User talk:Megalibrarygirl/Archives/2016/October

Africa

Just to note, I've turned Wikipedia:WikiProject Africa/The Africa Destubathon/Core stubs into a page that transcludes content from 55 discrete pages ... you've made edits to the main page whilst I've been doing this. I'll go through and make sure all those edits are copied across so that none of your work is lost. The whole exercise produces much smaller country pages, rather than requiring all users to load the entire continent when their interest may be focussed on a single country. --Tagishsimon (talk) 22:23, 10 October 2016 (UTC) Hi, Tagishsimon, thanks for preserving my edits. :) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 22:25, 10 October 2016 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

The Special Barnstar

Really appreciate the big effort you've gone to in helping me set this up. I've also included a nice honey tea to cure you ;-) You've been a big help with the women lists! Thankyou! You're welcome to contribute and sign up to the contest even if not interested in prizes! If you win anything you can donate it to somebody in Africa or who needs books for women articles at WIR!♦ Dr. Blofeld 09:38, 11 October 2016 (UTC)

Thanks, Dr. Blofeld! I have my eye on a few interesting stubs. ;) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 15:29, 11 October 2016 (UTC)

Reference errors on 17 October

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• On the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State page, your edit caused a cite error (help). (Fix | Ask for help)

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Western Sahara edits

Thanks a lot! Would you like to collaborate on Western Sahara topics with me? I'm very excited to have someone else writing on this issue here. —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 18:05, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Hi Koavf! I'd love to collaborate! I'm looking especially to write a few biographies of notable women from W.S. after cleaning up some of the articles. They do seem a mess. Are you doing the WikiProject Africa destubathon too? Megalibrarygirl (talk) 18:08, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Destubbing Ostensibly, but I work 90 hours a week. :/ So as I can! (My schedule will change soon, tho.) —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 21:25, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Excellent choice, Western Sahara. As long as the entries are added to the main list at the bottom of the main page once done :-)! Even if not competing in the contest!♦ Dr. Blofeld 20:33, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Dr. Blofeld, being a geographically-challenged American, I'd actually never heard of Western Sahara, so I was curious! I was surprised to find out that women are very active politically there. I just wish I could find more expansive sources in English (or Spanish). Koavf, that's a terrible schedule! I'm glad it's changing soon! :) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 21:31, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Sources There is a great Historical Dictionary of Western Sahara from 1994 and a handful of books from the past decade or so (Erik Jensen's is nice but thin--Tony Hodges Roots of a Desert War is still the go-to). There was a really interesting book called Spanish Sahara published immediately before decolonization, too. Sources in Spanish are more plentiful--?hablas castellano? Yo puedo ayudarte con obras en esa lengua tambien. But yes, women have a lot of agency there. E.g. women can initiate divorce. —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 21:36, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Awesome! Thank you for the book sources, Koavf. Hablo español un pequeño, pero mis amigos hablan y leen español muy bien. (I ask them for help quite often.) ;) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 22:04, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Perfecto ?Ellos son de España? Porque hay muchos documentos estan disponibles alli' del Sahara Occidental/Española. —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 22:40, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Koavf, I live in El Paso, on the border with Mexico and the US. My Spanish is less Castellano and more Spanglish. But my friend is very fluent. :) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 22:43, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Entiendo And now I see that your edits are to El Paso topics, etc. Makes sense. I wish I had more Hispanic culture around me but c'est la vie... I've been trying to improve and practice my Spanish daily for years (and it's paying off). —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 22:46, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Si, practicing is very helpful, Koavf! I do practice a lot here, since I work downtown and we have a lot of Spanish Speaking customers in my library, but I don't get a lot of chances to practice past and future tense. :( Megalibrarygirl (talk) 22:55, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Tenses Future tense is easy to the extent that it is a lot more common to say "voy a regresar" rather than "regresare'". Of course, it is still worth knowing but simple to construct any future tense verb. Past and past perfect are very tricky for Anglos for some reason (myself included). Do you use Duolingo or Memrise? —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 23:27, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Hi, Koavf! I've used both, but I like Memrise a little better. We also have Mango languages through my library. However, the way the language sticks with me best is when I'm using it "live" and people help me get the right words and correct me on spot. I seem to remember it better that way. I do have a ton of trouble with the tenses and personally, I often feel a little "dense" about languages. It takes a while for it to stick with me. Do you speak any other languages? Megalibrarygirl (talk) 23:39, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

Languages Definitely true--the only way to learn a language is to use it in the wild regularly. My Spanish is okay but not great--maybe a 6 out of 10? If you know Spanish at all, you will have a decent grasp of any Romance language. So I "know" some Asturian, Catalan, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, etc. but have only tried studying Portuguese. I'd like to know German and Hausa someday or even ASL if I'm blue-skying it. But I don't have the time or capacity for all that, I believe. Thanks again for working here, especially on Western Sahara topics--it's a dear subject to me. Is there anything I can do for you? —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 02:14, 18 October 2016 (UTC)

Hi Koavf! If you'd like to practice (written) Spanish, we could try emailing each other. I'd definitely like to improve my skills and I learn best by reading. Let me know. ;) Btw, if you're comfortable sharing, how did you become interested in Western Sahara? As for any help, if you know of any notable women to write about in W.S., I'd appreciate it. Djmi El Ghalia, an activist, seems notable. I've found a few sources on her and have started a draft: User:Megalibrarygirl/Djmi El Ghalia, but would like something a bit more substantial than what I've already turned up. :) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 16:14, 18 October 2016 (UTC)

Tone

See here Please don't think me condescending but I think some of the tone of edits like this is a little off the mark for an encyclopedia (and God knows I have made plenty of mistakes, so please understand that I have nothing but respect for your work). Advising that someone avoid off-roading is a little inappropriate but saying something like "off-road driving is dangerous" is more encyclopedic. Alternatively, that kind of copy would be perfect for voy:Western Sahara. —Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 22:46, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

No problem, Koavf. I've never edited an article on transportation before. My usual work tends to be on biographies and organizations. Those are things that make the most sense to me and learning to be more neutral for other types of articles is something I have to do. I appreciate the advice. :) Megalibrarygirl (talk) 22:52, 17 October 2016 (UTC)

An invitation to November's events

November 2016
	Announcing two exciting online editathons Women in Food and Drink and Women Writers as well as our strong support for articles on women in connection with Wikipedia Asian Month Faciliated by Women in Red

(To subscribe: Women in Red/Invite list. Unsubscribe: Women in Red/Opt-out list) --Rosiestep (talk) 18:07, 23 October 2016 (UTC) via MassMessaging

Invitation from Wikipedia Asian Month 2016

Wikipedia Asian Month

Thanks for partipating Wikipedia Asian Month last year, and I hope you enjoy it. Last year, more than 7,000 articles contribute to Wikipedia in 43 languages in Wikipedia Asian Month, making us one of the largest event on Wikipedia. We will organize this event again in upcoming November, and would like to invite you join us again.

This year, we are lowering down the standards that you only need to create 4 (Four) articles to receive a postcard (new design), and articles only need to be more than 3,000 bytes and 300 words. We are also improving our postcard sending process, e.g. making the postcards right now, and collecting the address after the event ends without waiting other languges.

Wikipedians who create the most articles on each Wikipedia will be honored as "Wikipedia Asian Ambassadors". We will send you both digital copy, and a paper copy of the Ambassador certificate.

Sign up now

Thank you for considering! --AddisWang (talk)
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 15:47, 24 October 2016 (UTC)

Welcome to Wikipedia Asian Month!

Hi there! Wikipedia Asian Month is about to start. Here is some information about participating in the event:

1. Please submit your articles via this tool. Click 'log in' at the top-right and OAuth will take care the rest. You can also change the interface language at the top-right.
2. Once you submit an article, the tool will add a template to the article and mark it as needing review by an organizer. You can check your progress using the tool, which includes how many accepted articles you have.
3. Participants who achieve 4 accepted articles will receive a Wikipedia Asian Month postcard. You will receive another special postcard if you achieve 15 accepted articles. The Wikipedian with the highest number of accepted articles on the English Wikipedia will be honored as a "Wikipedia Asian Ambassador", and will receive a signed certificate and additional postcard.
4. If you have any problems accessing or using the tool, you can submit your articles at this page next to your username.
5. If you have any question, you can take a look at our Q&A or post on the WAM talk page.

Best Wishes, Addis Wang
Sent by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 22:57, 31 October 2016 (UTC)