User talk:Garik/Archive 2

Diolch!
Thank you so much for the Civility Barnstar! It was very kind of yours and very encouraging. :-) Kindest regards, Hús  ö  nd  00:17, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

Galicia
It is not fair what you have done with Galicia, you dont know anything about this country. Search in google about celtic nations and you will see. --193.144.48.15 17:11, 31 January 2007 (UTC)


 * I'm not much in favour of google searches as evidence - they don't really tell us much reliable (it's more of a who-can-shout-loudest contest). I sympathise, but my big problem with your edit is that Galicia is already mentioned in the next paragraph.  A distinction (I think a reasonable one) is being made in this section between those Celtic areas where Celtic languages are still spoken (or were spoken recently enough to have been revived) and those Celtic areas where no Celtic language has survived at all.  But now I look at the article, I see that the dictinction was not made explicit enough.  I've edited it now to remedy this.  There seems no good reason to me not to include the Galician flag next to the appropriate paragraph btw - those of Asturias and Cumbria (if there is one) should probably be included on the same basis. garik 17:26, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

Sorry to contact you here, but...
os dach chi'r Garik sy wedi anelu defnyddio ngeiriadur Firefox i, dw i wedi postio hyfforddiannau nawr ar y dudalen 'ma. hwyl, Marnanel 19:07, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

Eskimo
I saw that you tagged the article here and just wanted to know what was wrong (other than the formatting) of the reference already in the article? I did also find this and this. Cheers. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:55, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Hi. My problem is that the reference doesn't say that most Inuit find "Eskimo" highly offensive&mdash;just that it's considered derogatory in many other places, which is not the same thing. The most your two other sources say is that it's widely thought to be "rather insulting".  None of the sources are very clear at all on whether they're talking about the preference of Inuit people specifically, or Canadians generally.  It may be that Inuit people do dislike the word Eskimo intensely, but I have a suspicion that this might be more an assumption based on false etymology. (As in: "Well, I wouldn't like to be called an eater of raw meat!") As a Welshman, I have nothing particularly against possibly derogatory exonyms as such! This makes me wonder whether the Inuit really do. garik 11:34, 25 February 2007 (UTC)


 * I see your point. I think one of the problems here is that, in Canada at least, it's one of those obvious things that no longer needs defining, like "fire is hot and water is wet". A few other links, Random House, the dictionary maker, says to avoid the term but not really why. Native Languages mentions that it is "...is considered rude by many Inuit." MSN Encarta says some find it offensive as does the Information Centre on Aboriginal Health.


 * Most of the rest of this is original research. Basically everybody east of here will find the word Eskimo offensive to varing degrees. From here west the word can sometimes be used but genereally it's safer to use Inuit. Part of this has to do with a disagreement over the meaning of "Inuit" and "Inuk". They are used mostly to mean "The People" or "The Real People" and "Person" and this can only be used to refer to people that used to be called Eskimo. However, the people of the area where I live (Copper Eskimo/Inuit) call themselves "Inuinnait" (plural) or "Inuinnaq" (singular). This is defined by my dictionary as "a real Inuk; an Eskimo person". The dictionary further defines "inuit" and "inuk" (note they are not capitalised) as "person; human being", in other words everybody in the world qualifies. So in Iqaluit I would never be an Inuit but in Cambridge Bay I am an inuit.


 * By the way do you think there might be an article in the Kitikmeot Heritage Society? They have a museum and do some interesting work. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:24, 25 February 2007 (UTC)


 * We've got to be very careful of the "everyone knows" argument for inclusion. When I was growing up, I thought everyone knew that native Americans hated being called Indians and preferred Native Americans.  I then learnt that some dislike Native American because they find it patronising (or that it imposes the name American on a culture that is older than the name) and that quite  a lot prefer Indian.  In any case, Wikipedia is strict about original research.  I don't think we can keep the claim that most Inuit find the term Eskimo highly offensive until we get a source that says just that.


 * The Kitikmeot Heritage Society may be some help, though I can't see anything on their website. garik 22:36, 27 February 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree with the "everybody knows" and have rewritten the section based on what is available. It's odd but even the local library has nothing on it. As to the KHS I was wondering if you thought that it would make a good WIkipedia article or it was too non-notable. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:34, 27 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:25, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Invitation, arrr.
Garik, you're turning up on tons of LGBT articles, so I'd like to invite you to join WikiProject LGBT studies. Will ye serve? Dev920 (Have a nice day!) 21:31, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

And you're still in time to get today's newsletter... Drop by the WT:LGBT talk page if you've got any questions, or pick out one of the more active editors there and bug them on their user talk page; most don't bite. =) — coe l acan t a lk  — 03:56, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
SatyrBot 05:07, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

"Why remove my response?"
There's a bug in the Wikimedia software where, on talk pages, it occasionally fails to catch "edit conflicts" and instead, just silently wipes out the earlier edits. That's apparently what happened on Talk:Wales; I certainly had no intention of removing your response -- please accept my apology.

Atlant 12:39, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

No problem. I guessed it was probably something like that. garik 12:41, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

my sister
Hey, i am sorry. My sister found my password on a iece of paper and thus thought it would be 'funny' to vandleise wiipedia. Sorry, i have changed it. Thankyou for enlighteneing me. Kind regards, Zesty Prospect 15:09, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

trlkly: RE hate autosigner
My bad, I should have been more specific with my terminology. What I hate is the bot that goes around signing previously unsigned posts. "The previously unsigned comment was written by " just sounds elitist to me. And useless. Why can't it just sign it normally so that nobody has to use the tildes? Is it really necessary to point out who is a newb or just plain forgetful?

Oh, and I intentionally didn't sign this comment, hoping it would give you an example.

St.York
Sorry, I hadn't thought off that. The last time I was active the page was a flurry of constant vandalism, bickering, and protection requests. Also, I hope this is the proper way to send a message?

Anyways thanks for clearing that all up. St.York 03:46, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
Delivered on 16:00, 6 June 2007 (UTC). SatyrBot 16:11, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
Delivered on 16:00, 6 July 2007 (UTC).

Re. Question regarding the acquisition of animal "language"
The two components would be cognitive/non-cognitive or mental/sensory if defined in that way. Your earlier reply suggests that the cognitive aspect of acquiring a language poses as much a barrier to learning animal communication as would the physical part. Since the two cannot be separated (ie. L1 acquisition is not a 100% mental task), analyzing the cognitive barrier on its own would not be useful.

Are you saying that because something is innate, it cannot function as a spandrel? Pendragon39 13:21, 25 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Sorry. It's been a remarkably busy couple of weeks, and I completely forgot about your message.  Now things are quieter and I can reply.


 * It's not clear to me that something can "function" as a spandrel. The term refers to the origins of something, not its function.  Language – or, more likely, certain components of human language – may well be spandrelic (probably not a real word, but should be) in origin.  But of course such components would also be innate.  My distinction is between innate and cultural.  On one extreme, the shape of the vocal tract is very clearly innate; on the other, the fact that the Welsh word for dog is ci is clearly cultural.  It is rather less certain to what extent a good deal of the components of human language are cultural or innate(Principles and Parameters theory really muddies the water here).  I agree that analysing the cognitive barrier to the acquisition of non-human communication systems alone would be to exclude something important.  But I suppose I do believe that the cognitive barrier is more important.  Imagine if you had a computer like Stephen Hawking's that could produce all the sounds a dolphin can just by pressing the right button.  You would still be an enormous distance away from acquiring dolphin "language". garik 16:26, 9 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Hello :) Yes, I forgot about it too and assumed it was too far-fetched to be worth replying to *blush*


 * I should have wrote "function as if it were a spandrel". For example, can feral children learn animal communication? Or can hunter-gatherer groups learn it by virtue of necessity? Unfortunately these situations are rare in the modern world.


 * If a function is a by-product it is called a spandrel. Only solutions to specific problems (affecting the fitness of the individual) are considered adaptations. Is written language an invention or a spandrel? It does appear to be a by-product of spoken language despite illiteracy.


 * I think my problem with the word 'innate' is that I keep thinking it implies exclusivity. Obviously language is innate to many species. Dolphins can learn dolphin communication, and (we assume) that non-dolphins cannot.


 * Thank-you for taking the time to consider my random ramblings. I just wonder about things sometimes... Pendragon39 20:06, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
Delivered on 16:00, 6 July 2007 (UTC).

Invitation to vote
You as someone who participated in the editing of English people article might be interested in taking part in this discussion. Feel free to state your opinion. M.V.E.i. 16:40, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
Delivered on 17:31, 11 October 2007 (UTC).

LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
{| class="navbox collapsible collapsed" style="text-align: left; border: 0px; margin-top: 0.2em;" ! style="background-color: #CC9966; text-align: center;" |The LGBT studies WikiProject Newsletter  {| The LGBT studies WikiProject Newsletter! Issue XI - November 1, 2007
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Hey, Peeps, it's that time of the month again (no not that time &mdash; get your mind out of the gutter): time for another monthly edition of the LGBT Project's Love Boat newsletter from your cruise director Miss Julie. So much has been happening this month and I just can't wait to tell you all about it!!!

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Alice and her harasser
Let's start with some good news: Alice and the project lost the bothersome sock puppet who had been disrupting many articles we monitor, and now most of us can edit in relative peace. Congratulations, Alice, for being able to come out of semi-retirement. Benjiboi, on the other hand, has gained an anonymous IP stalker who seems to be more Catholic than the Pope and who has a hard-on for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. We seem to have a sort of Yin and Yang thing going on here, which helps both to keep us in balance and on our toes.

Harry Potter and his homosexual teacher
Albus Dumbledore got outed this month, and was immediately adopted by our project. The international brouhaha surrounding this disclosure reached all the way to Wikiland, and his article was briefly locked due to homophobic vandalism (as well as well meaning editors who just couldn't believe that that nice man could possibly be gay). This is a wonderful article to add to your watchlist, and will surely give you hours of reverting fun on cold winter days.

"My Fellow Americans"
On a more serious note, Fireplace has suggested a new article series about LGBT rights in the United States, state by state. This ambitious topic will surely require many editors and a lot of research, but has the potential to add further prestige to our already prestigious project.

Same name, same sexuality: a riddle for the ages
Francis Bacon (not the new gay one, but the old gay one ... though they're actually both dead, now that I think about it) has also aroused passions here on Wikipedia, with editors opposing his sexuality being disclosed in his biography. The always helpful Haiduc has thoughtfully provided any number of sources, but it is slow going getting his point across. Anyone want to lend a hand?

Beat writer arouses Irish guy
And speaking of passions, Jack Kerouac has inflamed the senses once again with editors, including administrator Irishguy, mounting a spirited defense to keep him as heterosexual as possible for Wikipedia purposes. Why? I don't know. Perhaps some of you can drop by the talk page and ask your questions there. I feel certain a stimulating debate will ensue that will be enjoyed by all.

Love those Texas Longhorns
Did you know that one of our Featured articles, Lawrence v. Texas, lost its shiny gold star? That was a shocker. It has been suggested that we turn our attention to it in an effort to restore it to its former glory. I took a peek, and it does need our help badly. For our American editors, it would seem almost a civic duty to edit it (not that I'm hinting....).

Point and Counterpoint
Though it was far too intellectual a debate for a mere cruise director like myself to take part in, Intersexuality was certainly a hot topic a week or two ago. The thrust of the debate was over inclusion in our project. Lots of good editors had lots of good opinions. For those too lazy to check out the discussion, we decided to leave it out for now.

Drudgery on offer
Peer review is, as always, short staffed and seemingly unloved. Wouldn't you feel better about yourself and the world in general if you took a few minutes to read one of the listed articles and offer some helpful advice? I know I'd feel better if you did.
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"My Fellow Americans" redux
The article LGBT movements in the United States certainly raised eyebrows last week, especially when it was discovered that copyrighted content had been added to our article. Tragedy was averted at the last minute, though, when the original hosts of the article where the material had been pilfered agreed to make it free to everyone. Our thanks to them, whoever they are. Busy Bee that I am, I haven't had time to read it, but I'm sure it's sensational.

This month's Wiki stars
Lesbian pulp fiction (a genre close to my heart, I must confess) writer Ann Bannon has decided to spice up the featured articles candidates list this month. Why not drop by and make your opinion heard? Joining her in this lofty aspiration are the articles But I'm a Cheerleader and Conversion therapy. I'm sure their main editors would welcome any comments (well, helpful ones, anyway) on the talk pages or the FAC discussions. And lest we forget, the List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people: Sd-Si became a Featured list!! Rah rah, siskumbah! Go, team, GO!!!!

And the Oscar goes to...
Not content to run for Best Actress, plucky Bannon won a Best supporting actress Oscar... whoops, I meant to say Ann is also getting more than her share of womanly attention on the Good Article list. Joining her on this exalted plane are Freddy Mercury, Waylon Smithers and Lance Bass. Good articles indeed, and the last one mentioned just goes to show that one needn't admire the subject of an article to appreciate the effort put into making him worthwhile reading. What on earth Britney ever saw in him I'll never know. Truly a riddle cloaked in an enigma and wrapped around a puzzle.

Fresh faces to brighten our pages
Though I may not be the first, let me extend a warm, LGBT Love Boat welcome to the 12 new members who joined us in October: Jliberty, JockCub360, ChristopherEdwards, Desiderius82, Zlrussell, Kelsied, BeardedWoof, Mujerado, Tyrfing, Fabgurrl, Redl@nds597198, and decafdyke! Whatever you choose to do here, I feel sure that your contributions will enhance our project to no end. And if they don't...well, let's just say that I'm not shy.

Leather and lace
On a personal note, your already overworked cruise director is being cyberly whipped almost daily by Nemissimo, who desperately wants to get the German BDSM translation copy edited and used as a replacement for the current one. It's such a ... err, stimulating topic that I am sure many of you will want to join the copy editing fun. Jump right in, folks! It's so lonely copy editing it all by my lonesome!

Late breaking news
A little birdie just whispered in my ear that our noble collaboration project was delisted from the Community Portal due to inactivity. When asked how this scandalous turn of events could have occurred, the answer I received was "we suck at stuff like that". Well. In the first place, I disagree that sucking should be considered a negative, but to each his or her own. In the second place, I have full confidence that we can and will collaborate with other projects in the future. So let's not view this as a setback (even though it is), but rather a challenge to improve (and good Lord, I sound almost Wikipedian!).

Champagne dreams and caviar kisses
Lastly, the holidays are rapidly approaching. Our American cousins are currently getting ready to slaughter masses of poultry in an effort to show their gratitude and generally peaceful demeanor, and those of the Canadian persuasion, trendsetters that they are, celebrated a bit early this year. I'm sure all us foreigners will join together in wishing them all a very happy Thanksgiving on their respective holidays, both already celebrated and forthcoming... though I would hope somebody would enlighten me as to why they don't celebrate it on the same day. I was awake all last night trying to figure that one out. - In the spirit of this peculiarly North American holiday, let me take a moment to thank all of our editors for their contributions to this project. It's people like you who make people like me...well, a "people person"! May all your Wiki days be bright, and may your Love Boat never turn into a Poseidon.
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Kisses,

Miss Julie To stop receiving this newsletter, or to receive it in a different format, please let us know here. If you have any news or any announcements to be broadcast, do let Dev920 know. Delivered on 12:00, 1 November 2007 (UTC).
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LGBT WikiProject Newsletter
Delivered on 20:05, 3 December 2007 (UTC). SatyrBot 21:07, 3 December 2007 (UTC)