Wikipedia:WikiProject Featured articles/FA-Team/Mission 4

Mission 4: Vacation in the Everglades
Please direct queries and comments concerning this mission and its goals to the talk page. For general comments on FA-Team activity, use the FA-Team talk page.

Mission coordinator: Awadewit

Scope

 * Editors/Wikiproject(s) involved: User:Moni3
 * Everglades is not yet ready for an FA review. But I have written Indigenous people of the Everglades region, Geography and ecology of the Everglades, Draining and development of the Everglades, and my next yet hopefully last will be Restoration of the Everglades, though I'm not ruling out having to write another. I'd like to bring all to FA. With each, I've added to the main Everglades article that continues to grow. I have concerns about copy editing: I'm writing each in about a week and it's quite fatiguing. I'm also concerned about the overall comprehensiveness of the main article. I'm not too excited about the repetition from the satellite articles, but I'm not sure right now about what to do about that. It seems the WP:FLORIDA and WP:Environment aren't too active right now - I've contacted both projects. So I think it's a worthy subject to take on, obviously. I would appreciate guidance and input in whatever anyone can do.


 * I am concerned that the content overlaps and some information may not be clear in the individual articles, or on the other hand, detail is extraneous or common sense.
 * As ever, I'm concerned that what makes perfect sense in my head rings like the rantings of someone barely familiar with English.
 * I would like the information in the Everglades article to be somewhat original, though I have lifted chunks of text from the satellites. I will probably rewrite parts of it just so readers won't think they've already come across the information.
 * I am worried that the Everglades article will parallel the length and scope of Roman Catholic Church, and turn people off with its weight and scientific stuff.
 * For content, I would like to contact the Everglades Coalition, a group of conservation organizations, and the University of Florida Everglades Institute. Both will be politically motivated (Everglades Institute works to grow better sugarcane) and some pretty strong edits may come to the article. I may need help with balance. On the other hand, they may totally ignore it, so if balance is already an issue, please let me know. Anything anyone on the team can do, please do. I appreciate your assistance. --Moni3 (talk) 14:48, 25 May 2008 (UTC)


 * 1) Support - Awadewit (talk) 23:06, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
 * 2) Commit to a one-time strenuous copyedit. - Dan Dank55 (talk)(mistakes) 16:44, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * 3) Support Will help starting now. RC-0722 361.0/1  18:45, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * 4) I'll try.... and see what I can do...Cheers, Casliber (talk · contribs) 12:57, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 5) Support - I'll do as much as I can Graham Colm Talk 13:40, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 6) Support - Per GrahamColm. Juliancolton Tropical Cyclone  15:43, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 7) Support -  Mkdw talk 19:40, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 8) Will help out as time permits (may be a week or two though)  EyeSerene talk 19:44, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 9) I'm in the middle of several other projects, but I'll do what I can. Cam (Chat) 22:26, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 10) I forgot to add myself. Mm40 (talk | contribs) 01:11, 22 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 11) I'll help as much as possible. « Milk's Favorite Cøøkie  01:37, 23 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Click here to see the most recent changes to all of these articles.
 * 1)  Indigenous people of the Everglades region
 * 2) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 3)  Geography and ecology of the Everglades
 * 4) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 5)  Draining and development of the Everglades
 * 6) ** Watchlisted by:
 * 7)  Restoration of the Everglades
 * 8) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 9) [[Image:Symbol support vote.svg|15 px]] Everglades
 * 10) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 1) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 2) [[Image:Symbol support vote.svg|15 px]] Everglades
 * 3) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 1) ** Watchlisted by: ,
 * 1) ** Watchlisted by: ,

To Do
A to-do list was suggested by Awadewit on my talk page, so I'm providing one here:
 * 1) Indigenous people of the Everglades region to FAC promoted 6/15/08
 * 2) Copy edit Geography and ecology of the Everglades for clarity and content. I am not particularly confident in the science in the material. I'm much more comfortable writing about history.
 * I've begun a copyedit on this article, but more eyes would be welcome! Awadewit (talk) 15:23, 21 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I've finished my copyedit, but a second round by another pair of eyes would be valuable. Thanks! Awadewit (talk) 01:21, 22 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm on it. – Scartol  •  Tok  14:29, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) Last suggestions and quick copy edit for Draining and development of the Everglades.
 * This is currently at FAC. Reviews and suggestions are welcome! Awadewit (talk) 14:47, 19 June 2008 (UTC)
 * There seems to be much consensus to pass. Mm40 (talk | contribs) 23:18, 20 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Although I'm sure the article will pass, we should be clear that at this time there is only one support. Awadewit (talk) 13:03, 21 June 2008 (UTC)
 * The !vote is now 4/0/0 and no major issues have been raised. Mm40 (talk | contribs) 01:07, 22 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Now promoted. :) Juliancolton Tropical Cyclone  13:56, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) Copy edit Restoration of the Everglades for clarity and content.
 * I've given this a once-over and I think there is at least one other person working on it. Awadewit (talk) 16:15, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Nominated. --Moni3 (talk) 11:56, 29 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Currently sitting at 4/1, although the objection is a fairly major one (a pro-big-sugar bias is suspected by one reviewer, don't know why we didn't catch that before). Cam (Chat) 17:57, 30 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Update: Currently at 5 Support, 0 Oppose
 * Promoted. --Moni3 (talk) 02:40, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) I have a particular question for Restoration of the Everglades, which I tried to give hypothetically on SandyGeorgia's talk page, but it came out rather convoluted. Presidential candidate John McCain visited South Florida on June 8, 2008. While there, he was asked by reporters why he voted against releasing $2 billion of funds that were promised in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, signed into law in 2000, in 2007. Confusing? Let me try again. $7.8 billion promised to Everlgades n 2000. State of Florida spends $2 billion, federal gov't spends nothing so far. 2007 Congressional vote to release $2 billion to help the State of Florida is approved by Congress despite McCain's vote in 2007, Pres. Bush vetoes it, and Congress overrides the veto. McCain stated he thought the money was going to pork projects (for you non-Americans, this is a spending hole, throwing money at unnecessary projects). If he was president, he'd make sure the Everglades were restored. McCain never stated which parts of Everglades restoration, or even if just riders to the bill, were pork. In Restoration of the Everglades, I mention an expert on the Everglades named Nathaniel Reed, and in a news story on the veto of the funding in 2007, Reed gives a quote that says, "The future of the Everglades depends on the president in 2008." The worst-case scenario here is that Restoration of the Everlgades or Everglades appears on the front page, and ha ha my little article creates an election-year froofraw. Florida is not recently known for election dependability. That's actually not MY worst-case scenario. That should happen, but I want to adhere to WP policies about NPOV and UNDUE. Any tips would be most appreciated.
 * I've weighed in on this issue at Talk:Restoration of the Everglades. Awadewit (talk) 16:20, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I agree with Awadewit that it's not WP:UNDUE, and in fact, if it were me, I would push it further, by giving a link if possible to some article that points out that the last 3 US presidents all portrayed themselves as strong environmentalists before their election and then screwed things up royally when in office; the two Bushes in particular wasted no time in doing the opposite of what they said they would do. McCain not only voted to deny all funding, he then voted to support one of Bush's rare vetoes, meaning that he was voting against his colleagues, including Republicans, in order to give rare support to Bush.  Obama missed the vote. - Dan Dank55 (talk)(mistakes) 23:52, 28 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I think that might be taking it a bit far outside the scope of the Everglades. I don't disagree with your points, but I don't know how to write "the last three presidents stank at environmental protection" pertinent to the article so far. Instead, I hope I've portrayed the Everglades as an unfortunate victim of politics, greed, and neglect, regardless of president. "All are punished" in the words of Prince Escalus. --Moni3 (talk) 00:42, 29 June 2008 (UTC)
 * yeah. It almost makes us look as though we have a political agenda (not that we do...right guys?).  Remarkable, how we can work the Escalus quote into almost everything. Cam (Chat) 05:40, 29 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) The lead for Everglades is a very long 5 4 paragraphs. Tips on reducing that, if necessary, are needed.
 * This has apparently been dealt with. Awadewit (talk) 01:34, 22 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure how. I've gotten a peer review for it, but a comment by David Fuchs in the PR, another on the talk page to make it more accessible by making it shorter. I'm not sure who crossed out the 5, but there are definitely 5 long paragraphs in the lead for the main article. --Moni3 (talk) 17:34, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I received some inaccurate info - sorry! I wish people would update this list! Awadewit (talk) 17:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I've taken a stab at this myself. More could probably be done. Awadewit (talk) 14:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * It looks good, certainly shorter and easier to read. I can take another look at it and try to make it smaller or simpler. --Moni3 (talk) 14:14, 26 June 2008 (UTC
 * I just took a look at it myself and removed one sentence, but I think it's as short as possible for an article of its length. Juliancolton Tropical Cyclone  18:10, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) I'm getting a thorough peer review on Everglades right now, but I'll take all the help I can get on that one.
 * 2) Ensure Manual of Style compliance for all articles.
 * Footnote Formatting (p. & pp., spacing, combining) has now been done for all three remaining articles. Cam (Chat) 23:42, 28 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Granted, the combining should probably be checked on Everglades, it's sometimes hard to spot all of them when there's so many refs. Cam (Chat) 23:42, 28 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Ok, that should be all of them. Cam (Chat) 05:40, 29 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) I'm not particularly strong in images either. If any in any of the above articles' images need to be re-licensed or summaries be rewritten, moved to Commons, etc., I'd appreciate the help.
 * I have tried to assess the images, but I am no image expert. Any help in this area would be much appreciated. Awadewit (talk) 00:19, 20 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Copyright Status looks good. Cam (Chat) 06:57, 28 June 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) Last, nominate each and usher it through. Thanks. --Moni3 (talk) 13:46, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Which is next for FAC? Juliancolton Tropical Cyclone  18:10, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Either Restoration or Geography, I'm indifferent as to which one, although I've done more work on Restoration than on Geography. Cam (Chat) 07:03, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Relevant WikiProjects

 * WikiProject Florida
 * Wikipedia:WikiProject Environment