User talk:Cullen328/Archive 4

Admin?
How about you, Cullen? When will you be ready to ask for a mop? I will enthusiastically co-nominate you, if you like, although you'll want an admin as nominator. Think about it. --MelanieN (talk) 05:03, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Ohhh, Melanie, you have really put me on the spot, now, haven't you? Are you familiar with the very old comic strip, Alphonse and Gaston? Check it out. I guess I will ask for the mop only after you ask for the mop, and you can take the same polite stance. It would go on and on and on, and be droll and mildly entertaining for all the observers. Of course, the thought has crossed my mind. The honest answer is that I might consider it after my wife has certified that my Wikiaddiction is under control, and that I will not attempt to edit Eight Days a Week.  Cullen 328   Let's discuss it  05:21, 31 May 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

 * Is this your first Good Article? If so, double congratulations are in order. Thanks for this high quality contribution. -- Khazar2 (talk) 00:50, 3 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Yes, this is my first Good Article, and I am deeply honored that you have recognized this article, which I've been thinking of submitting for a long time. Thank you so much.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  00:56, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

Cullen - And congratulations from me. I am glad this article has achieved GA. --Rosiestep (talk) 03:22, 3 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Congratssss!!!! Yai!!!! :D Good One!!  Miss Bono   (zootalk)  12:50, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

Andy the Grump
Jim, I see you have encouraged AndyTheGrump to be grumpy on the Dispute Page I opened concerning the E-CAT,

His sole response to me, apart from saying he wasn't interested, was "you clearly don't have a clue what you are talking about."

As I have headed engineering for two fortune 200 companies and invented the ATM card (UK Patent #959,713) amongst other things, I don't think he requires further encouragement.

I wouldn't normally bother with trying to correct errors in Wikipedia but I am persuaded that LENR has now been proven beyond reasonable doubt and so clearly the E-CAT is very important indeed. It still has control problems and I don't know what the real COP is. Thanks to people like AndyTheGrump, the Patent Office has not allowed patents on cold fusion since 1989 and so the whole field is in an unbelievable mess.

The problem is that thousands of people now seek information from wiki about Rossi and LENR in general, and I fear that they are being badly mislead by the extremely biased, non factual piece.

Adrian Ashfield Parallel (talk) 03:54, 4 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Hello Adrian,


 * You are entirely incorrect about my comment to Andy. I made that comment to Andy on his talk page, not on any dispute page. My comment was general with regards to his editing, and didn't mention E-CAT. Both Andy and I edit in hundreds of different topic areas, so I have no idea why you think I was referring to E-CAT in any way. I haven't paid any attention to that topic for a year or so.


 * Our articles on scientific topics summarize what the reliable, independent sources say about the topic. Wikipedia's role is not to promote what a few people see as cutting edge research. If and when major physics journals report on this "stunning breakthrough", then Wikipedia will most certainly summarize such coverage. We are followers, not leaders. We are an encyclopedia, not an advocacy website. There are plenty of those. We have an entirely different role.  Cullen 328   Let's discuss it  04:30, 4 June 2013 (UTC)

Jim, Thank you for your invitation to discuss this.(E-CAT) I am new to contributing to Wikipedia and proper procedures and so will probably transgress some unintentionally. For example, I don't know how to answer your comment short of starting a new section. I apparently now have a talk page without doing anything to start it.

I seek your advice on what to do to take this to the next level. My Dispute Notice was closed in less than half a day on the grounds that compromise was unlikely. That is true, but it wasn't given much of a chance.

Comments were also made that LENR is fringe science and a frankly ridiculous comparison to perpetual motion. You might just as well claim that nuclear power is perpetual motion. I linked hundreds of peer reviewed papers on the subject. LENR is not understood yet but possibly involves the weak atomic forces, unlike the strong force involved in fission or fusion.

This is not the place to debate whether LENR is fringe science unless you want to do so. There is now voluminous proof that it is not and even Pons and Fleischmann's experiment has been replicated.

My dispute is factual. There is proof that the E-CAT has undergone independent testing. If you won't believe ELFORSK who is next? NASA? (In passing NASA is now working on LENR and Chief Scientist Bushnell has stated the effect is real.)

Secondly, the selection of Ugo Bardi's negative blog piece, when there are better qualified scientists who say the opposite. Bardi is apparently getting his information from Krivet and Lubos Motl (who deleted his comment after his error was pointed out.) I have no reason to think Bardi has any first hand experience in this area. Parallel (talk) 13:11, 4 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Parallel, you started out by mistaking the location and the context of my comment to Andy. Now, you have inferred from my earlier remarks an "invitation to discuss" E-CAT. Let me be clear: I have no interest in discussing this topic at this time. Please read carefully what other editors write about their intentions.


 * You have a talk page because every editor here has a talk page. You don't start it.


 * To respond to another editor's comment, simply click the "edit" button for that section, scroll to the bottom, and make your comment. You can indent, as I have done here, with colons in the Wiki markup, at the far left before each paragraph.


 * Regarding E-CAT, Wikipedia will summarize what reliable, independent, secondary, mainstream scientific sources say about the topic. If and when there is broad consensus among mainstream physicists that the effect is significant, I am sure that Wikipedia will reflect that coverage. Let me repeat that I have no interest in delving further into this topic at this time. I am not a physicist or a scientist of any kind. I am an encyclopedist in this regard.


 * I see nowhere else for you to go with this matter at this time. You asked for dispute resolution regarding two editors who are far more experienced than you are. They declined as is their right. Consensus is against you at this time. If I was you, I would spend a couple of weeks studying core Wikipedia policies and guidelines, staying away from E-CAT entirely. See how productive debates take place here, and see how Wikipedia weeds out bad content. Then we'll talk again.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  17:20, 4 June 2013 (UTC)

Jim, Thank you for responding. I did mistake your label "let's discuss it" as meaning something else. I don't like misinformation, particularly on a subject as important as this one. At least I tried to correct it but didn't start with much hope of changing beliefs. I regret wasting precious time and am unlikely to pursue interaction with Wikipedia any further. Adrian Ashfield Parallel (talk) 18:47, 4 June 2013 (UTC)

Hello! There is a DR/N request you may have interest in.
This message is being sent to let you know of a discussion at the Dispute resolution noticeboard regarding a content dispute discussion you may have participated in. Content disputes can hold up article development and make editing difficult for editors. You are not required to participate, but you are both invited and encouraged to help find a resolution. The thread is "Sandom and associated Talk Page". Please join us to help form a consensus. Thank you! EarwigBot  operator /  talk  01:39, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

Sandom Fracas
Hi, Jim. I am afraid that things are not improving over on the Article page about me, nor on the associated Talk Page. Although I am highly skeptical of the results, I have initiated a formal Resolution. Just wanted to let you know that I added your name to the list of those involved. Hope that's okay with you. Best wishes, J.

The more I read the comments on your page, the more I like you! As a Wikiskeptic, I'd love your take (when you have the time) on why you devote so much time and effort to Wikipedia. In all likelihood, I will be doing an article about my experience here with Wikipedia, the Article about me, and the associated Talk Page. I would love to have a chance to interview you, if you have a moment. Anyway, I think you're swell and represent what is best about Wikipedia. I especially like the fact that you are not anonymous, that you're willing to stand behind what you say/write. If I may bother you with this first question: Do you feel that crowd-sourcing (leveraging the hive) is a superior way to create an encyclopedia than using recognized, accredited experts? If so, why? Sandom (talk) 01:53, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
 * J.G., I will be happy to talk with you about these matters once the dispute resolution process has been completed.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  02:25, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

Hey!
What can we do? If you have time right now? Oh, btw, take a funny look at this, sometimes I get to believe things like that   Miss Bono   (zootalk)  18:47, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
 * You and I share the goal of improving the encyclopedia. There are editors who seem to see Wikipedia as a social network, and don't work on articles much. I have little to say about them.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  19:59, 5 June 2013 (UTC)


 * Sorry about that. I just took sometime to relax. Please, check my WikiMood in my User page and you'll know what I had to do that. Please... I lost someone dear and I wanted to distract myself out of reality.  Miss Bono   (zootalk)  20:04, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
 * First of all, I am very sorry for your loss. Feel free to tell me more if you wish. Secondly, my comment was not intended to be about you. I think you know what I mean. Laura, I don't do smiley faces and online hugs and all of that. It just isn't my style. But I do care about you and I am sending my warmest and best wishes your way.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  20:25, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I replied via email.. I will make some drafts of the email at night. But I need some "terminology"  Miss Bono   (zootalk)  20:30, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I am gonna post something you know where.  Miss Bono   (zootalk)  18:50, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks and a Question
Jim, thanks for your supportive words at the Teahouse. It's great to get feedback I and really appreciated yours. When you have a moment could you have a look at the redirect from User:Pollack_man34 to User:Mick_man34 ? The accounts seem to be used interchangeably for editing; is this allowed? I went to one account to give a warning but ended up at the other account. Best wishes ''' Flat Out   let's discuss it   05:42, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
 * The first name you mentioned has made less than a dozen edits, all in recent weeks. The other account is far more experienced. The connection is openly revealed by the redirect. I do not have time now to fully scrutinize the activity of the two accounts. One clearly takes "controversial" political positions, discloses this, and pledges to edit within policy. There are a number of legitimate reasons for alternate accounts, and please read WP:SOCK for further details. I recommend assuming good faith in this matter, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary. I hope that this is helpful, and please feel free to return to the matter if problems persist or worsen. It is always good to hear from you.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  06:08, 6 June 2013 (UTC)

Creating a Wiki Page
Hi Jim

I hope you are well. A few months ago, I was looking for help in creating a WIKI company profile for Electrocoin. You mentioned, you would be prepared to assist in creating this as you an experienced editor which would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the delay in response, however, in that time, after taking into account the requirement for sources, I have managed to gather numerous articles in newspaper and trade magazines to help with this. However, as most cannot be easily found online (I have links to some available online), I have managed to scan alot of the articles to help create the page. I would like to ask you:

1: Is your offer still open as displayed in the below email? If it is, Would it work for you if I uploaded the articles to a drop box or to a website where you can access everything online? Or do you have an alternative suggestion?

Many thanks

John

Response to message:

'Hello, I am an experienced editor, and have written and expanded many articles, which you can see listed on my user page. I do not believe in editing for pay, as I am a volunteer here. However, I will write an article in exchange for a charitable donation to the Wikimedia Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Here are my conditions: the topic of the article must be notable according to my interpretation of Wikipedia's policy. Significant coverage in reliable, independent sources must be available online, or copies of any offline sources must be furnished to me. I will disclose the editing arrangement on the article's talk page, and on my user page. If any doubts about the arrangement arise, I will consult with one or more administrators I trust, and heed their advice. Most importantly, you will have no control over the content of the article, although I will welcome suggestions. Positive and negative aspects of the topic may be included. Contact me on my talk page to discuss the matter further, if you are interested. Cullen328 Let's discuss it 16:15, 24 March 2013 (UTC)

(Johnelec17 (talk) 14:50, 8 June 2013 (UTC))
 * Yes, John, the offer is still open. Send me copies of what you believe to be five solid sources showing the notability of the company, and we can get started. Use the "Email this user" link on the left side of this page.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  15:02, 8 June 2013 (UTC)

possible GAs
Hi Jim, just wanted to let you know I had a chance to look over your potential GAs and I think many of them are at or close to ready for nomination. I've left some individual comments or suggestions on the talk pages of each. Good luck, and thanks again for all your work! -- Khazar2 (talk) 16:13, 8 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I am very grateful for the comments you made and agree with all your recommendation. Recent days have involved travel, hard work off-Wikipedia, and diplomatic efforts to reduce Wiki-drama here. So I apologize for not working on these yet, but hope to make some progress this evening and tomorrow. Thanks again.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  16:22, 8 June 2013 (UTC)
 * No problem, I've seen from watching your talk page that you've got your hands full at the moment; I just wanted to make sure you got these. Good luck with your future noms and let me know if I can ever lend a hand. -- Khazar2 (talk) 16:27, 8 June 2013 (UTC)

Armand Vaillancourt
Hello, I wonder if you could take a look at Armand Vaillancourt and see if you can work out what the problem is with the gallery? I don't have much experience of gallery code and it doesn't seem to be displaying correctly. Thanks.Theroadislong (talk) 11:01, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
 * It shows up OK on my monitor. I have never used the gallery code myself, and it isn't necessary with just two images, I don't think. Someone probably hoped to add more images as time goes on.


 * I made some improvements to this article a couple of weeks ago, and then moved on. It still needs work (hint). Interesting guy.  Cullen 328  Let's discuss it  05:50, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Message from Ghostboy1997
Hey. I just wanted to let you know that ill stop putting deletion templetes on articles. I'm only 16 and new to Wikipedia. I was just trying to keep Wikipedia clean. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ghostboy1997 (talk • contribs) 17:15, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
 * It doesn't matter whether you are 16 years old, or 61 years old like me. Anyone including you can edit Wikipedia, but only if you follow our policies and guidelines. Try reading and studying WP:PRIMER, please.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:31, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Teahouse
Hi Cullen.. You have just now deleted another editor's response to a thread on teahouse/questions. Was it accidental? As in the edit summary, you have mentioned expand.-- Vigyani talkਯੋਗਦਾਨ 01:19, 2 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Yes, it was an accident, Vigyani. I am editing right now with a smart phone a long way from home, with sporadic internet connections. I was trying to add something to my remark, and something strange happened when I saved. Then my battery went dead. If you can restore the power trio comment, I would be grateful, since I don't trust my phone and connection not to make things worse right now. Sorry.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:25, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for notifying. M new here. could u tell me how to reach back my own question? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Aish.ego (talk • contribs) 15:56, 11 June 2013 (UTC)

Talk about cheap firearms!
I think it was cute how the gun was simulated with bound-together toilet-paper and paper-towel rolls. EEng (talk) 05:17, 10 June 2013 (UTC)
 * When my sons were youngsters, we made a menorah with the same materials, but we actually covered it with Papier-mâché, and then painted it various tones of blue. This dude didn't even bother to remove the toilet paper residue. I was taken by the sepia tone and the determined Samuel L. Jackson facial expression. Right on, brother!  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:29, 10 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I'd be interest to hear whether your fire insurance company had any thoughts about this cardboard menorah. Seems like a poor idea. EEng (talk) 06:03, 10 June 2013 (UTC) P.S. Look, I'm not canvassing since for all I know you're a MOS Nazi, but could you weigh in here? I'm getting tired of people dropping in insisting on preventing non-damage from non-problems.
 * The removable "candles" were each toilet paper tubes painted white, and the "flames" were shaped from Papier-mâché, and were painted yellow, orange and red. The "fire insurance company" was just as real.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  06:11, 10 June 2013 (UTC)
 * In all honesty, I do not care about all the variations of dashes and hyphens, and "ems" and "soft" this and that, and how to code all that in wikimarkup. I don't understand it and don't have any desire to learn about it. When I think my writing needs a hyphen or a dash, I will just hit that key to the right of the zero, and move on instantly to the next thought. If another editor wants to fiddle with that later, I have no objection, as long as I am not asked for an opinion on the matter. Now, toilet paper tubes? I will discuss them any time.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  06:19, 10 June 2013 (UTC)
 * OK, I get it. "First they came for the n-dashes, but I did not speak out because I used hyphens. Then they came for the semicolons, but I remained silent because I rarely write compound sentences anyway..." EEng (talk) 12:52, 10 June 2013 (UTC) P.S. "Then they came for the cardboard menorahs, but that's all right because I could use paper mache (or even papier-mâché)..."
 * It must be a deep honor to be Wikipedia's own 21st century Martin Niemoller. Mazal tov!  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  00:13, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Just in case you think I'm one of those pseudointellectuals who quote fragments without knowing wherefrom, see the edit summary. EEng (talk) 04:18, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * If I could only figure out how to type an umlaut on a Droid RAZR, I would know that I had graduated from pseudointellectual to something more exalted. If I could master "cut and paste" on this device, I could render "pay-purr mash-ey" in the French style. But we must all know and live within our own special limitations, mustn't we?  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  04:30, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Luckily, the word umlaut does not itself contain an umlaut, because if it was űmlaut you'd be unable to post a helpdesk query on the subject. But I'll save you the trouble: at the bottom of the edit window just above the Save button, there's a dropdown for special character insertion.
 * I don't want to sound diacritical, but an experienced editor such as yourself should have known this already. EEng (talk) 05:25, 14 June 2013 (UTC)

I do know that, plus I also know that if I don't whip a smartphone comment out, well, smartly, then I will hit an edit conflict and be lost in the dust, along with my weak attempts at wit.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:30, 14 June 2013 (UTC)

WP:TEAHOUSE maitre d'
Hello Cullen. I'm Theonesean, this week's Teahouse maitre d'. I noticed the calendar was empty for the next few weeks. I was wondering if you wanted to volunteer to be the maitre d' for a week or two. Thanks, <span style="font-variant: small-caps; font:1.25em,Geneva; text-shadow: 0 0 .2em #7af; font-color:teal">TheOneSean &#91; U &#124; T &#124; C &#93; 13:58, 11 June 2013 (UTC)
 * What is involved, Sean?  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  03:00, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * This link would explain what is involved. TheOriginalSoni (talk) 05:32, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks, Soni. Have you done it? If so, how did it go?  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:40, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * No I havent yet tried it. TheOriginalSoni (talk) 20:54, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * It's very low key. It's like being a host to the hosts: welcoming new guests and hosts, giving badges, monitoring the stats, etc. <span style="font-variant: small-caps; font:1.25em,Geneva; text-shadow: 0 0 .2em #7af; font-color:teal">TheOneSean &#91; U &#124; T &#124; C &#93; 23:31, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

User that might be helpful
I found this user while working on EDUN Article, seems like she/he may be helpful if provides the right sources. Check it out. <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono   (zootalk)  18:15, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * The user hasn't edited in six years, so that doesn't seem too promising, unfortunately.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  19:23, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Not to mention it seems to be a WP:CORPNAME issue which may be why they haven't edited and abandoned it. Look at their edit history and see if anything they edited had significant contributions from another account since they stopped editing with that account... "could" be a lead on the user... Technical 13 (talk) 19:28, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Owww... disappointment for me :(... does she/he have the email enable??<span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono   (zootalk)  19:29, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Technical 13 who do you mean by "Look at their edit history and see if anything they edited had significant contributions from another account since they stopped editing with that account". Look at this conversation she/he had with Merbabu:


 * 1) Not a problem - like I said, hopefully you guys can help out other articles regarding the industry. Merbabu 23:30, 26 June 2007 (UTC)
 * 2) Would love to - will play around more on this site and figure out the "HTML Lite" in the near future! EdunApparel.

Maybe they went on editing EDUN's articles. <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono   (zootalk)  19:34, 12 June 2013 (UTC) <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono   (zootalk)  19:32, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I don't see any other editors who appear to be representing the company, but unless they openly declared their employment, it would not be proper to make any assumptions. We have other lines of communication anyway. I wouldn't worry about it.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  20:08, 12 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Do you mean the email address?? <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono   (zootalk)  20:13, 12 June 2013 (UTC)


 * Okay, so I got a minute to look things over and this user has only ever edited EDUN and according to the history of that page (full history), they may have made multiple accounts to continue editing. There does appear to be an established pattern.  "Possible" socks of that account include: Special:Contributions/Newssource4, Special:Contributions/Rainbow8585, Special:Contributions/2602:306:CFB0:AAB0:CC5E:B99D:AE9F:B220, Special:Contributions/Thelionking12, Special:Contributions/Berti140, Special:Contributions/Stan525, Special:Contributions/Xinexine23, and Special:Contributions/Abelack.... Now, that being said, there may be more...  This person seems to make an account make half a dozen edits to just the EDUN article and then abandons the account... Technical 13 (talk) 15:42, 14 June 2013 (UTC)


 * Wao!, but the user hasn't edited since 2012. What can we do Technical 13?? <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  15:47, 14 June 2013 (UTC)


 * 2602:306:CFB0:AAB0:CC5E:B99D:AE9F:B220 was the most recent set of edits from this person, which is an IPv6 address... It means they have likely given up on creating accounts and are just anon editing. Not sure how you are going to get in touch with them, and I'm not sure that you want to.  You could try geolocation to see if the edits are coming from near where the company is based, and if that is so it would confirm to me that this is someone from the company editing their own page in which they got lucky no-one caught on sooner and deleted it.  If they come back with another IPv6 address though, I'm not sure how to geolocate that. Technical 13 (talk) 16:04, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Technical 13 This user too: Special:Contributions/2fancypants2 <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  16:15, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Can you ask someone to geolocate them? <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  16:17, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I've checked all of those users and only one has the "email me" action on. But she edited 3 years ago. <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  16:19, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * You could try sending one email, but I wouldn't spend too much time on it. Technical 13 (talk) 22:00, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Psss, psss Technical 13. What do you mean with "I wouldn't spend too much time on it"? <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  12:59, 17 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Sad part is that can probably explain what I mean better than I can. Basically, I wouldn't bother trying to contact the sockmaster because anything they have to offer is likely primary and OR and they would likely try to rope you into being their meatpuppet on the article, which is not something you want to do. :) Technical 13 (talk) 13:45, 17 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I get it. Did you receive my congrats email, Technical 13?? <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Miss Bono    (zootalk)  13:59, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

Sysop, wanna become one?
Hi there sir, I'm thinking about nominating you for administrator, I think you would make the perfect sysop, so.. What do you think? Cheers and happy editing! --<span style="color:brown; font-family:times, serif ">Prabash What?   13:22, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Don't do it, Cullen. It's not worth it. (I really came here to wish you a happy Father's Day!) Drmies (talk) 14:36, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Drmies Whats wrong about being a sysop? anyways Happy Fathers day! --<span style="color:brown; font-family:times, serif ">Prabash What?   15:47, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the idea, Prabash. I have considered that, but I tend to make major decisions like this slowly. Thanks for the Father's Day greetings, Drmies. Back at you. So, when it comes to the mop, your advice is "do as I say, not as I do", huh? Given what I know of the indignities of the job, thanks for the outstanding advice.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  16:02, 16 June 2013 (UTC)

Comment removal
Um... -- Gilderien Chat&#124;List of good deeds 16:34, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I was editing with a mobile phone, and tried to make a comment about the Tilefish GA review. I got an edit conflict, and tried a second time, which didn't work, so I gave up. I have no idea how I ended up deleting another comment, and apologize for that.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  16:46, 16 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Ah ok, the software can be a bit buggy with edit-conflicts.-- Gilderien Chat&#124;List of good deeds 16:56, 16 June 2013 (UTC)

Sue Snell
Clarify: Are you referring to my error in creating the right link to the discussion page? Nightscream (talk) 01:12, 17 June 2013 (UTC)
 * That, plus the fact that no link is provided to the 2008 AfD debate, which closed as "Keep". Thank you.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  01:20, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

Color
Hi! how do you make your words a different color? Hulkster1 (talk) 02:29, 17 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Like this. Anna Frodesiak (talk) 02:42, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

ABATE & other SMRO's
Hello Cullen328, my name is Diane. I'm a first-timer here so please let me know if I am doing this correctly.

I found comments on the Wikipedia page for ABATE or State Motorcyclists' Rights Organizations. I would like to communicate something to you and I hope it doesn't show my attitude as a knockout. I was pretty upset when I found this, as it is several years old.

The top paragraph of Wikipedia description of ABATE looks to be a one-sided opinion of someone who does not understand the whole network of ABATE State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organizations. I doubt very much that Michael Dresser has ever even been on a motorcycle let alone be a person to be describing this organization.

Our Mission Statement: "ABATE is dedicated to preserving the rights, improving the image and promoting the safe operating practices of all motorcyclists."

It is true that we do a lot of charity fund raisers, how for the life of me I can't see how that is negative but it sounds that way in his words. We also stand for choice of adult helmet use, but he omitted a word in his stating that we are opposed to motorcycle "ONLY" safety inspections, AND WE "PROMOTE" mandatory rider training and licensing, and other similar regulation. ("generalization unneeded at end.") We also assist in driver's education classes around the state and strive to keep our motorcyclists informed of current legislative issues. We are all not a bunch of drunken bikers as he portrays.

So, my question to you is: Is it possible to remove Michael Dresser's comments from the Wikipedia page for ABATE? Like I said earlier, he must have a personal agenda with ABATE of Maryland and it is not a positive description for the organizations. I would be glad to work with you to find information to make this a viable page of information for all of the ABATE’s (which are SMRO’s).

Thanks for listening, hearing is my hope. If you hesitate, wait. Stay Safe.

"Personal safety is the responsibility of a free citizen, not a decision of government!"

MustangSearcher (talk) 08:32, 17 June 2013 (UTC)


 * Hello MustangSearcher, and welcome to Wikipedia. The article in question is State motorcyclists' rights organizations. I agree completely that the criticisms of ABATE and SMROs by Michael Dresser unfairly dominate this article. The solution is to find other and better reliable sources that give a better and more balanced view of ABATE, and add them to the article. I have been aware of this for some time, and apologize that I have not addressed this issue sooner. I am new to motorcycling, joined ABATE less than a year ago, and have not had time to study its history in depth. If you have copies of sources that cover the history and goals of ABATE in a more balanced way than Dresser's columns, please feel free to bring them to my attention. Thank you.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  06:03, 18 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Please take a look at some possible sources, and let me know what you think.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  06:18, 18 June 2013 (UTC)

U2 360 to GA Status
Hi there! I want your opinion on the article U2 360° Tour, I nominated it into GA status and I gave it a high important status on the Wiki-project. So yeah if you don't think it meets the criteria you can just lower the rating and I will scrap the GA. Your opinion matters. Take care, regards Prabash.  Akmeemana   20:52, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I took a quick look, and to me, it appears to be a very well done article. I recommend proceeding with the GA review, being prepared to make changes if requested.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  21:46, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks! a reviewer just notified me about it, I guess we will wait. Miss Bono will be so happy if it becomes GA, if it doesn't we will keep on trying! Prabash.  Akmeemana   23:11, 19 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I'll be sooooo happy if it gets GA status that I am going to make a party at home. NOT a joke, I am serious on that. Thanks, Prabash. <span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive">  Miss Bono   (zootalk)  12:21, 20 June 2013 (UTC)

Assistance with an inaccurate citation
Hi, Cullen! If you could spare a moment, I'd be grateful if you could point me in the right direction in querying a citation in the article on Old East Slavic. The Ukrainian translation is currently cited as being from here. I've checked the source and have found that it is an amalgam of excepts from the introduction and is in no way represented as being a literal translation of the Old Slavic text.

I've already amended the note regarding the context from, "NOTE: The spelling has been partly modernized. The translations attempt to be as literal as possible; they are not literary." to, "NOTE: The spelling has been partly modernized. The translations are literary, they are not literal, something I've noted on the relevant talk page here and here although no one has responded one way or the other.

There are actually several problems surrounding all versions of the text (the original, the Russian & the Ukrainian) OTHER than the English version. Amusingly, it's the only version I'd even accept it as being a literal translation. That's another issue I'll deal with on my own as the political overtones are potentially nasty.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide! --Iryna Harpy (talk) 03:11, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thank you for asking, Iryna, but I have to admit that my comparative linguistics expertise is scanty. So I have to default to the general policy standard to base our articles on the highest quality reliable sources. Who did these translations of this passage? Are these translations done as a group by academics with established reputations in the early development of Slavic languages? Or are the translations freelanced by bloggers or Wikipedia editors? If these examples are fundamentally flawed, can you find a better example to cite? As you are well aware, Eastern European topics can be very contentious, and caution is in order. But perhaps obscure historical topics attract less interest. Posting to the talk page is always an excellent idea. If no one comments, proceed boldly. But temper your boldness with an awareness that any disputes in an Eastern Europe topic are subject, as I recall, to sanctions imposed by the Arbitration Committee. Verify what I say because I am speaking from recollection. So combine boldness with caution and adherence to policies and guidelines, and you should do fine. The goal is to improve the encyclopedia. Do it!  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  03:35, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Another problem is that the primary reference for the article is the 1911 Encyclopaedia Brittanica, now in the public domain. This was useful for kicking off articles on historical topics when Wikipedia was getting started. I very much doubt that scholarship in this field has been static for 102 years. So, the article should be re-evaluated and rewritten based on modern scholarship. I am completely unfamiliar with this literature. On the other hand, you might be the right person for the job. If you have a working knowledge of the various languages, you may choose to take on that task. That is up to you.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  03:51, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your prompt response (as always!), Cullen. Slavic linguistics, including Old Slavonic/Old Eastern Slavic/Old Church Slavonic, as well as modern Slavic languages, happens to be one of my areas of reasonable expertise despite my not having had much call to use any of these skills and knowledge-base for a couple of decades (as pertains to being active in true academic research). My interest lies in accuracy and not in involving myself in politically sensitive areas. I'm still rummaging around trying to establish who initiated these entries as they span back pre-2005. So far, I've run into a lot of dead-ends such as blocked users and those who haven't been active for years. What I have been able to establish is that the majority of this section seems to have been 'freelanced by bloggers'.
 * I've already waved a bit of a red flag by changing the 'disclaimer' regarding literal & literary translation in the actual article. If no one is is following the talk page, this should be enough to attract interested parties. I'll give it a week or so while I try to find better citations (also taking into account that the modern Russian 'translation' cites a comprehensive online resource with literally dozens of lengthy articles, many of which are only PDF downloads which I've combed through without finding the the attributed translation). All in all, it's a very messy entry undoubtedly relying on non-English references which imply serious scholarship for the sake of appearance yet, in reality, seem to have passed under the radar as being verifiable. Ultimately, this entry is pseudo-scholarly. In light of its actually already being in existence, I think it fitting that it be accorded the respect of being a genuinely scholarly entry. I'll tread with caution. Wish me luck with being cautiously bold. Just call me Iryna 'the masochist' Harpy. --Iryna Harpy (talk) 04:45, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I am very grateful that you are willing to delve into such a topic, which strikes me as an important one. Blocked/banned editors and those inactive since the middle of the last decade are unlikely to jump in aggressively in 2013, but you never know. I recommend that you rewrite the article, with the needs of our future readers taking precedence over the previous participation of disappeared 2005 editors. All guided by our wise policies and guidelines, of course.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:43, 21 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Agreed. I think it is important because it is mirrored in other unenlightening articles about Eastern Europe. I'd suggest that it's probably best to for me to clean up some sections as they stand rather than approach it as a rewrite from the outset. There are definitely a few people still active and it will attract the attention of others with a political agenda. I need to make it clear from the outset that my contributions are in good faith and that I'm not a vicious nationalist trying to push my POV. The area is an extremely complex one and is in need of expansion in order for it to make any sense to a reader with no grounding in the ins and outs. For me, having tried to read it as if I were a newcomer trying to get some grasp on the subject, I find it unenlightening. I'd go so far as to say that I'd be even more confused than if I hadn't read it. Baby steps within the confines of what already exists before incorporating important details and illuminating how various theories have evolved. The rewrite it needs will inevitably lead to reversions... then editing wars. If I want to present as balanced an article as is possible, I have to win the trust of extremists who'll inevitably try to attribute other agendas to my true agendas. Thanks, Cullen. You've helped me tremendously in sorting out a sensible approach to a potentially explosive matter. Much appreciated. --Iryna Harpy (talk) 06:29, 21 June 2013 (UTC)

A joyful pup for you

 * Thank you, Icemuon. I look forward to seeing your upcoming article.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  20:03, 21 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks

 * You are welcome. It has been a pleasure discussing various matters with you, and I am happy that you have continued editing and are now helping new editors yourself.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  20:05, 21 June 2013 (UTC)

Sacramento is a joke?
Well, that's strange. From the Australian perspective, the Bible Belt is funny whereas neither the East Coast nor the West Coast are considered a joke. Okay, okay, I'll retract that before anyone takes offence. I've used Wikipedia as a resource for many, many years and, dependent on the subject matter, have found the talk pages to be as informative as the articles themselves. I've also noted that an injection of tasteful levity would make for a better and more productive environment in general. Hah! This, coming from someone a warped sense of good taste!

Thank you for offering your assistance in the future. I'll probably take you up on it as I'm trying to familiarise myself enough with Wikipedia policy to tackle some of the articles on Eastern European history. Oh, dear, did I just hear you fall off your chair? Now that you've collected yourself, take a deep breath and focus on the 'in the future' specification. I'm not certain that I have the energy or desire to put myself through that. I'm merely enjoying being recently semi-retired and being in a position to contribute to this strange, but wonderful, resource. It's pleasant to be able to make contact with someone who appears to be sane and does not put me off the prospect of involving myself.

I return your kind gesture (in all seriousness, you threw me a much needed lifeline at a point when I was about to turn my back on anything to do with contributing to WP) with an open invitation to call on me if you need assistance in any shape or form... even if only for an IRL affirming chat when the politicking here gets to you.

Little know fact: Kangaroos are convinced that they are vehicles. If you ever make it out to Australia you'll find that they enjoy bouncing along the road in front of your car and refuse to get out of the way, meaning that you are forced to drive in 1st gear for the next half hour/5 kilometres and will have to stop at regular intervals as the remainder of their convoy overtake from the wrong side and take little thinking breaks. I use the term 'thinking' in the loosest manner imaginable as they are decidedly unintelligent animals (but they are 'cute' so long as you're not foolhardy enough to actually approach them). Cheers! --Iryna Harpy (talk) 04:47, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * The San Francisco zoo prides itself on its kangaroo display. However, they mismanaged their tiger display so badly that a couple of drunken young immigrants from India got attacked a few years back, one fatally.


 * We have all sorts of regional rivalries in California. The Napa Valley, where I live, considers our wines superior to those of Sonoma, just over the hill to the west, though objective observers consider them essentially equal. Northern California, led by San Francisco and Silicon Valley, considers Southern California brutish and crude, with their freeway traffic jams and Hollywood starlets. But here in the north, we have our own brutal traffic jams, plus Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison and the ghost of Steve Jobs.


 * Both the Bay Area and Los Angeles area look down on Sacramento, home of the dirty politicians and lobbyists. But that town, just an hour's drive from here, has its charms. Great museums and historic sites, and grand old neighborhoods shaded by mature trees. Plus the high Sierra Nevada just a short drive away. That's my favorite of all.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  05:09, 14 June 2013 (UTC)


 * We all have our crosses to bear. Melbourne's responsible for Rupert Murdoch and I offer my apologies to the entire world for that one.


 * Regional friction serves as a reminder of how tribal we, as a species, actually are. I've just googled your part of the valley and it looks truly charming, aside from the cultural offerings. What bizarre creatures we become when we define ourselves to be an en mass identity rather than the complex amalgam of so many factors that define us as individuals. I suppose it's easier to identify with group than analyse and contemplate our constituent parts.


 * I do recall the incident at the zoo and am reminded of my distaste for 'freedom' being associated with the casual attitude to animals and the concept of ownership. The lack of regulation over individuals being allowed to 'own' wild animals and exploit them as they choose does not sit well with me. That is a rant for another day. Off to start on cooking dinner. I, myself, have long been 'domesticated'. Sigh. --Iryna Harpy (talk) 06:29, 14 June 2013 (UTC)
 * In my opinion, Iryna, a lot of the regional rivalries in California are little more than kidding around, at least to me. The San Francisco Bay Area is far enough away from the Los Angeles area (about a six hour drive) that they are like two different worlds to the respective inhabitants. But only figuratively, as we are Americans and we are Californians. Reasonable people can take some pleasure at some gentle jokes and gibes at rivals who are a little bit different. The same is true, on a smaller scale, of the Napa and Sonoma wine regions. There is gentle humor, but we share a common history and are so close together that you can drive from the city of Napa to the city of SOnoma in less than half an hour. The difference is just a hilly ridge and a line on a map.


 * But every so often, something really stupid happens that shows that some people are, well, really stupid. A couple of years ago, a fan of the San Francisco Giants baseball team got severely beaten and permanently injured while attending the opening game at the Los Angeles Dodgers stadium, as described here. How unenlightened we can be at times.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  23:31, 23 June 2013 (UTC)


 * The same can be said of what we consider to be the 'civilised world' (being the good humoured gibes and pseuo-rivalry between regions in nations during peacetime). The common denominator seems to be sports which bring out the worst in frustrated, unenlightened & disenfranchised people who seem to turn 'tribal' for lack of anything else in their lives that make them feel that they matter. Sports have become some form of religion for those who don't feel they belong to the higher order of humanity. Take a look at the growth of soccer hooliganism in Europe, particularly where it concerns inter-national games. I've seen videos uploaded to YT depicting illegally organised rival team fan fights of sickeningly violent proportions (deaths, maimings & permanent injuries inflicted). Inter-nation hooliganism is even more horrific: unmistakably only to be understood in terms of being a transposition of economic and nationalistic rivalry. The violent & nature of the commentary on these vids still shocks me ('come over here and you'll be leaving in body bags', etc.). I've spent time in war-torn regions and, while I was horrified by how cruel and barbaric humans can be to each other, I understood the political and propagandist concerns (not to say that I sympathised with them). I can only bring myself to comprehend the frustrations of the idiots involved. That's the extent of it. I certainly will never be able to feel any compassion for such actions. It's a little long, but there's an insightful British documentary from 2002 |Football Fight Club Part 1 about the cult of violence in football (soccer). If you want to get an idea of why every sane Eastern Slav (this also includes Poles as we all have common ancestral ties) avoid English Wikipedia entries on Slavic issues, take a quick look at a couple of these short vids (which I've chosen as there are comments in English): |'Poland Hooligans vs Russian Hooligans' & |'F*** you football hooligans Russia & Ukraine'. Note that these are extremely mild. If you have the stomach to start searching around suggestions you really will feel ill. --Iryna Harpy (talk) 01:57, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Message sent
Hi Jim,

I removed the content which was all duplicated in the previous part of the article, like an exact copy. I feel like I should just not do anything anymore because people keep telling me about this and I'm just trying to fix my own mistake. I'm sorry but i'm new but I feel like I know what I'm doing now. PacifiCali650 (talk) 17:43, 22 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the explanation.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  21:56, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Great to talk to you yesterday, Jim
Thanks for your help yesterday -- I feel inspired now to do some more (even serious) editing of the Wikipedia. RaymondYee (talk) 23:14, 23 June 2013 (UTC)
 * It was a pleasure to meet you, Raymond. The whole day was a wonderful experience. Please let me know at any time if you need any help with editing. Take care.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  23:17, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Paula Deen reference
Hi, Jim. I believe I fixed the Paula Deen reference you asked about. Thanks for the comment. Kuemotnoo (talk) 22:15, 25 June 2013 (UTC)

Busy?
Are you still busy?<span style="font-family:'Arial',cursive"> Ms.Bono  (zootalk) ☆ 14:59, 26 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I replied on the other pages.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  15:49, 26 June 2013 (UTC)

Thank you and award

 * Thank you very much, Tatoodwaitress. Happy to be of assistance.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  22:29, 26 June 2013 (UTC)

Editing Wikipedia
Hello! This is my first sample of using the new Visual Editor. I thought I'd start a new section on your Talk Page and see how it looks. There is a very brief, but informative video (captioned) about this way of editing. All I need to do now is find an article to start up or to edit. I am going to play around a bit. I think it would be great to collaborate an improvement on the article about Boston Terriers. I am starting to see how the formatting works, it puts in the codes for you after you highlight what you want, such as bold or italic. --ChesPal (talk) 20:23, 27 June 2013 (UTC)
 * That is fantastic, Deb. Did you try it on the Droid RAZR, or just the desktop computer? Thanks for visiting my talk page, sweetie. I hope you will be a frequent visitor.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  20:29, 27 June 2013 (UTC)
 * I have not tried visual editor on my RAZR. I did just check the settings and apparently Visual Editor is universal for the user who chooses to try this for editing.  It works only for main and user namespaces.  Not sure what that means, but I will figure it out sooner or later.  With a bit of Mazel, sooner.--ChesPal (talk) 21:46, 27 June 2013 (UTC)
 * When you have a moment, I added a new section to my user page, "Collaboration". Perhaps an odd word choice, but thought to stick it in.  What do you think??  ChesPal (talk)

An Awesome Answer!
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 * Thank you very much.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  15:49, 28 June 2013 (UTC)

Thank you!
...for explaining
 * how I
 * can indent on talk pages
 * on my talk page :) --KrystleChung (talk) 18:58, 28 June 2013 (UTC)

Paula Deen Transcript
Hi Jim,

I see that you took away a reference to the Paula Deen transcript. This seems like it would be very useful for readers and not in violation of the primary source policy. Can you help me understand your thinking?

Thanks,

BrownandSpooner — Preceding unsigned comment added by BrownandSpooner (talk • contribs) 18:29, 29 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Hello BrownandSpooner. I suggest that you review WP:BLPPRIMARY which recommends against court transcripts, and WP:EXT which describes what type of external links are appropriate. Thanks for asking.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  18:35, 29 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks. I did read those before posting. The recommendation against court transcripts applies "to support assertions about a living person." Here, though, there are no assertions in my edit; the link to the transcript was listed with no characterization as a document from which readers could draw their own conclusions. This is why in many Wikipedia articles like Gloriana St. Clair, Paula Jones (note19) and Sibel Edmonds (notes 29 and 30) there are links to newsworthy deposition transcripts. Since so much has happened based on the Deen transcript, and it is out there in public, help me understand what the advantage is in keeping it from Wikipedia readers, some of whom may be interested in this important primary source. Obviously, the transcript in and of itself is highly newsworthy; many news sites such as CNN link to it. It is true that the transcript arguably contains derogatory information abut Paula Deen, but so does the whole section on the controversy and every news story about it, so if that is a reason to delete it, the whole thing should be deleted, which obviously is the wrong approach. What am I missing?

Thanks,

BrownandSpooner — Preceding unsigned comment added by BrownandSpooner (talk • contribs) 19:14, 29 June 2013 (UTC)
 * The deposition includes her current home address. BLP policy explicitly forbids linking to documents that reveal such personal information.  Cullen <sup style="color:purple;">328  Let's discuss it  19:45, 29 June 2013 (UTC)