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== [[Charles Pooter]] == |
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Yes! That's ''exactly'' the literary analogy I was looking for, although the best I could come up with was [[Polonius]], from ''Hamlet''. '''[[User:MastCell|MastCell]]''' <sup>[[User Talk:MastCell|Talk]]</sup> 19:28, 27 March 2015 (UTC) |
Revision as of 19:28, 27 March 2015
I find it interesting that a user defends a condescending comment to another user with the novel argument that a dead author has used the same words (probably before he died; and almost certainly not in addressing the same user). I think the idea that any words attributable to dead authors are wikipermissible because they have intrinsic literary merit is really rather witty. The purveyor of the literary gem in question promises to leave the project if this argument is not allowed to prevail. I fervently share the hope that it wins the day. Then we can all start condescending to each other with literary quotes of unimpeachable provenance and high merit. I'm thinking "You're an asshole" (from Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song, for anyone who didn't instantly recognize the provenance). Not to mention Shakespeare's "Thou misshapen dick!" or "You are a tedious fool." Or Vonnegut's "If your brains were dynamite there wouldn’t be enough to blow your hat off." Or Hemingway's "I misjudged you. You’re not a moron. You’re only a case of arrested development.” Or... You get the idea. What fun if this glorious new frontier of literary wikidiscourse opens up!
Oh and—how could I forget?—there's Lewis Carroll's dear little Snark, of "intellect small", known for being "meager and hollow " and for its "slowness in taking a jest."
Wikištrajku
Ja sam u wikištrajku! Ne panic! Ja ću urediti, bez zaustavljanja, u ovom teškom trenutku. Smirite se i nastavite.
Various thoughts on retiring, from famous dead people
- When a man falls into anecdotage, it is time for him to retire...Benjamin Disraeli
- Calm of mind, all passion spent...John Milton
- ...with calm mind embrace a rest that knows no care...Lucretius
- I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...Irving Berlin
- Beguiled by the terrible incantations and your ambiguous undulations in the grip of eccentric propositions and distant miseries from afar, I beseech you to reconsider...Anonomous
- Tra! ```Buster Seven Talk 16:35, 27 September 2013 (UTC)
- Disraeli's dead? He hasn't been answering my letters so I thought he was on strike. Interesting coinkidink: my fourth wife's name was Lysistrata. Boy, did she know how to get her own way.Writegeist (talk) 00:17, 28 September 2013 (UTC)
- This page clocked up a massive total of 19 views on September 27 and 28. An awesome level of interest, particularly in a living person, as I think you'll agree—the number is so high that not even the prodigious Stephen Hawking has enough fingers to calculate it. Yet it was exceeded by the gargantuan total of 21 at my user page on September 28. This easily tops the number of people (12) who paid their respects to the body of well-known dead person Vladimir Lenin (famous quote: "A lie told often enough becomes truth") between 10:15 a.m. and 10:16 a.m. on September 28 1970—the same day, incidentally, that Gamal Abdel Nasser (famous quote: "When I met Lenin I was struck by his remarkable, almost eerie, stillness") became another well-known dead person. Anyway I was immensely flattered by the attention, natch; particularly when Twitter lit up and the TV news led with the story of my sudden celebrity. Later when I recovered my composure—not that I had been decomposing, you understand—I began to wonder why the sudden surge in interest? And who exactly were these new fans? Then Lysistrata told me: zombies. Which would account for the lingering smell. Writegeist (talk) 17:41, 30 September 2013 (UTC)
- Yes! And accounts for the stray appendages littering your front yard. At first, I thought you had left one of the promised refrigerated mouse morsels, but then realized that the morsel was a digit finger. It had most likely been waved/wagged too vigorously in your direction by a visiting zombie and had fallen off. ```Buster Seven Talk 18:52, 30 September 2013 (UTC)
- Police are combing the neighborhood for zombies with fingers missing (some index, some middle). Neighborhood is large, police-issue combs are small (budget cutbacks). Don't hold your breath. Writegeist (talk) 04:23, 1 October 2013 (UTC)
- According to a document released to me by a friendly NSA contractor currently on vacation in Russia, visits to my user page spiked at 34 (the truly monstrous size of this number becomes apparent when you consider it's also the distance in miles to the outer reaches of the known universe) on September 10. Yours shot up to 19 on the same day. A contemporaneous report by an NSA analyst conjectured that a September 10 comment I posted to your talk page and deleted a few minutes later may have piqued the interest of a nosey parker who then made repeated intrusions. Which would explain the very large nose I found in the Acme Trap-a-Schnozz nose trap ($4.99 from Walmart, dependable, washable, reusable, and worth every cent) in my underwear drawer when I got home. I'm drying it, with a view to using it for nose art. Writegeist (talk) 18:03, 1 October 2013 (UTC)
- Police are combing the neighborhood for zombies with fingers missing (some index, some middle). Neighborhood is large, police-issue combs are small (budget cutbacks). Don't hold your breath. Writegeist (talk) 04:23, 1 October 2013 (UTC)
- Yes! And accounts for the stray appendages littering your front yard. At first, I thought you had left one of the promised refrigerated mouse morsels, but then realized that the morsel was a digit finger. It had most likely been waved/wagged too vigorously in your direction by a visiting zombie and had fallen off. ```Buster Seven Talk 18:52, 30 September 2013 (UTC)
Update! In an encrypted communication which I recovered from a famous dead person's crypt in [location redacted] last night, my NSA contact says surveillance of my talk page rocketed to a stupendoud total of 43* separate instances of eavesdropping in one day, specifically November 7, 2013—the day after Tim Berners-Lee reportedly described as "appalling and foolish" the decisions by GCHQ and the NSA to break the online encryption software that hundreds of millions of users rely on to protect their private data. Clearly the spooks mistook me for Mr. Berners-Lee. To be fair, this was an understandable mistake for intelligence operatives to make, as Mr. Berners-Lee invented the world-wide web and I didn't.
*Yes, 43. The immensity of this figure becomes apparent when you consider it's greater than the total number of stars in the known universe [source: Wikipedia]. Writegeist (talk) 08:54, 9 November 2013 (UTC)
- The heart for it has gone out of me: it won’t come back. Peter O'Toole — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.196.86.169 (talk) 23:37, 19 February 2014 (UTC)
Obamacare
I sure wish that the POTUS would sit down with Speaker of the House Jim DeMint and resolve this predicament we are in. ```Buster Seven Talk 06:50, 2 October 2013 (UTC)
- http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/the-long-arm-and-hidden-hand-of-jim-demint-20131001 ```Buster Seven Talk 22:04, 4 October 2013 (UTC)
- It will come as no surprise to you that as advisers to the First Lady on all matters relating to tea-time etiquette, Lysistrata and I are invited to tea by all kinds of people. We would of course decline an invitation from Mr. DeMint. We would offer a diplomatic excuse such as "We have a previous engagement with the Capitol Earl Grey Appreciation Society" or "We are on teastrike." But you never know when you might run into the gentleman at a tea party hosted by someone else. Tips: Do say: Mr. DeMint, would you please make a long arm for the fairy cakes? Don't say: Mr. DeMint, are you a closet teabagger? Writegeist (talk) 17:20, 8 October 2013 (UTC)
<g>
Skoal!
Have a beverage on me! | ||
In honor of Bamboozle Busters everywhere! |
```Buster Seven Talk 03:24, 26 October 2013 (UTC)
- My kind of bamboozle! Thank you my friend. I hereby drink to your health. Any time you'd care to join me, help yourself to the comfy chair by the fire and put your feet up on Santa Claws the stuffed cat. (Given my talk page's astronomical number of visitors, there's a chance that someone with nothing better to do than to snuffle around in its darker recesses will seize on "stuffed cat" as a reference to him- or herself. Oh well. I'm a hospitable fellow. Be my guest, I say. Carpe cattum!) Writegeist (talk) 21:35, 28 October 2013 (UTC)
The best take so far on paid editing
From Jimbo Wales' talk page [1]:
- Hi Jimbo, and whoever else may be interested,
- First, I wanted to thank you, Jimbo, for your concerns with paid advocacy. I think you've taken a very helpful stance. I just wanted to follow with some thoughts; I'm sure others have written all this before, but anyway:
- In academic publishing, if the author of a paper has received or will receive tangible benefits from someone who has a financial interest in the subject of the paper, this conflict of interest is supposed to be noted clearly within the paper. Not to do so is academic fraud. For encyclopedias this is not even an issue: Authors of entries are always supposed to be independent of conflict of interest for the subject of their entries. This is because encyclopedias are not supposed to be position or argumentative papers, but general, neutral accounts. Conflicts of interest have always been recognized in the academic world as undermining this neutrality to such an extent that it is rigorously avoided. For example, if it was discovered that Robert Duce accepted money from the aerosol industry in order to write the entry "Aerosols" in the Springer Encyclopedia of World Climatology, he would be rightly scandalized, and his department at Texas A&M would try to remove him as best as they could. We should keep this encyclopedia at the same high standard.
- Paid advocacy editors have responded that Wikipedia already has policies to keep things neutral and that their edits— or those of the responsible ones among them at least —are kept within these policies. This response is a non-starter. Every academic encyclopedia has neutrality as an editorial standard, but their editors still do not accept authors with a conflict of interest. We should not fail to learn from the best practices of the academic world.
- Paid advocacy editors cannot produce even a single example where an effective paid editor has produced an overall negative impression for the firm or a client of the firm which pays this editor. Of course this is the case: If such a paid editor is going to produce a negative impression of the benefactor, then the benefactor has no interest in paying out money for such a service. Overall unbiased editing from such paid editors is a contradiction. A necessary condition for the continued practice of paying editors to produce content about oneself or one's clients is that there be a systemic bias in the production of content. Neutral editors have no effective mechanism for dealing with this biased production apart from banning it: Neutral editors are volunteers who can only act in their free time, the paid editors have as much time as their pay can afford them.
- Claims that the community here is divided on whether to maintain the high standards of academic publishing are suspicious. The community is that body of neutral editors who are here to write an encyclopedia collaboratively. The editors who are paid to produce content concerning a benefactor, insofar as they take that role, are not part of this community. As such they are not here to work collaboratively, but are rather here to benefit themselves. What percentage of those who want to allow, and indeed expand the number of, encyclopedia articles written with a conflict of interest are actually part of the community, and what percentage are themselves paid editors? That is hard to answer. Instead of counting votes on what practices to take up, we should look to the academic world, which has soundly rejected conflict-of-interest writing. Thanks for reading. --Atethnekos (Discussion, Contributions) 18:59, 30 October 2013 (UTC)
- Brought to you by B7...Buster Seven Talk 16:57, 1 November 2013 (UTC)
- Thank you Buster for bringing this to my (admittedly short-spanned) attention. A voice of reason that rather reminds me of yours. How very different from the dimwitted defenders of the bamboozlers. Writegeist (talk) 21:37, 1 November 2013 (UTC)
- Brought to you by B7...Buster Seven Talk 16:57, 1 November 2013 (UTC)
Notice
There is currently a discussion at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents regarding an issue with which you may have been involved. The thread is Personal attacks need to be redacted. Thank you. v/r - TP 21:44, 6 November 2013 (UTC)
- I have of course complied with this paid-to-edit administrator's request. And made the requested change for free. Writegeist (talk) 22:27, 6 November 2013 (UTC)
- Well, it all got a bit silly at ANI (surprise!) and there was a funny smell so I've taken it off my watchlist. Writegeist (talk) 03:56, 7 November 2013 (UTC)
Remedy
The next time you feel the urge to point out the truth where it is not welcome, I suggest listening to 3 or 4 ᗅᗺᗷᗅ albums. s ```Buster Seven Talk 15:40, 8 November 2013 (UTC)
- Thank you for that welcome (and free!) contribution, dear Buster. As it happens, when I'm speaking the truth where it's not welcome I often listen to cheery ᗅᗺᗷᗅ tracks. Recently one such soundtrack was So Long Dum Dum Diddle. And another was: I Let the Music Speak. Watch Out! When All Is Said and Done, The Name of the Game: Money, Money, Money. Does Your Mother Know? Writegeist (talk) 22:21, 8 November 2013 (UTC)
Being a considerate fellow . . .
I note that a certain user, one I consider a problematic editor whose contributions really needs watching by admins—his history here includes dismissive behaviour towards other users, misrepresention of others' comments, wikilawyering, false acccusation, crass name-calling (calling me a bastard! My mother would blush!), and solidly supporting (and therefore encouraging) another user who persistently showered me in really quite vile abuse—is troubled by me making good-naturedly humorous reference to any of his wiki-antics in my posts here and on my user page, even though I'm at pains to grant him total anonymity. I am loath to cause him (or any other living creature) distress. After all, for all I know, he may be a thoroughly decent, highly sensitive chap in real life, and quite unlike his wikipersona. Therefore, as I am a considerate fellow, (1) I've decided not to post any further references or allusions to his behaviour on "my" pages. I hope this will afford him relief from his agitation, and that (2) he will do me the courtesy of refraining from any further malign engagement with me. I bear him no ill will—the person behind the user name is of absolutely no interest to me, and his wikibehaviour has only ever amused me. That is all. Writegeist (talk) 22:41, 9 November 2013 (UTC)
- I have now changed my mind about (1) because my hope for (2) has been unpleasantly disappointed. On the upside: gratuitously toxic comments, devoid of wit, often provide the greatest amusement.
- Hey there. First, thanks for your kind comments on my user talk page. Second, I don't know who you're referring to above but I do notice that you've been keel-hauled recently by one of the members of what I would describe as the Paid Editing Lobby. Obviously paid editing is not engaged in simply by hare-brained losers and slack-jawed corporate ninnies but is a sophisticated form of riding the Wikipedia gravy train. There are two forms of paid editors: the dummies and the smart ones. The smart ones play by the rules, and of course, notoriously, include administrators who are supposed to be living examples of best practices. But they also work the hardest and therefore are most likely to feel resentful and put-upon, and therefore most likely to want to cash in on their Wikipedia experience. That's basically what you're up against in this paid editing brouhaha, as paid editing is institutionalized, and has become a kind of moonlighting thing for the Wikipedia elite. They can be teenagers or wage slaves in real life, or pushed around by the big boss, but here they are Princes of Wikipedia, used to being kow-towed to and having their rumps kissed for all their selfless service to the Project, while of course you are a lesser being, and God forbid you should imply that they have the ethics of a lampshade. That's why you're coughing up salt water and that is why the Paid Editing Lobby is quite so strong. Hang in there. Coretheapple (talk) 20:50, 12 November 2013 (UTC)
- (friendly stalker)@ Writegeist. I just wanted you to know that Core is an admittedly older geezer . This may explain future lapses in memory, typing errors (probably caused by shaggy-beard droppings), that unmistakable odor of "old fartedness", etc. I bear him no ill-will. He is a quality editor with a sharp (while admittedly old) head on his shoulders. You are my best wiki-friend so I felt obligated to inform you. If, sometimes, Core doesn't respond....he's probably napping. ```Buster Seven Talk 15:46, 13 November 2013 (UTC)
- That's the problem with you young whipper-snappers. You don't respect age! Coretheapple (talk) 15:49, 13 November 2013 (UTC)
- (friendly stalker)@ Writegeist. I just wanted you to know that Core is an admittedly older geezer . This may explain future lapses in memory, typing errors (probably caused by shaggy-beard droppings), that unmistakable odor of "old fartedness", etc. I bear him no ill-will. He is a quality editor with a sharp (while admittedly old) head on his shoulders. You are my best wiki-friend so I felt obligated to inform you. If, sometimes, Core doesn't respond....he's probably napping. ```Buster Seven Talk 15:46, 13 November 2013 (UTC)
Walmart
I've started to pay attention to the many Walmart articles. Specifically the Family wealth mentions and making sure they are kept up-to-date. Heck, just a few days ago there was $40 Billion dollars missing. A billion here, a billion there...pretty soon you're talkin' about some real money! While investigating, I ran across this...[2]...which reminded me so much of what we are afraid of regarding paid advocates/editors/operatives. Love your user page. Hope you had a splendid Thanksgiving. TRA!```Buster Seven Talk 20:44, 3 December 2013 (UTC)
- Thank you kind Sir. When my own $40 billion went missing I realized too late I shouldn't have kept it under the mattress. Looking on the positive side, the bed felt a lot less lumpy after it had gone. Writegeist (talk) 18:27, 4 December 2013 (UTC)
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. ```Buster Seven Talk 14:54, 26 December 2013 (UTC)
Attn. 84 and BB
Familiar edit pattern emerging again at Vega, although the frequency is not quite as frenetic as before. Vacation visit from our old friend?
- It appears that the article is indeed getting frenetic attention from a number of anonymous editors.842U (talk) 12:06, 25 March 2014 (UTC)
- Vega's recently arrived single-purpose anon editor 24.191.190.85 exhibits the same distinctive practice (multiple quick-fire edits) as blocked Vegavairbob/Barnstarbob, and geolocates to within 9 miles of Vegavairbob's blocked sock IP 71.167.61.206. Hm. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I haven't checked back through the article history for other Vegavairbob sock IPs timestamped after his indef, but I wouldn't be surprised if . . . Writegeist (talk) 05:04, 27 March 2014 (UTC)
- It appears that the article is indeed getting frenetic attention from a number of anonymous editors.842U (talk) 12:06, 25 March 2014 (UTC)
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street uses animals including a four-year-old chimpanzee, Chance, who spent time with actor Leonardo DiCaprio and learned to roller skate over the course of three weeks. In December of 2013, just prior to the film's premiere, the organization Friends of Animals criticized the use of the chimpanzee and organized a boycott of the film. Variety reported, "Friends of Animals thinks the chimp...suffered irreversible psychological damage after being forced to watch the 3 hour movie that depicts the sordid behaviors of his fellow "actors". Chance, who was subject to cruel circus-trainer teaching methods early in his life, could suffer from neurotic behaviors and sleep deprevation, ultimately becoming incapable of socially interacting with other chimps, due to his watching of the movie." I know the feeling!!! Best 2 U. ```Buster Seven Talk 21:45, 18 January 2014 (UTC)
Play
The play you wrote in userspace should be deleted as it does not appear to be part of building the encyclopedia. It's clearly a parody of Kevin Gorman's recent sally against Eric Corbett, so it likely falls under WP:ATTACK. I think you should nominate it for deletion. Binksternet (talk) 22:20, 14 March 2014 (UTC)
- User page
- The autobiography you wrote in userspace should be deleted as it does not appear to be part of building the encyclopedia. It's clearly a humorless parody of George and Weedon Grossmith's The Diary of a Nobody, so it likely falls under WP:BORING and WP:CRAP. I think you should nominate it for deletion.
- On a more serious note, I was sorry to read about your rocky marriage. I sincerely hope the rockiness didn't come as any great surprise. Writegeist (talk) 08:40, 16 March 2014 (UTC)
- More thespian news
- Thank you for so generously recommending a nomination for Little Kermit and the Curmudgeonly Soothsayer. My first-ever nomination! Thrilling! Oh God, where to start. I want to thank my agent Stella Gushington . . . the play's darling director Max "Stuffy" Clark, who can do no wrong . . . er, my adorable wife Lysistrata, where are you babycakes, oh yes there she is in the aisle seat! And by the way don't believe what you read, those are real! Where was I, oh yes, Lysistrata's hairdresser Crispin Primp . . . and my mother . . . and . . . Oh, okay, later.
- Binkie, without doubt it was your review that helped lift the play from its relative obscurity at the off-off Broadway Prints of Whales theatre, which in turn precipitated its recent successful transfer to the storied Wikipediocracy Palace. As a token of gratitude and esteem, and encouraged both by your thespian credentials and the beard in your headshot, the producers are willing to offer you the opportunity to try out as understudy for the small but pivotal role of the troll in the new, all-star Wikipediocracy Palace production. Writegeist (talk) 00:42, 17 March 2014 (UTC)
- How about a third act? People want two intermissions, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 05:12, 17 March 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you for this seductive idea Gerda. I'll work on it. (You should be my agent :-) ). Perhaps even a musical version? First I'll need to make sure the management of the Wikipediocracy Palace theatre can cater two intermissions for a full house. Overheads are high, profit margins are slim to non-existent these days, and of course It's hard to get minimum-wage bar staff who know their Mai Tais from their Mojitos and don't pilfer from the cash register. Writegeist (talk) 06:44, 17 March 2014 (UTC)
- Your actions are commendable. Thank you for that. Best wishes. Binksternet (talk) 07:24, 17 March 2014 (UTC)
- Looks like you chose the cheapest version for the Wikipediocracy Palace theatre ;) - I have a new red link on the bottom of my user page, play, - playfully yours, or should I say playemptily? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 10:22, 25 March 2014 (UTC)
- Hello Gerda, I enjoy your page's playfulness so I'm aggrieved by seeing it diminished. Sadly the loss of the link was a price we had to pay for Littlle Kermit to transfer to its sumptuous new venue. Proper lighting! Plush seats! A gilded proscenium arch! Actors who can act! (Although Benedict Cumbersnatch is young and admittedly rather odd-looking, he brings a thublime lithp and an almost catatonically lazy "r" to the role of Kermit.) But we can't have everything :-( . (Unless we're in the top 1%.) So no link. And talking of having everything, did you seen the documentary film The Rape of Europa, about the pan-European looting of art and artifacts by the Third Reich? Göring et al. sure did have it all. But not for long. Links, schminks! Good to see you here. Writegeist (talk) 23:24, 25 March 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you, I like pp (page's playfulness). Actually, I think the red links add life to it ;) - Kermit seems still to be on his stroll, no fourth act. Did you know that we now not only have WP:Great Dismal Swamp, but also Ethics of Dissensus, thanks to a venerable arbitrator. Play is nothing compared to reality ;) - Leaning back in plush seat, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:46, 26 March 2014 (UTC)
- Dammit! Did I miss it? I thought you had contracted for at least a two month run? The critics can be so harsh. Just remember...Bedtime for Bonzo didn't stop Ronnie from achieving great things. Hang in there! ```Buster Seven Talk 05:22, 30 March 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you, I like pp (page's playfulness). Actually, I think the red links add life to it ;) - Kermit seems still to be on his stroll, no fourth act. Did you know that we now not only have WP:Great Dismal Swamp, but also Ethics of Dissensus, thanks to a venerable arbitrator. Play is nothing compared to reality ;) - Leaning back in plush seat, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:46, 26 March 2014 (UTC)
- New topic perhaps: ... that Rachel Mahon played the music of Star Wars in "five-inch stiletto heels and blue sequined spandex"? - with a little IP edit war i a cathedral, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:47, 30 March 2014 (UTC)
- ps: critics? I noticed only raving reviews, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:49, 30 March 2014 (UTC)
- Moar ideas to play with: I have a sharp bird on the Main page, related to the everlasting saga that would be good for a Cycle, one episode/postlude linked on top of my user (or the bird talk), - what do you think? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 11:52, 30 March 2014 (UTC)
Banjos
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5gNuj8UkyC4
Anythingyouwant (talk) 22:15, 29 March 2014 (UTC)
Your personal opinions
Hi, you've left a message on my talk page. I have responded with some curiously apposite words. Best wishes, Eddaido (talk) 03:00, 5 April 2014 (UTC)
- I very much doubt it. Writegeist (talk) 07:14, 5 April 2014 (UTC)
Technicalities
It seems to me that, as a general rule, when an article becomes increasingly politically charged, the likelihood also increases that experienced and ruthless users with a habitual POV agenda may seize on whatever technicality comes to hand as a means to rid the article of contributions from users they see as opponents.
- Indeed. In these circumstances, the best path is to ask for third opinions and get uninvolved editors to weigh in by posting in the various noticeboards. Having said that, one needs a thick skin to edit this pedia... Cwobeel (talk) 18:24, 17 April 2014 (UTC)
- Totally. And I'm ¾ armadillo. Writegeist (talk) 22:43, 17 April 2014 (UTC)
A barnstar for you!
The Barnstar of Diplomacy | |
Thank you for your cool head, which should always prevail in WP. Cwobeel (talk) 18:28, 17 April 2014 (UTC) |
Thank you for a genuinely pleasant surprise! I appreciate the appreciation. Incidentally, we armadillos have the advantage of unusually low body (and head) temperature. Writegeist (talk) 22:53, 17 April 2014 (UTC)
Crap
I'm crap at working out reverts. That said, I think these may possibly be the ones they got you on, as they are all reverts within (just) a 24-hour period:
[3], [4] (a revert, it seems to me, as it reinserted content removed by another user), [5], [6]
I do think the block was rather uncalled-for as you have no history (as far as I know) of edit-warring, and you didn't show any intent to keep ignoring 3RR; you might have just misunderstood what constitutes a revert. So it looks more punitive than preventative.
Actually I think a 3RR block is a rite of passage, so really I should congratulate you : ) . Writegeist (talk) 03:21, 18 April 2014 (UTC)
- (adding) Interestingly, the blocking admin has a truly vaaaaast log of blocks and obviously loves pulling the trigger!
Blocked
Happy 450th birthday, Will!
William Shakespeare was a prolific writer whose works include The Merry Wives of Windsor (filmed for TV as The Real Housewives of Orange County), The Tempest (filmed as The Perfect Storm), Two Gentlemen of Verona (filmed as The Italian Job), Julius Caesar (the play is the theme of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas), and the Harry Potter books. He hasn't written anything for many years because of writer's block.
- Another birthday, not quite as sensational, alive, mentioned for another one in the condition, and it is all my fault, how could I think of this birthday gift, Remember not, Lord, our offences (in case you want to write another play - or two) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 15:48, 23 April 2014 (UTC)
A barnstar for you!
The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar | |
for helping a newbie (me) out with this site. The K (talk) 03:50, 5 May 2014 (UTC) |
- My pleasure, any time; and thank you for the acknowledgment. Much appreciated! Writegeist (talk) 06:40, 9 May 2014 (UTC)
Thanks
Thanks Writegeist. My tolerance for interminable BS is lower than most people's, I guess. It was very nice of you to join in, and it will make me feel better for a long time.Anythingyouwant (talk) 23:57, 8 May 2014 (UTC)
- Mine is right down there with yours, believe me :-) . It seems the new lot are resolved to live down to the expectations we had of the old. Plus ça change... I'm glad to know my 2¢ provided a degree of consolation, and only wish it had helped bring about an equitable outcome. (Even a banana republic needs better than a bunch of bananas to run it.) I share your sense of frustration. And while Acton's dictum obviously holds true, I very much hope you won't let the consequences in this instance drive you off. Best wishes, Writegeist (talk) 06:34, 9 May 2014 (UTC)
- Singing along with you two precious. My scream about a missed user is on the Main page again, - I screamed only the first time, and the sad list is too long already. Look for "consolation" on my user page. I escaped to a red category, - feel free to join me ;) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:25, 9 May 2014 (UTC)
Tales of Wales
Greetings, Trident13. As an avid collector of tales of Wales, I dug out the Weiss/Daily Mail thread linked at your user page ("I will be the first to admit I don't always get it right - and the typed internet is not sometimes the best medium through which to have clear communication. But I hope the contribution I make is useful and valued ... even though Jimbo Wales doesn't think so, and made a personal attack on me." — Emphasis added in the link, for clarity.) It's a long and rather chaotic thread, and I didn't find the personal attack; I must have missed it in the to and fro. Doubtless you can go straight to it, so please would you do me a favour and quote it, at least partially, for me (on my talk page if you prefer) so that I can find it when I search again? Then I can add it to my precious (off-wiki) collection of quotes from our revered founding father, who is now also of course a world-renowned champion of free speech. The page is archived, so here is a working link to it for your convenience: [7]. Many thanks. Writegeist (talk) 16:57, 8 June 2014 (UTC)
- Thanks for your message - I hope that I find you well! I don't seek a 1on1 confrontation with Jimmy Wales, nor do I wish that to be the outcome of the post on my FP. My great disappointment with Jimmy Wales choice on that occasion - and on numerous occasions since - was that it cut straight across the rules and accept practises of Wikipedia, something which Jimmy claims to live by. The reality is clearly different, in that (1) he thinks he can cut across any Wiki rules, for what ever reasoning, and that (2) a series of underlings hence go forth and do his work, in the vain hope that they may drink from the same table. Jimmy's upset with my edit was further fuelled in that I had chosen to reference the Daily Mail, which as he is someone who is presently married to a Blairite-Labour insider, he considers a sacrosanct sin (if you follow the mentioned above underlings, you will note that they hate the DM even more as part of their commitment/pledge to the JW cause. The DM also on an at least annual basis heavily critic's Wikipedia, most often on accuracy. But the depth of hate between the two organisations goes beyond the public evidence). I fully accept that I made an error in this particular edit, but then so did the newspapers who printed the story (DM, Telegraph, Observer - I have copies of them all), as it was based on a "revenge"-powered false press release pointed towards the victim, who was later compensated by all of the above media outlets. However, does my following of the Wiki rules and quoting references (which I fully accept turned out to be false) justify Jimmy's choice to (1) cut across the rules of Wiki, and (2) send out judgements on others? As personally the rules of Wikipedia are written on a far more collaborative principles - possibly even with socialist aroma's - Jimmy's chosen action illustrated to me the duplicity of the rules here: hence my warning to others, that however you may view the rules here, the "popular/powerful" consider themselves above and beyond them. I have soft and hard copies of all of the above mentioned documents and the exchange on Jimmy's talkpage, but as I said I don't seek a confrontation with Jimmy or anyone here - much as though he broke the rules. So on this occasion I hope that you will understand my choice not to presently provide you with copies of the requested items. Rgds, --Trident13 (talk) 13:22, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you for taking the trouble to respond. I appreciate you're not seeking confrontation with Wales, but I don't quite see how pointing out his alleged attack on you to a third party would constitute a confrontation. Anyway that's not really important. I've revisited the thread. Unless I'm still missing something, your accusation doesn't seem at all justified to me, and if I'm correct (I'm often wrong!), such an accusation itself constitutes a personal attack under WP:NPA if it's unjustified. I wonder if you're alluding to this reference to you from Wales: "[A]n editor in good standing added an outrageous and false statement from a notoriously salacious and unreliable tabloid." Surely describing you as "an editor in good standing" can't possibly be construed as a personal attack? Whereas your describing another user as Wales's "yelping lap dog" surely can be? I just don't get what it was that led you to accuse Wales of making a personal attack on you, so I'll just leave it at that. Again, thanks for the response. Writegeist (talk) 20:13, 9 June 2014 (UTC)
FYI
Robert Dulmers. Drmies (talk) 16:55, 17 June 2014 (UTC)
- So glad to see this go up—and sure the same will be true for everyone who's ever spent time with this courageous, mischievous, conscientious, exasperating, and lovable fellow. Risking life and limb for coffee and bonbons with the Assads encapsulates him perfectly :~) . Thank you! I have another shot of him in Sarajevo, microphone in hand, interviewing a defender in the street. When I find it I'll add it. Writegeist (talk) 18:21, 17 June 2014 (UTC)
- Please do. It's up at DYK already, Template:Did you know nominations/Robert Dulmers, and I would love to have a picture in there, but the current one isn't really suitable, since it barely shows him. Drmies (talk) 03:44, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
- I found a different one—the one I had in mind turned out to be a profile shot; I'd forgotten. Please feel free to move it or whatever. Writegeist (talk) 06:17, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
- Please do. It's up at DYK already, Template:Did you know nominations/Robert Dulmers, and I would love to have a picture in there, but the current one isn't really suitable, since it barely shows him. Drmies (talk) 03:44, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
What the hell
Is a UTP? Also sorry, I misread your comment and came across as a twat I suspect. Sorry about that. Darkness Shines (talk) 20:49, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
- User Talk Page . . . (I'm so sick of the Wikipedia alphabet soup, yet there I am dispensing it myself.) Actually I mistyped. I should have written UP or "user page", because that's where I commend your articles. I didn't see any twattishness to your comments. (And my Twat-O-Meter is set to super-sensitive.) I couldn't be happier that you've jumped in. My work there during the conflict was strongly focused on crimes against women; particularly rape, and the rape-death camps, and the stories of the survivors. Nuff said :~) Writegeist (talk) 21:09, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
- I just noticed the cat below. Are you from the area? Is that why you do not edit it? You know I will do my best there, as I do on all such articles. Cheers. Darkness Shines (talk) 21:19, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
- Not from there, but was running around in BiH, Croatia, and RSK (lol, what a crock that was) during the war—freelance reporter/photojournalist. (My first-hand knowledge is too deep, memories too vivid, views too well-informed to be unbiased, sense of connection still too visceral, and associated emotions too volatile, for me to risk tangling with revisionists in editing that article.) How about you? I feel gratitude for your work here. Writegeist (talk) 23:11, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
- I just noticed the cat below. Are you from the area? Is that why you do not edit it? You know I will do my best there, as I do on all such articles. Cheers. Darkness Shines (talk) 21:19, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
Help with a Bio
Hey Good Buddy. Can you check out Template:WikiProject Editor Retention/Editor of the Week/Project main page/sandbox. I think #7 might be someone you know or may have had positive discussions with. Thanks for anything you can add. ```Buster Seven Talk 01:25, 28 June 2014 (UTC)
- Greetings dear friend. Your editor retention project is laudable and I wonder if you might consider diversifying into memory retention? Incidentally, studies by scientists whose names I've forgotten working in universities whose names I've forgotten have proved that caffeine improves the memory, or maybe that it doesn't, I can't remember which. After a cup of coffee this morning I did remember the name of one of my children, whose names (and number) usually elude me, but that might have been helped by Mrs. W slapping me upside the head.
- I had a sizeable aunt who suffered from a painful bowel obstruction and her life was only saved by (1) a doctor's diagnosis of acute editor retention and (2) a skilled surgeon's incision that released fourteen sizable editors, including my uncle, himself an editor (of Trouser Gusset Quarterly) who had gone missing six weeks earlier.
- I do in fact remember #7, and rather wish I didn't. I fear the award would only encourage him, so in all seriousness it's best I don't get involved in this one. All the best, Writegeist (talk)
- Not a problem. I remembered (a year ago) you chatting over the back fence with some auto guy. Must be someone else. Coincidently, I also had a sizable aunt. During gall bladder surgery, the doctor found a plastic army man with parachute, a frisbee, a balsa wood gyroscope, a Lady GaGa CD, a superball, a lawn dart, a ref's whistle, a slinky, a giant gummy worm, some confetti and a dozen water balloons. The surprising thing was that not a single member of the family knew that she was a Lady GaGa fan. Beers! ```Buster Seven Talk 22:46, 30 June 2014 (UTC)
- Balsa wood gyroscope :~))
- Not a problem. I remembered (a year ago) you chatting over the back fence with some auto guy. Must be someone else. Coincidently, I also had a sizable aunt. During gall bladder surgery, the doctor found a plastic army man with parachute, a frisbee, a balsa wood gyroscope, a Lady GaGa CD, a superball, a lawn dart, a ref's whistle, a slinky, a giant gummy worm, some confetti and a dozen water balloons. The surprising thing was that not a single member of the family knew that she was a Lady GaGa fan. Beers! ```Buster Seven Talk 22:46, 30 June 2014 (UTC)
Happy 4th
Hey Writegeist,
Long time no see. I just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy 4th of July. One thing I really miss about the old days at SP is coming in every day to see what you'd written. Thanks for all the fun and good times. Zaereth (talk) 23:22, 3 July 2014 (UTC)
Precious again
Zeitgeist
Thank you for capturing the movement of the Zeitgeist in precise wording, realising that "Wikipedia is a humorous parody of Uncyclopedia and Conservapedia" to be edited "boldly, satirically and immediately", for doing so, for knowing about Fucking and Socks, - you are an awesome Wikipedian!
--Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:14, 5 July 2013 (UTC)
A year ago, you playwright were the 536th recipient of my PumpkinSky Prize, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:13, 5 July 2014 (UTC)
Thank you for your minutes of silence, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 21:08, 12 March 2015 (UTC)
Emily Nussbaum
First, that's quite a collection of Signposts you have on your front porch. I don't know why but it makes my remember a quote by Ms. Nussbaum, TV critic for the NewYorker Magazine...
If I have but one rule, it's that critics shouldn't opine on subjects they know nothing about, or use the word 'opine'. (www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture)
All the very best to you and yours. ```Buster Seven Talk 17:08, 9 September 2014 (UTC)
Noting the several announcements . . .
. . . of User:Collect's departure—"I am out of here, barring an unblock",[8] "Adieu",[9] "my last post if the folks get the noose out",[10] "adieu"[11]—and wishing him well in whatever online activities he decides to pursue elsewhere. I'd have preferred to put this farewell message for Collect on his talk page, but we have long refrained from posting on each other's pages and I don't think even his departure is sufficient reason to break with this time-honored tradition. Email? Too secretive and limiting. By contrast, publication on this talk page exposes its untold millions of watchers to the message's good, good, good, good vibrations which—who knows?—might spread like a virus (not Ebola; a nice one) throughout Wikipedia and the world at large. Writegeist (talk) 00:27, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you. Similarly, I met a case of wanting to say "precious" today and not able because of page protection, which made me post on an admin's page - where perhaps more people see it than on the redirected talk of an admirable user who left in 2012. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:48, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you dear Gerda. As you may know, I have advocated quite vigorously for Collect in the past (for which he has expressed surprise and delight, albeit not on this page of course), and I can see that you empathize with my slight frustration at not being able to address my good wishes to him directly even under these exceptional circumstances. The frozen treat article is indeed precious! I wonder, incidentally, if the alleged sole founder of Wikipedia will name AF as one of the many editors (none identified yet) whom he says were driven off by a particularly outstanding one whose renowned excellence as a content creator he repeatedly demeans as "alleged"? By the way, I am frequently impressed, as I know you and many others are, by the extent of the alleged sole founder's commitment to the love, kindness, thoughtfulness, and moral ambitiousness that he preaches. It will only require one more miracle (in addition to Wikipedia; sadly I don't think Bomis counts) for the pope to issue a Bull of Canonization commanding his veneration as a saint when he eventually ascends to the great encyclopedia in the sky.Writegeist (talk) 18:10, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Sainthood is not needed, we simply worked well together, not often but on Andreas Scholl. Did you see my (unanswered) flower question, or did you also unwatch the page? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:01, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Oops, a misunderstanding: I was writing about J. Wales ("the alleged sole founder" of Wikipedia) being sanctified, not Eric, whom I respect, and whose work Wales demeans. I'll revisit the flower question later. Writegeist (talk) 20:46, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Where (else) can you get to the subtleties of alleged vs. allegedly? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 21:50, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Oops, a misunderstanding: I was writing about J. Wales ("the alleged sole founder" of Wikipedia) being sanctified, not Eric, whom I respect, and whose work Wales demeans. I'll revisit the flower question later. Writegeist (talk) 20:46, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Sainthood is not needed, we simply worked well together, not often but on Andreas Scholl. Did you see my (unanswered) flower question, or did you also unwatch the page? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:01, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you dear Gerda. As you may know, I have advocated quite vigorously for Collect in the past (for which he has expressed surprise and delight, albeit not on this page of course), and I can see that you empathize with my slight frustration at not being able to address my good wishes to him directly even under these exceptional circumstances. The frozen treat article is indeed precious! I wonder, incidentally, if the alleged sole founder of Wikipedia will name AF as one of the many editors (none identified yet) whom he says were driven off by a particularly outstanding one whose renowned excellence as a content creator he repeatedly demeans as "alleged"? By the way, I am frequently impressed, as I know you and many others are, by the extent of the alleged sole founder's commitment to the love, kindness, thoughtfulness, and moral ambitiousness that he preaches. It will only require one more miracle (in addition to Wikipedia; sadly I don't think Bomis counts) for the pope to issue a Bull of Canonization commanding his veneration as a saint when he eventually ascends to the great encyclopedia in the sky.Writegeist (talk) 18:10, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Drats!!! And I was just going to nominate him for Editor of the Weak. Through it all, I have great faith in the Wikipedia community's resilience. s ```Buster Seven Talk 17:28, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
- Greetings dear Buster. Might it be time to institute a post-departure (I balk at "posthumous") version of EoW for contributors who missed it during their wikilifetimes? For sure, the dear old 'pedia will never be quite the same. End of an era. (Cue Nimrod etc.) Oh dear, I seem to be using up my dwindling supply of the word "dear". Could you lend me a few until next week? Writegeist (talk) 18:10, 3 October 2014 (UTC)
Play today
I case you need a topic for a play Ermutigung, the author just played it himself. Highly provoking, something that translates to "You cannot go into hiding / you need us and we need / your cheerfulness right now" ;) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 22:37, 7 November 2014 (UTC)
Timing is everything
I always appreciate being quoted, and frankly, I really enjoy your writing style. That said, I feel compelled to point out that the comment in question was made in November 2014, rather than in 2011. Of course, the observation does have a certain timeless quality to it, so perhaps it's truthier to keep the 2011 date.
On a related note, I've often marveled at the sheer magnitude and ubiquity of hypocrisy on Wikipedia. Do you think that Wikipedians are actually more hypocritical than the average person? Or does it have something to do with the fact that one's every utterance is preserved in perpetuity here, making it much easier to identify hypocrisy?
On a much more serious note, thank you for the pictures of Sarajevo on your userpage. They're a stark reminder of a horrifying (and apparently nearly forgotten, at least in the US) episode in recent history. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be present during the siege, but thank you for sharing the photos. MastCell Talk 18:58, 2 December 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you for catching that. I've corrected it. Re. hypocrisy, I think Laurence Sterne had it right with "Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world . . . the cant of hypocrites may be the worst . . ." It's a trap we all fall into from time to time. It takes determination, great strength of character, and exceptionally vigilant self-awareness to avoid it, and who among us is in possession of all three together at all times? In RL interactions I encounter it (and probably practise it) less than in WP. Also I think you're right that the permanent preservation of written comments makes hypocrisy, like all our traits perhaps, easier to identify. Many thanks also for acknowledging the Sarajevo photographs. "Never again" we say say each time it happens again . . .
Seasons Greetings
Happy holidays. | ||
Best wishes for joy and happiness to my best wiki-friend Writegeist from ```Buster Seven Talk 08:28, 5 December 2014 (UTC) |
Festive invitation to DHeyward
Season's greetings DHeyward!
As apparently your chosen method of ad hominem is to fuck with a username and ping the user to let him/her know, please do at least try to make your variations witty. Yes I know, it may be asking too much (noting you refer to people who incur your displeasure as "retard" and "dipshit"). Nevertheless it would be amusing to see you try.
So be my guest. Feel free to use this page to practise on! (My username only, please. And please note this is not an invitation to use this page for anything else.)
Happy ad hominemming! Writegeist (talk) 16:29, 18 December 2014 (UTC)
Personal attacks
Please stop making personal attacks on Jimmy Wales as you have recently and repeatedly done on his talk page. Although he's a founder of Wikipedia, this does not mean he ceded his entitlement to civility, especially on his own talk page. Jehochman Talk 17:00, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- I'm seconding Jehochman's message to you. I came here to tell you to immediately stop. Your repetitive messages are trolling and are now disrupting discussions. Wifione Message 17:12, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- Writegeist's edits were uncomfortable, but not a "deliberate and intentional attempt to disrupt the usability of Wikipedia for its editors, administrators, developers, and other people who work to create content for and help run Wikipedia", nor were they personal attacks. To illustrate: On the same page, Writegeist's name gets perverted (and linked) to "Wrongtard". That would be an example of "personal attack", in my opinion. Or maybe our priorities just differ. ---Sluzzelin talk 21:24, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- Priorities differ. Writegeist has been making obnoxious comments on User talk:Jimbo Wales and continues to do so even after the host made clear that the comments were obnoxious (and thus unwelcomed).[12] Please don't post there again, Writegeist, about this issue. You made your point very well; there's no need to belabor the point just to irritate Jimmy. Thank you. And no, I haven't threatened to block you. Jehochman Talk 22:40, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- Writegeist's edits were uncomfortable, but not a "deliberate and intentional attempt to disrupt the usability of Wikipedia for its editors, administrators, developers, and other people who work to create content for and help run Wikipedia", nor were they personal attacks. To illustrate: On the same page, Writegeist's name gets perverted (and linked) to "Wrongtard". That would be an example of "personal attack", in my opinion. Or maybe our priorities just differ. ---Sluzzelin talk 21:24, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
Jimbo is quite capable of stating explicitly he doesn't wish an editor to continue posting on his page, and has done in the past. While I disagree with the opinions Writegeist is expressing, I don't see any policy violations in their doing so. NE Ent 23:21, 19 December 2014 (UTC)
- Policy is a minimal, low standard. What has been going on is abusive and obnoxious and should stop, whether or not it violates policy. Jehochman Talk 00:41, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
- No, it is not a personal attack, nor is it abusive or obnoxious. It's merely an opinion that it's hard to square Jimbo's decision to accept $500K from an oppressive regime with his other positions and that while he has pledged to donate the money to human rights causes, he apparently hasn't yet done that nor has he identified the organizations to which he's going to give it Jimbo may find all of this quite inconvenient and wish it would go away but he's a public figure, he chose to accept the $500K, it's a legitimate question and it's one that's being asked in the media. NE Ent really hit this on the head: Jimbo is a big boy and I think if he's unhappy and wishes to respond, he can do that himself. Or he may decide to ignore it completely. What I don't think is appropriate is for an admin to start making questionable charges of personal attacks (I remind you that making a false charge is also a personal attack) nor do I find it particularly credible that if admin posts a warning about personal attacks on an user's talk page that it doesn't come with an implicit threat of a block. Msnicki (talk) 01:13, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
- Are you following me around too? Yes, it's abusive and obnoxious, and it's incredibly unhelpful for you both to be flying around in formation providing cover for every editor who has confused Wikipedia with Reddit. Just because I'm an admin doesn't mean I need to grin and bear it when witnessing one editor abusing another. You should feel a little empathy for that situation. Jehochman Talk 01:16, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
- No, I am not following you around. But I did see Writegeist's complaint on Jimbo's talk page about your "visit" and decided to read all his recent contributions to see if I agreed with you. I read them all and I don't. I held off making any comment to see how you'd respond to the criticism I was sure you'd get. You've rejected it and I decided to say something. Msnicki (talk) 01:29, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
Msnicki, Sluzzelin and NE Ent: thank you for the refreshing level-headedness and rationality of your insights here.
Wifione and Jehochman: I appreciate surrealism and generally welcome it on this page. Unfortunately your overwrought accusations (i.e. of personal attacks, incivility, trolling, disruption, obnoxiousness, abusiveness, intention "just to irritate Jimmy", confusion of Wikipedia with Reddit, etc.) are not just out there, which would be OK. They're devoid of any merit, which is not. As administrators, you should get that. I also note that one of you continued to argue the toss even after the errors in your comments had been pointed out to you. You both need to raise your game if you're to be welcomed here in future.
In haste, and wishing you all a very happy Christmas. Writegeist (talk) 20:43, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
- Thanks for the Holiday Greetings, my friend. I see 'The Conversation Pit" you built over the summer is getting some use. Beers! ```Buster Seven Talk 21:22, 20 December 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you too my good friend. Yes, the conversation pit is living, or at least comfortably upholstered, proof that those who mocked and said it would only attract dimwits like me were just talking out of their backsides.
- Admittedly one or two guests have been known to say stuff that's out of place in an intellectual salon whose lofty standards are the toast of the world's intellectual elite. So it's just as well that the salon in question sets the bar at about the height of a midget's kneecap. Ya gotta start somewhere, right? And—because I know you'll ask—the answer is yes, I do keep a midget handy for routine checks on the calibration. There's an unexpected bonus in the dexterity of his tiny hands. They're, well, handy for the challenging task of milking my pedigree herd of basmati rice grains. (Rice milk for one's morning coffee is so expensive in the stores.) Feel free to borrow him when you visit. His name is Elvis. He also pours generous measures of Maker's Mark, by the way. I just wish he wouldn't drink them. Last Monday he passed out on the floor and a friend of Lysistrata's tripped over him and sustained a painful Pott's fracture. Up until then I had thought she was from a respectable family but my god, the language. Turns out both her parents are lawyers. Happy holidays Buster! See you on the other side. Writegeist (talk) 00:06, 21 December 2014 (UTC)
Sometimes quite interesting, the people who turn up here. Take administrator Wikione, for example, who has graced us with his/her presence in this thread. Questions were raised about him/her in the course of an investigation at Wikipediocracy. There was a Wikipedia editor review. Wikione quietly withdrew from activity here, and cofounder Wales expressed a wish for him/her to stay away. Apparently (s)he chose to disregard it.
Also interesting are the comments in this thread from a vigilant IP. Wikione deleted them as being from a "banned user". They are preserved in the page history. Writegeist (talk) 20:01, 21 December 2014 (UTC)
- Merely a suggestion, but I think this would be an excellent time to drop it. There's a time to walk away, especially when you seem to have won some support that you might lose in a hurry if you're not careful. Msnicki (talk) 20:14, 21 December 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you both for this sage advice. I've dropped it now (on my toe as it happens, but I have others). I have also walked or rather limped away, and taken the chill pill. Quite a stressful time of year! Writegeist (talk) 21:37, 21 December 2014 (UTC)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case#Wifione
Back at ya
Wishing you a jolly season too. During my break, I have been chasing after the intelligence explosion which I anticipate will give me absolute power over the entire universe (bwahahahahaha), if the programming is written just right to keep the computers from doing their own thing. My newly and successfully tested high beta fusion reactor should rapidly propel us toward implementation of that happy intelligence explosion, or at least will stop this disgusting flood of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Take the inverse of all those thrills and chills, and you quantify the happiness of my dealings with admins and arbcom. Cheers, Anythingyouwant (talk) 08:49, 21 December 2014 (UTC)
Some editor gave me one of those mushy Wiki-Love messages
and suggested that I pass it on. Like I don't have better things to do with my time. Anyway...here it is. Enjoy Buster Seven Talk 16:21, 6 January 2015 (UTC)
A Dobos torte for you!
Buster Seven Talk has given you a Dobos Torte to enjoy! Seven layers of fun because you deserve it.
To give a Dobos Torte and spread the WikiLove, just place {{subst:Dobos Torte}} on someone else's talkpage, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past or a good friend. |
Holiday
Let me take this opportunity to invite you and the lovely missus Geist to join me on the poop deck of the good ship HMS Wikipedia.
Careful! There are sharks nearby! We are currently docked at my talk page awaiting proper documentation for Starr, the cat, and a herd of 300 American Bison. I hope the papers get here soon since the porters I have hired refuse to clean up after the bison. What can I say----UNIONS!!! The reason for this hurried decision is a 3 day holiday to honor a fellow collaborator that has lost his ability to ply his trade for 2 days.[13] Another fellow traveler may have his license rescinded for a month!!! I should know soon if I take a 2 day trip to Savannah, Georgia where I have some land or a full month in which we head for the Golden Opportunities in CUBA. Can you imagine? Buffalo burgers, Cuban Rum and a good Havana cigar. Free Enterprise, I love it! TRA! Buster Seven Talk 01:29, 26 January 2015 (UTC)
Two
good friends have a photo question at SV's talk page. I thought you might have a photo answer. TRA!. Buster Seven Talk 02:40, 3 February 2015 (UTC)
Thanks
Thank you for unhatting this discussion. This is the third discussion in the last several months (I'm sure there's many more) where I've directly observed questionable judgment and action from Jehochman (I'm not pinging him because he has a habit of making wild accusations, and if I do ping him, I'm sure he'll invent something like "ping harassment"). My question to you is simple: can anything be done about Jehochman's increasingly erratic behavior? Viriditas (talk) 03:17, 13 February 2015 (UTC)
- I detest hatting. It's so anti-editor no matter what is being said. Are we little children that need protection? I came here looking a quick answer for who the hatter was rather than looking in the history. I know who the editor protector was!!. TY. . Buster Seven Talk 17:57, 14 February 2015 (UTC)
- Viriditas: Thank you for dropping by. Excellent question. It's been three weeks and I still haven't come up with an answer. RfC/Us are useless; Arbcom, ditto. I don't know. Ridicule? His actions and utterances certainly are ridiculous. Contributions that convey a totally unwarranted sense of self-importance overlaying gravely limited comprehension skills are always good for a laugh—unlike their tedious consequences. How about a new category: Erratic users we don't know what to do about?
- Buster: Greetings, dear friend. This is wonderful. You were curious about the identity of The Hatter, and where was it revealed to you? Here on my humble page! Wikipedia really IS the sum of all human knowledge. On a more serious note (if notes can be any more serious than the sum of all human knowledge), and this is absolutely true: Lysistrata and I took delivery of a new sofa on the very day that you so generously donated your garage sale bargain. Spooky. They're very different, but we have eclectic tastes so your gift works well at Disorderly Manor, where nothing really goes with anything else. Thank you. It was a comfortable perch from which to view some unfortunate but curiously satisfying goings-on at the 'pedia while nursing a Maker's Mark or three and fondling the stuffed cat (I allow it onto the sofa because it doesn't shed, although now, in its dotage, there's the occasional dribble of stuffing from its left ear, sometimes accompanied by a spider). Writegeist (talk) 03:32, 6 March 2015 (UTC)
Garage Sale find
Have a seat! . Buster Seven Talk 16:03, 21 February 2015 (UTC)
Clarification
Drmies, thank you for expanding on your thoughts and needs. I have a fuller understanding of your point of view. (And incidentally I have experienced—in fact, am still experiencing—grievous losses similar to your own.) I'd hoped my post at your UTP would clarify that the reference was not intended as a joke or a throwaway line, but rather as a serious comment that characterizes behavior like C's as a scourge on the project. I do appreciate now that the choice of metaphor is not one that works for you in this context. Rest assured I shall bear that in mind in future interactions between us. Best wishes, Writegeist (talk) 19:19, 28 February 2015 (UTC)
- Dear Writegeist, as far as I'm concerned we're good, I think we were good already since you were kind enough to come to my talk page and leave me a note. So rock on, and keep doing the work we should be doing. If it weren't for you AMC Pacer would look terrible--the article, not the car (it can't be saved). Thanks again, Drmies (talk) 01:08, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
- Excellent, thank you, I feel reassured and relieved. But by your discovery of my secret pleasure, not so much :) . Writegeist (talk) 01:53, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
Pull up a rock and have a seat
Take a look at User:Ched/50. This may get interesting. It may also turn into a nice place to take a nap. . Buster Seven Talk 22:57, 6 March 2015 (UTC)
The Signpost: 11 March 2015
- Special report: An advance look at the WMF's fundraising survey
- In the media: Gamergate; a Wiki hoax; Kanye West
- Traffic report: Wikipedia: handing knowledge to the world, one prank at a time
- Featured content: Here they come, the couple plighted –
- Op-ed: Why the Core Contest matters
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- MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 20:30, 12 March 2015 (UTC)
Re: How Many
The only other account I have here is TomStar810 (talk · contribs), a declared sock. Out of curiosity, why do you ask? Its none of my business, but it seems a rather odd thing to inquire about, hence the question. TomStar81 (Talk) 04:33, 13 March 2015 (UTC)
- Sorry, I just spotted the reply on your talk page message at the top of the page. It was not my intention to ignore your request for reply, I just got caught up in reading all the other material on your talk page and missed the one liner proclamation. I offer no excuse, and will be more careful about that in the future. TomStar81 (Talk) 04:36, 13 March 2015 (UTC)
- No worries, your userbox triggered my curiosity. Thank you for the disclosure. Best wishes, Writegeist (talk) 21:15, 13 March 2015 (UTC)
The Signpost: 18 March 2015
- From the editor: A salute to Pine
- Featured content: A woman who loved kings
- Traffic report: It's not cricket
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Arbitration Case Opened
You were recently listed as a party to a request for arbitration. The Arbitration Committee has accepted that request for arbitration and an arbitration case has been opened at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Collect and others. Evidence that you wish the arbitrators to consider should be added to the evidence subpage, at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Collect and others/Evidence. Please add your evidence by April 7, 2015, which is when the evidence phase closes. You can also contribute to the case workshop subpage, Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Collect and others/Workshop. For a guide to the arbitration process, see Wikipedia:Arbitration/Guide to arbitration. For the Arbitration Committee, Robert McClenon (talk) 21:17, 24 March 2015 (UTC) Robert McClenon (talk) 21:17, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- Interesting! . Buster Seven Talk 06:21, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- Nice to see you Buster. Alas, I don’t think Lysistrata and I can save him this time—not even if we summon all seven of the magical powers we learned during those ghastly years in India as students of Maharishi Heypresto. And as fate would have it, we solemnly swore never to use them. Oh god, the prickly heat we suffered in our Donegal thornproof tweeds. And poor L, there wasn’t a single stick or whatever you call it of her Max Factor Harem Scarlet lipstick to be had in the bazars of le tout Delhi (I flew her down in my little Dragon Moth, sure we’d find a branch of Harrod’s or something). But I must say she’s wonderfully brave in the face of adversity. We shall pray, of course, just as we did for dear old Wotsisname when the crocodile took his leg. What was his name? Friend of Ernest and Martha’s. Anyway, a fat lot of good it did him. I fear we really do reap what we sow. Rather Biblical, eh? Or perhaps I mean agricultural. I get confused. It’s the Martinis. But anyway the arbs, like God, work in mysterious ways their wonders to perform. So who knows? Sic transit gloria mundi. 'Gloria was sick in the bus on Monday'—the only Latin my mother ever taught me so I use it at every opportunity, kind of in her memory. Although she's still alive. Writegeist (talk) 07:48, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
Pursuant to section 3a of an arbitration motion, you were recently listed as a party to a request for arbitration. Please note: being listed as a party does not imply any wrongdoing nor mean that there will necessarily be findings of fact or remedies regarding that party. The Arbitration Committee has accepted that request for arbitration and an arbitration case has been opened at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/American politics 2. Evidence that you wish the arbitrators to consider should be added to the evidence subpage, at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/American politics 2/Evidence. Please add your evidence by April 14, 2015, which is when the evidence phase closes. You can also contribute to the case workshop subpage, Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/American politics 2/Workshop. For a guide to the arbitration process, see Wikipedia:Arbitration/Guide to arbitration. For the Arbitration Committee, --L235 (t / c / ping in reply) by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 01:57, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- 'Pursuant to section 3a' is hilarious. Thank you. Writegeist (talk) 07:53, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- I know and work with Editor Li235 over at WER/Eddy. He is congenial and very competent. I wish him well in the face of what may turn into a fiasco if the Main party to the troubles, the main instigator to the troubles, does his usual "I can't be bothered. I leave my minions to answer any accusations of conduct." We have seen this before. Where was it? I wish I had kept my notes but they were lost at sea on my recent trip to Cuba which did not go well, I must say. Upon arrival at Porto de Fidel in Havana Harbor, the bison were spooked during off-loading and escaped into the hills. They sent a message by proxy (Attorney Alice de Vunderlangdt) that they would only communicate by posting responses on the Cathedral Door. TRA! . Buster Seven Talk 12:44, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- I've sent you some correspondence via e-mail from back in 2008 when we first met. Enjoy! . Buster Seven Talk 14:04, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- You said pretty much what I would have said had I been allowed to say what I wanted to say when I wanted to say it but now its too late 'cause you already said it. Drats! I missed my chance! My little Webster's Pocket Dictionary isn't too clear on whether minion and proxy are the same thing. I think they are pretty close...like mirage and illusion....or forboding and melted cheese. I've been chastised for using the word "minion" so I want to be very careful not to over-step. The reference to ESandL is right on the money...a foreshadowing perhaps. Best to the stuffed cat. Starr sends his love. . Buster Seven Talk 06:02, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
- Dangerous humor? Ah, the creeping fundamentalist Iranification of Wikipedia. It took a while to get started here. For example, way back in 2006 Iran arrested Mana Neyestani for his humorous cartoon in the newspaper Iran that showed a little boy and a cockroach conversing in Farsi. There are more ancient precedents, of course. In 443, Attila the Hun reportedly killed ninety-odd Roman soldiers in a battle for Constantinople while dressed as Attila the Nun. The Huns, although not widely known for their sense of humour, apparently thought it very funny at the time. By the way isn't "minion" a rather expensive filet of steak? Fyi a proxy is someone who is simultaneously afflicted with dropsy and the pox. Writegeist (talk) 18:49, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
- You said pretty much what I would have said had I been allowed to say what I wanted to say when I wanted to say it but now its too late 'cause you already said it. Drats! I missed my chance! My little Webster's Pocket Dictionary isn't too clear on whether minion and proxy are the same thing. I think they are pretty close...like mirage and illusion....or forboding and melted cheese. I've been chastised for using the word "minion" so I want to be very careful not to over-step. The reference to ESandL is right on the money...a foreshadowing perhaps. Best to the stuffed cat. Starr sends his love. . Buster Seven Talk 06:02, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
- I've sent you some correspondence via e-mail from back in 2008 when we first met. Enjoy! . Buster Seven Talk 14:04, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- I know and work with Editor Li235 over at WER/Eddy. He is congenial and very competent. I wish him well in the face of what may turn into a fiasco if the Main party to the troubles, the main instigator to the troubles, does his usual "I can't be bothered. I leave my minions to answer any accusations of conduct." We have seen this before. Where was it? I wish I had kept my notes but they were lost at sea on my recent trip to Cuba which did not go well, I must say. Upon arrival at Porto de Fidel in Havana Harbor, the bison were spooked during off-loading and escaped into the hills. They sent a message by proxy (Attorney Alice de Vunderlangdt) that they would only communicate by posting responses on the Cathedral Door. TRA! . Buster Seven Talk 12:44, 24 March 2015 (UTC)
- I think you mean "medallion" which is always a convincing addition to your made-up definition when playing the game of Pictionary...my grandkids are easily fooled when I use big 25¢ words like "recalcitrant" or "complicity" or "provocateur". As stroll down memory lane reminds me that my eighth grade BVM sister was nicknamed "Attila the Nun". She looked like Babe Didrikson but with an attitude. Corporal punishment was not just expected as a part of a parochial upbringing; it was a requirement.. Buster Seven Talk 19:19, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
The Signpost – Volume 11, Issue 12 – 25 March 2015
- News and notes: Wikimedia Foundation adopts open-access research policy
- Featured content: A carnival of animals, a river of dung, a wasteland of uncles, and some people with attitude
- Special report: Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year 2014
- Traffic report: Oddly familiar
- Recent research: Most important people; respiratory reliability; academic attitudes
Yes! That's exactly the literary analogy I was looking for, although the best I could come up with was Polonius, from Hamlet. MastCell Talk 19:28, 27 March 2015 (UTC)