User talk:Cindamuse/Archive 17

Sicilian Nobility
This is the first time I have used Wikipedia so please excuse my efforts. Can you please explain why three paragraphs from my colleagues wikipedia page on Sicilian Nobility, along with pertinent citations have been deleted? The paragraphs on "Barone Serramarrocco" and the Famiglia Ventimiglia Vallon were deleted entirely. The user that deleted them may not see their importance however for those of us in southern Italy that monitor and write about the lives and habits of contemporary aristocracy this act is criminal. Our island has been stripped of its tradition since the second world war. Academics at the University of Catania are trying to restore the respect our island warrants. Contemporary aristocracy is of the utmost importance to our island and sense of self. To delete all traces of what remains of our fragmented aristocracy, as this user who I am certain is NOT A SICLILIAN, has done so insensitively, reeks of censorship. It is a blatant attack on our culture and deliberate revision of our history. Not only were citations specific to the deleted paragraphs erased by this user but sources used in the writing of paragraphs he decided to leave were as well. I tried to restore the references but believe i did so incorrectly and you reversed them.This user also added some information to the text without citing his source material. I have no issues leaving some of the information he added re Infante Carlos as this is not our area of expertise and any additional information is helpful, but to erase information drawn from months of painstaking research and primary source material my students and i have spent so much time digging through is criminal. I am sorry if i am overreacting however this is my passion and to see our work destroyed and my culture trampled on through cultural imperialism pains me. Please let me know what we can do to block this individual from deleting portions of our work. Either way we want to share our research on the the contemporary aristocracy with the wikipedia community. If not I would like to file a formal complaint. Sincerely,

I see that you have once again erased the paragraphs about Barone Serramarrocco and the ventimiglia Vallon family. How can you do so without consulting with the author? Without expertise on our island? I would like to file a formal complaint with wikipedia as you have erased part of a 14 month project on contemporary Sicilian aristocracy. Cultural imperialism by erasing what remains of our islands traditions is unethical and immoral  — Preceding unsigned comment added by FabrizioParisi (talk • contribs) 10:12, 5 September 2011 (UTC)  Fabrizio Parisi Professore di Storia e Filosofia
 * I cannot suppose to guess the identity of your colleague or their contributions, so I am not able to comment. I recommend that your colleague speak for him/herself and contact the editor that initially removed the content. I came upon the article when alerted by the blanking of article content. Please refrain from blanking and/or removing content from articles. If you disagree with article content, present your concern on the discussion page for community discussion and consensus. Removing content and replacing it with your original research is never acceptable. I also recommend reading Wikipedia's policy pertaining to ownership of articles. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 10:18, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Can you tell me how to add a reference?
On the nigel auchterlounie page that you nominated for deletion, i want to add the 2012 Dandy Annual as a reference, and i keep trying to do and but it dosent work. Can you help me? Ilovethebeano (talk) 13:39, 5 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I can, but "2012 Dandy Annual" is not a proper source. I would recommend that you read Referencing for beginners and information about identifying reliable sources. Overall, all articles require notability established through significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. The citations that you provide must include enough information to direct readers to the specific source. "2012 Dandy Annual" as a source is very ambiguous. If it was a proper citation, it would be placed directly after the content for which it serves as verification. Let me know if you have other questions. Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 13:49, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Rhys Mechyll
Wow, you're quick off the blocks! Your 3 tags were received as soon as I had pressed the save button! Now referenced & cleaned-up, (as I was about to do! I do appreciate I should have submitted it perfect without final touches left to do, apologies) I hope to your satisfaction. N.B. This is only meant to be a stub article, to provide somewhere for references to his name elsewhere to wikilink to. If so, can I remove the tags? (Lobsterthermidor (talk) 14:21, 5 September 2011 (UTC))
 * Hey, sorry about the timing! I would go ahead and remove the nofootnotes, but the article still needs cleanup (letter, word, and paragraph spacing). There are also unreliable, self-published sources used as references. If you want me to jump in and do a quick cleanup, let me know, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 14:36, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

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Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
Hi Cindy, thanks for your messages. I will try to learn more about usage. In the meantime, I'd like to find out how best to develop the page on the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and then protect it. I work for the Commission and it is important that correct information is placed online and due to the nature of the content, that it then be protected. Thank you. SuhaMatar (talk) 03:54, 10 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hi Suha, thanks for contacting me. Honestly, it looks like there may be a misunderstanding of the design and purpose for which Wikipedia exists. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, rather than a webhost for managing and/or presenting corporate communication and image. One of the fundamental principles, or five pillars, by which Wikipedia functions is contrary to your expressed desire. Wikipedia is a community project. The encyclopedia is comprised of free content that anyone can edit, use, modify, and distribute. All of the edits to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry article are closely monitored by any number of editors for revision, vandalism, additions, and enhancements. Since all your contributions are freely licensed to the public, no editor owns any article; all of your contributions can and will be mercilessly edited and redistributed. The BICI article may feasibly be edited by all parties involved in the events of February and March 2011, along with various factions of unrest taking place throughout Bahrain. An additional issue concerns editing with a conflict of interest. This includes contributing to Wikipedia in order to promote your own interests or those of other individuals, companies, or groups. Due to your status as the Communications Director and employee of BICI, editing the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry article is strongly discouraged. Another of our five pillars presents our policy to maintain a neutral point of view. We strive for articles that document and explain the major points of view in a balanced impartial manner. We try to avoid advocacy and we characterize information and issues rather than debate them. In some areas there may be just one well-recognized point of view; in other areas we describe multiple points of view, presenting each accurately and in context, and not presenting any point of view as "the truth" or "the best view", as determined by the subject of the article. This includes articles pertaining to individuals, as well as public and private organizations and corporations. Essentially, we cannot hinder other editors from participating in editing the BICI article, nor can we protect the article (outside of vandalism) to preserve a preferred version. I realize that this is not the answer you desire or expected to hear. Each of the blue links here can provide additional information. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 07:11, 10 September 2011 (UTC)

Speedy Delete question
Hi, I received an email saying that the article I wrote is being deleted. I thought it would be ok to write being that it was very similar to this article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Dog_Haven Can you tell me what the difference is? Thank you, — Preceding unsigned comment added by Annambr22 (talk • contribs) 06:00, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, it appears that you have modeled your article after another inappropriate article. You can find more information here. Overall, the article was highly promotional, while failing to indicate how the subject is significant and/or important. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 06:10, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Re: Deletion Discussion
Hey there. I guess there was a lag in the servers or something, because I completed the entire process of deletion for the Economic reforms and social disadvantages article. I started the discussion here and the deletion was put up in the Articles for deletion log here. I'm not new, but I might've missed out on some other step in the process. Please notify me if that is the case. Cheers! Ratibgreat (talk) 09:53, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I think it was due to an edit conflict. I was placing a CSD when you were placing the AFD. The article is a copyvio of (http:// finance. mapsofworld.com/economy-reform/poverty.html), but the system bounced due to the blacklist. (I had to add lead to indicate the url here.) It looks like everything is complete now. Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 10:03, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Excessive creation of too-minor articles by user:Ilovethebeano
Raised at Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Comics Andy Dingley (talk) 11:51, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Speedy deletion declined
Just so you know, I declined the speedy deletion of Jonathan Cheever; as the article's author pointed out Cheever is listed on another page, which has a ref to verify that he placed 7th at a 2011 Snowboarding competition. Now, I'm not sure if that is really enough for Cheever to have an article, as I'm not sure that's enough to meet WP:ATHLETE, but it is enough to pass A7. Qwyrxian (talk) 12:49, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Completely understandable with the content you provided. I knew the G11 wouldn't fly. I think with the information you found, we should be able to locate additional content and sources to bypass deletion with this one. I'll try to find something. Thanks, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 13:01, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Edited to add: I've found sufficient information to add to the article, along with references to clearly establish Cheever's notability. He's actually the 2011 US champion. Thanks again for catching this. Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 13:08, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks! I personally try not to take sides on athlete articles except when they clearly fail A7, because I simply don't understand why Qwyrxian (talk) 13:14, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Editing of Checkpoint(journal)
I think that this article is a) notable in the Australian context and b) contains some secondary reference and also permissible primary material. The article Checkpoint(journal) describes a now defunct series deposited in the National Library of Australia, and notable because of the current prominence of individuals who were then learning the political trade. The article makes:"....straightforward, descriptive statements that any educated person, with access to the source but without specialist knowledge, will be able to verify are supported by the source...." so even if you think it's primary material it should be OK. There is one extant secondary reference: from Hermann and no doubt more will be discovered by other editors now that this basic short article is published. I think the article should stand as is. --Ericwilberforce (talk) 12:48, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Not to worry. The proposed deletion is merely housekeeping due to the lack of space between the "t" and "(". While the article needs additional citations to support article content, it is not currently in the cross hairs for deletion. If you ever have questions or need help, feel free to contact me. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:12, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Response re west wing week,
Hi Cindamuse,

Having read your comments I tend to agree, I shall remove referencing guide. I only put it up because the article is up for a DYK nomination, and I thought it would help in getting the episodes section finished speedily, having said that I ended up doing the majority of it myself. Thanks for letting me know that this type of material is not appropriate for a discussion page or any page for a matter of fact. I shall remove the guide ASAP.

Kind regards, -- Ratio: Scripta  · [ Talk ] 19:30, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I would like to mention that I enjoyed reading the article. I was not previously familiar with this broadcast and found the article very interesting. You've done a great job! Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:06, 12 September 2011 (UTC)


 * Thanks again for bringing my unwarranted edits to attention and thank you for the recognition of the article. I am glad that you found the article interesting. Kind regards, -- Ratio: Scripta  · [ Talk ] 20:37, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Writing as Communication
Pretty soon the students for Writing as Communication might come asking for feedback on their article choices. I wanted to give you a heads up that I've instructed them to choose topics that fit within the rough general area of Communication Studies. For example, expanding an article or section on advertising and youth would be great, as would media representations of (insert topic here). I appreciate all your help, thanks again! Debaser42 (talk) 22:48, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Sure thing! I check in everyday, just to see what's up. Please don't hesitate to contact me if any of the students need more direct assistance with anything. Happy to help and looking forward to working with you and the class! Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 22:54, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

The Signpost: 12 September 2011
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Talkback
FYI Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 02:59, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Ktlin91
Hi, My name is Kai, and you are the ambassador of my writing class's wiki-page. I will hit you up when i have any problem. Ktlin91 (talk) 18:12, 13 September 2011 (UTC)Ktlin91
 * Hey Kai! Looking forward to working with you! Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 15:54, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

50 Words for Snow
Hi, I had no idea that somebody else had created the article I just though I was the first since when i went to create the acticle it was just a redirect and that since i put all the info/track list/overview etc that i had created it (at the time). Is that not how it works? If not I'll happily take it down from the list of articles I've created and I'm assuming that the article now has enough references etc? If not I'm also happy to find more, please let me know, on both counts. Thank you. --Duphin (talk) 22:21, 13 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Unless you're a sock, you're taking credit for something you haven't done. Ill advised at best. That said, I think the article is sufficiently sourced, so I wouldn't worry about looking for more. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 15:49, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

IRC
Hello Cindamuse, I hope all is well with you. I am curious if you ever considered joining the Wikipedia classroom on the irc in support of the ambassador program? If you're not averse to the idea, it would be great to have you present when you are logged in. Recently I have had good interactions with Debaser42, the instructor for the class we will mentor together. They would only enhance if you were part of some of these conversations. If you are interested. My76Strat (talk) 16:25, 14 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Check your email. ;) Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 16:35, 14 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Got it, and one is back at you :) My76Strat (talk) 16:52, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Jns521
Hi Cindamuse,

My name is Jessica and I am currently a junior at Umass Amherst. I am doubling majoring in Communication and Chinese with a minor in Economics. I love working out, watching movies and meeting new people! Jns521 (talk) 18:23, 14 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Happy to see you here, Jessica! Please feel free to contact me anytime you need help or have a question. Otherwise, I just sit here bored and staring at the monitor. ;) Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 18:27, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

Talkback
Hi Cindy, I am part of Zach McDowell's wikiproject class. Looking forward to learning how all of this works. (Jules2013 (talk) 04:58, 16 September 2011 (UTC))

FrankEunice
Could you kindly not just template user's like User:FrankEunice when the issue is already being discussed, the user doesn't understand the relevant policies, and, more importantly, the issue is being discussed on the article's talk page. For example, since I already explained about COI, there was no reason to add that COI template. Qwyrxian (talk) 23:40, 14 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for contacting me, my friend. Sorry for the riffle. A couple of things. The template was placed in direct correlation to email correspondence with the user. I realize that the user does not understand relevant policies, and note that education on Wikipedia comes through reading (and then doing). The notification template (rather than a warning) is offered to assist in this understanding by providing direct links to the relevant policies and guidelines. You and I realize that the links provided in the template are duplicated at WP:COI, but this is not apparent to editors across the board. It's a collaborative effort and as such, the user has engaged my help in an effort to understand. No more; no less. Best regards,  Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 17:57, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Mike Nolan33
Hi Cindamuse, My name is Mike and i'm a communications student at Umass Amherst. I would just like to thank you in advance for any and all help you can give to me or my peers. Mike Nolan33 (talk) 17:09, 15 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks! I look forward to working with you. Don't hesitate to contact me any time you need help or have questions. Happy editing! Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 17:57, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Dahlidahl
Hi there! Thank you so much for helping our class! Gives me hope for humanity that people are willing to volunteer their time and expertise. From- Dahlia — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dahlidahl (talk • contribs) 19:06, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

Political Parties course
Cindy, I saw your request on the ambassadors group, and have signed up as an online ambassador for that class. Is there anyone you'd like me to reach out to right away? If not, I can just leave a note for the instructor to let him know I'm available to help, if you think that's the best next step. Thanks -- Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:21, 15 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey Mike! Thanks so much. While your assistance is certainly appreciated with the Political Parties course, we actually really need help with the Psych101 course at St Charles Community College. It's a new class with 194 students and more expected. (Basically 194 students from six or so classes.) If you can help out there, it would be very much appreciated. Let me know, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 22:38, 15 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Oops! I'll sign up for the right class shortly; I misread your post.  Sorry! Mike Christie (talk - contribs -  library) 22:48, 15 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hello Cindy. I saw that you needed help, so I signed up as an Online Ambassador for the Psych101 course.  It should be fun - so many students.  Cullen 328   Let's discuss it  23:59, 15 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Very cool. Thanks Jim! Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 00:04, 16 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I see you added me -- thanks! I'll stay on the other one too.  I don't see a section for the course here, which I think is why I made the mistake.  Let me know how I can help. Mike Christie (talk - contribs -  library) 00:23, 16 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Aja99
Hi, Cindy! My name is Brittany and I'm a member of the Comm375 class that you are an ambassador for. I just wanted to introduce myself & to thank you for signing up to help my class. Thank you!! Aja99 (talk) 00:24, 16 September 2011 (UTC) Aja99

Comm 375 Sabrina.roy
Hi, Cindy! My name is Sabrina, I am a member of the Writing as Communication class at Umass you are an Online Ambassador for. I wanted to thank you in advance for all your help with our class!! I am looking forward to working with you!Sabrina.roy (talk) 04:31, 16 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Scriptgeek
Hi Cindy! I'm Steph in the comm375 class, I just want to thank you in advance for your help with our upcoming project! (Scriptgeek (talk) 22:13, 14 September 2011 (UTC))

Hi Cindy, I'm in the Communications 375 class and I just wanted to say thanks for all the help you are going to provide for us this semester. I was just wondering how you know what articles you want to write/edit? What factors contribute to your investment in certain wiki pages? DianeElizabeth66 (talk) 16:49, 13 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey there! No problem, honestly I enjoy helping out. So, interesting question! I'm an information junkie. Overall, my personal and professional interests include US and world government; current news; and domestic and international humanitarian programs, services, and organizations. My professional life has included organizational development, strategic analysis, and corporate marketing and finance. During research, when I find little information on individuals and organizations, I am often puzzled. I tend to continue my research elsewhere, later adding the information culled from other sources to Wikipedia. I'm drawn to biographies and articles about organizations. When I'm bored or experiencing a writer's block, I often review recent changes and new articles. I can always stay busy on those pages either removing vandalism, addressing vandals, or assisting new editors with understanding Wikipedia and navigating the project. Other than that, there's my involvement in the Ambassador program and participating in various behind-the-scenes maintenance work that I enjoy. I have a subpage that I monitor on a regular basis to help other editors and the project overall, located here. Please feel free to hit me back if you ever need help or have additional questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 17:37, 13 September 2011 (UTC)

Hi Cindy! Just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. I'm Marina and I am in the COMM 375 class! Thank you so much for helping us out with this project! Wiki is kind of confusing so I most likely will be asking a lot of questions! Mtomao (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 02:06, 19 September 2011 (UTC).

Comm 375 Eff Gjeni
Hello! I'm Alex and I'm also taking Communication 375 at the University of Massachusetts. I have been using Wikipedia for years but I have never edited anything before. It's a little scary because I don't know where to begin, but I'm really looking forward to becoming a Wikipedian. I have a few questions and I'm hoping you can help. I want to know if there is any way you can find a stub other than searching for something and getting lucky? For instance, is there a list somewhere of articles that are stubs? Do you know what types of articles are the easiest to write/find sources for? Where is the best place to find sources, and are sources from books better accepted than sources from the internet? Also, thank you for choosing to be an ambassador for our class. Eff Gjeni (talk) 22:08, 13 September 2011 (UTC)Eff Gjeni
 * Hi Alex! I'm glad you're here. I can certainly understand the hesitancy, but I'm confident that within the next few weeks it will seem like cake. Stubs? Check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Stubs You can also find quite a bit in the list of links to the left under "Special pages" and "Recent changes". As far as the easiest articles to write and best place to find sources? It differs from one person to the next. What kind of sources can you access? Go with those. My thought about books and online sources? I generally opt for online sources, but never rule out printed. I prefer to cite both, while searching for links to specific pages from books in GBooks. All in all though, a source is a source. As long as it is reliable, it's good to go. Feel free to contact me anytime you need help or have questions! Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 16:14, 14 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey Alex and Cindy - just so you both know we will be talking about proper citations soon so there will be lots of time to think about them. As this is an upper level college course, there is an expectation that you will use academic sources as well as online news sources. Debaser42 (talk) 19:01, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

Hey Cindy, thanks for the advice. I have another question. On my user page I have listed four different topics that I am considering writing about. The topic that I'm most interested in is about sex and violence in fashion advertisements, like the Duncan Quinn ad or this Dolce and Gabbana ad. I was wondering if you think this is a good topic to write about? Eff Gjeni (talk) 19:03, 17 September 2011 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

 * Sweet. Thanks, Sage! Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:59, 16 September 2011 (UTC)

Please sign the MOU for your pods
Just a reminder to sign ( ~ ) the Memorandum of Understanding at United States Education Program/MOU/sign for the pods for the courses you have signed up for. -- Donald Albury 20:48, 16 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for adding the Intro to Psych class. All signed. Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:58, 16 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Aja99
Comments under the section "Research Interests" on my user page (for Comm375) would be greatly helpful, thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Aja99 (talk • contribs) 14:52, 18 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey Brittany! I'm not sure how the Lupa Zoo would work with the professor's expectations, but it would be a great article to work on to build up your confidence and "learn by doing". The other topics might work though. Just keep in mind that your professor wants to see articles that specifically relate to communications from a scholastic or collegiate perspective. He wants to see topics that are essentially a combination of more than one subject, related to communications, and is based on scholarly sources. You're gonna want to use the UMASS Special Collections and University Archives, in addition to any online sources available. Hope this helps. Oh, and don't forget to create a section for new talk page posts (continuing discussions go in the same section) and sign your name. Otherwise, an automatic robot might leave a reminder on your talk page. Hit me back if you have questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:20, 18 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 GirlWithTheMostCake
Hi Cindy! how are you? Thanks so much for helping our comm 375 class with wikipedia, I am an avid wiki user, but have never actually made an account or interacted through wiki so this part is fairly new to me! GirlWithTheMostCake (talk) 22:40, 16 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey Courtney! Honestly? The most creative username I have seen in a LONG time! LOL Love it! Glad you're here. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 23:59, 19 September 2011 (UTC)

Comm 375 Sjeanbap
Hi Cindy, my name's Scotty and I am apart of Debaser42 Writing as Communication course. On my user page I listed three possible idea's for Wikipedia projects that I am interested in taking on. I would really appreciate it if you looked at my ideas and told me what you thought? I am particularly interested in Impact of Blogs and Social Media on Hip-Hop. Thanks for your help. Sjeanbap (talk) 21:50, 17 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey Scotty! I like the idea of developing an article about the correlation between online social media and hip hop. A couple of things to keep in mind? Too often, individuals approach Wikipedia by writing an article, followed by feverishly working to locate content that can be used to support written content. This is a bit putting the horse before the cart and can often fall flat. Focus first on research and compile all the information you can find about the topic, before writing the article. Write your article based on the sources found, rather than the other way around. Make sure to compile as many scholarly sources you can find. You can gather information found in the UMASS Special Collections and University Archives, in addition to any online sources available through a general google search and a search at http://scholar.google.com/. (These are simply ideas I'm throwing out there, rather than sourcing boundaries.) Work on your article in a subpage of your userspace. Do not start your article in the mainspace. Once it clearly indicates the importance and/or significance of the subject, supported by significant coverage in reliable and independent sources, we can move the article to the mainspace. Please feel free to contact me if you need help or have any questions. I can be reached here on the talk page, through email, or on IRC at #wikipedia-en-classroom. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 18:10, 19 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey all - just wanted to give you a heads up - at the moment we're going to try to get everyone authoring in a sandbox before they start putting them in subpages. Great suggestions, though! Debaser42 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 18:56, 19 September 2011 (UTC).
 * There may be some confusion with semantics. A user's subpage is simply another name for a user's sandbox. Subpage, sandbox, playground. Same thing. Keep in mind that the community's main sandbox is separate from your own sandbox and merely provided for experimenting. Nothing will remain in the main sandbox, while other editors may edit over or blank any experimenting you may be attempting. Edit conflicts are commonplace. It is not recommended that article creation or authoring take place there. At this point, all editors should have a red link to a ready-made sandbox on their user page. I recommend simply clicking that link and you'll have a sandbox/subpage for going to town on anything you want. Let me know if you have questions. Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 22:35, 19 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Sorry - I didn't read "subpage of your user space" - just "subpage" - sorry! Debaser42 (talk) 23:28, 19 September 2011 (UTC)

Political Participation
Hello, Cindamuse. My name is Alix and I am a Junior at Southern Connecticut State University. For my political participation class I have been asked to select an organization and create a wiki page for it. Currently all I have is my topic Violence Policy Center would you be interested in mentoring my wikipedia process? Aslscsu1990 (talk) 00:23, 20 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hi Alix! Thanks for contacting me. Each class working through the U.S. Education Program is organized to facilitate communication and support between the campus, professor, students, and online community. The Political Participation course is working with Ed through the Online Ambassador (mentorship) program. You'll want to contact him directly at this link. If at anytime he cannot be reached, please feel to contact me to see if I'm online. You can always contact me for help, but Ed is more familiar with the course, your professor, and her expectations for the semester. You can also access the IRC classroom at #wikipedia-en-classroom. Assistance can more readily be found through the chatroom. Let me know if you have any questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 00:47, 20 September 2011 (UTC)

The Signpost: 19 September 2011
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Toni embry Article
Thank you for your sugeestion and note about possible 'conflict of interst'. Although I am affiliated with whom I wrote the articloe as a publicist I am gifted in being able to write neutral, non-opinion, fact based information. None of the conteht in my articl on Toni Embry was opinion driven...just facts. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Katvargas (talk • contribs) 13:51, 21 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Conflict of interest editing involves contributing to Wikipedia in order to promote your own interests or those of other individuals, companies, or groups. Where advancing outside interests is more important to an editor than advancing the aims of Wikipedia, that editor stands in a conflict of interest. It is clear that this is the case with Toni Embry. The conflict of interest often comes into play when an editor is not familiar with the policies and guidelines of the encyclopedia, yet continues to insist that the subject of their article is "notable". Unfortunately, the assertion of "notability" is not made in accordance with Wikipedia's guidelines. Notability for publicists is established through the general notability guidelines, which require significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. None of the three external links added to this article meet the threshold for significance, independence, or reliability. I caution you in your editing and creation of articles on behalf of those with whom you are affiliated. While the conflict of interest is a concern, we also do not accept articles which merely serve to promote individuals, organizations, or entities in any manner. Wikipedia is not a webhost or means to promote subjects which clearly do not meet the encyclopedia's notability guidelines. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 18:36, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

A kitten for you!
Thanks for your help on the Gil Birmingham page!

MinervaK (talk) 01:42, 22 September 2011 (UTC) 
 * Too kind and too cute. Thanks, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 01:57, 22 September 2011 (UTC)

Feedback
Hello - students should have finished making a quick edit to an article with citations. It would be helpful to give them a little feedback regarding content and possibly difficulties with references. Some of the students have already had their changes reverted. Thanks so much for all your help! Debaser42 (talk) 03:26, 24 September 2011 (UTC)

Clarification
Cindamuse, In your evaluation, I was wondering what you meant by "misapplication of policies and guidelines." Could you please explain exactly what was misapplied and then give your citation to the facts in policies and guidelines. I would be interested in finding and learning about this error. Thank you, Dobry (talk) 02:46, 24 September 2011 (UTC)
 * The discussion at this link reveals a misunderstanding of the copyright policy and guidelines on reliable sources and self-published sources. While I don't wish to go over the same information that has already been provided on your talk page and the Paul Lockyer discussion page, note that use of press releases are unacceptable on Wikipedia. Other editors involved in these discussions have offered details and links to bring clarification to the issues. While working together to provide guidance, the conversation has degraded to one where attempts have been made to negate the truth of policy and guidelines, by discrediting the personal conduct, intelligence, and work of others, even to the point of suggesting an administrative recall for editors that are not administrators. Honestly, it doesn't appear that other editors "backed down because the initial argument made could not be supported" but rather, that the conversation was failing to bear fruit. With all due respect, we're simply looking for Online Ambassadors with more knowledge of policies and guidelines, Wikipedia editing experience, background supporting new Wikipedia editors, and communication abilities to effectively work in a collaborative environment. I am not confident in supporting your application due to a demonstrated lack of significant content development, questionable user interaction, and low activity level. Continue editing on Wikipedia. Rather than relying on external style guides, spend time reading and reviewing the Wikipedia Manual of Style and specifically, the Manual of Style pertaining to biographies. Work toward achieving a greater understanding of the guidelines and policies and what is expected of editors on Wikipedia. Then consider applying again next term. Feel free to contact me if you need help or have questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 20:41, 24 September 2011 (UTC)

FYI, User:Advertise1111
An assist would be helpful: I just saw that a student called User:Advertise1111, who is on the Introduction to Mass Communication list, was blocked for vandalism. He or she was trying to edit the main page :( The person hasn't been able to save a page or open their talk page either. Looks like confusion. He or she needs some step-by-step guidance. Can you undo the block and maybe leave some instructions? Dobry (talk) 05:01, 24 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I appreciate your interest in helping this editor, but we need to hear from the student directly. The instructor of this class needs to address the vandalism directly with this student. Apparently, expectations have not been understood. This student's first edit to the encyclopedia involved vandalism, followed by a warning, after which the student failed to respond. (Talk page access is not blocked.) The second and third edits were additionally unconstructive. Administrative staff has determined that the student account is being used only for vandalism. Continued vandalism results in a suspension and/or blocking of editing privileges as evidenced on the User:Advertise1111 account. Again, the instructor needs to address the vandalism with the student. The student needs to read the guide to appealing blocks and follow through with the appeal. Please note that instructions for requesting an unblock were added on the editor's talk page by the blocking administrator. Let me know if you have any other questions. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 18:14, 24 September 2011 (UTC)

Ambassador questions
Hey Cindy. Thanks for the welcome! I actually did have a few questions; I asked them at User talk:My76Strat since he seems to be familiar with IRC, but in case you happen to be around before him could you take a look? I'd appreciate it. :)  Swarm   03:24, 25 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey there! I just looked in on your question over in Stratland. He pretty much answered the question no different than I would. As far as the IRC, I just tend to log on when I'm online and if someone pops their head in the room, the system gives me an alert. Oftentimes, other Ambassadors look like they're in the room, but they're actually in the kitchen, library, mall, etc. If no one answers a question, it can be frustrating for others. Log on if you can. It comes in handy in reaching others quickly for assistance and questions. The WMF staff are generally on during the work week and it's nice to touch base and find out what's happening in their corner of the world. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 05:32, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

October 2011 Wikification drive
Delivered by MessageDeliveryBot on behalf of WikiProject Wikify at 16:34, 25 September 2011 (UTC).

Political Participation 149.152.191.2
Hi Cindy, My name is Stephen - a student in New Haven, Connecticut - I am contacting you in reference to becoming your mentor. I am currently taking Political Participation at the University and my assignment is to develop/expound on an article on Wikipedia. I have chosen to expound on the 'Center for Law & Social Policy' article and saw that had some interest in organizations (non-profit, etc). The Center for Law & Social Policy is a non-profit organization. Also, I saw that you have a wide range of interests and thought it would be a good match! Let me know if you'd be willing to work w/ me as I develop an article for this organization. Thanks, --149.152.191.2 (talk) 19:20, 25 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey there, please make sure to add a section heading and sign your talk page comments so others know who you are. That said, all classes are supported by Online Ambassadors that serve the class as mentors. I'll check out the status of the class to ascertain needed additional support. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 19:22, 26 September 2011 (UTC)

Political Participation Kristen46
Hi: Could you mentor me for the WikiFeminism Project article that I hope to do this semester. I am a senior at SCSU. I am studying political participation, focusing in on the woman's feminism movement. I hope that you will accept me! Thank you for your time. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kristen46 (talk • contribs) 19:31, 25 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey there, please make sure to add a section heading and sign your talk page comments so others know who you are. That said, all classes are supported by Online Ambassadors that serve the class as mentors. I'll check out the status of the class to ascertain needed additional support. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 19:22, 26 September 2011 (UTC)

Talkback
Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 20:20, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

Political Participation Stshymansky
Hi Cindy- My name is Stephen and I'm currently studying Poli. Sci. at SCSU in New Haven, CT. As part of a class assignment, I need to review an article on Wikipedia and choose a mentor. I have chosen the article on "The Center for Law & Social Policy." I saw some of your contributions and thought this would be a good match for you being my mentor. Let me know if you'd be willing to work with me as I adapt/expound on this article on Wikipedia. Thanks, Stephen Stshymansky (talk) 18:44, 26 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Hey there, please make sure to add a section heading to your posts. That said, all classes are supported by Online Ambassadors that serve the class as mentors. I'll check out the status of the class to ascertain needed additional support. Best regards, Cind.   amuse  (Cindy) 19:22, 26 September 2011 (UTC)

The Signpost: 26 September 2011
Read this Signpost in full &middot; Single-page &middot; Unsubscribe &middot; EdwardsBot (talk) 01:02, 27 September 2011 (UTC)

Update on courses and ambassador needs
Hello, Ambassadors!

I wanted to give you one last update on where we are this term, before my role as Online Facilitator wraps up at the end of this week. Already, there are over 800 students in U.S. classes who have signed up on course pages this term. About 40 classes are active, and we're expecting that many more again once all the classes are up and running.

On a personal note, it's been a huge honor to work with so many great Wikipedians over the last 15 months. Thanks so much to everyone who jumped in and decided to give the ambassador concept a try, and double thanks those of you who were involved early on. Your ideas and insights and enthusiasm have been the foundation of the program, and they will be the keys the future of the program.

Courses looking for Online Ambassadors
Still waiting to get involved with a class this term, or ready to take on more? We have seven classes that are already active and need OA support, and eleven more that have course pages started but don't have active students yet. Please consider joining one or more of these pods!

Active courses that really need Online Ambassadors:
 * Sociology of Poverty
 * Architectural Design
 * Introduction to Educational Psychology
 * Intro to Mass Communication
 * Psychology Seminar
 * Theories of the State
 * Advanced Media Studies

Courses that may be active soon that need Online Ambassadors:


 * Housing and Social Policy
 * Anthropology, Wikipedia, and the Media
 * History & Systems
 * Horror Cinema
 * Digital Media... just bits in a box
 * Composition I
 * Telecommunications Management
 * Training Systems
 * Stigma: Culture, Deviance, Identity
 * Art and Terrorism
 * Political Violence and Insurgency

--Sage Ross - Online Facilitator, Wikimedia Foundation (talk) 23:11, 27 September 2011 (UTC)