User talk:Mugaliens

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Archived Material: User talk:Mugaliens/Archive_1

Archives
I combined my archives and added outdated content that was on this page to them. Mugaliens 13:07, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

AMA Request
Hello Mugaliens,

I've accepted your case. I'm looking over the editing history of the associated articles, and should be able to get back to you with some recommendations tomorrow or the day after. In the meantime, please set up an email account and I will be able to talk with you privately. Best,--Amerique dialectics 01:10, 17 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks! I'll look into how to do that.  I may ask for help, shortly.  Mugaliens 20:52, 17 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I've confirmed my e-mail address with Wikipedia and enabled Wiki to share it with others. I'll turn that feature off when I hear from you.  If for some you reason you can't read it, please let me know and I'll figure out another way.  - Mugs 21:02, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

Overuse of Citation Needed stickers
I've noticed a prolific overuse of "citation needed" remarks akin to marking "on a normal sunny day, the sky is blue" or "regular coffee without cream or sugar appears black" as "citation needed." Most the points where some prolific citationist has posted these remarks are well-known, well-established, and well-documented facts, understood by nearly all adults. They're not fanciful claims, or uncharted personal opinions, and since I've made only one correction to this article, which has not be "citation needed," I feel free to contradict the over-prolific use of whoever has posted them here. Recommendation: Before you slap a "citation needed," please take the 60 seconds to Google the information on your own to ensure that it's warranted, as most "citation needed" marks are NOT warranted.

Google Hits
Google is a tremendous resource, but requires a few simple skills and key points of consideration to be effective:

1. You must have both a wide and deep range of knowledge, at least in the area in which you're searching. Otherwise, you'll be unable to separate fact from fad, or well-sounding prose from truth. One way to alleviate this probem for seaches into areas in which you're not an expert is to conduct many searches from well-known and reliable websites, such as Wikipedia, The Mayo Clinic, etc., comparing content and the validity of it's source, to ferret out the good content while revealing the bad.

2. Don't limit your searches to a single term, such as "War." Rather, narrow down your searches with several qualifiers, such as: "gulf war" and "computer war" and "Blu-82." There's a "sweet spot" in searching, however, as trying to narrow down your search too much will produce too few responses, and more often than not, they're a bit off target. Thus, it's best to limit your searches to between two and four or five terms. I think three is the sweet spot, with four being a secondary if three terms turns up too many (thousands) of Google hits.

3. Google hits are NO measure whatsoever of the accuracy or validity of any particular topic and can NOT be used as a metric for validating or devaluing any topic or content. Those who state, "that's not relevant - only 22,000 Google hits" haven't the slightest clue as to what Google is, how it's to be used, and what it represents. Furthermore, those who make such claims merely underscore the fact that they really don't understand much, that they jump to conclusions, seem to find "trends" in a small number of facts, and are generally incapable of looking at anything objectively, without introducing a large amount of distorting personal prejudice. The only thing Google hits measure is the number of websites out there which mention your search terms, and to a lesser extent, the general public interest in your topic. For example, there are 39.9 Million Google hits for UFO, yet the world has yet to see any credible evidence. Meanwhile, the term "scanning tunneling electron microscope," an instrument which can reveal individual atoms in three dimensional images, is in wide use today in many areas of advanced research, and mentioned in hundreds of magazines, periodicals, and newspapers over the last 20 years. Yet it yields just 544 Google hits, more than 73,000 times less than the number of Google hits for "UFO." Rain, on the other hand, yield 171 Million Google hits, but who cares? It's condensed water vapor that's falling out of the sky. Whoopee.

In conclusion, use Google to find out information - but that will only happen if you use it well. Don't use Google to measure the validity of a Wiki article or subsection. That's simply a totally ignorant misapplication of the nature of Google.

Rogue Admins
Yes, they do exist, and I've been in their sights more than once.

Definition: An admin who, for whatever reason, is unable or unwilling to discern the difference between valid and invalid content, or who unnecessarily picks on or attacks any user. Possible resons include gross personal prejudice; the desire to "make the world right" rather than accepting it the way it is; an evil intent to inflict as much discomfort/pain on users that, for whatever reason, they don't like; a history of pure contentiousness.

There are five ways of dealing with rogue admins:

1. Ignore them. Unfortunately, this approach quite often results in them deleting your valid content. If this is acceptable to you, then it's by far the easiest way to deal with them, simply offerring them no resistance. They'll soon tire of punching thin air and seek out more satisfying ways of bullying others.

2. Contact them. At the very least, this will ferret out the true rogues from honorable admins who simply come across as roguish. Even if the admin is a true rogue, if they get enough complaints directly from others, they may begin to rethink their approach. Regardless, it's a required first step on most BBS and forums, including Wiki.

3. Contact another, trusted, admin or two, asking them, "I'm curious - am I way off target, here, or am I doing the right thing?" Most admins will tell you like it is, without regard as to whether or not you're the admin or the user. If you can get two or three second opinions like this, all the better. You might not be able to use their feedback directly with the rogue admin, but you can use their feedback for the following two steps:

4. Request for Mediation. There are quite a few mediators out there who will work hard to help two parties, including those between an admin and a user, resolve disputes.

5. Request for Arbitration. This is a requisite step in resolving disputes at Wikipedia, and invites everyone associated with the disputed content to make comments, cite their own and other's previous posts. It's usually visited by admins who have no inherent interest in the material, so they're capable of taking an objective look at the issue and render fairly accurate recommendations.

What not to do:

1. Blast them on either their talk page, your talk page, or on the talk page of the article in dispute. A far better approach is to objectively and rationally discuss the information using the approach mentioned above.

2. Take them to task. They're an admin, while you're not. They win. It's far better to contact them, respectfully, request mediation, and request arbitration.

3. Bad mouth them behind their back. That's a Wiki-no-non, and Admins have the ability to monitor everything a particular user posts. If they're on your case, they'll see it.

4. Engage in a revert war. This is merely stooping to their level. Take the high ground and follow the steps outlined above.

The good news is that if you take the higher ground, the rest of the Wiki community will soon come to see them for who they are, and you'll gain the community's respect while the rogue admin will gain their ire. If you stoop to the rogue admin's level, however, you'll both gain the community's ire.

Good luck!

- Mugs 14:02, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

wait
I am going to write on your behalf to one person. Stay tuned.VK35 00:42, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

Afd Notice - second time around for Unsolved problems in chemistry
Unfortunately this article has again be nominated for deletion Articles for deletion/Unsolved problems in chemistry. I know you tried to save it the first time around. Could you please help again. --Heliumballoon 17:33, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

Second Unblock Request (Yamla seriously misconstrued my original comment - read on for details, please)

 * I've asked JzG to reconsider. Mango juice talk 05:00, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Thank you, Mangojuice. 15:42, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Ok, Folks - It's been three months, and JzG is retired, so he's not the guy to ask to reconsider. I'll stay away from the fashion sections. I would like to continue with my technical contributions. Will someone PLEASE unblock me? Thank you. - Mugs 20:03, 13 October 2007 (UTC)


 * I've left a message with the blocking admin. – xeno  ( talk ) 14:25, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm inclined towards an unblock . Have you heard back from JzG yet? (He's not retired, never has been. His "retired" template has the RE crossed out. He's simply tired).  Either way, it's been over a year (year and a half?)  Can't imagine why a second chance would be unreasonable.  Mugaliens, you've been patient, please be patient for another few hours while this sorts out.  Cheers,  Keeper    76  18:02, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Update, stepping out. There is obviously more here than I am aware of, or was even around for.  I have no place here.  Keeper    76  16:41, 1 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Hi, Xeno. I think he switch to just Guy.  Thanks.  It's been a year.  I can wait a little longer. 23:42, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm not familiar with the case whatsoever, so since the blocking admin is not willing to unblock, I'm going to leave it up to someone else to review the unblock template. – xeno  ( talk ) 22:38, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Ok. 23:43, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Comment. (edit conflict) Don't unblock, please. Leave it to JzG."Whatever disagreements I had with jzg and his other online name were primarily with him." Uh... and with me. And Bunchofgrapes, and Sandstein, and a few others..." Just thought I'd mention it. I'll leave the reviewing to JzG, who is still active, even though it says "retired" on his page. See.
 * Actually, they really were primarily with jzg. About 90%.  The rest were ancilliary, at best.  I recall you, Bishonen, and Sandstein, but not Bunchofgrapes. People do change, you know.  Grow up, mellow, mature, gain other perspectives on life.  The fact that I was going through a nasty divorce at the time probably didn't help my temperament, any.  I simply hope you're leaving it to someone with enough maturity to realize that members of online communities grow and mature just we do in real life. 23:50, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Mugaliens was a very exhausting user (and, if I understand Yamla correctly, still is, via socks). He wore me out, but JzG showed exemplary patience. I note from Mugaliens' posts above that he seems unaware of having done anything wrong on Wikipedia; he's still, as ever, blaming. everybody but himself. I reckon this is up to JzG. P. S., what does "collateral blocking" mean? (Blocking via collateral damage?) Bishonen | talk 18:05, 30 July 2008 (UTC).
 * That can't be what Yamla meant, as I've made less than 20 anonymous edits (no socks, just not logging in) since jzg blocked me, and all on science and engineering entries. 23:53, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Sockpuppet using agenda account. No thanks.  Guy (Help!) 22:32, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
 * (sigh) I'm not a sock puppet. I don't know what an "agenda account" is.  Are you saying that my making a few corrections to spelling and wording here and there as I use Wikipedia is considered being a sock puppet?  Please explain what you mean by "agenda account."  Thanks. 23:53, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Addendum - evidently I've forgotten how many tildes to use to sign my name. I thought it was five.  Time to hit the sandbox and practice...   - Mugs  23:55, 30 July 2008 (UTC)


 * You still post in the middle of other people's text, I see. Please don't do that. It makes my post quite illegible. Bishonen | talk 23:59, 30 July 2008 (UTC).

My apologies, Bishonen. - Mugs 00:02, 31 July 2008 (UTC)~


 * I remember Mualiens from edit such as this. Given that he doesn't seem to be willing to acknowledge that his previous conduct was disruptive, and is trying to blame JzG, I'm not going to unblock. PhilKnight (talk) 04:34, 31 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Phil, may I ask how you equate your "he doesn't seem to be willing to acknowledge that his previous conduct was disruptive" comment with my unblock request comment of "I really would appreciate someone coming along and letting me out of the penalty box..." If I didn't believe I'd been disruptive, I would not have referred to the one year I've waited as a "penalty box."  Without the double-negative, that reads, "I referred to my one-year hiatus as a 'penalty box' because I realize some of my previous conduct was disruptive. I am not blaming JzG in any manner.  When a comment was made concerning interaction with the mods, I merely stated, factually, that the majority of that was with JzG.  It was a relative assessment of time per mod in response to an issue raised by a mod, not anything against JzG himself. - Mugs (talk) 08:53, 31 July 2008 (UTC)


 * What behavior of yours are you acknowledging was disruptive? Mango juice talk 15:11, 31 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Arguing with admins and championing a cause. Those were the root behaviors; anything else was directly related to those two.  I should expand that, as: "arguing with admins instead of simply accepting their comments as honest feedback from others who have ten times the Wiki experience that I do" and "championing a cause, rather than simply editing Wikipedia dispassionately, citing references whenever able." - Mugs (talk) 18:16, 5 August 2008 (UTC)


 * 1. It reads what? 2. What admin (mod) was that? Somewhere in here, was it? "It's been more than a year. Please unblock. Whatever disagreements I had with jzg and his other online name were primarily with him." (For surely you're not referring to my own comment after that statement? "In response to an issue raised by a mod"..." no no, that can't be it.) Mugaliens, you don't seem quite aware that we can read what you have posted above, and can therefore see when statements about it are not so. Even though these are untruths about minor matters, they don't inspire confidence in any future editing of yours. Bishonen | talk 23:59, 31 July 2008 (UTC).


 * I wrote, "...with jzg and his other online name were primarily with him." You responded, "For surely you're not referring to my own comment after that statement?"  I don't think so.  You're not also either jzg or Guy, are you?  I'm pretty sure jzg's other online name (at least I think they're one and the same) is "Guy."  Is that not correct?  You wrote:  "In response to an issue raised by a mod"..." no no, that can't be it."  Would you please clarify what you're trying to say?  Thanks! - Mugs (talk) 18:16, 5 August 2008 (UTC)

Uninvolved editor
This editor was mentioned on ANI a few weeks ago. I marked the user talk page to watch but only came here again today. Given that this user is asking to come back after a long time usually means that there is good intentions, particularly if there is a promise to edit well.

I favor such a chance. An indefinite block is a long time, like a life sentence in prison. We should think in terms of months, not forever. Even vandalism of property doesn't result in a life sentence, usually only a few months. Wikipedia vandalism can be easily reverted, unlike spray paint.

If given a chance, misbehavior can always be punished quickly. (Anyway, blocking is not officially punishment but it is used as such)Presumptive (talk) 03:52, 11 August 2008 (UTC)