User talk:SAMK71

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Dates on Nelly Furtado
Hi! Welcome to Wikipedia. I just reverted your changes to the dating system on Nelly Furtado. Since dates are done differently all over the world, Wikipedia had to create a set of guidelines to govern how they are used. For articles that are associated with Canada, either system (Day-Month-Year) or (Month-Day-Year) may be used. Since that is the case, another rule of MOSDATE comes into play, which is that, in cases where either may be used, the date order cannot be changed without approval on the talk page. I'm going to start a discussion there, and if consensus is to shift, then we can do so. Otherwise, please do not change the dates, as it leads to pointless edit warring. Qwyrxian (talk) 11:25, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Okay, I see the userpage you just made, and if that is your attitude, unfortunately, you're going to be blocked very soon. the first, key part is that you are fundamentally wrong about dates in Canada. Not everyone in Canada uses Day-Month-Year--yes, some do, but it's not "Canadian style" as you say. As for spelling; well, yes, if an article is primarily about Canada, you can use Canadian spelling, if you can substantiate that the spelling is actually Canadian, and not just your preference or the preference. For example, I recommend you take a look at Canadian English, and the spelling section in particular, which notes that in some cases Canadian spelling is like UK spelling (like UK colour instead of the US color), but sometimes it's like US spelling (like US tire instead of UK tyre). So, yes, if a article focused on Canada has tyre, change it to tire. If it has color, change it to colour. But be careful that you are changing properly. And our guidelines are clear on the dates--you may not change them on Canadian focused articles without talk page consensus, because Canadians themselves don't always use one or the other. Qwyrxian (talk) 13:10, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

And, more in general--don't approach Wikipedia with a battlefield mentality. We work collaboratively here, to improve articles, gather knowledge, make neutral statements, etc. If you come here trying to start a fight, then you're coming to the wrong place. There are plenty of places on the internet for you to express your pride, take a stand, and argue about how good or bad any given country is. This is not one of them. Please, if you have any questions about this, feel free to ask here or on my talk page--I'd be glad to help. Qwyrxian (talk) 13:14, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

You ooozzz American - and that page about Canadian spelling oooozzzes an American having written it. The only words that we don't use in Canada that Britain does, is tire and aluminum (aluminium <--the original spelling). This is not a battle groud, but me standing up for my culture. If a Canadian were dictating to you about your country and culture, guaranteed you would find it confronting. You've never lived in Canada and probably haven't travelled. That page about Canadian English is soooo wrong!!! And Cdns are so passive that they won't change it - but be aware of the major distaste there is in Canada about our southern neighbours. I am passionate about my country and passionate about not allowing an American dictate to me what my country represents via Wikipedia!!! If the facts are wrong about my country, I will change them!!! You're being equally confronting with the undercurrents of your tone in your msgs...BTW!


 * Quick question: why are you so sure that you are 100% right about everything everywhere in Canada? In the US things are, as we say, different all over. In other words, why should I take your word (a random person the internet), over the reliable sources presented in the article Canadian English?  Wikipedia requires that information be verified, because we have no other way of judging the accuracy of statements. You are welcome to be passionate about your country, but you are not welcome to edit against our policies, such as introducing unverified information, assuming bad faith on the part of others (how do you know that page was written by an American?  They make clear reference to Canadian dictionaries, etc....), etc.  If you think that page is wrong, go edit it--that's what's great about Wikipedia.  Just be sure you edit it following policy, and everyone will be happy.  And, finally, as an American living in a foreign country (you can see my situation on my user page), I can tell you that I get people all of the time making assumptions about what my country is like (in my case, usually the opinions are too positive, but it's a misconception nonetheless).  But I try to correct them by presenting myself kindly and carefully, while also admitting that I might be wrong (the U.S. is, after all, a big place, and there is no uniformity there, just as in Canada).  I think you'll find that a collaborative approach will work much better, both here, and, I believe, in real life.  Qwyrxian (talk) 13:53, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Erm...because I am a Canadian, who has lived coast to coast of my country while serving it!!! I know what the differences are in my country and I believe myself to be a more credible source than an American using American published sources on my country. The American tone is riddled throughout out that page and if they're not American, they live in southern Ontario! Canadians typically just know what is and what is not American! Canadians for the most part despise Americans, but so does the rest of the world. Your attitude throughout this exchange has been very American of "I'm American, ergo, I KNOW because I am bigger and better". I get sick to death of rude, brash Americans dictating and/or taking the mick out of my country and just running rough shod over it i.e. Canadian subjects on Wikipedia. Did you know your military murdered my 4 workmates in Afghanistan, and then your government tried to blow it off - saying we shouldn't have been out there in the first place, when it was YOUR ops centre who authorised the training ex!! While the rest of my unit was and still reeling from picking up body parts of workmates that we'd just had dinner with a few hours before?? Then seeing dinner shrewn all over the field amongst body parts that your airmen bombed and KNEW they were Canadian they were bombing!? This exchange that I've had with some random American about my country and countrymen on Wikipedia is just too much and drives my point home about Americans trying to dictate to Canadians what our culture should, but using Wikipedia as a smoke screen...oh, but wait! Isn't Wikipedia American?? ;O)


 * I'm well aware of the bad things the U.S. has done, and I'm no American-lover. Many people told me that after I moved to another country, I'd start to feel love for my home country, and I guarantee you I'm just as angry and frustrated with U.S. policy (domestic and foreign) as I ever was.  In any event, if you want to edithere, none of this matters.  Wikipedia does not accept anyone's word about anything--even if you had a PhD in linguistics with a focus on Canadian English, we'd require you to produce sources for your changes/additions.    As I said before, you're welcome to go through articles with a strong connection to Canada and fix up the spelling.  You're welcome to add more articles (sourced, verified, neutral, no original research, etc.) about Canadian culture, history, geography, etc. to Wikipedia. You're even welcome to engage in talk page discussions to change dating formats, the main rules at WP:MOSDATE, or even the Canadian English article.  You can be a great asset to Wikipedia, as long as you can channel your energies.  Qwyrxian (talk) 21:22, 28 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Sorry, one final practical thing. At the end of any posting you make on a talk page, please add four tildas, like this: ~ . This will automatically sign your posts with a date and time.  Thanks! Qwyrxian (talk) 21:24, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Your recent edits
Hello. In case you didn't know, when you add content to talk pages and Wikipedia pages that have open discussion, you must sign your posts by typing four tildes ( &#126;&#126;&#126;&#126; ) at the end of your comment. You may also click on the signature button located above the edit window. This will automatically insert a signature with your username or IP address and the time you posted the comment. This information is useful because other editors will be able to tell who said what, and when. Thank you. --SineBot (talk) 10:49, 4 December 2010 (UTC)