of the article and its subject, and it seems like a case of A7 to me. Thanks, and sorry I'm useless, Drmies (talk) 16:02, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, my first instinct was it was A7 material but I didn't want to step on the toes of a reviewer who had moved it. Could you delete the redirect at Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation and I'll see if I can chase up someone more familiar with the AfC process. Thanks for the help regardless, Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 16:09, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Okay, so it looks like this is what happened. The OP created it at Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation at first, which was correct. However, they saw the "Wikipedia talk:" and that didn't look right to them (judging by their summary of "Was in wrong section"), so they moved it into the mainspace article Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation, which was incorrect, but understandable since having drafts be placed in the Wikipedia talk namespace does look weird to the untrained observer. Then, the ArticlesForCreation bot came along and, seeing that a page was moved from its normal place in WT:AFC to mainspace, thought the article had been accepted, and (incorrectly) fixed up the request review template, to make it seem as if the article had been accepted. Then you came along, seeing that the article appeared to have been accepted (due to AFCBot's edits) and moved it to what would've been the correct title, removing the "Articles for creation/" prefix. Now, since the article is certainly not ready for primetime, I'd suggest reverting back to the edit before Abrooke moved it (this one), moving the page back to its original location at Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation (which shouldn't require an admin; anyone should be able to move it over the redirect), reinstating any edits by Abrooke that might've been lost in the revert, and dropping Abrooke a line on their talk page, letting them know that, yes, "Wikipedia talk:" is the right place for it, despite how weird it looks. Cheers, Writ Keeper (t + c) 16:12, 28 March 2013 (UTC) (PS: I'd do it myself, but every time I try to help someone out with page moves, I get snark from a certain unnamed someone about my sex life, so no thanks. Writ Keeper (t + c) 16:15, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

WK, well done. BTW, it's quite understandable: that "talk" part is a bit confusing. You'd make a great detective and I promise you I will make no shitty remark about your sex life (which I couldn't anyway...) for another year. My apologies. Also, check your inbox--I sent you a flyer full of Romanian women who really, really love you. Drmies (talk) 16:18, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

A very odd sequence of events, good detective work. I've started moving it but I need an admin to delete Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation so I can move it back to there since that page exists as a redirect Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 16:21, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

• It exists now at Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/InSystems Corporation (2)--shall we just leave it there to try and keep things not more complicated than they already are? Also, Writ Keeper, your teachers must have loved you. Are you going to grad school? Drmies (talk) 16:25, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Perfect, thanks for the help everyone Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 16:27, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, that's close enough; I'll go through and see if there are any redirects to untangle. As for teachers, well, that depends on the teacher. Most did, but some I challenged during class a bit too much for their comfort. Writ Keeper (t + c) 16:29, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

bad edit conflicts. 3 or 4 4 or 5 times only on that page -.-...

By the way: we track wrongly moved pages at Wikipedia:Articles for creation/Wrongly moved submissions. mabdul 16:30, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Just to clarify - AfC submissions always go in the "Wikipedia talk" namespace because after a bit of kerfuffle years ago, it's the only way for IPs to create anything. Cheers to Mabdul for sorting it. And yes, it would be a prime candidate for the A7 blunderbuss in mainspace. Ritchie333 ^{(talk) (cont)} 16:36, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Actually I wouldn't 'A7 it simply because somebody paid very much for the company... mabdul 16:38, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, I can see that. Drmies (talk) 22:26, 28 March 2013 (UTC)

Article on Ben Domenech

I edited this article because it seems to have become a dumping ground for people who dislike Ben Domenech. The sections on his plagiarism and resignation are overly long and frequently repeat themselves. Considering the enormous number of dead links on this page, the plagiarism scandal and its fallout should probably be rewritten into a paragraph instead of nine. We should use the sources that still exist and are reliable. The Washington Post, NYTimes, and NRO articles are still mostly extant. Each should be cited once and left at that. I've covered some more of the problems below, but there are several things asserted on the Domenech bio that-- while they may be true-- are unsourced because of dead links.

Textual Problems: The New Ledger no longer exists.

• "He was also involved in a journalism scandal that resulted in the removal of his work from The Washington Examiner when it was found he was paid by the Malay government to write opinion pieces without disclosing the relationship."

According to the articles linked (and the legal documents they linked to), Domenech was not hired by the Malaysian government, he was hired by consultants hired by corporations linked to the Malaysian government, specifically "APCO and the David All Group and FBC Media". Unless there is a quote to the contrary, we don't know what precisely Domenech knew, unfortunately. According to the Washington Examiner's editorial guidelines, his work should be removed from their site, because he was paid by a third party to write it. But, that is only referenced in cite 7. I contend that this should be moved into a "controversy/scandal" section below.

• "Domenech said in his Washingtonpost.com bio that he was the youngest political appointee of the George W. Bush administration, although this claim could not be independently verified."

This is problematic, because it reflects information posted on the Washington Post, a good source, but it reflects information that he provided to the editorial staff. That being said, given the subsequent investigations of Domenech's writing, one would think that any lying on his part regarding his status as the "youngest political appointee" would be found out, which is why I removed the words "although this claim could not be independently verified", as it deviates from Wikipedia's NPOV policy. It may be best to erase the sentence entirely if there is any doubt.

The "Career" section should probably be broken up into "career before accusations", "scandal", and then "subsequent career" (some similar phrasing).

Ben Domenech has attracted a fair number of minor scandals. There are enough of them that I believe they warrant their own section. Perhaps a paragraph on the Washington Examiner/Coretta Scott King scandal (and the John Neuhaus scandal if we can find working sources) and another paragraph covering the plagiarism scandal.

Citation Errors:

• 1- Dead link
• 9- Dead link
• 10- The first link redirects to the Flat Hat front page. I cannot find the story on the Flat Hat website. The second link works.
• 11- This link redirects to the Flat Hat front page. I cannot find the story on the Flat Hat website.
• 12- His bio says no such thing, unfortunately. It'll need to be sourced elsewhere.
• 14- Dead link
• 17- Link goes to a personal blog.
• 18- Dead link
• 19- Dead Link
• 20- Dead link
• 25- Same as 23.
• 26- This link redirects to the Flat Hat front page. I cannot find the story on the Flat Hat website.
• 27- This link redirects to the Flat Hat front page. I cannot find the story on the Flat Hat website.
• 28- This link redirects to the Flat Hat front page. I cannot find the story on the Flat Hat website.
• 32- Dead link.
• 34- Dead Link
• 35- Dead link

This may be incomplete, but I think it's a start to cleaning up this page.

Bobby newmark81 (talk) 01:33, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• Well, thank you, but this plethora of explanation was more properly place on the article talk page, with references made in edit summaries, and various notes on WP:BLPN. Not so much here. Drmies (talk) 05:53, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Sorry about that. Tomorrow I'll make sure to go over the article again and more clearly justify my edits. I'll include these on the talk page. Bobby newmark81 (talk) 07:44, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

The cavalry and calling in thereof

Hey, Drmies, here's the situation. Plasmid203 (talk · contribs) (real name evidently Christine Clark) is a new user who's trying to create an article on Edgar S. Cahn. She is apparently a volunteer working for his organization, and has been tasked by him to write a sort of "autobiohgraphy by proxy" as the Wikipedia article. She had (or has) some misconceptions about how Wikipedia works, and I and another user (Jason Quinn (talk · contribs), if you're wondering) are talking things over. She's been pretty receptive, which is good; any insight you can provide her would be welcome, of course. More important, though, is the article itself. Mr. Cahn definitely seems notable to me, but the article just isn't up to scratch in my eyes. I've found what look to be pretty useful newspaper articles on Highbeam, and what I'd really like to do is work with Ms. Clark to make an article more in line with Wikipedia's policies. Obviously, being the total content weakling I am, I could use some help in this endeavor; would you (and/or any talk page stalkers) be interested in taking a look and/or pointing me at someone who would? I might have bitten off more than I can chew (I still curse the day they ran out of the free Highbeam account handouts 4 names before me). Writ Keeper (t + c) 03:50, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• Eh, well, you know, I even turned down the sound on the TV for this. Did I ever tell you that, eh, you know, I don't really know what Highbeam is? Is it important? Can't we run Wikipedia powered by the local library, ILL, and JSTOR? (I like to aim high.) Also, who told you you could end a sentence with a (compounded!) preposition? Not Malleus! Drmies (talk) 05:57, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

  I merely follow in the footsteps of Fowler, that great god of grammar. Malleus Fatuorum 18:45, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• As Sean Connery said in some movie, "What are you prepared to do?" Tackle Time banking? and Time-based currency? (Time Dollars is just a redirect, evidently not your subject's invention--if Wikipedia is a reliable source, as ref 8 of your subject's article suggests) Drmies (talk) 06:07, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
• This is practice for your dissertation: prune. Also, there is no verification that they founded the Antioch School of Law. They may well have--neither our Wikipedia article on the subject or on the school verifies it. Answer: get back to basics. Can this basic fact by verified and established? If not, the whole section should be cut, since it's an unverified claim to greatness, if you will. Drmies (talk) 06:17, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
  • His faculty page at the UDC site gives: "A co-founder with his late wife Jean Camper Cahn of the Antioch School of Law, UDC-DCSL's predecessor; the first law school in the United States to educate law students primarily through clinical training in legal services to the poor."  davidiad { t } 11:35, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
• The lead should summarize the main article, not linkspam for its subject. It needs to be trimmed to include only that which is verified. If this person is that notable you won't need Highbeam: Google Books and News should establish it. Bedtime, WK. Drmies (talk) 06:37, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Wierd situation, second eyes

Some long time ago, I CSD/PRODDED/AFDed/something Bilal Khan (singer). It was later recreated, and I AFDed it, and that second AFD was heavily sockpuppeted. Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Bilal_Khan_(singer). Today, a redirect appeared on my watchlist under that name, redirecting to Bilal Khan. That article was originally created PRIOR to the the article previously discussed, but on a different person with the same name. After the other article was deleted, the content of the second article was gutted, and replaced with content from the deleted article, which I find highly suspicious, especially as such heavy socking was involved in that article. I CSDed it g4, and the article creator reverted. I replaced it per CSD rules. It has subsequently been declined by Syrthiss. From the page history, I see that you have also interacted on this version of the article. What do you think is the proper action? I've read the sources now used, and they are really borderline imo. He was a contestant on a reality show but that does not satisfy music notability in itself. There are a few stories from http://tribune.com.pk/ linked. One does not mention him at all (but does mention two other unrelated people with the last name Khan). The other two mention him in passing. This is insufficient for musicbio IMO, but I don't want to just be a dick about it if i'm being swayed by the past history. Your opinion is welcome. Gaijin42 (talk) 14:36, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Requesting a favour

Would you mind renaming Catholic Emancipation to Catholic emancipation for me? I can't do it myself because of the redirect, and I'm insufficiently mature to be trusted with such magical powers. Apparently. Malleus Fatuorum 18:41, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) Done. It seems silly that adding {{R from other capitalization}} in a second edit to the page should prevent you from moving another article over it... Ed ^{[talk] [majestic titan]} 18:56, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Thanks very much. It's a small thing I know, but for some reason small things like that, which ought to be so easy to fix, grate on me. As does the fact that I'm not sufficiently trusted to do those small things myself. Especially since I doubt that even my worst enemy would claim that I've ever done anything to damage any article. Malleus Fatuorum 19:01, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

I agree, broadly speaking. There are an awful lot of things only admins can do; and there are others who would be far more capable than me of, for example, merging histories (I have yet to dare try.) Yngvadottir (talk) 19:32, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

I found merging histories easier than I feared, but I haven't had to do very difficult ones (with splits etc in them). Malleus, you are too optimistic: did you not duke it out with some editor over the inclusion of some minutiae in an article on a Manchester canal or waterway? Then again, maybe you're right: we can easily imagine what your next RfA will look like. If blocking were to be treated separately from deleting, for instance, we'd take some possible "personal" angles out of the bit, and your next RfA would pass with 80% or so. Drmies (talk) 22:58, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Also, thanks Ed. Drmies (talk) 22:59, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

I "dook it out" with one editor or another most every day it seems, but there will never be a "next RfA", under any circumstances. I find that I don't need snotty-nosed kids telling me how immature I am. Malleus Fatuorum 23:09, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

You're a peach

I noticed that my name wasn't mentioned anywhere on your talk page, and that can not stand. I've been so scarce lately, I've been missing our occasional chats, which I always find helpful. I did find the time to snap some shots of the blossoms on my peach tree, which are coming out by the hundreds, and thought you might appreciate it. I do hope things are going well for you. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 20:21, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Your name is mentioned every time anyone edits his talk page. The blossoms are pretty, but they're wasted on Drmies as he lives in an area that also has a real spring. You should've sent them to me (harumph). After all, I live in semi-desert where most of the non-desert flowers are imported/cultivated/computer generated.--Bbb23 (talk) 20:31, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

I'll try to overcome my bitter, bitter jealousy of people who are already experiencing spring, so as not to violate WP:CIVIL. Your picture at right reminds me of an experience a few years ago, as I drove with my family from New England to Orlando in 2 days. The switch from winter to spring was accelerated dramatically, and every hour I spent driving corresponded to 2-3 days of seasonal progression. It was so quick it was disorienting; from snow on the ground, to signs of the first buds on the trees by the afternoon of the first day, new leaves and flowers (like these!) by the beginning of the second day, and full frontal greenery by the time we hit Atlanta. You're probably gardening already; I have to wait another month or so. (*wanders off muttering under his breath about how unfair the world is*) --Floquenbeam (talk) 20:52, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

For the future, WP:CIVIL, or at least its traditional meaning, is suspended on this talk page. Besides, you have no reason to bitch; at least you have a spring, even if it's later.--Bbb23 (talk) 21:17, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Dennis, thanks for your note and the picture. That is lovely. It is indeed spring here though our garden probably does not look much like yours, and that fence is still not done (threw my back out a few weeks ago, and the cement comes in 50 pound bags). Floq, I don't know (or remember) where you live, but if that place has a fair tax code, decent gun laws, and bike lanes I'll trade with you. Do you know how to take care of a pool? Drmies (talk) 22:48, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Dennis, a colleague of mine posted a childhood photo on FB taken when she was 10; there's a beautiful "powder blue Ford Falcon convertible" in the background and it made me think of you. Floq, CIVIL is not enforced on this talk page, though it is a happy place, so incivility directed toward the wrong person is punishable, yes. But if you want to cuss at your climate, you have my blessing. Just don't think I chose to live in Alabama just to piss you off, or that I even really "chose" to live here. We go where the jobs are, as The Style Council told you years ago on Our Favourite Shop. Drmies (talk) 22:53, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Well, I wasn't going to be uncivil to the weather, I was considering being uncivil to Dennis. But I'll be good.

• Fair taxes: Good lord no (well, depending on what you consider "fair")
• Decent gun laws: Yes (well, depending on what you consider "decent")
• Bike lanes: Better than average, but nowhere close to Portland-level.

As you can see from my user page, I'm a Pacific Northwest transplant, being held against my will in the Northeast due to my company's refusal to open a branch office in Seattle. Bastards. And yes, I know how to take care of a pool, but one of the happiest days of my life was selling the house with the pool, and buying one without a pool. Especially up here, where it's too cold to open before Memorial Day, it takes about a month to get it to turn from green to blue, and then it's a daily grind fucking with the chemicals, and then the leaves start falling into it and you have to close it up in September. 2.5 months of use for a year's worth of heartache. --Floquenbeam (talk) 23:07, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Sales tax, not so fair. Property tax, fair. Income tax, fair. Gun laws, completely restrictive. Portland, heavenly. I loved it. Between you, me, and the lamp post, I once interviewed with Reed College. I didn't get the job--but maybe that wasn't bad, in hindsight, since it was a one-year position. Send me the information and I'll write a letter to that bastard CEO of that bastard company. Pool, our girls have been swimming already; I'll be in next weekend, I suppose. There are visitors to this talk page who have listened to me whine about my green swamp; let's hope this year will be better. I think there's a pic in the archive somewhere. Drmies (talk) 23:14, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• • Floq, lots of people with blue hair and RVs start up in Maine when the leaves start changing colors each fall, and then when they are at the peak, start driving south and camping out so they can enjoy a month of perfect leaf colors. Leafers running through NC on the way to their condo in Florida, doing what you experienced on purpose. Actually, kinda sounds like fun, as I like RVing, smores and outdoors in general. As for Alabama, Drmies, I go to our factory there from time to time, usually in July or August, to a factory in a town with one blinking light and no air conditioning. You guys have great winters, but brutal summers. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 23:16, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
    • Haha, we do. I can't wait. Where's the factory? In Reform? or along 72 up north? Drmies (talk) 00:25, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
      • Near Clanton, on 31. It isn't much, but our industry is a shell of its former self as well. We are faring better than most, but that is why I'm researching different (but similar) products to produce and sell. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:39, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
        • Ha, that is indeed peachy. Come on down next time--I'm a half an hour away. Drmies (talk) 00:48, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

Self-admitted socking

Hi, per User_talk:Sitush#Merging_of_Ramdasia_page_with_Chamar_page, TimesGerman is Bal537. I understand their concern regarding outing and they have not edited as Bal537 since 20 March. The problem is, they were using both accounts prior to that time and on the same article (Chamar). I thought I was dealing with two different people until their post on my talk page, and there is no indication on either user account that they have another account. Should Bal537 be blocked, bearing in mind their admission and their rationale? Just to prevent the thing being used at some point in the future. - Sitush (talk) 20:38, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• Well, it's not right, but I'm not really sharp today and that business of dropping one account and starting another, I can't come up with the proper acronyms. It doesn't look, at first glance, that they used the two accounts to edit-war with you in that article, but that Bal account needs something done to it. Maybe Bbb23, who's much cleverer than me with policy, has an answer. Sorry Sitush--it's not a great day for me, haha, and I have only myself to blame. Drmies (talk) 22:38, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• The editor did more than drop one account and start another. Bal537 was created on January 30, 2008; it has 506 edits over the years. TimesGerman was created on July 6, 2012; it has 141 edits. The editor has used both accounts since July 6, 2012. I have no idea why, but I can't see any legitimate use for doing so. Short of opening a SPI, the best solution would be to connect the accounts per WP:SOCK#NOTIFY. However, the editor claims they stopped using Bal537 "because someone was able to find my personal information using that" user name. Assuming good faith, perhaps the editor uses that name off-wiki. One thing you (Sitush) could do would be to watch the Bal537 account and make sure that the editor doesn't start using it again. If they do, I'd file a report. Someone who knows more about sock puppetry than I do may have more light to shed on this.--Bbb23 (talk) 01:35, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

Sloppy editing

What's the best way to deal with sloppy editing? User:FoCuSandLeArN is making 100-300 edits a day and his work is exceptionally sloppy. He has "copy edited" 135 articles in the Wikipedia:WikiProject Guild of Copy Editors/Backlog elimination drives/March 2013 and has reviewed a wopping 852 articles at the Wikipedia:WikiProject Articles for creation/March 2013 Backlog Elimination Drive. His emphasis on speed and quantity has left his work qualityless. I've raised these issues on his talk page at User talk:FoCuSandLeArN#Comment regarding your articles (which links to User talk:Ironholds#Pull an autopatrolled tag?) and User talk:FoCuSandLeArN#Slow the heck down. He has no intention of attempting to contribute high quality work, instead he complains that he deserves respect. His sloppy editing is just as dangerous to the encyclopedia as vandalism is, possibly more so because vandals are reverted and work at a much slower rate. Ryan Vesey 21:19, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

• Hmm. That is, by the way, an irritating user name--I've noticed that before. I think I had to type it once, and then a few times more. I've deleted the two copyvios you signaled and read the discussion on that other editor's talk page. I'd rather not post there, but there is no way in which any article "requires" empty sections. If you could make a list of say a half a dozen articles (in all) with some brief notes, that would be helpful. As for the Backlogging, you should probably take that up with the folks who run that show; they'd be the ones to utter judgment and decided what to do. For now, I will say that I share your concern. Drmies (talk) 22:46, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Quoted you

Hi Drmies. FYI, I quoted you here. Please correct me there if I misquoted you or quoted you out of context. Thanks.--Epeefleche (talk) 21:20, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Many thanks for removing the disruption.--Epeefleche (talk) 22:47, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Are you kidding me?

Disruptive how? I made a mistake, I was unaware that article passed GNG. Also I feel I am being harassed by a Pro-Israel person right now because of an AfD mistake. But I really resent you saying I made a disruptive edit, when it was a mistake and I didn't know it passed GNG. IronKnuckle (talk) 01:33, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

• No, I am not kidding you. You may want to walk by User_talk:The_Bushranger#Sockmaster and leave Bushranger some flowers, since they're nice enough to refrain from blocking you indefinitely. Nice little sock farm you have, by the way: Category:Wikipedia sockpuppets of IronKnuckle. Drmies (talk) 01:42, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
  • That's old stuff. I have been calmly and unbiasedly editing MMA articles, and the safe act articles. I also noticed The Bushranger has this decal on his page saying he supports Israel. I feel there is a huge conflict of interest here, but Israel related articles should not get special treatment. Wikipedia is not a place for Zionism. IronKnuckle (talk) 01:49, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
    • IronKnuckle, where idiots like you get bullshit like that from is a never-ending source of amazement, if not amusement. Tell you what, I support Israel too--take that as an invitation to not come back to this talk page again. I can't believe I went to bat for you; that probably makes me an idiot too. Drmies (talk) 01:53, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
      • That is a clear personal attack right there, and I am disgusted an Admin like you would stoop to such levels. I want to take this up with the Arb committee. And to make sure there is no conflict of interest. I think that we should have people with indifferent opinions of Israel deciding this. IronKnuckle (talk) 01:57, 30 March 2013 (UTC)