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Congrats on getting TFA. I could tell from the first couple of sentences that this article was one you'd worked on extensively without ever having heard of the subject or know that you had worked on it. Dincher (talk) 02:52, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Gracious. Is it that bad? --Moni3 (talk) 02:58, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Congrats on having Marjory Stoneman Douglas as Today's Featured Article. I have watched you do a tremendous amount of work on it over the last three years. GroveGuy (talk) 05:20, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Yes, I also guessed that it was yours simply by the word "Everglades" appearing four times on the main page "Today's featured article" extract alone. Well done! --Redrose64 (talk) 11:01, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Yep. Huzzah for Moni3! I had a friend in Florida recently write on Facebook about the Everglades and how cool they were and I was all "dude I helped make the national park article an FA" and she was all "dude did you do all the research and writing" and I was all "no way man I'm not cool enough for that -- MONI3 did all THAT work" and she was all "dude that MONI3 person sounds AWESOME" and I said "dude you don't know the HALF of it.." Scartol • Tok 13:05, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Scartol. You're so adorable. Somehow I cannot imagine you speaking much like all your students, especially when you have all that French literature under your châpeau. Except I usually talk like that when I'm excited, so maybe that is more realistic than I imagine. And it seems rare people get excited about the Everglades, like nature geeks. If that's so, I may be the original Pointdexter.

Thank you, GroveGuy for your assistance on the article, and for the time you took to leave comments here, Redrose64. --Moni3 (talk) 13:12, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

The RfC at FAC

Hi -- I just got back from work and see you've built an RfC structure for the FAC discussions, which I think is a good idea. I'm curious as to why you dropped three of the six suggestions listed by Brian Boulton -- can you enlighten me? In particular I think the queue idea is a good one. Any reason not to add it back as an option? Mike Christie (talk) 23:45, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

No good reasons, just that I saw "these three are more do-able than others". Add the suggestions you think are do-able. --Moni3 (talk) 23:47, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

Done. Mike Christie (talk) 02:21, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Attention seeking

Hi - actually it is attention seeking in adults which is my primary interest. But unfortunately most of the research seems to have been done on attention seeking in children. However I will be digging deeper (and I hope others do as well) to expand text on attention seeking in adults in Attention seeking. Do you know of any good sources? I did mention that attention seeking in adults is often associated with some personality disorders.--Penbat (talk) 15:31, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Most of them will be in psychiatry texts. It is expected that children seek attention to some degree, but the same behavior in adults is usually indicative of a problem. --Moni3 (talk) 15:34, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Thank you

		Like a Box of Chocolates...
		... your contributions at Wikipedia:Featured Article Candidates during the month of January 2010 are greatly appreciated. Ealdgyth - Talk 01:49, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

GARPHHWARGLEBOG!!! Pardon me. Thank you. --Moni3 (talk) 01:53, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

Help?

Hi there! maybe you're wondering why I'm here. User:Scartol told me, or should I say, recommended you that maybe you can review the article of Sarah Geronimo.[1] I ask User:Scartol if he can help me out to follow this so called "neutrality" that Wikipedia requires, but he said he can't view it at the moment. When you review the article, please feel free to edit it if you see something's wrong. Anyway thanks in advance!--Wht_Pal888 (talk) 08:44, 7 February 2010 (UTC)

RFC/U

Please see User talk:Yomangani#RFC/U. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 02:02, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

DaL33T (talk) 12:37, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

		The Purple Star
		For being one of those hit hard by 212.183.140.17. DaL33T (talk) 18:13, 28 September 2009 (UTC)

I got a barnstar because a simian with a keyboard messed up Shakespeare? --Moni3 (talk) 16:21, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

The Avery Coonley School

I saw your comments on the FAC page and I agree the prose could be more compelling. I more than welcome any your assistance and suggestions. Several others at FAC suggested I post it for peer review again and offered to comment on it there. I noticed you have made some improvements already. I will for your changes before I start the new PR. Thanks. - Nasty Housecat (talk) 21:10, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

I'm copy-editing it now. I am compiling a list of suggestions for the article and will post them to the article talk page. FACs are collaborative, so take my ideas and questions into account. Feel free to discuss changes and suggestions that I make to/for the article. Just give me a bit to go through it. --Moni3 (talk) 21:23, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for all your excellent comments and edits on the article. It took me a while, but I have worked through all of your comments now and I think the article is much better for it. I am sure I created some copyedit issues in the process, but I can fix those later. I have also reached out to the other editors you suggested and hope they have some comments as well. I am curious about your Google books comment, as you said it was your idiosyncrasy, but I took your advice and deleted them. Just wondering: why do they annoy you?

I can see you are working on lots of stuff here. If you do have a chance to look at what I have done and/or make your way through the rest of the article, I would really appreciate more of your feedback. It is exactly what I was hoping for when I took it to FAC in the first place. Thanks again.

-Nasty Housecat (talk) 17:18, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

I'll be happy to finish the article. I'm watching it and have noticed that you've been working on it. I'll read over it again here in a few days, finishing my initial review, giving you an opportunity to go through it to add more and then give it another copy edit. I'll explain more about my GoogleBooks issues on the article talk page. Give me a couple days. --Moni3 (talk) 17:38, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Per your suggestion, I pinged user:Ruhrfisch for comments, who responded with an excellent review. I've worked in almost all of those comments now. Need to chase down a one or two more references. And I finally got my hands on the actual National Historic Register nomination, which had some really terrific stuff in it. I have included some of that now, as well. So what do you think? Is this article ready for another run at FAC? --Nasty Housecat (talk) 06:10, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

24 Waterfall salute!

Thanks for all your help with picking images. Waterfalls in Ricketts Glen State Park made Featured Article today! Dincher (talk) and Ruhrfisch _><>°^° 21:27, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

Hey

This is the last time I'm writing about this. Are you gonna join? Talk:Homosexuality#Rewrite_agenda_2 Phoenix of9 23:03, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

TB

I've replied.--Coldplay Expért ^{Let's talk} 03:48, 11 February 2010 (UTC)

DYK for Ernest F. Coe

On February 12, 2010, Did you know? was updated with a fact from the article Ernest F. Coe, which you created or substantially expanded. You are welcome to check how many hits your article got while on the front page (here's how, quick check ) and add it to DYKSTATS if it got over 5,000. If you know of another interesting fact from a recently created article, then please suggest it on the Did you know? talk page.

Materialscientist (talk) 18:00, 12 February 2010 (UTC)

Elvis Presley

Hi, I realize you may no longer be watchlisting the Elvis Presley FAC, but I wonder if you are around at the moment and could comment on something. The article has five supporting reviews, but a question has arisen from the delegates about article size. The delegates are requesting that reviewers give their opinion on this aspect. Your input would be appreciated. PL290 (talk) 21:05, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

I'm going to try to read over it again tonight. --Moni3 (talk) 21:20, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

Featured list candidate

That looks like an interesting and quality list. Sure, I'll review it. But I can't tonight. Can it wait till tomorrow? Colin°^Talk 16:12, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

No problem. Whatever you can do would be cool. --Moni3 (talk) 16:16, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

You will be assimilated by adorabubbleness

Believe it or not, there are just those out there who prefer TFAs that incite feelings of "N'aww I'm going to throw up that's so cute" as opposed to those that incite "Uugh I'm going to throw up that's so wrong". What a world, eh? P.S. thanks and hope you're well! María (habla conmigo) 18:35, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

Say what? Thanks for the info, I always forget that tool's around. Man, if I had even a ha'penny for every click... María (habla conmigo) 03:27, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Queue6

Please add some geographical pointer to the lead there. Thank you. Materialscientist (talk) 02:13, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Don't take this as my being impertinent, but why must it be any more specific than what is already in the hook? They're the Everglades, not the Florida Everglades. That's was a tourist teaser, something to sell visitors to the region. Is it a rule that all hooks have a location? --Moni3 (talk) 02:20, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Having no location might make this hook interesting, but adding something which shows it is indeed in the US might actually help that. Materialscientist (talk) 02:53, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Are there places called Everglades elsewhere in the world other than Florida? I ask as an ignorant Brit, but when I see "Everglades" I assume Florida, unless stated otherwise. Reminds me a bit of the Paris, France nonsense so beloved of some colonials. --Malleus Fatuorum 02:58, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

(ec)I was going for accurate. Everglades, Florida is a city. Otherwise, I have never heard or read anyone call them the Everglades, Florida. I suppose I could end the hook with in Florida, such as that between 5,000 and 180,000 Burmese pythons (pictured) are estimated to be loose in the Everglades in Florida? but that would prompt questions such as, are there another Everglades somewhere else? But then, I'm unfamiliar with the intricacies of DYK. Why is it important that a US-themed article is pointed out as such? Are you concerned that readers will think the Everglades are in Burma or Asia? If I reconstruct the hook, does it have to be re-approved? --Moni3 (talk) 03:00, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Materialscientist, I have to go to bed, but if I need to fix something, please let me know and I'll do it in the morning if it does not compromise accuracy. Thanks. --Moni3 (talk) 03:24, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Have a good sleep :-) On geography: We may assume that most readers know where Paris is and that perhaps most US readers know what Everglades is and where it is, but I'm not sure it is that known outside US. In this sense, adding "in Florida" might help, but this comment is subjective (because I've never heard of Everglades :-). On changing hooks in queues: allowed, but the corresponding admin bears responsibility (usually it is on the admin who promoted the prep to the queue) and should be prepared to possible opposition (if the changes are drastic, rewriting the fact of the hook). Materialscientist (talk) 03:32, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

We're quite familiar with the Everglades here in good old blighty; in fact Forida is one of our favourite holiday destinations. --Malleus Fatuorum 04:14, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Everglades. Engineers. arrrrrgh !! So little time, so much to do. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 04:17, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

What are you thinking about doing? The Everglades or the engineer(s)? --Moni3 (talk) 12:49, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

Oh man! Moni, dear, you are one of the reasons I stay here in good ole WP-land. In spite of the fact that I've been so busy lately, I've done very little substantial editing here these days. But I hafta tell you, after almost 15 years of marriage to an engineer, the Everglades is probably better, and I've never even been there! --Christine (talk) 20:02, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Did you just cast aspersions on your husband's romantic skills on my talk page? I'm a huge fan of the Olympics. I let my cable lapse and consciously declined to renew it, so I have no TV reception. I'm trying to portray myself as morally superior when people ask me if I've seen a show or last week's SNL skit. I'm working on my moral superiority...seem not be able to pull it off very well. But I do miss the Olympics, and I'm bummed that I can't see them. --Moni3 (talk) 20:11, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Yes, I did! But he's not totally to blame, the poor thing--we're both too old and tired. I am definitely not morally superior when it comes to TV. We've experimented with being cable-less, by watching our shows downloaded from the internet. I can see us eventually giving up cable completely, but not before TV is more accessible online. I get totally into the Olympics each time they come around, especially the Winter Games. Figureskatingfan, duh! The skating this time has been phenomenal. Evan Lysacek!! I pay for it, though--I go through sleep deprivation and give up my editing, but it's totally worth it. I'll come back renewed and ready to move forward improving articles! --Christine (talk) 23:34, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

DYK for List of invasive species in the Everglades

On February 17, 2010, Did you know? was updated with a fact from the article List of invasive species in the Everglades, which you created or substantially expanded. You are welcome to check how many hits your article got while on the front page (here's how, quick check ) and add it to DYKSTATS if it got over 5,000. If you know of another interesting fact from a recently created article, then please suggest it on the Did you know? talk page.

Materialscientist (talk) 00:14, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Nice work! One question about the hook — do you know why there's such a huge range between the largest and smallest estimated number of pythons? Nyttend (talk) 02:56, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Thank you. No, I don't know why the range is so large. The source is a biologist at Everglades National Park. The 5,000 number is astonishing. I can't even wrap my mind around the 180,000 number. --Moni3 (talk) 03:02, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Article circumcis circumscription

Okay, here's an interesting one - I picked up Illegal logging in Madagascar to review at GAN, and had some ideas about the scope of the article - i.e. wondered whether it should be broader. I thought you might have an interest given your work on various aspects of the Everglades articles. See Talk:Illegal logging in Madagascar/GA1 cheers, Casliber (talk · contribs) 05:07, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Ok. I'll take a look at it today. --Moni3 (talk) 12:54, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

I think we've now opened a can of worms with this one....Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:12, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Inauguration of Barack Obama FAC4

I am not sure if you are watching, but I have responded.--TonyTheTiger (T/C/BIO/WP:CHICAGO/WP:FOUR) 05:37, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Aliso Creek (Orange County)

Moni, are your concerns at Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Aliso Creek (Orange County)/archive2 resolved? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:09, 20 February 2010 (UTC)

Checking... --Moni3 (talk) 20:11, 20 February 2010 (UTC)

Thanks! (And I see you've done a boatload of reviews ... thanks for that, too!) SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:22, 20 February 2010 (UTC)

Yeah Me Too

Moni, Thanks so much for your lovely note. I miss Wikipedia too. Alas, I've been so busy with so many things, and WP has just been a casualty of the process. Hopefully some of the projects will gain enough momentum of their own that I'll be able to devote more time hereabout. How's Gainesville? Scartol • Tok 16:34, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

Alarmingly and unseasonably cold. I was able for the first time to open the windows yesterday. It should have been spring with random explosions of azaleas two weeks ago at least. I should be drunk on spring, reeling around the parks and yards of central Florida as if on the bender to end all benders, but instead I've been cooped up trying to stay warm. It's great to hear from you, though. Make it back to spruce up the place when you can! --Moni3 (talk) 18:39, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

Jane Addams

I have the next 3 days off, and hope to add a lot to the article, hopefully get it really close to GA/FA CTJF83 GoUSA 03:01, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

While I applaud your enthusiasm and dedication, it's nowhere near ready. I haven't even gotten to the library like I wanted to. Something always comes up. I'm waiting for something to come along and inspire me to go to the library and start reading again. Right now it's a chore. I don't understand why I can write some things so easily and others take so much effort, even to check the books out. --Moni3 (talk) 03:04, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

I hear ya, I've had the books for 4 weeks and haven't done anything yet. :) CTJF83 GoUSA 03:07, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

"Flagrantly homosexual"

Hey, Moni. Long time, no see. Glad you're still kicking ass and taking names ;-) Regarding what you said here, homosexual is pejorative enough, especially when used as a noun, to be frowned upon by the major journalism style manuals (see this) and to merit a Usage Note in the American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed.), which reads:

Many people now avoid using homosexual because of the emphasis this term places on sexuality. Indeed, the words gay and lesbian, which stress cultural and social matters over sex, are frequently better choices. Homosexual is most objectionable when used as a noun; here gay man and gay woman or lesbian and their plural forms are called for. It is generally unobjectionable when used adjectivally, as in a homosexual relationship, although gay, lesbian, or same-sex are also available for adjectival use.

Even the third edition of the AHD, circa 1991, had a Usage Note to that effect.

You're right that homosexual is "more clinical". The reason that's a problem is that clinical isn't the same thing as scientific or technical; clinical terms relate to diseases, disorders, and medical issues. Pathologies, shall we say. The psychiatrist's couch circa 1960, when being gay was not only beyond the pale socially but officially meant a patient with a disorder. While some people (Allen Ginsberg comes to mind) have famously embraced the word and diluted for themselves and their readers its negative connotations (as has happened more widely with queer), for many other people those connotations run too deep. It doesn't help that nearly all the professional opponents of equality for gay people use the word homosexual in their public writings and utterances (of course, they use other, meaner words when they think they're not being overheard). Yet another reason has to do with self-identification: since any positive connotations of the word homosexual once were few and far between, people preferred to refer to themselves using other words that didn't carry so much stigma, words of their own choosing. And that has become part of mainstream culture and general usage now. Encountering the word (especially the noun) homosexual, except when part of a quote or possibly in very limited other contexts, is jarring in Wikipedia articles, but I see it from time to time. Not much of a crusader, I have resisted the occasional urge to seek it out and change it en masse, but I'm inclined to think something should be done. Maybe WP:MOS could provide clearer guidance, for instance.

This was too long and too peripheral to the article, so I brought it here instead. If you disagree, I'll be happy to redact parts and move it there. Rivertorch (talk) 14:12, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

The GLAAD link, interestingly, did not reference "homosexual" except in passing in the lead paragraph to say (passively, *cough*) that it "can be seen as a slur". Well, no shit, style guidelines! Depending on how I use it, I could make it a divine command. And the reference for "lesbian": see "gay". Wtf is that? Using GLAAD's style guideline, should we simply create a redirect for the Lesbian article?

Is it just the volume of words I produced and copy edited for LGBT history articles that make this seem a problem created where there is none? This is not a matter of precision of English, but the protection of LGBT identity, which, using evidence from that source, appears to be a composed of a fine gossamer thread in danger of being rent apart should someone use "homosexual" as a noun.

Oxford English Dictionary: adj. Involving, related to, or characterized by a sexual propensity for one's own sex; of or involving sexual activity with a member of one's own sex, or between individuals of the same sex. n. A person who has a sexual propensity for his or her own sex; esp. one whose sexual desires are directed wholly or largely towards people of the same sex.

Practically, I'm for excellent writing and accurate description over avoiding a term that may be seen as a slur. That leaves perception to the reader. I can't and won't be held responsible if people take offense to accurate wording, and think it degrades the language used in the article to change it to keep from offending people who don't seem to know any better in the first place. --Moni3 (talk) 17:24, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

We can agree to disagree on much of this. Two points, though. First, while the OED is the gold standard for etymology and usage history, it's frequently far from up-to-date (this is largely a function of its vast size) and thus isn't the best reference for guidance on modern usage. Second, I'm not sure what GLAAD page you looked at, but the link I provided leads to a page which includes:

• an introductory note describing homosexual as "a word whose clinical history and pejorative connotations are routinely exploited by anti-gay extremists to suggest that lesbians and gay men are somehow diseased or psychologically/emotionally disordered";
• an entry from the AP style manual noting that gay is "preferred over homosexual except in clinical contexts or references to sexual activity";
• an entry from the New York Times style manual stating that "gay is preferred to homosexual in references to social or cultural identity and political or legal issues" and advising use of homosexual [only] "in specific references to sexual activity and to psychological or clinical orientation";
• an entry from the Washington Post style manual advising that: "Gay is generally preferred to homosexual. Homosexual should be reserved for a clinical or biological context. Be wary of using homosexual as a noun. In certain contexts, it can be seen as a slur."

(Btw, just fyi, here's another GLAAD link, this one to their media reference guide, which says entreats its readers to "avoid using 'homosexual' as a style variation simply to avoid repeated use of the word 'gay.'")

I'm also in favor of excellent writing and accurate description, but I don't see those as incompatible with avoidance of a term that is widely held to have negative connotations. I find the widespread, casual use of homosexual—particularly its noun form—in Wikipedia articles troubling both because it is unnecessarily jarring and because it suggests that we're applying standards that are outdated or otherwise atypical of modern usage. Rivertorch (talk) 20:44, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

Replaceable fair use File:Milk at Castro Camera 1973.jpg

Thanks for uploading File:Milk at Castro Camera 1973.jpg. I noticed the description page specifies that the media is being used under a claim of fair use, but its use in Wikipedia articles fails our first non-free content criterion in that it illustrates a subject for which a freely licensed media could reasonably be found or created that provides substantially the same information. If you believe this media is not replaceable, please:

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If you have uploaded other non-free media, consider checking that you have specified how these images fully satisfy our non-free content criteria. You can find a list of description pages you have edited by clicking on this link. Note that even if you follow steps 1 and 2 above, non-free media which could be replaced by freely licensed alternatives will be deleted 2 days after this notification (7 days if uploaded before 13 July 2006), per our non-free content policy. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you. HaeB (talk) 00:13, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

I forgot I uploaded that and had no idea it was still in use. I deleted it myself. --Moni3 (talk) 00:16, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

That was a quick reaction... thanks for resolving the issue and sorry about boilerplating you ;)

Regards, HaeB (talk) 00:19, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

April fools?

Hey Moni,

It is that time of year again... a little more than a month before April fools day and no one has taken initiative on a featured article for the Main Page. Since you did such a great job last year rounding the troops for Museum of Bad Art I was wondering if you had anything in mind for this year? There are some good suggestions at Wikipedia:April Fool's Main Page/Featured Article, but no one has anything at Featured Status yet. Just wondering if you would be up to it again this year and i would be more than willing to help out.--Found5dollar (talk) 17:11, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

Hi, Found5dollar! Long time no talk page. I hope you've been well in the last year. See this discussion on the FAC talk page. Not sure what will happen, though. --Moni3 (talk) 17:15, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

Thanks! i just posted there. Hope everything is going well with you in the Wiki and the real world!--Found5dollar (talk) 17:34, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

No apology necessary

Thank you for your response to my comment on Malleus page. I thought it more appropriate to respond here. I always try to see the good in other editors, and presume in the first instance that conflicts are the result of miscommunication or personality clashes. Text based editing is not a good medium for communicating the nuances.

I have never lost the respect and admiration I have for your work since we interacted at "Mulholland Drive" (I still love that film!). Though I've always been confident of our mutual respect, I appreciated very much your kind Xmas message to me. I hope you will continue to contribute positively to the encyclopedia, and will be happy to help out if and when I can. Geometry guy 22:29, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Likewise, G-guy. Best of luck working on Action potential. I wish I could do something there but I am utterly hopeless. --Moni3 (talk) 22:52, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Münchausen by Internet

Just noticed that you've got this up at GAN again; if it lingers in the queue I'll do it. I know you specifically requested an experienced GA reviewer, but I may be your best offer. Added to which I actually started out as a psychologist believe it or not – I know, hard to believe, but true nevertheless. :-) --Malleus Fatuorum 22:43, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

You are welcome to do it today or any other day. I know you won't let anything slide and it deserves valid scrutiny and criticism. --Moni3 (talk) 22:48, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Given the controversy last time this deserves a careful look at, but I'm going to be a bit busy with some RL writing over the next few days. If this is still in the queue by the end of the week we'll give it a jolly good roasting. Even if someone else picks up the review I'll probably stick my oar in anyway. --Malleus Fatuorum 22:55, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Sounds good. I look forward to it! --Moni3 (talk) 23:00, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

With every funny thing that was posted on my talk page yesterday, none is as knee-slapping as this. Talk:Münchausen_by_Internet/GA2 --Moni3 (talk) 14:52, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

Experienced medicine editor? I have never encountered this editor anywhere. Maybe I need new glasses. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 14:54, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

Not sure if I should go to WT:MED, WT:GAN, or Afd for this turd. It is my understanding that articles should simply have the best quality sources and writing, not be qualified as a specifically categorized thing, malady, condition, etc., but simply be accurate. Have I been to this point completely misguided and incorrect in my thinking? --Moni3 (talk) 14:56, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

I left samples there of the faulty logic; what guideline says we can't create medical articles on anything except formal diagnoses, and no sub-categories of those? And I'm seriously put off by editors who toot their own horns as a justification for a completely irrational fail. At this point, all you can do is laugh; the strength and weakness of GA is one and the same (one editor determines your fate). I'd say sit on it for a few days, wait for Malleus to advise what to do next. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:08, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

• Oh dear, you're having no more luck with this than I do with Irish articles. The review was of course ridiculous; it really does piss me off when people use reviews to force their own misconceptions, misunderstandings, and prejudices, instead of simply assessing the article against the relevant criteria. Seems strange that an "experienced medicine article writer" would consider Munchausen by internet to be a type of Munchausen by proxy, instead of a type of Munchausen syndrome. Ah well, what to do next. If there had been a proper review done I'd have said take it to GAR, but it was quickfailed on a misunderstanding of, well pretty much everything. When you feel like it, I suggest that you open another GAN. Let me know as soon as you do and I'll pick up the review immediately so we can avoid any more of this kind of nonsense. --Malleus Fatuorum 17:23, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm taking Sandy's advice and taking time away from the article, and here. However, my question was not rhetorical. Do I have a fundamental misunderstanding of what GA criteria are? Are there separate criteria for med/psych articles? Must an article, to be tagged as WP:MED or WP:PSYCH be its own condition to be eligible for GA? I was under the impression that if an article is notable enough to stand alone and is well-supported by excellent reliable sources, that it has the opportunity to become a GA. Is this incorrect? Should I invest any more time on this article or should it, in fact, be merged or deleted? --Moni3 (talk) 22:44, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

The review was inadequate. I have archived it. (This is not the first time I have done this.) The nomination is now ready for a proper review (e.g. by Malleus). Geometry guy 23:13, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

What a nice day on Wiki! World peace times two ! Bring on the next joke thread, Moni! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 23:41, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

I see that there's now a merge discussion underway Moni. Hang in there and we'll do the review once that's knocked on the head. --Malleus Fatuorum 13:32, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

• The merge proposal has been withdrawn, Geometry Guy has restored your GA nomination, and I've marked it as being under review, so all's well with the world. I'm probably not going to be able to get to it until later in the week though as I'm up against some RL deadlines, hence this burning of the midnight oil. Later. --Malleus Fatuorum 05:09, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Right on. I guess I'm patient enough with this article...--Moni3 (talk) 12:54, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

How about we wrap this up soon? It's been open long enough for anyone who feels strongly to have their say. --Malleus Fatuorum 22:50, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

Ok. Whatever. If you need me to change anything just tell me. --Moni3 (talk) 22:52, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

I had it in my mind that there were a couple of issues unresolved, but on checking back I see I was wrong. I had decided though that I wanted to keep the review open for a little longer than usual, because of, well you know. I'll list it as a GA shortly; well done in the face of all the adversity. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:37, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

Thank you. --Moni3 (talk) 00:25, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

I've added it to the psychology category, which is staggeringly sparse, but if you prefer it to be listed as a medical topic then feel free to move it. --Malleus Fatuorum 01:03, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

It can be moved to video games for all I care. --Moni3 (talk) 01:05, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Thank you!

File:Alpha Capricorni.jpg		Thank You
		For your excellent and wonderful contributions at Wikipedia:Featured Article Candidates during the month of February 2010, you're truly a star! Ealdgyth - Talk 15:52, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Thank ye, darlin'. You too, just keep staying so awesome. --Moni3 (talk) 17:20, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

I know the feeling

:) I don't remember doing precisely that one, but, oh, I've done plenty. :/ --Moonriddengirl ^(talk) 17:39, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Can I just blame you for popping up on my watchilist right below an unsourced OR edit on an article, both of your entries the same length? Somehow...it's not really my fault *whimper* --Moni3 (talk) 17:43, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Certainly you can. :) In fact, I never reverted the page owner himself, but I once reverted a perfectly legitimate talk page comment from somebody else for the same reason. Well, I don't know if it was the same length, but they were close and my finger must have slipped. (The edit summary of the one I meant to revert was one of those lovely "Replaced page with" kind of comments.) :D --Moonriddengirl ^(talk) 17:51, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

With every edit I improve...or make a complete cockup of everything. It's a crapshoot. --Moni3 (talk) 17:54, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Food for thought

This comment was pretty amazing, in a Zen kind of way.   pablo_hablo. 21:22, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

I appreciate your posting here, pablo. This discussion can use a lot more appreciative comments. --Moni3 (talk) 21:48, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Re: Invasive species of the Everglades

Replied at my talk page. Cheers, Dabomb87 (talk) 22:02, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

If overwriting images, in future can you delete the old non-commercial revisions please (I did this one for you). These images shouldn't be on wiki even as an old revision especially if these files get transferred to Commons. Let me know when you are done replacing/removing the images and I'll review them and re-consider my oppose. Best, Rambo's Revenge (talk) 22:15, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm trying to figure out what to do here. Images always make me feel like I just walked into a high school algebra class, naked as the day I was born, to realize that I have to take a test that is to be administered by Enya. --Moni3 (talk) 22:43, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Okay I'll attempt to explain. Apologies if some of this stuff is basic and you already know it.

File:Lobate lac scale.jpg as an image is fine becuase it is licensed as "Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License". Whereas File:Neyraudia reynaudiana.jpg (and the other files I listed) are not fine because they are licensed as "Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License". It is this Non-commercial that makes it unfit for Wikipedia. Wikipedia needs commercial and derivative licensing (see this for the different types and thier suitability). What to do with the unfit images you uploaded. Delete them as Wikipedia:CSD#F3. If you replace the image with a valid one (i.e. upload a different version to the same file name instead of uploading it to a new name) then the unsuitable revision needs to be deleted. There will be a delete option next to the old picture at the bottom of the image page. Hope all this helps. Rambo's Revenge (talk) 23:56, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

July 2009 Ürümqi riots

Hey Moni, I just wanted to drop by and see if you're still interested in giving this article a copyedit. Best, rʨanaɢ ^talk/_contribs 01:20, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes I am interested. Have you read Rosewood massacre? It's ever so uplifting *headbang* If not, might I suggest you give it a quick read through? --Moni3 (talk) 01:25, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

I did skim it and read a couple sections back when you first mentioned it, but I haven't sat down and read it start to finish yet. I'll try to get on that before the end of the week! Thanks, rʨanaɢ ^talk/_contribs 01:31, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Progress reminders

Volume I

Main, Geography, Restoration, List, Park

• Chapter 1 Introduction to the 2010 South Florida Environmental Report - Volume I
• Chapter 2 Hydrology of the South Florida Environment / Main, Geography
• Chapter 3a Status of Water Quality in the Everglades Protection Area / Restoration, Park
• Chapter 3b Mercury and Sulfur Monitoring, Research and Environmental Assessment in South Florida / Restoration
• Chapter 4 Phosphorus Source Controls for the South Florida Environment / Restoration
• Chapter 5 Performance and Optimization of the Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas / Restoration
• Chapter 6 Ecology of the Everglades Protection Area / Main, Geography, Park
• Chapter 7a Everglades Restoration Update / Main, Restoration, Park
• Chapter 7b RECOVER Activities Update / Restoration
• Chapter 8 Implementation of the Long-Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality Goals in the Everglades Protection Area / Main, Restoration, Park
• Chapter 9 Status of Nonindigenous Species in the South Florida Environment / Restoration, List
• Chapter 10 Lake Okeechobee Protection Program - State of the Lake and Watershed / Restoration
• Chapter 11 Kissimmee Basin / Restoration
• Chapter 12 Management and Restoration of Coastal Ecosystems / Geography, Restoration, Park
• Chapter 13 Everglades Forever Act Annual Financial Report / Restoration

Volume II

• Chapter 1: Introduction to the 2010 South Florida Environmental Report - Volume II

Just to note (and thanks again)

Hi. Just to note that I have renominated The Avery Coonley School as a Featured Article Candidate now. Since you helped with the peer review, you may wish to comment on the FAC review as well.

Thanks again for your help!

--Nasty Housecat (talk) 21:42, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, no problem. I can't help but feeling that I'm addressing Phoebe's "Smelly Cat". Seriously, what are they feeding you? Alas, it's not your fault. --Moni3 (talk) 03:18, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Back to more important matters

Your talk page is filling with trivia; there are important matters at hand:

1. Have you bought the book yet?
2. What are the three things for Abraham Lincoln? (Maybe Malleus will help me out there ... )
3. Classic New Jersey (201) i just lost my virginity for the 9th time. when will guys stop believing that nonsense line
4. California, of course (559): So I heard you only slept with me because you were drunk...is that true?

   (1-559): That depends on who this is.

5. (928): Maybe we should try and tone it down a notch. The neighbors changed the name of their wifi network to "i can hear you having sex".

SandyGeorgia (Talk) 14:27, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Talk pages are for divulging secrets you would never tell your mother. For instance, I thought I broke my iPhone. I was almost as depressed as the day I broke my vibrator. Furthermore, my dad is going to jail this weekend; where are we going to get our weed from? And that girl I took home from the bar last week. She wouldn't stop saying her own name. Like a damn pokemon.

How dare these infidels come here to try to "improve articles" and "collaborate amicably". What asses. --Moni3 (talk) 14:35, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Ohio has imagination constraints: If we're like this now and women reach their sexual peak in their 30's, I can't even fathom what our futures hold. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 14:44, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I hacked into your journal, Sandy, seeing this: "In the middle of sex he stopped to tell me that he loved me... then slapped my ass and told me "back to business"... im gonna marry him." I was disturbed yet so oddly intrigued.--Moni3 (talk) 14:48, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Disturbed? Why? Can you suggest something better? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 14:57, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Well, food: His text read: Sex? I replied: Not drunk enough. He bought 4 more rounds and tantalized me with the offer pizza later. This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.--Moni3 (talk) 15:06, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Pizza? I think its part of male evolution. Pretty soon they'll have diamonds on them and taste like chocolate. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:19, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Could be worse, like some kind of female de-evolution: "Don't really want to talk about it. You were right. She had a whole jar of toenail clippings on her nightstand that she chews on "when her fingernails are too short." Direct quote." --Moni3 (talk) 15:31, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I had a roommate like that. If a man's penis is referred to as "the family jewels" does that make a woman's vagina a jewelry box? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:41, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I should use this as a RS for my observations on pep squad dynamics: "It's a law of Nature, girls naturally hate eachother. It's only when there's no competition for a mate that they can hate each other a little less and then are appropriated into the "BFF" slot." --Moni3 (talk) 16:34, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Speaking of pep squads, you should switch to baseball. *I* was disturbed to find this in your journal: "I'm retiring my vagina. Better yet I'm Farve-ing it. That way it can come out of retirement anytime and play for different teams. And it can wear Wranglers." At least in baseball, they don't pretend to retire from the game. PS, run a spell check on your journal: it's Favre. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 17:20, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Was it the Favre reference that disturbed you or the bringing it out of retirement reference? I dunno. I might keep it where it is, depending on who's doing the asking: awkward like he asked me out for a "rest of the summer make out buddy" thing and I kind of had a female testicle retreat moment". --Moni3 (talk) 17:51, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I think if you don't know anything about American football, you shouldn't be using it as a reference when "farving" your jewelry box; stick to food, diets and fasts. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:03, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Our next session will be to list, in order, who gets to play this: Let's play a little game called "Chill the Fuck Out" - you're our first contestant --Moni3 (talk) 18:20, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Hell, no: my next session is going to be to go through the "Cocky pick up line of the week" archives at askmen.com, and post my comebacks. It's so kind of them to provide that, so I can help prepare unsuspecting women worldwide. :) SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:25, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

As you wish. But whatever you do, Please don't tell anyone I peed on your wall. --Moni3 (talk) 18:35, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I was considering posting a Urinetown response just to bug our grumpy old Brit, but I thought you'd like this musical Brit more. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:54, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I... uh. Should I not have posted the blow section? Was that wrong? Where am I? Why's it suddenly hot in here...? María (habla conmigo) 14:53, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Hahaha Maria. Blow section. No, just jump in the game. Go to Texts From Last Night, find a particular hilarious one, attribute it to someone who doesn't deserve it and wait for the ensuing chaos. --Moni3 (talk) 14:58, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Wow - hilarious site. Guettarda (talk) 17:00, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

In need of advice

Dearest Moni (and Moni's talk page stalkers), I'm in need of admin-related advice. Another user and I have been gently battling with a strong-willed anonymous user (who utilizes a number of IP addresses) at various articles, most notably Louis Marshall and History of the New York State College of Forestry, for the past few months. This anonymous user has a problem with adding superfluous, and at times misleading and incorrect, information. Despite messages to their variety of talk pages,[2][3][4] and prompts to discuss their additions on the talk page, there has been NO communication between this user and any other editor. They simply reinstate the disputed info when it's removed.[5][6][7] No edit summaries, no nothing. It's very frustrating; I even unwatched both articles for a while, despite my interest in the subject. I know that WP:AN3 or another dispute resolution venue would normally be the next step, but seeing as how the user is willfully uncommunicative, and continues to switch IP addresses, I fear it might just be a waste of time in this particular circumstance. They aren't vandalizing per se, but their repeated efforts to include shoddy info is bringing the articles down, man, and I don't know what to do. In all of your infinite wisdom—which includes shiny admin skills—is there anything you would suggest we do? María (habla conmigo) 14:50, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

This looks like a rangeblock issue, which I am thankfully inexperienced doing. I protected Louis Marhsall for two weeks. I see an IP added info to History of the New York State College of Forestry yesterday that has not been reverted, and I don't wish to overturn edits that may be valid. I can protect that article too and ask for advice at ANI if you wish. Or we can wait for the highly intelligent and stunningly attractive deadbeats who patrol my talk page to jump into action. What would you prefer? --Moni3 (talk) 14:57, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, Moni! I'd totally forgotten about partial protection whatsitstuff. However, you say "rangeblock", and I hear a whooshing noise in my ears; is that good? I gave up on History of NYSCF awhile back, as it just has far too many issues, despite best efforts by DASonnenfeld, who's relatively knew to Wiki but a genuine expert in the field. I'm not sure if protection will do much good there. But by all means, attractive deadbeats are worth waiting for any day. ;) María (habla conmigo) 15:05, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Rangeblocks are one of those buttons given to article writers like me, where I can hit it by mistake as if playing sloppy jazz piano, and block the entire Northeastern United States from contributing to Wikipedia. Not that may be a bad thing necessarily, but I so regret posting "oopsie" after an admin action. Someone with experience should take a look at this and suggest if a block should be made or some other action. I posted it to AN to see what they have to say. No doubt it will start a thread somewhere about how content editors should never be given admin abilities. --Moni3 (talk) 15:16, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Great, thanks. I'll check in on the AN, but truthfully the place scares me somewhat... María (habla conmigo) 15:54, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

But, ohemgee, now the anon is posting their dubious material to Bob Marshall (wilderness activist), one of my most beloved FAs, under yet another IP address.[8] (They also apparently have a thing for paisley. Strange.[9]) María (habla conmigo) 15:57, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

It's not ANI, so most of the scathingly witty responses that make you want to ask if you can have the last 3 seconds of your life back and your memory scoured from having to recall ever reading that thing while simultaneously pondering how anyone can waste so much time and effort consistently inserting useless commentary for a permanently cranky audience are absent. On the other hand, like a plugged nickel in an empty tin cup, earnest requests for assistance at AN could rattle around uselessly. We shall see. I'll watch both articles and protect the NY Forestry article if necessary. --Moni3 (talk) 16:01, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I just protected Bob Marshall. Where are these edits from? [10] They have bracketed cites in them as if copied from another Wiki article or other source. --Moni3 (talk) 16:04, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

The info was copy-and-pasted from what was previously removed several times from Louis Marshall's article here, plus the "[The elder] Marshall's interest in conservation extended to the national stage" paragraph from LM's page added for context, I suppose. Louis is awesome is everything, but I'm admittedly a little protective of The Bob, okay? I admit it. They'd previously added the fact that he went to school with J. Robert Oppenheimer, which is obviously just too fascinating to like not mention on Wikipedia!!1 Three times.[11] (Oh, and your brilliantly rendered sentence describing the horror-show, oh-no-car-accident-can't-look-away hot mess that is ANI is spot on. The place gives me the heebie jeebies.) María (habla conmigo) 16:16, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

You don't have to convince me to protect the integrity of FAs. I just left another message for the next IP [12]. This sounds perfect for a situation to be ignored. --Moni3 (talk) 16:23, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, Moni, you're a gem. Oh, and I've been intermittently browsing Texts from Last Night, and now I'm addicted. Although not addicted as I am to this milkshake I had the other day. It was so delicious I was introducing it to people. Guy from my psych class was like "This is my girlfriend, Erica," and I was like, "This is my milkshake, Oreo." (Did I do it right? I don't even like Oreos, but that made me giggle.) María (habla conmigo) 16:39, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

As evidence of just how special I am (and that can be taken both positively and negatively), Mrs. Moni and I have been going to Steak n' Shake once a week to get their classic Coke glasses, not because I'm such a huge fan of Coke, but that class green tinted glass makes me want to build something out of them in the windowsill. I'm not really 5 years old, I just like sparkly pretty things. I think Coca-Cola decided to tint their glass that irresistible green color when they decided to drop cocaine from the formula. But the Oreo milkshake is always an integral part of the meal. Unlike you, I fear how much the milkshake is tantalizing, shamed by my desires. I take a few bites and push it away, confused and sensually aroused at once. You are much braver, making the milkshake your bitch basically. --Moni3 (talk) 16:47, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

If you want to know a secret, I am as dependent upon the milkshake as it is upon me. It's because of my deeply ingrained insecurities that I overpower it, sucking and slurping its protective cup dry again and again, leaving nothing but a few crumbles behind as a proverbial bitchslap, an insult to injury. If I were a more confident individual, able to recognize my own self-worth outside of my uncanny ability to devour a 42-ounce milkshake in under five minutes—screw you, brainfreeze, I win again!—I would be able to let the milkshake simply be itself: thick, overpoweringly sweet, and perhaps even a little too chunky for its own good. I would be able to savor its goodness as you do, bit by bit, rather than demean its very existence. But no, I have to show it who's boss, and for that very reason, I will never be completely happy. María (habla conmigo) 17:54, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I was going to post something just as brilliant as that post, but I got called away from the computer and forgot. That's a sign from God. I won't even try to compete with that. I'll just curl up in the corner and cry because that shit was hilarious. --Moni3 (talk) 18:06, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

It is pretty good: Maria needs to add that diatribe to a "spit or swallow" blog. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:07, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Can I just say it's more fun to read your talk page than to read Texts From Last Night? =D -- SatyrTN (talk / contribs) 18:15, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Finally. My talk page a few months ago was a hoot. It's been a barren wasteland with tumbleweeds lately. Per the thread above about Favring my cooter, I considered making an analogy to bringing my talk page out of retirement, but I wonder how that might play out when people basically consider my talk page as my genitals. Even I consider the limits of poor taste every once in a while. --Moni3 (talk) 18:18, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

If that's the case, I've been entirely too involved with your genitals today, Moni. Whatever will the Mr. and Mrs. think? (Other than, "wow, Wikipedia is freakier than I thought!" that is) María (habla conmigo) 18:39, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Maria, I'm not complaining. Just laughing my ass off. --Moni3 (talk) 18:41, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Good thing I have no hot water to speak of despite living in Arizona—because I need that kind of shower. --Andy Walsh (talk) 18:42, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Maria and her milkshake dirty talk can do that to people. It is a powerful language. --Moni3 (talk) 19:02, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Chocolate on the house

Someone needs to get an account and define my girls. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:33, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Hey! The 2010 South Florida Environmental Report came out two days ago and here I am talking about Texts From Last Night and milkshake lust. I have 13 chapters to read and 4 articles to update. What are you doing? How is it you have chocolate to give away? Would you even ever do such a thing? I'm unmoved by chocolate... but it is Girl Scout cookie season... --Moni3 (talk) 19:45, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Wouldn't you like to know what I'm doing ... SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:46, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I could make it up, which is inevitably ten times more entertaining than what you're probably doing. --Moni3 (talk) 19:50, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Prove it. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:53, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Trying to figure out if you have to put on underwear to go to the Piggly Wiggly. --Moni3 (talk) 20:04, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Never thought about that-- do other people wear underwear to the Piggly Wiggly? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:21, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Certainly not when ordering cakes. --Moni3 (talk) 20:24, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

(ec) I don't know about Piggly Wiggly, but they definitely wear underwear to Walmart [13]. --Andy Walsh (talk) 20:25, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Jeez, Andy. Pass the fork. I need to gouge my eyes out. That should be labeled NSFLAE=not safe for looking at ever! --Moni3 (talk) 20:27, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Huh? Well I certainly don't mind a badonkadonk. --Andy Walsh (talk) 20:37, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Or bananapants either. I'm imagining a vast wardrobe of spandex bananapants that you put on to edit Wikipedia....--Moni3 (talk) 20:40, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Good grief. I see "chocolate" in the edit summary, which invariably draws my attention, and here I find out that people are discussing my Wikipedia-editing wardrobe... Risker (talk) 20:42, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

You and Andy have a bananapants exchange going on. I knew it. ArbCom is thick with cabalish behavior. --Moni3 (talk) 20:44, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

No comment – iridescent 20:45, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

"It's a great way to swim and sunbathe but I'm intrigued to know what it is like shopping naked." I can safely say, as curious as I am, I have never wondered what it would be like to go out in public and shop for, say, cheese graters. --Moni3 (talk) 20:50, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

I see "my girls" still hasn't been defined; I've been hijacked. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 22:21, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Pardon me?

Please restore the block that you undid immediately. If you have questions about why I placed it, or would like to open a discussion on it, I am open to your input. If you would like to seek outside comment, WP:AN/I is the proper venue.

Given that you Malleus Fatuorum hasn't commented (let alone requested an unblock) and you haven't made any effort whatsoever to discuss the block with me, your action is a serious misuse of your admin tools. I am composing my post to AN/I now, seeking review of your extraordinary action. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 03:38, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

I support Moni's actions. It seems on the surface to be a highly suspect and overly harsh block, Ten. Keeper | 76 03:40, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

No, I don't think so. It's not an effective block. It's punitive. --Moni3 (talk) 03:40, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Please read WP:BLOCK#Unblocking where it says "administrators should avoid unblocking users without first attempting to contact the blocking administrator and discuss the matter with them. If the blocking administrator is not available, or if the administrators cannot come to an agreement, then a discussion at the administrators' noticeboard is recommended". I have very little opinion on this block, but you are exceeding your position as an admin by unilaterally reversing this. Funny how you call it ineffective after just making it ineffective. Chillum ^{(Need help? Ask me)} 03:42, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm glad you see the humor. --Moni3 (talk) 03:44, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

(e/c) It was a dumb, overreactive, and gas+fire block. It was a knee-jerk punitive block because someone was "uncivil", which is a judgment call at best. If anything, the blocking admin should've gone to the editor (Malleus), and not just pulled a trigger, only to ask questions later. Misuse of tools was on TenofallTrades part, Moni was simply undoing the wrongdoing, in my eyes. I'm not the only editor to jump in and say WTF to TOAT immediately. TOAT should apologize and move along for his over zealous use of admin tools in this intance. Keeper | 76 03:46, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Keeper, I am glad to know you think me being a "waste of space" is a judgment call. I put up with so much shit on Wikipedia and the community is getting worse and worse at defending people from attacks. Well, fuck Wikipedia. I have a job and a family and lots of things to do. I love the idea of the project but I don't have to put up with this shit. Cya. Chillum ^{(Need help? Ask me)} 03:48, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

You've handled much worse than that Chillum. Gawd. Do you want me to get Kleenex for you? Or is this a fake retirement like so many other "you hurt my feelings" editors? It was a dumb block, and an overreaction. Me saying so does not mean I think you a waste of space. Way to arc on that one, sir. Keeper | 76 03:51, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

• Now its getting juicier. What I love about wikidrama is how quickly it escalates, and always with excellent diction. Look at this. Apparently Chillum removes a comment from a banned user from someone else's talk page. That someone says 'hey why are you removing edits from my talk page, rude boy?'. Chillum takes affront to that, and they go back and forth a bit, and someone writes a haiku. Malleus witnesses this silliness and makes a wisecrack, which probably should have earned a wristslap. But he's blocked right away. And then unblocked. And then the unblocking is portrayed as a grave abuse. And then AN/I raises it specter. We all realize how stupid these things are, right? (and everyone contributes to them.) Oh, my popcorn is ready now. (No offense intended to any, AGF always)--Milowent (talk) 03:48, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

This block was patently - and fucking - ridiculous. Get off your high horse and realize you fucked up, TOAT. It's no longer any sort of "unilateral" reversal; at least three other admins support the unblock. Tan | 39 03:52, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

I have requested outside comment – which you ought to have done yourself, first – at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents#Unblock of Malleus Fatuorum by Moni3. Incidentally, I am disappointed at how many editors are leaping to announce that calling another editor "a waste of space" is acceptable interaction on Wikipedia. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 03:55, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Point out the leaping editors and their condoning of the statement. We can disagree with the block without endorsing the comment. You sandblasted a soupcracker by blocking for a civility infraction. Tan | 39 03:57, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

e/c) No one said it was "acceptable", ToaT. Rude, perhaps. Just not 24hr blockworthy. See the difference? Doesn't seem so. AN/I usually calms everything down and reduces drama though. Good move </sarc> Keeper | 76 03:58, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

This is not a one-off action by Malleus; he has an extensive history of attacking other editors. How many insults per week is Malleus allowed, before we decide that saying 'stop, or I'll say stop again' is insufficient response? We have a limited set of tools at our disposal. Asking Malleus not to insult other editors hasn't worked; what would you suggest? TenOfAllTrades(talk) 04:02, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Talking to him. --Moni3 (talk) 04:05, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

(ec) Ask Chillum not to make stupid unnecessary reverts, maybe, and then back down once someone tells him to stop? Sometimes a spade really is a shovel. And Malleus has an "extensive history" because he's a frequent target ... I saw an admin just today say FAR worse to another editor, and no one bats an eye. It's time the thinking community stood up to this. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 04:07, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Ten, I've always found Malleus to be one of the more responsive, intelligent, and honest editors here. Some take offense to that, almost always when the comments ring true. I've personally told him to fuck off in the past when he goes over the top (he actually takes that really well compared to the abuse of some stupid admin tool, I think that's what Moni means by "talk to him"), but overall if I had my choice? I'd take a thousand I-want-a-fucking-accurate-encyclopedia-and-fuck-you-with-your-bureaucratic-wonkery-getting-in-the-way-of-it Malleus's over the block happy admins that are running this otherwise brilliant website into the ground with their teenage bullshit. If I had a !vote, that is. Keeper | 76 04:33, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

• I thought it was acceptable and should receive a barnstar from Jimbo. Come on ...--Milowent (talk) 04:00, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks

For sticking your neck on the block last night. --Malleus Fatuorum 21:31, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Girl's got guts ... and balls ... and a sense of morality. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 21:34, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

I did not do it for you necessarily, Mal. I thought it an unwise and ineffective block, as I said. I have perhaps been influenced by you by the various times I have, in my opinion, made a right spectacle of myself in order to move things along in some cases. I can't really show anyone the countless times I have removed "stfu assclown" from a reply and instead did the much, much more difficult thing to remove extraneous blah blah from my actual point, or simply decided not to post anything. But maybe next time you tell someone the best part of them was left on their mother's leg, that you would not piss up their ass if their guts were on fire, or they're using the precious oxygen that you should be breathing, spare me a thought. I agree with many of your points about disparate treatment admins get vs. non-admin editors, but I also think there is value in civility, if only to make it so much more difficult for us. I often like the challenge. This environment also, however, makes civil language very difficult to be heard...assclown. I can hear carnival music coming from your sphincter.

If the tenor of discourse has to enter Mach 5 overload with a hypermasculine sweaty dudes in the locker room a la Top Gun, just consider being open to someone coming to your talk page and saying, "What's up with this, dude?" without losing the edge and holding on too tight...Cougar.

The only reason I do anything around here is just so someone will acknowledge my cajones, Sandy. --Moni3 (talk) 21:47, 7 March 2010 (UTC)

Consider your drawers acknowledged. MastCell ^Talk 05:22, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

MastCell, the renaissance man ... Moni, dear cojones are the brass things, cajones are drawers. I'm sure you can combine those and go somewhere with it. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:00, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

I still think "dickphone" is a snappier translation of vergatorio. --Moni3 (talk) 19:23, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Yo-man's dic-ta-phone has you beat; you've met your match ! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:25, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

I've considered that approach, but it's my view that just delays the inevitable and makes everyone miserable in the interim. Best to get the guns out straightaway, start blasting, and see who's left standing. --Malleus Fatuorum 00:14, 9 March 2010 (UTC)

Statistical anomaly? Question for TPS

Can anyone figure out what is responsible for this spike on March 3? Some main page thing on Wiki? Some major news event? --Moni3 (talk) 02:46, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm guessing that an English teacher at a large high school assigned a paper on TKAM, due March 4th. MastCell ^Talk 05:24, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) The NH Big Read? Rambo's Revenge (talk) 18:55, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Are there 29,000 people in New Hampshire??? --Moni3 (talk) 19:17, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

knock it off, smartass. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:14, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Was the movie version on one of those cable channels (TCM, etc.)? I've noticed huge spikes before because of television. Notice this. Antandrus (talk) 19:21, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

I checked TCM's schedule and they have not run it in March. If it ran on another channel, I don't know which one. --Moni3 (talk) 19:24, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Similar spike in Ben-Hur (book and 1959 movie both) on March 1. Hm. I watched that on TCM back around Christmas. I wonder if it's another US cable channel, or maybe something in the UK. Antandrus (talk) 19:30, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

The Big Read is an NEA program; other states/communities are participating, not just us New Hamsterites. ReverendWayne (talk) 22:14, 9 March 2010 (UTC)

I did a Google News search of stories that came out on March 3 involving Mockingbird or Harper Lee, but I couldn't find anything consistent, such as multiple papers across many states esp. in large cities, that mentioned the book. It's apparently in the news every day somewhere, even some guy running for dogcatcher saying it's his favorite book. This is a huge spike. Let's say, for example, the 81st Academy Awards ceremony in which Milk was nominated 8 times, was watched by almost 37 million, brought 176,000 hits to the Harvey Milk article. My math sucks pretty hard, but if a similar ratio would be comparable, that might mean that 210 times the people who hit the article read or watched it somewhere. That means 6 million people had to either read or see news or the film somewhere. I can't find where. I may be making unfair comparisons, but it's an interesting thought.

Btw, I wasn't digging on New Hampshire. You guys have great syrup. I wish Florida only had 29,000 people (yes I know your population is much larger). It would certainly help the environmental fiasco we got going on down here. Moni3 (talk) 22:46, 9 March 2010 (UTC)

April Fools

See here. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:33, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia's true impact

In that half breath before death approaches and you see the light and the warmth and your grandparents and pet dogs from childhood, think back to the time you spent here, all the hours of writing and copy editing and arguing, and know then that Wikipedi'a true impact is expressed on a bathroom wall. --Moni3 (talk) 21:29, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

User:Moni3/Donner

Got it watchlisted. I'll see what I can find in libraries I can reach. --Malleus Fatuorum 03:28, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Ok. I'm building the further reading section, as I do, with materials I do not have. As I get them or consider them subpar, I remove them from the list. --Moni3 (talk) 03:30, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

You're obviously a very organised lady. I've seen the film maybe three or four times, a sad story. It would be good if we could get a cannibalism article to FA, set a template for the others. I suspect you may end up doing most of the work though, depending on how well the literature is covered over here. --Malleus Fatuorum 03:41, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Sorry to disappoint if you think you are breaking new ground Malleus, but if anything cannibalism is already over-represented at FA: one FA just on fictional (or are they?) cannibals, a real episode as part of the background in another, plus passing mentions in a couple more. And then there's all those animals that eat their young or their mates. Yomangani^talk

Oh bugger it then, no point in trying. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:06, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

I've noticed a pattern dependent more upon energy than organization. I'll probably hurl information into this article at a frantic pace for a week or two, then be unable to make a coherent thought following that. I'm going to check for pdf articles on JSTOR and if you don't mind, send them to you. What film are you referring to? I have only seen the video, linked at the bottom of the page. I did not know there was another film. --Moni3 (talk) 03:47, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

That was the film I meant, I've not seen any others. It's been shown on TV here. --Malleus Fatuorum 04:00, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

From your further reading list, I've got online access to The expedition of the Donner Party and its tragic fate by Eliza P. Donner Houghton ; introduction to the Bison books edition by Kristin Johnson. Author: Houghton, Eliza Poor Donner , but I don't think that you'll want to use this and The Archeology of the Donner Party by Donald L. Hardesty and Michael J. Brodhead. University of Nevada Press, 1997. My library has History of the Donner Party, a tragedy of the Sierra. With foreword, notes, and a bibliography by George H. Hinkle and Bliss McGlashan Hinkle. Library has several other books not listed here, but I don't know what you already have to home. Let me know if you want me to go through any of these for you - I'm actually headed to the library tomorrow. We visited the Donner museum a few years ago, and it was really ... odd feeling. Karanacs (talk) 04:05, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Will working on this article get your mind off of more ecclesiastical matters, Karanacs? Everything in the Further reading section is in my library. I think I lost track of a couple books over the years, unfortunately, but I can get the ones at the library and it already looks like there may be quite a bit of information in article format. I have Ordeal by Hunger. I can see what is actually on the shelves at the library because you know half that stuff is missing when you really want it. The sandbox is open and ready. Feel free to jump in anywhere. Promise only, all grammar and spelling mistakes are forgiven during the first several weeks? Because I can turn English into a morass of muck and crap with apparently no effort at all. --Moni3 (talk) 04:12, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Do you think that Desperate passage : the Donner Party's perilous journey West, by Rarick, Ethan, 1964- Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008. would be useful? It's the most scholarly of the ones my library has on hand that isn't already on your list. Karanacs (talk) 04:18, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

The only sources I leave off my lists are juvenile nonfiction to begin with. I'll look at everything, as most tend to be helpful in some way. I understand there is some scholarly question about the accuracy of Eliza Donner's book, but it still has some value. So don't rule anything out in the beginning. Go ahead and get Desperate Passage and see what it provides. --Moni3 (talk) 04:27, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Karanacs, do you have access to JSTOR? I just sent Malleus a dozen articles. I'll forward them to you if you don't have access to it. --Moni3 (talk) 15:19, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

No, I don't have access to JSTOR  :( Karanacs (talk) 15:37, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

You want them? --Moni3 (talk) 15:38, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Up to you - I can help Malleus read articles or help you read books. Karanacs (talk) 16:05, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

FYI, I put a couple of images on the page if you want to use them. The one I just uploaded doesn't look very good so I asked Durova if she could/would fix it a bit. Hopefully she'll agree. I'd love to help out with the page if I can! Tex (talk) 17:28, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

I saw that, and I think it's awesome. I agree the stump image is bad, but maybe it can be improved. I would like to place at the top of the article a drawing that appeared in History of Nevada County named "The Camp at Donner Lake (November 1846)". It's in George Stewart's book and I was going to scan it, but if you can find it, that would be great. If the licensing isn't in the public domain, there is a very strong fair-use rationale for it. There may also be photographs of James Reed and George Donner, both of which I think should be in the article. Let me know what you find and don't hesitate to use the sandbox talk page. Thanks again! --Moni3 (talk) 17:33, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

I think I know the drawing you are referring to (here for example), but I'm not a copyright person. The site I just linked says it came from THE EXPEDITION OF THE DONNER PARTY AND ITS TRAGIC FATE BY ELIZA P. DONNER HOUGHTON, which is available through Gutenberg here, which says we can pretty much do with it as we please. Does that include the pictures? I don't know. No luck finding free images of James Reed or George Donner, but I'll keep looking. In fact, I haven't seen any pictures of the George Donner. There are a few out there of the George Donner's nephew who was also named George, but like I said, I'll keep looking. Tex (talk) 18:50, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes, that's the image of the camp I'm referencing. I'd like to find a higher quality image, though. That one is too grainy. At least we have one, to use as a standard. I appreciate your searching. --Moni3 (talk) 18:53, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

It occurs to me that you might want to ask Mike Searson (talk · contribs) if he wants to help. I hope you remember I'm the Godmother and intellectual architect of this little gig (which ruined my party last night!). SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:58, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

I have no problem asking for help, fairy godmother, but why of Searson? I am unfamiliar with what he may be able to do, and I know you know I hate looking like an idiot when I go off and try to talk to someone new. --Moni3 (talk) 19:02, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Whaa ... since when does "Sandy sent me" not work? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:04, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Searson does some work on the Catholic Church article too - he may also be tempted by cannibals right now ;) Karanacs (talk) 20:14, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

First time I worked with him was on his FA about big knives! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:19, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't think I really have to say this, but I will for posterity, that this shit is fucked up. --Moni3 (talk) 00:47, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I actually live less than an hour from Donner Pass and I'm heading to a jiu-jitsu tournament in Truckee this weekend, I could swing by the historical center, run down some older source material, etc if you need.--Mike - Μολὼν λαβέ 05:25, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I appreciate that, Mike. I wish I could tell you what to concentrate on, but I don't yet know. I have access to the materials in the "Further reading" section as it appears now. I'm not sure what else is out there. I haven't started to scan the sources for their sources yet. Can I get back to you? Will you be making another trip to the Truckee area anytime soon? --Moni3 (talk) 12:51, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Sure thing, like I said, it's not far.--Mike - Μολὼν λαβέ 14:16, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I've ordered the McGlashan book from my local library. This is an even more harrowing story than I remember it. --Malleus Fatuorum 19:08, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Jesus. Kittens. Rainbows. God. This is horror. I hate you all for making me write this. I'm such an idiot for doing it. --Moni3 (talk) 21:53, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

I felt rather similarly when I was working on an article about a pair of serial child killers. Occasionally I was even editing with tears in my eyes, which may explain the poor grammar, spelling, punctuation ... One image continues to haunt me though; two brothers, 11- and 14-years old, were hanged as witches in 1697. They asked to be executed together, and held hands as they died ... God, I'm welling up again. Wikipedia can be bad for your mental health in so many different ways. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:04, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

On the one hand, this type of research is harrowing for us, but on the other hand, it's amazing that after 40 years (or even 300), someone completely unconnected still feels sorrow for those doomed children. The paragraphs or articles that we create to document their stories ensures they aren't forgotten. I believe that as article writers we have a tremendous responsibility to the subjects we tackle, and that they deserve an accurate, [[[WP:NPOV|fair]] depiction, especially for difficult topics such as these. Karanacs (talk) 20:04, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

You're absolutely right. I wish I could remember who it was said "we are not really dead until all those still alive have forgotten us". Has Moni sent you anything to read yet? I've got a pile of pdfs to get through, but I'm probably not going to be able to do much before tomorrow. If you haven't got them, would you like me to send copies on to you? If so, email me. Let's share the load. Sorry, I've just seen from your message below that you're ploughing through the Rarick book. --Malleus Fatuorum 20:27, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Maybe I'm a bit more cynical, but I bet if you asked the people starving to death if they wanted a giant statue made in their honor on the site where they experienced suffering only meant for people in hell, or even their names digitally preserved for posterity in this article, they'd probably ask for a bucket of fried chicken instead. There's a lesson to be learned in this. I hope. Maybe. I haven't figured it out quite yet, or been able to put it into words. Cannibalism to some is funny in that nervous tittering way, and the Donner Party is more cliche and joke than it is remembered for the horror and inhumanity that occurred. The people who make it into jokes either are unable to understand that kind of suffering, do not understand it (i.e., haven't read the details associated with it), or are so disconnected from compassion that they these issues are foreign. The jokes I anticipate I'll be reading about this mean that the article will have failed to convey the lessons within, even in their muddy ambiguity. Maybe I'll invite those who use the article as a rimshot or punchline to read through it and make the same joke again. I should prepare myself for disappointment in this realm. --Moni3 (talk) 21:13, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

What I haven't yet come to terms with, or have an explanation for, is why some appeared to turn to cannibalism with relative ease, but others refused. It's a complicated story. --Malleus Fatuorum 21:24, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

• I should be able to join you at the Donner Party later today/tomorrow, when I'll (hopefully) have finished the RL work I've been struggling with over the past week or so. --Malleus Fatuorum 17:31, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

No problem. I'm going to keep pecking away at it until I see you editing it. Then I'll wait until you're done. --Moni3 (talk) 17:35, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

Hi

I'm on spring break, trying to take a bit of a break. :) It's nice to be back. Awadewit (talk) 07:25, 13 March 2010 (UTC)

Well, hey there! It's nice to have you around again. I imagine you're otherwise in the middle of your dissertation. Mrs. Moni's is due in a week or two and the pace is frantic. I hope you're doing well, and will see you around some here. Are you still working on Austen? --Moni3 (talk) 14:00, 13 March 2010 (UTC)

Good luck to Mrs. Moni! Simmaren and I are still working on Austen, albeit at a glacial pace. :) Awadewit (talk) 17:50, 13 March 2010 (UTC)

Bit worried

I'm a bit worried that other editors are making changes to the "real" Donner Party article while our version is gestating. Should we flag up that there's a major revamp underway? --Malleus Fatuorum 00:21, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Eh, no. Not really. Their changes are not significant. They're not based in sources, more like fixing typos and rewriting some portions. And I'm concerned that it may invite too many cooks in the kitchen, or worst of all, some jerkoff will copy it over to the mainspace before it's ready. I'd like to get it somewhat in a stable format before copying it over, perhaps in a week or two. It looks like it can be put up for a DYK, too, although that's an exercise in redundancy. Did you know the Donner Party...? Yes. They know. Maybe not in this kind of hideous detail, though. --Moni3 (talk) 00:27, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Fair enough. Did you notice that I'm on an alt-text crusade? --Malleus Fatuorum 00:31, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

I saw you add the alt text to the images in the sandbox, which I appreciate. I'm only half paying attention to the discussion at FAC because my head's in this misery. No doubt, just when I come out of it I'll need to understand it, or the time will have passed for me to input whatever it is I think. --Moni3 (talk) 00:35, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

We need an image for the lead. I like the B&W pic of the Donner Pass, what do you think? --Malleus Fatuorum 00:40, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, we do need an image. There is one of a rudimentary sketch of the cabins at Truckee Lake that I was thinking of using, if we can find a good one. You can see a grainy one here. I can scan it from the book I'm using. But then I thought it more appropriate for the Rescue section. Plus, the sketch has significant flaws in it, and was done some years following the event. I also considered using a quote, maybe even the Virginia Reed quotebox. Patrick Breen's diary is in a digital format somewhere. I just haven't begun to look for it. I also have an image of James and Margaret Reed that I downloaded from an unreliable source, so I need a good source before I can upload it. Not that I think Reed should be in the lead, but there are several options that might be good. --Moni3 (talk) 00:46, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

I'll leave the choice to you. Reed behaved honourably as far as I'm concerned. --Malleus Fatuorum 01:01, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

I did kind of put images in the article before text, when I'm usually concerned with text first, images last. If you put the b&w image of Donner Pass at the top, what would you caption it to convey what readers will encounter? That's kind of what I'm stuck on. --Moni3 (talk) 01:04, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Something like "The route through the Sierra Nevada mountains the Donner party found impassable, now called the Donner Pass, forcing them to wait out the winter at Lake Truckee". --Malleus Fatuorum 01:14, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Ok. I was hoping to find something a bit more powerful, but this can be decided upon later. It's good to know we have a few options. Would you like to start adding information from the articles now? I'm trying to decide if I have to strike while the iron is hot and add everything at once or take a break from this grimness. I'm starting to feel guilty and weird about eating. --Moni3 (talk) 01:30, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

You don't want to frighten the children in the lead. I've been waiting for you to finish laying out the basic framework; are you happy with that now? --Malleus Fatuorum 01:33, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes, I think so. The rest will be small additions and basic tweaks from the other sources, I believe. Let me know when you're finished or taking a break and I'll go through and cite McGlashan and Donnor Houghton where appropriate. --Moni3 (talk) 01:36, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm only about halfway done with Rarick. Spent the whole day yesterday chasing a preschooler around the biggest carnival I've ever seen, so now I'm exhausted, sunburned, and really sick of funnel cake (did you know that was possible?). At least it cleared my head of dismal thoughts. I'll get back to the book soon... Karanacs (talk) 19:56, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks so much

I looked for a Barnstar for you, but none really fit the bill. So I am stuck with my own words -- Thank you. Your interest in The Avery Coonley School and your so very thoughtful comments made all the difference in my first FA here (yay!), but even more important to me, taught me how to be a better editor here. Sounds trite I am sure, but you really opened my eyes. Thanks so much for that. You're my hero. --Nasty Housecat (talk) 07:19, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

It's not at all trite. Much like you I surmise, I started here not really knowing what the expectations were, but wanting to do some good. A few editors gently showed me the way to get to FA. Over two or three articles, it became a revelation of "so that is what I need to do". Then the stuff with all the libraries and books and writing started. Dangerous, I tell you. Do you have another project in the pike coming up next? --Moni3 (talk) 15:23, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

When you need a break

... see User talk:Ceoil#How I picture wikipedia editors. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 22:43, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

Go whack Ceoil with your stick. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 22:09, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Aw, how sweet. *snif* I should send that man a case of Guinness. --Moni3 (talk) 22:52, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Send him a case of girls ! (They last longer than Guinness.) SandyGeorgia (Talk) 23:04, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Years ago there was a terrific TV ad for Guinness here in England. It involved a French couple trying to order a pint of Guinness, but they couldn't pronounce the name and so the barman didn't understand them; "Geenz"; "Gwanz"; "Goonz". Can't remember how it ended now ... probably with them pointing. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:24, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Tragically, I must admit that my Britannic and Celtic roots have withered away in the areas of beer. I like it just a yellowish tint of clear, and apparently my Southern surroundings have affected it as well: the cheaper the better, especially when making fried shrimp. If I don't have any canned Pabst Blue Ribbon, the shrimp ain't worth fryin'. Maybe it has something to do with how hot it gets here, and how good the beer tastes when you're very thirsty. --Moni3 (talk) 23:38, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Is there any drink cheaper-and-nastier than Guinness? It must have the highest alcohol/price ratio of any drink other than Night Train. Or possibly white spirit. – iridescent 23:48, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

It is rather disgusting, I agree. I used to live in Chiswick, where the Guinness sold in England is brewed, or at least it was, and people used to say to me "Ah, but you need to taste the real Irish Guinness". Well, I've been to Dublin many times, and I can confidently report that Guinness in Ireland tastes just as bad as the English stuff. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:57, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

So neither of you have tasted Pabst Blue Ribbon? Maybe I shouldn't have bad-mouthed it, and just invited you to prowl around the summer heat in Florida for a day, and opened a cooler of icy PBR, leaving you to make your own opinions. --Moni3 (talk) 00:00, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

I quite like Pabst, I have to say, but I have no taste. I have a distinct soft spot for Utica Club as well, although I suspect that never reached Florida. Or Manchester. – iridescent 00:05, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

If Pabst is a cold lager then I'd most likely love it. I even drank that gnat's piss Coors last time I was in the US. Didn't taste so bad after a while. --Malleus Fatuorum 00:08, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

After you drink enough of anything it doesn't taste so bad. If I get drunk enough, I might be able to eat asparagus. Of course, it would probably be a good thing, because if I get so drunk I eat asparagus, I'll need it to induce vomiting. --Moni3 (talk) 00:18, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Avoid asparagus, eat pineapple. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:22, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Sandy, I am agog. Pray, do tell. What specific benefits of pineapple do you have in mind? For my benefit or someone else's?

I just saw an edit summary that said, "Shut up everyone and let her talk". All you're getting out of me is, well ... "hi"! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:35, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

You are a foul coward! --Moni3 (talk) 00:47, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Moi? How 'bout the rest of them-- they sure went silent. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:49, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

There once was a lass named Rosemary

Who daily ate mango and berry

Pineapple a plenty

Asparagus niente

'Twas said she was sweet as a cherry.

"'Twas said" is passive writing, hiding something. Either name who said it or we'll just assume it was you. --Moni3 (talk) 02:06, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Considering the use of the Italian language, I suspect Giano's nonna was involved; we all know Giano would never use passive voice. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 11:13, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Moni, I don't think the picture on Ceoil's page adequately conveys the "edge of danger". Is this one closer? It still has a stick. Kablammo (talk) 18:25, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

What's more dangerous, the stick or the bare metallic boobs? Which were you thinking was more applicable to me and my editing style? --Moni3 (talk) 18:45, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

Not sure there's a safe answer! Especially to one so armed!

Should you still have an appetite for the subject after you finish your current project, you may try Essex (whaleship). Hell, the lurid tale inspired Melville, perhaps it will others. Kablammo (talk) 18:56, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

Life isn't safe, as evidenced by the current project. Answer honestly. And honestly, when I'm done with the current project I just may have to stare into a corner for a few weeks to recover. I will know when I am ready for a new topic. Until then, enigmatically, I won't be ready. --Moni3 (talk) 19:00, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

The other picture had a chick with a stick. So does this one, and a great title. Kablammo (talk) 19:08, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

Revolution Holding the Head of Error and Striding over the Cadaver of Monarchy is indeed a powerful title. Not one I think really describes my role here on Wikipedia or the Planet Earth too accurately, though. How unfortunate. Now, come up with a DYK hook for this article that we just expanded by 10x. I'm completely out of ideas. --Moni3 (talk) 19:20, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

...that members of the Donner Party, stranded by snows in the Sierra Nevada, survived by eating the cadavers of the deceased? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kablammo (talk • contribs)

Well, yeah. I ended up putting a hook similar to that. Maybe there should be another main page hook for "Wasn't this shit obvious enough?" Moni3 (talk) 20:02, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

Ping!

Is this large enough caliber?

I started to check out the Everglades article; I have two specific questions at talk that you might be able to help me with. Awickert (talk) 05:50, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Ditto on the other one you asked me about: see Talk:St. Johns River. Awickert (talk) 06:46, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Regarding the big gun, I didn't mean to sound so discouraging. It was late at night and I was hurrying to finally take a look at your stuff. I'm not sure how your schedule looks, but let me know when you'll have time to collaborate. Since you've expressed sadness that geology isn't made accessible and/or interesting at least twice, I'd love to work together to find a better way to present it. Awickert (talk) 01:53, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

My reference to munitions and firearms has more to do with the article I'm constructing right now, which is in no way encouraging to breathing or one's heart continuing to beat. I have to get all the way through it before thinking about something else, unfortunately. I hope to be able to pull my sources for SJR and engage you in witty river repartee soon enough. --Moni3 (talk) 02:04, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Well, at least you're not going towards liver failure. BTW, if I want to get real about SJR, I can collect sources too. I also have access to scientific papers. But as we get towards the end of this week and next week, my free time may wane, so this could be prolonged river-banter. Awickert (talk) 02:10, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Shooting in the Swamp

Hey! What's this I hear about campus cops shooting a UF doctoral student? What's the buzz around town? What am I not being told by the Gainesville Sun? (As if! We all know that ironclad bastion of journalism never leaves anything out!) Hope you're well! Scartol • Tok 13:19, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

At least you're not reading The Alligator. I ran across a student last week--a student of the shooting victim--who was angrily banging a letter out in protest regarding the poor reporting done by The Alligator. I mumbled something about the effectiveness of bailing out a sinking boat. I have not been kept abreast (keekee) of the details of the case, but apparently a standoff occurred and the police reported the student came at them with a pipe (it was his walking cane) and shot the man in the head. I have not heard how he is faring, but as you noted, the reporting over the incident is garbled and incompetent. I can ask around to see if anyone else knows what's going on, because OR and scuttlebutt are doing a much finer job of informing the masses. I do know everyone from UF was sent a message by President Machen, and you know he's much more reliable. *kack* --Moni3 (talk) 13:53, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

That's a seriously messed up story; word is even getting around UNF, but it's not reached "don't tase me, bro!" infamy, probably because there isn't a catchy dance-remix out on Youtube. ("Don't shoot me in the head, bro!" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.) Apparently the guy was under investigation because he sent paranoid emails regarding a plot devised by students to send him back to Ghana to be killed. Erm, yeah.[14] I heard there was a protest at UF the other day, and the Facebook group "Justice for Kofi Adu-Brempong" has over a thousand members. María (habla conmigo) 14:08, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Hahah. Mrs. Moni, who is neck deep in her dissertation to the point of consuming half a dozen Mountain Dews a day (gross) and heaving her sleep schedule on its head, randomly mentioned something in passing the other day about a protest going by her window. I pictured her sticking her head out a window to watch a throng of angry chanting students for a beat, then return to being submerged in writing again. I was informed a similar protest occurred after Andrew Meyer decided to have his freakout in front of John Kerry. Students spontaneously gathered to go chant stuff at the police department, then disperse. When did I get so jaded? I must be old. I'm gonna go play Public Enemy. --Moni3 (talk) 14:25, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

I was going to write a response in which I state how jealous I am that you're so near an awesome college with politically-changed, progressive-thinking students, whereas I'm stuck in what-might-as-well-be South Georgia where the only thing students care about is restrictions to smoking and skateboard usage near campus buildings, but on second thought... well, there you go. Boo. María (habla conmigo) 15:58, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

I'll do my best to obey PE's commandment. Thanks for the info. Sounds like people have a right to be hostile. But I have faith that Brothers Gonna Work It Out. I'll be there in spirit as people Fight the Power and Party for their Right to Fight. (Okay, I'll stop now.) Scartol • Tok 14:32, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

Rosewood Massacre and July 2009 Ürümqi riots

Hi Moni. Sorry I've put this off so long; just now I finally got around to finishing reading Rosewood Massacre. It's a fascinating read and, of course, beautifully written. It's also quite stylistically different than July 2009 Ürümqi riots, obviously; it has much more of a narrative feel to it, whereas the Ürümqi article is a bit more of a dry, clinical treatment. I think both of these different styles have their merits...in the case of the Ürümqi article, we've tried to keep the wording as simple and sterile as possible since the incident has been so controversial, and it's harder to construct a narrative due to the lack of reliable anecdotes and clear "main characters" like there are for Rosewood. The end result is a quite different kind of article, although I hope it still provides an interesting read.

Anyway, if you're still interested in giving it a copyedit, I'm ready whenever you are! rʨanaɢ (talk) 15:36, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

P.S. I had two quick questions about some wordings in Rosewood:

• Raftis received notes reading, "We know how to get you and your kids. All it takes is a match" – did he receive multiple notes saying that same thing, or did he receive notes saying things more or less like that? I'm not sure what the original source says.
• to single out Rosewood was a fluke, as if the entire world was not a Rosewood, she said, would be "vile". – because of the "would be vile" part, this sentence seems to have two verbs. "To single out Rosewood was a fluke", "To single out Rosewood would be vile", is there an 'and' missing somewhere?

rʨanaɢ (talk) 15:36, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

No, the was should be as, and I should change that. Not sure if I put that in or some helpful copyeditor did.

Thanks for the comments on the article. I'm right in the middle of building another one. I do want to assist with July 2009 Ürümqi riots, but I hope you understand that I want to be fully involved in that article, so I want to be satisfied first with my involvement in the one I'm working on now. Can you wait a week or so? --Moni3 (talk) 16:27, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

Sure, that's fine! I'm hoping to get it on TFA on July 5, which would probably mean initiating the FAC sometime in mid-April (to leave some wiggle room), so anytime before that would be fine. Best, rʨanaɢ (talk) 17:12, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

Don't want to step on your toes

I don't want to step on your toes with the Donner Party, you've done such a great job with it. My style though is just to tell the story as unemotionally as possible. I make no judgement about eating people any more than I do about eating vegetables. --Malleus Fatuorum 01:03, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

It's no problem. We'll have to discuss some things in the article. Don't think of stepping on my toes. It was very emotional material to get through and I often write when seized by pathos. Sometimes that needs to be toned down, and other times it should be expressed. So let's just talk about the best way to write the article. --Moni3 (talk) 01:06, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

OK, then expect me to be not stepping on your toes even more over the next few days. I've spent some time looking at the Mortality section, as that's what I remembered from the film I saw, that the women fared far better than the men. You're closer to the material than I am though, so where do you think the article needs beefing up? --Malleus Fatuorum 01:25, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

I think I sent you an article about Hastings. Maybe some more information about him? Especially in the Survivors section? The Response section needs a few more sentences. I recall a source I read years ago made a big deal about how the country felt about the event. Is there anything in the articles I sent you that has not been covered? I have not read them but I can to discuss them intelligently (or whatever) if you want. --Moni3 (talk) 01:35, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

Hastings is obviously a crucial element in this story, so I agree we ought to say a bit more about him. I haven't yet found anything in the articles you sent me not covered, but if I do I'll add it as I come across it. --Malleus Fatuorum 01:45, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

Some of the articles I sent you may have been views of westward migration in the overall scope of US history, with the Donner Party as a harrowing footnote. If there's anything in those more general views of westward migration that you think should go in, feel free to include it. If that perspective is not included in what I sent you, I can try to find more information in my library. Btw, the article is at DYK, a joint nomination from all three of us. --Moni3 (talk) 02:00, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

Very impressive, to expand a fairly mature article into a DYK. I have another little niggle though. Reading the article I have no sense of why Donner, and especially Reed, decided to make the trek to California. Gold hadn't been discovered there yet, and Reed appears to have been a fairly prosperous farmer. --Malleus Fatuorum 04:35, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

Donner moved all his life, and got wanderlust again. Reed's reasons are less clear. He had some losses in business close to the time they left, and an infant son had died in 1845, but these factors are not counted in why he felt he wanted to move his family west. He was instrumental in organizing emigrants from Springfield, so he was obviously invested. --Moni3 (talk) 04:42, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

I think I've got all there is to be had from the papers you sent me. Lansford Hastings seems to be an interesting chap, perhaps even a little misunderstood. I moved him from the Survivors section to Legacy as he obviously wasn't a member of the Donner Party. I'd be reluctant to say more about him than is already said, but your call of course. This now looks to me like a pretty complete account of the tragedy, and not far off FAC. I can't see we can add very much more to it in any event, other than a bit more tidying up in a few places. --Malleus Fatuorum 16:01, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

Ok. Thanks very much for adding that information. Do you see that the article so far has significant weak points that have not already been covered on the talk page? I am concerned that the names of all the members get confusing, so I think more people should read it to give input. I can keep track of these folks pretty clearly by now, and I have no idea how new readers might be able to. We might have to have another round of image scrutiny.

What are your thoughts on PR and GA? Someone at DYK already volunteered to review it for GA. I think it might be picked up pretty quickly at the GAN page. --Moni3 (talk) 16:06, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

No harm in a GAN if there's someone willing to take it on quickly. It would be good to get a completely outside view on whether the story is being told clearly enough. In fact, the article could be at PR and GAN simultaneously. --Malleus Fatuorum 16:45, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

I agree. I'm willing to put it up at GAN and PR. It might take a month for the PR to go through. Is that ok with you? --Moni3 (talk) 16:49, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

That's fine with me, but, FYI, I'll be completely offline this time next month (for about 10 days) if I'm needed for an FAC nom. I'm working on the article a bit now, and left a question on the talk page... Karanacs (talk) 17:18, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

What's your dream scenario for the article at FAC, Karanacs? We'll see if we can figure it out. --Moni3 (talk) 17:19, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

We can cut the PR short after a couple of weeks or so and go to FAC before Karanacs has to go away. --Malleus Fatuorum 17:22, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

Hull House

Hey, User:Zagalejo was gracious enough to take some new pics of Hull House for me/us, which do you like the best? [15], [16], [17] CTJF83 chat 23:39, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Donner Party

Moni; thanks for the note. You're right, I've only done six reviews, and only one has gone on to become an FA. Since you'd be more comfortable with a more experienced reviewer, I'll stay on the sidelines for this one, as it is an impressive article and easily meets the GA criteria. I hope you find a more qualified reviewer ASAP, because the GA process is, in my opinion, a mere formality for that article. Bradjamesbrown (talk) 03:27, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Though if no one takes it on within a few days, I'll still be willing. I read above you want this done sooner rather than later. Bradjamesbrown (talk) 03:34, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

I've had bad GA reviews where the article was summarily failed or passed without any comment from the reviewer on the quality of writing or what to improve. If you can give a thoughtful review, taking care to read through the article for anything that can be made clearer, or whatever can help the reader, you're more than welcome to do it. --Moni3 (talk) 12:24, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

I know it's early days yet, but I've changed my mind about GAN/PR. This is a big, well-researched article, with you, Karanacs, and me behind it; that's a pretty scary team. I think we should go straight to FAC and let the Devil take the hindmost. --Malleus Fatuorum 23:55, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

What's Karanacs' schedule like? Have you asked her? --Moni3 (talk) 23:59, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

I haven't no. I'm just assuming by her earlier comments that the sooner the better, before her break. --Malleus Fatuorum 00:03, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Bradjamesbrown is quite right, this would be a nod through at GAN. --Malleus Fatuorum 00:07, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't generally go to GA if I'm planning to go to FAC, because (unless Malleus or Ealgdyth take up the article) I generally don't get enough worthwhile feedback. That means I have no objections if we skip the GA step. I'll be offline Apr 17 - 26, so if we go to FAC now I'll be around to help out. If you'd rather wait through the PR and initiate the FAC while I'm gone, that's fine with me, it just may mean more work for you trying to interpret my Rarick notes. I'm proud of the article, and especially the fact that it's gotten to this point in roughly two weeks. I suspect all we'll get at FAC are prose niggles. Karanacs (talk) 13:40, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm going to be out of town during the same time, now that you mention it...I'm ambivalent about GA and PR for this article. Had I written it by myself, I'd need the feedback about copyediting that you both have already done on the article. We may have to take one more look at images before nomination, however. We can close those and open an FAC. Anyone want to do the honors?

By the way, the article will be at DYK at noon EST today. --Moni3 (talk) 13:52, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

OK, I've closed the GAN and peer review and made the FAC nomination, so let's see what happens now. Malleus Fatuorum 14:28, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

PS. I don't think I've ever seen an article at DYK and FAC simultaneously before? Malleus Fatuorum 14:49, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

I dunno. Once jbmurray nominated an FAC the same say or 3 days after he posted it. He withdrew the nomination, but I can barely remember what that was all about. --Moni3 (talk) 14:55, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

In that case, jbmurray was the only one to work on the article, and no one else had ever edited it. In our case, we've had three people working on the article, so it doesn't reflect a single viewpoint, and we've had feedback from several other editors. The DYK may be unusual while at FAC, but at least it will get a few more eyes on the article too. Karanacs (talk) 15:22, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

April 2010 GAN backlog elimination drive

WikiProject Good Articles will be running a GAN backlog elimination drive for the entire month of April. The goal of this drive is to bring the number of outstanding Good Article nominations down to below 200. This will help editors in restoring confidence to the GAN process as well as actively improving, polishing, and rewarding good content. If you are interested in participating in the drive, please place your name here. Awards will be given out to those who review certain numbers of GANs as well as to those who review the most. Hope we can see you in April.

–MuZemike delivered by MuZebot 17:57, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Awards. That's actually a deterrent. --Moni3 (talk) 18:04, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

'Tis for me too. Malleus Fatuorum 18:07, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Just curious, guys, but why? They offered barnstars last year, if I remember correctly. María (habla conmigo) 19:48, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

By the awesome power vested in me by my keyboard and internet connection--clearly something no one else around here has--I declare Maria the most bootylicious milkshakin' GA reviewin' Winner of Everything. This trumps all awards. The rest of you (and when I say you, I mean us) paltry excuses for carbon material will have to review now based on stupid things like interest and time. --Moni3 (talk) 19:54, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

That is all. María (habla conmigo) 20:03, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Maria....That.Is.Awesome. Very freaking funny. --Moni3 (talk) 20:09, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

"Awards will be given out to those who review certain numbers of GANs as well as to those who review the most"? I think GAC has just lost me forever… Whose idea was this? – iridescent 20:01, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

		The Original Barnstar
		This goes to the next schmuck who will pass any P.O.S. I can churn out in half an hour. Any takers? Moni3 (talk) 20:10, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Re my above rhetorical "Whose idea was this?". Cue drumroll… Sometimes Wikipedia is so beyond parody, it has its own zen-like purity of irony. – iridescent 20:29, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't really have an opinion on awards one way or the other (I'm doing the drive out of interest), but if it lowers the wait time from 2 months to 1 to get a GA (properly of course) reviewed by offering them, then I don't see how it's bad. Wizardman _{Operation Big Bear} 20:52, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

If it lowers the wait time from 2 months to 1 to get a GA reviewed properly, then fine. Experience has shown that what is likely actually to happen is a flurry of substandard articles being passed in a "race for the top", cherry-picking of those that look easy whilst ignoring anything that means making difficult decisions, and mutual log-rolling. – iridescent 21:00, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Exactly. You make it a competition and corners will be cut. Human nature. Anyway, until there's a shop that cashes in barnstars I'm just not interested. Malleus Fatuorum 21:09, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

I'll be keeping an eye on GA reviews throughout April to make sure ones aren't being thrown through without being looked at. All I can promise. Granted, seeing as how all that have signed up are the regular reviewers, they're not gonna be doing it for the awards anyway, so maybe we actually will get rid of them; we'll see. Wizardman _{Operation Big Bear} 21:13, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

The editors I most admire read and think before they write or react. GAN backlog elimination drives have a long history and tradition, and awards for particular numbers of articles reviewed go right back to the first one (5+). The exact structure has varied (5-10-25, 10-20-35, 5-10-25, 5-10-20-40). In this case the coordinators are MuZeMike and Wizardman, and it is up to them to decide the award structure: they haven't committed yet, but have provided helpful guidelines to discourage editors from simply going for numbers.

I've never been involved with drives, and am not interested in the awards culture myself, but I recognise that it motivates some editors and thus helps to improve the encyclopedia. The drive was launched following discussion here by MuZeMike and others, with Malleus recommending an April start date to avoid a clash with Sweeps.

I suppose it had better start after midday on April 1 if it is not a joke. On that note, I also enjoyed the humorous responses above, thanks, Geometry guy 21:25, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

We're each motivated to contribute in different ways. The motivator for me in GA Sweeps was Nehrams, with his astonishing number of reviews. I thought, well, if he can can do it, then so can I, but in the end I couldn't even get close. I'm not being critical of a drive, and I hope it goes well, which I'm sure it will. It's just not for me. Malleus Fatuorum 21:35, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

donner party timeline question

I moved the timeline into its own sandbox and have a question for you here. Karanacs (talk) 18:32, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

DYK for Donner party

On March 25, 2010, Did you know? was updated with a fact from the article Donner Party, which you created or substantially expanded. You are welcome to check how many hits your article got while on the front page (here's how, quick check ) and add it to DYKSTATS if it got over 5,000. If you know of another interesting fact from a recently created article, then please suggest it on the Did you know? talk page.

Materialscientist (talk) 20:22, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

10]]}}

Hey!

Writing the Donner Party has obviously taken a lot out of you, understandably so, but you need to be a little less prickly when others make suggestions. God, I can hardly believe I just wrote that!

Karanacs and I can deal with the crap, you focus on the main event; a proper and respectful account of that horror. Malleus Fatuorum 00:53, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

I can't believe you wrote that either. Or that I came across as prickly. Ah, well. Maybe a good time to take a vacation. Day 1 of an FAC. --Moni3 (talk) 01:02, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

It probably didn't help being at DYK today, but anyway ... Malleus Fatuorum 01:19, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

I've had a bit of a hack at the lead, to address the FAC comments. I'm not wedded to either version, but obviously I quite like mine. Anyway, if you don't like it, then feel free to revert. Malleus Fatuorum 03:22, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Still with the Moni images.

• Ling.Nut 13:00, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Is this just about women with sticks? And fire? Or witches? If I had to wear a dress because the confines of culture would have me stoned or worse for wearing pants, I assure all you folks who read this...who obviously care so deeply...I would not be that close to a campfire. That's a compelling image, though. With the crows all hanging around waiting for carrion. --Moni3 (talk) 13:09, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

To be frank, I'm just bored. But if you look at Waterhouse's stuff, there are plenty of images that remind me of Willow... Cheers! • Ling.Nut 13:23, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

...mostly this one. But I'll stop bothering you now. Hope all is well! • Ling.Nut 13:28, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Ah, rightly so. I see these figures resembling Willow more than they represent me. I don't suppose there's a free image of Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, going completely apeshit about wire hangers anywhere to show my true self. My referential allusions to Willow are centered more on light, music that gives me reason to get out of bed in the morning, and being in a crowded room full of malevolent chatter that I have to tune out only to hear one voice that embodies everything I wish would come true. --Moni3 (talk) 13:46, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Er, you're better at slingin' the poetic words 'n stuff than I am. But I just changed my user page to a picture that looks perhaps more like Willow than this on. Now folks will think I'm a she. But that's OK. I'm just here to edit articles and violate peoples' personal space. • Ling.Nut 13:50, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Ping me when needed

Since it seems like you're busy, and I know that I'm busy, how about you leave me a message on my talk page and/or send me an email when you want to tackle the Everglades and/or St. Johns River articles? (That way I won't have to keep checking them to make sure that you haven't done anything - thanks!) Awickert (talk) 22:12, 27 March 2010 (UTC)

Hi! I need help and would like to be adopted.

Hello, I am Kelidimari. I love your quote about that which one likes and is good at also makes them very much alone. Good quote, but kind of bittersweet at the same time...

I am new to writing Wikipedia articles and honestly I'm a terrible writer. I was never a good writer of any sort and because of that, I'd probably have never written on wiki at all....but, there are so many things here that are so cool that I am very tempted to add a little now and then.

I am trying to improve so that what I add is helpful and goes with what wiki requires. I have not written any large article in Wikipedia yet because I'm uncertain on how to do it well. So, mostly all I've done are little edits on pre-existing pages here and there, and adding images sometimes. I am more of a Wikipedia reader than a writer, but on occasion I find something kind of cool and wish to share it with others, but because I'm unfamiliar with how to use all of the formatting, it is difficult. I would like to learn how to write things in a way that they are coherent and in the wiki-accepted format. The formatting bit drives me crazy.

I am currently learning a lot about beryllium exposure and public health and radioactive waste, because that is what I do right now. Most likely, when I write things, it will be in human health, public health, environmental health, or laws related to those areas in the U.S. I do walk-throughs and assessments and reviews of worker safety and health plans, and have a bit of a medical background. So, I'm guessing that in the future, my contributions would be very public health or chemical exposure related. I want to contribute to Wikipedia, but am not ready to do so and don't want to until I know how to do things correctly.

Kelidimari (talk) 20:30, 1 June 2010 (UTC)

Please come back and help

Moni3, please come back and help with the Donner Party. I know the article may not now be what you intended it to be, but those pioneers still surely deserve the best we can do for them. Pretty please? Malleus Fatuorum 00:55, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

...with cherries on top? Karanacs (talk) 13:46, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

Congratulations on the article. It doesn't seem as if I'm actually needed. --Moni3 (talk) 02:35, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Hi Moni3! Another plea for help, but this time from the Alejo Carpentier group. If you are back online by Sunday, April 11th, we'd appreciate your input on how to get our article up to good article status :) Thanks! (and we hope you're enjoying your break) Katie322 (talk) 05:44, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Moni, where art thou? Wikipedia is sad without you! I found a little baby turtle on my lanai yesterday and he was so freaking cute, I wanted to keep him in our bathtub and feed him smelly turtle food, but Mr. Maria made me put him back outside in the lake -- where he will PROBABLY be EATEN by something BIGGER than him -- so I'm not talking to him today. Hmph. Oh, and I'm strangely productive at FAC now that I have one of my articles there for the first time in months and months, but haven't had one nitpick since I nominated it four days ago. If I review other people's efforts and nag them about their use of present perfect tense, do you think people will like me and my little article less? I'm thinking of adding a couple LOLcats to my nomination to spice things up a bit. Any suggestions? María (habla conmigo) 14:35, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

July 2009 Ürümqi riots

Hi Moni, I'm not sure if you're still officially on wikibreak, so if you are you're welcome to ignore this message :). But anyway, if you are still interested in doing a copyedit of this article, now would be a great time, as one of the other active editors there has just nominated it for FAC again. rʨanaɢ (talk) 20:14, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Roy Orbison

I was making all those other changes while (unbeknownst to me) you happened to be editing the entry at the same time. So when I saved mine, it automatically deleted yours. However, I don't know what "awkward" or "uncyclopaedic" language I'm supposed to have used - can you give me some examples? I think I've tidied up the article considerably and that its language, structure and general flow are now better than before. As for removing cited information, if I did that it's because I didn't consider the information relevant. Just because something is cited doesn't mean it adds any value to an article.

Paulito —Preceding unsigned comment added by Paulito (talk • contribs) 22:17, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Boo!

Just wanted to let you know that we're starting Mockingbird in my 10th grade class this week, and I pulled heavily from your magnificent article to make a slideshow about Harper Lee and the book. (They especially chortled at the bit about her throwing the manuscript into the snow.) Hope your wikibreak is/was fun! Did you go down the Ichetucknee? Scartol • Tok 18:55, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I'm glad you find the article useful. Let me know the end result of the book study.

I understand how Lee felt, particularly now. I kind of feel like chucking Wikipedia into the snow if I had snow, and if I could physically chuck Wikipedia. I don't know why. I feel kind of detached and lost here. I'm not finding anything rewarding. In fact, I find nothing but punishment. I'm short tempered and angry, unable to answer anyone with any reply other than STFU, but I don't want to be a part of the punishment. I took a couple weeks off but it did not seem to help me any. I'm straddling the line between still being attached to the articles I wrote so and feeling good about retiring. Maybe soon I won't feel attached to the articles anymore and I'll be ok with them deteriorating. I'm not sure what I want or what I hope will happen. If anyone has any insight into this or general speculation, feel free to post it. --Moni3 (talk) 19:52, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

If you weren't in Florida, I'd say spring fever, that general feeling of discontent with life in general that comes around every spring. Ealdgyth - Talk 19:56, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I cannot remember the last time I was discontent with life in the springtime. Quite the opposite. Although the area is blanketed in fine yellow pollen, when I'm not thinking about Wikipedia, I'm quite happy. --Moni3 (talk) 19:58, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Please stop sending the pollen my way, I am suffering qutie enough as it is. Thank you. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:09, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I hesitate to call it "insight", but I have an inkling of how you feel. WP (like all communities of knowledge) can be an agonizing void at times, and I think in the end it's about doing the work and saying To Hell with the Consequences. What we write -- on Wiki or off -- is what it is. Sometimes it will be gloriously well-received and lauded; other times it will be despised. And still other times it will be (worst of all) utterly ignored.

But as Maya says: "The work to be, the work that's yet to come ... it will remain there, to be done, no matter what happens." If something needs to be written, it needs to be written. Yeah, it would be great if it were then bronzed and preserved as is for all time, but we all know that's not realistic. However, people who need the information will still be able to get it from Everglades National Park, or Mary Wollstonecraft, or Caged Bird, or Emily, or whatever. So at the risk of sounding harsh: It ain't easy preserving the sum knowledge of humanity, but if we don't do it, who will?

Then, of course, on a personal note: You gotta stick around! This place is cold and cruel enough with cool people like you; how much more difficult would it be for the rest of us if you retired? sob.. I can't stand to lose another WillowW. Scartol • Tok 20:22, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Well, I'm nothing like Willow, so the pain of my departure won't be poignant. I'm not sure what I am. Or what I do here. I used to think I wrote articles that were pretty good, but I don't think that anymore. Like I said, I'm detached and lost. --Moni3 (talk) 20:27, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

You didn't only write good articles; you made this place more enjoyable for the rest of us. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:36, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Your articles are really good! When you asked me to look over the two for you, I really had to scour them to find issues to bring up. I am often in a hurry when fulfilling requests from others, so I comment in a very forthright way. So if any of my comments on what could be improved have made you feel bad, please don't let them! Or let me know, and I will rephrase them. I would love to find time to sit down and work on the South Florida articles with you. Really. And if I could help you enjoy this place more via collaboration, so much the better. Of course, if you'd feel happier leaving this place, please do what is best for you. But you mustn't think that your articles aren't good: they are fabulous. Awickert (talk) 21:01, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I'm really sorry if your ennui has anything to do with our Donner Party experience. Believe it or not, I found that to be just about as frustrating an episode as I've ever encountered on wikipedia, but not because of the great spadework that you did. Anyway, echoing what SandyG said above. Malleus Fatuorum 21:29, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Malleus, to be honest, something about the process of forming that article made me feel very alone and disoriented, like the Twilight Zone episode where the aliens make everyone start speaking different languages and the people can't get their thoughts across and get violent. (Or did I just merge two different episodes together?) But in all fairness, the situation may not have been smooth, but I cannot put the blame on others. I was already tired and generally unhappy with a nebulous something before I started working on that article. I wish I could figure out what about that process was so discombobulating. --Moni3 (talk) 22:06, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Hm. I tend to get somewhat irascible and ill-tempered when immersed in a situation involving excess pride, sexism, racism, penury, starvation, violence, death, and cannibalism. (Okay, I've never really been immersed in a situation involving cannibalism, but the rest is all true.) I suggest turning your hand to writing about something you find ridiculously funny. Spanish Inquisition, perhaps? Current events programs? Risker (talk) 22:23, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I don't know, Risker. I don't seem to have the desire to write about anything right now. --Moni3 (talk) 22:49, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Then don't write. Plant your garden, feel the sun on your back, feel the dirt under your fingernails, plot against the cutworms. (A ring of old newspaper around tomato plants will keep them bug-free, did you know that? The bugs don't like the ink.) Paint something, perhaps involving lots of reds, yellows and oranges: let the anger flow from your veins. You are a Creator, Moni, and Wikipedia is only one of the many ways in which you are able to distill the fecundity of your mind. Risker (talk) 23:20, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

I was late to the party (so to speak), and probably ought to have helped you out more with what is, after all, a very distressing subject. I think I said at the time, there were times I was editing with tears in my eyes, so it's no surprise that you felt emotionally drained. I'm no more sure that wikipedia is worth the effort than you are, but then I see postings like the one to you from Scartol, above, and I think ... maybe, just maybe, it's not all a waste of time. Malleus Fatuorum 22:27, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Well, I agree. I've been drawn to reading about internet communications and how it really sucks sometimes. What Scartol, SandyGeorgia, and Awickert have said I am very grateful for (if not also a bit embarrassed and sheepishly unworthy to receive). It makes me glad for them and editors who have the balls to be thoughtfully nice. I swear to God it's really hard to do. Not enough editors here actually criticize with purpose and kindness. It's more "Follow the rules, anarchist", "Get a brain, fucktard", or "You agree with me so you're right". Not that I don't do some of the same things. I was constructing a mental essay on "The Many Reasons All of You Should Go Fuck Yourselves" for quite a few days. The anger was honest, if irrational. Like I said, I'm still not sure where it came from or where it's going. I was hoping by posting about it that someone else might be able to recognize it and relate to it. Or tell me to STFU and quit already, kind of sealing the deal. --Moni3 (talk) 22:49, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

You're perhaps a more complicated individual than I am, most women are. My anger is very straightforwardly directed against those who demand standards from others that they do not meet themselves, a simple matter of fairness. I really don't give a monkey's what the monkeys on wikipedia think of me, what's important is what I think of myself. I can't help with your existential dilemma, as I've felt the same way for as long as I can remember. Have you ever, for instance, been talking to someone, bored rigid, and then, just for a brief moment thought "What would happen if I punched them in the face?" No? Good. So at least you can say you're not as crazy as I am. :lol: Malleus Fatuorum 23:05, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Throwing the remote control works, too. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 23:09, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

If we are going to throw things, I recommend against throwing paperbook backs. All you end up with is a broken book spine (and a broken television if you have better aim than I), and it doesn't make the football team play any better, so you end up even more hacked because now you don't have anything to read to distract you from the embarrassing loss. Just sayin'. Seriously, though, we've probably all been in your shoes. I've taken breaks of weeks or months where I haven't contributed any content to this project, just watched over my own favorite articles. Luckily for me, the ennui has always magically disappeared, and I've been ready to move on to another set of articles. I know that Donner was the last straw, and I agree with Malleus that this was an incredibly frustrating process. You, unfortunately, bore the brunt of this. I hope that one day the three of us can attempt another collaboration with better results. In the meantime, if you need a longer break, take it. If you want to avoid content and spend your WP time making pointed jokes to lighten the atmosphere, do so (preferably on pages I watchlist). If you decided to leave permanently, know that you will be missed (yes, as much as Willow), and we'll do our best to watch over the babies you leave behind. Karanacs (talk) 00:16, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

I don't understand why that article was a last straw. I don't understand my anger and detachment, especially from the way I have attempted to show editors more respect than I have been shown. There's more to say about this, but I don't quite know what. --Moni3 (talk) 01:42, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

I can't claim to have any insight, but your quote "If you don't love what you're writing about, you shouldn't be writing about it." always got me thinking. Passion is a great motivator. It also puts you at risk in this environment. I am quite attached to the reference desks, and have occasionally taken breaks when they didn't love me back, when the thrill was dwindling in our relationship. Sometimes long breaks. I don't know what else to say, except that I agree with voices above: It's not only your writing that is missed. It's your general cheerful menschkeit too; in discussions as well as even administrative actions. Whatever you do though, your own sanity and peace must have top priority. ---Sluzzelin talk 00:10, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

I appreciate that. The sentiment behind that quote I think has come to bite me in the ass. I don't think I'm sorry about it and I don't think I would change the way I write. Maybe the environment is incompatible with the ideal way I function. --Moni3 (talk) 00:40, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• Fogelberg, Don't Lose Heart SandyGeorgia (Talk) 23:18, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

• A placard made for Wikipedia. Good song. Much to mull over and reply to in the above comments, but I thought this was appropriate. --Moni3 (talk) 23:55, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

• Well, if that doesn't cheer you up, we could always torment Malleus with one I've been keeping around for a year or so until it comes in handy! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:03, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• Dammit, Moni, get happy NOW! Just kidding. Here's something I wrote recently, I dunno if it's useful or not, but here it is: When I Am Sad. Hugs! Scartol • Tok 00:22, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

That entry made a lot of sense to me. As I was replying to you for the first time up there, someone came by my desk and noticed I wasn't effervescently happy and made a comment about how my attitude affects the whole office. I included him in my running mental essay of People Who Can Go Fuck Themselves. Yes, I know his heart was probably in the right place, but gah! --Moni3 (talk) 00:40, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Whatever you do, Moni3, just remember how you turned Amazing Grace from something "meh" to a deep featured article, and even gave it a good pop culture section. That's a rare sight for me—most others I've seen are clumps of bullets begging for polish (to speak mildly). Good luck. --an odd name 01:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

I appreciate your words, honestly. I wish what you say would alleviate my doubts, but they persist. I cannot overcome the belief that I am doing much, much more harm than good in all the articles I have written. This is something I have to deal with internally, an aspect of the perfectionism that dogs me in the things I really want to do well. --Moni3 (talk) 01:42, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Final thought: JaySmooth on the Little Hater. Enjoy? Scartol • Tok 03:00, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Take a break. I took one for a year or more to build a house. The other work (with my hands) was quite rewarding. Though I find Wikipedia a slightly different place than I left. Thankfully, the FLs I made before are still in good shape. And seeing people like you around has made me smile. You, too, SandyG! But do come back - you're a wonderful person, you write well, and WP would be a poorer place without you :) -- SatyrTN (talk / contribs) 06:57, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

	User:Moni3 departs to hunt for her mojo
	Come back when you've found it. Fainites barleyscribs 13:27, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

What they said.Fainites ^barleyscribs 13:27, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

I've been very sorry to see you so struggled about your contributions to Wikipedia.

My own thumbnail summary of Moni3's contributions reads something like "Inspirational editor, contributes with amazing dedication, and a great sense of humour", and the many positive comments above refer to similar qualities. I find it impossible to square that with any idea that Moni3 does "much, much more harm than good" in her contributions. That makes absolutely zero sense to me.

I also hope and believe that many editors have some understanding and sympathy with the bruises you have suffered here. The small print "If you do not want your writing to be edited, used, and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here" under the edit box does not really do justice to how impersonal and challenging the wiki-process can be sometimes. Every edit we make (good, bad or ugly) is something that other editors can build upon, and thus the encyclopedia gets better. However, these textual exchanges aimed at our common goal of "improving the encyclopedia" can easily lose sight of the fact that there are people typing these texts, investing volunteer time and energy, often with great dedication.

I hope you will take as long a wikibreak as you like. Having been so dedicated, you deserve a break, and again I am not alone in saying this. I also hope you will find, as time heals, that it is Wikipedia that is flawed, not you, nor even any other individuals. Nevertheless, the basic idea of Wikipedia is a beautiful one, so, flawed though it is, I, among many, hope you will choose to return one day, and provide again your own wonderful inspirational touch to what happens here. In the meanwhile, I hope you will do whatever brings you happiness, and wish you all the best. Geometry guy 21:11, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Moni, I too am unhappy for your unhappiness. If you weren't way on the other side of the country, I'd invite you over to my house and let you play with my beautiful children. There's just something about being around purely innocent little beings that love unconditionally and outrageously that gets folks out of their funk. And I say that after changing two blow-out diapers tonight before putting them to bed. Perhaps you should get on a plane and come to my daughter's baptism on the 25th.

But I digress, and as I said on the aforequoted Maya Angelou FAC, this is not about me. I wanted to say that you are truly an inspiration to me. I can't tell you how all your articles have touched me, and how many times I have laughed out loud because of your words. You are exactly the kind of WP editor I want to be. Please know that I'm not saying these things to manipulate you into staying; I agree with the consensus, so if you need an extended break, please take one. But come back! This community needs you; hell, I need you! The spirituality you bring to this place and to the articles you write is remarkable. --Christine (talk) 03:51, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

Moni, I haven't worked with you much, but I've admired your work since I found it. You're the only person on Wikipedia I've ever written a sonnet for. I echo the many comments above; please take whatever time you want to take, and come back if and when you're ready. We'll miss you in the meantime and Wikipedia will be a poorer place and a worse encyclopedia without you. Mike Christie (talk) 01:09, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Wow. sorry... i didn't read all this until after I posted the below section. I guess everything isn't alright with you. I just want you to know that you actually helped me out alot, even though you may not know it. When I first met you through the Museum of Bad Art article I was going through a bit of a rough patch myself, not on wiki but in real life. Being young and gay and in the boonies is never fun, but from your user page I discovered the whole LGBT spread of articles on Wikipedia. after our April 1st adventure I spent days reading about all the figures and events that you never learn about in history classes. Even though I was about to graduate college I had never heard about Harvey Milk or the Stonewall riots (damn public education), and I never really realized how much of a physical struggle happened in the past just so that i wouldn't have to be scared of myself. The articles you created and worked on really helped me get my problems in perspective and got me to be more comfortable with who I am. So, if you are truly done here, I just want to say a big thank you, You have helped some of us far beyond what you realize.--Found5dollar (talk) 02:17, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Good gracious

I'm on a vacation right now, trying not to think too much about Wikipedia or my place on it, but it continues to intersect with multiple conversations in my dealings. I went to the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn (first time I've ever been in Brooklyn) to attend a talk given by Ann Bannon. While there, I spoke with one of the members of the Archives, who was speechless to learn that the Lesbian article on Wikipedia gets 5,000 views a day, I did not get paid to write it, and no personal credit for doing it. Mrs. Moni and I had dinner with five older women who have been active or have participated in some way in New York gay and lesbian life and I spoke briefly about some of the issues on Wikipedia. For some reason, all conversation at the table stopped so they could hear about how articles on arbitration mirror the complexity of the issues in real life.

I had dinner last night with David Carter, who wrote a wonderful book on the Stonewall riots that I used for the article. I got an autographed copy and a very long conversation. He gave me a tour of Greenwich Village and I got to see Julius' for the first time and had some orienting questions answered, such as where the offices of the Village Voice were, where Craig Rodwell was standing, and what bar Dave Van Ronk was in when he heard the commotion.

So I'm obviously going through a Wikipedia version of a crisis where I don't know what my future will be here. I have often been interested in my own participation here. I take comfort in the anonymity because I am usually a very shy person whose head spins with all kinds of thoughts. I often consider the time and effort I spend on articles to be a form of giving. I found my own reward doing that, but for some reason the reward disappeared. I don't know if it will stay gone forever, or for how long, but I wanted to address all the overwhelming messages that are being left on my talk page. For someone who likes to stay in the shadows and work quietly, these messages I have read are very surprising, pleasing, and oddly exposing. I wanted to thank Scartol, Malleus, Karanacs, SandyGeorgia, Awickert, Sluzzelin, AnOddName, SatyrTN, Fainites, Geometry guy, Christine, Mike Christie, and Found5dollar. All of your messages are keepers, in that I'll stash them somewhere and read them when I'm feeling blank or the negativity is wearing me down, and hope that I can see in me what you do. I wish I could return these wonderful gestures, but I'm going to have to take some time to get back into Wikipedia and try to figure out to what extent I'll be participating. I just wanted you all to know that I am very grateful for your words. We're going to try to see a Broadway show tonight. Tomorrow we're going to try to go to the Guggenheim.

Thank you, all of you, once more. You are wonderful people. --Moni3ontheroad (talk) 14:10, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Guggenheim's really cool...and I remember a big cool Egyptian temple in the MOMA too...oh and the Strand Bookshop on Broadway somewhere near 14th St methinks...(?????) :) Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:53, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

If I remember correctly, that temple's in the Met, not MoMA. (Both are very much worth it but the Met is more consistently awe-inspiring for my taste.) And yes, the Strand Bookshop is terrific. Reminiscent of the best bookshops of Hay-on-Wye. Mike Christie (talk) 00:38, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

I made the Met my bitch this past Saturday, Egyptian temple and all. And when I say I made it my bitch, that means I stumbled in front of the Tiffany windows and wept like a tiny child. Then I rounded a few corners to see Monet, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Manet, 300 other things and I just curled up in the corner, rocking myself in a puddle of urine.

Today, however, was much more eventful. I wore a t-shirt from the University of Florida and received an enthusiastic shout-out at the bottom of the Empire State Building. And a pigeon shit in my hair. New York is a sultry mistress. --Moni3ontheroad (talk) 02:37, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

My bird story's better than your bird story, but mine didn't end so well! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 02:40, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

If you go to MOMA, make sure to see the Marina Abramovic nude performance. A friend of mine stands around naked for hours. In the show. And they're *paying* him. Now *there's* a job! -- SatyrTN (talk / contribs) 02:54, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

Sounds better than a bookshop. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 02:57, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

Well, I've been away for the past week trying to convince museum-folk to work with Wikipedia. I was talking about all of the wonderful editors who would love to write about their museums and their art - these amazing people I only know over the internet who fall in love with a subject and research the hell out of it. I was grabbing my laptop and showing them what was possible - and what was I showing them? Your work! Your work was one of the many examples I used to convince the cultural elite of the land (!) that Wikipedia is a wonderful place - an elysium, if you will, to which they should donate content. :) Awadewit (talk) 04:26, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

Come back! YellowMonkey (vote in the Southern Stars and White Ferns supermodel photo poll) 04:29, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

What is it about Gator fans, eh? Mr. Maria (who at the time was only Honorary Mr. Maria) came to visit me in England while I was studying there, and of course he brought his trusty orange and blue hoodie along. We spent a week in London, and one afternoon we were waiting in line at Westminster when all of a sudden some random guy runs up to us and asks -- nay, pleads -- to know what the score on such-and-such game was, did we know, oh god please tell me you know? Then he turns to me, since I'm standing there with my mouth hanging open, and assures me with his gentlemanly southern drawl, "Sorry, ma'am, but this is important." The dude's baseball cap perfectly matched the hoodie that is present in all of our vacation pics. (BTW, Mr. Maria didn't know the score, so the poor random guy had to wait a whole week to go home and look it up -- alas!) Anecdotes aside, you're awesome, Moni, and I hope your time away helps in whatever regard. I haven't been to NYC in years, so I'm way jealous. María (habla conmigo) 22:07, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

MOBA

hey Moni3, SO just to keep you up to date, apparently the Museum of bad art has opened a 3rd gallery [18] or at least they say they did! I can not find any news sources on it, so I haven't added it to the article yet. Just thought you with your infinite researching abilities may be able to do better than I. hope everything is going well with you--Found5dollar (talk) 00:12, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

unfolding-event articles

Moni, I remember you had a lot to do with our coverage of the Haiti earthquake (I popped in a few times). Such coverage is a Wiki genre all of its own, and an exciting one that I believe maps out an expansion of WP's role, not entirely unrelated to the demise of the traditional newspaper and journalism.

The upcoming British election looks like being a historic event, and I've raised the matter of starting a page that covers the lead-up and aftermath of the election in much the same way as the earthquake and the ongoing effects of the Icelandic volcano on aviation.

Do you have anything to add or detract from the discussion here? Tony (talk) 10:21, 28 April 2010 (UTC)

Tony, it could be my cold medication-addled brain, but I read that thread and I'm not sure what kind of role you think I might be able to play in the discussion. The disaster essay never really went anywhere, as usual, a victim of apathy I suppose. I know there's a current events wikiproject. I visited them once when I constructed the disaster essay. So I'm not sure how to reply and I'm staring off into space wondering if I could get any better drugs than what I'm currently taking. --Moni3 (talk) 17:58, 28 April 2010 (UTC)

Fatigue, PR, and sneezing

Having just recovered from a bout of reviewer fatigue, I thought I'd write to say that I still remember how you helped a group of us by reviewing Columbia River, which eventually made FA. I'd also like to say that when I reviewed St. Johns River, I felt something resembling envy. How is it that you write so well on so many different subjects? Here's another thought: while you are waiting for your muse to return, would you consider helping out at WP:PR? The hours are long, the work often unexciting, and the pay absurd, but other reviewers would love and cherish you for any wise comments on anything in the backlog. My experience with cold medication is that it addles the brain, makes the heart go fluttery, and doesn't cure colds. Drip, sneeze, cuss, suffer. You have my sympathy on all counts. Finetooth (talk) 19:11, 28 April 2010 (UTC)

I appreciate your comments, Finetooth, very much. In my current state of self-assessment, I tend to think I write mediocrely (I'm makin' up werdz!!) on a variety of topics. If I concentrated on one, I might write well. I'm not self-disparaging here to elicit a sympathetic response, but to illustrate while I appreciate the call to volunteer and I recognize the lack of reviewers at PR, GA, and FAC, my reservoir is simply exhausted right now. I don't think this is a permanent condition, but one I have to get through. Not sure how to do it other than spend time allowing it to refill. Give me some time and I'll be back. --Moni3 (talk) 13:22, 29 April 2010 (UTC)

File:Save Our Children Brochure inside.jpg

Hi Moni3. can you please upload the file above-mentioned to Commons so I can use it on Hebrew Wiki? thanks. David. אנדר-ויק (talk) 20:06, 29 April 2010 (UTC)

Move of content

Moved per WP:MEDMOS Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 11:57, 4 May 2010 (UTC)

Doc, I'm uncertain to what you're referring, so I checked your contribs, and I'm unclear how this edit conforms to MEDMOS? Could you please clarify? Also, you refer to "Move of content", but I can't find an edit where you moved content, only removed? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 12:19, 4 May 2010 (UTC)

Mebntoring

You (allegedly, according to my broswer) wrote "I have the greatest experience writing and expanding articles.... If you love [your topic] and you're willing to work at it, just let me know." I think that's awesome. You want to help us all learn, and there's no better way to do that than by helping us help ourselves. Kudos! Svanslyck (talk) 21:51, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

WP:SBL request

You added the entry for WP:SBL#Abercrombie and Fitch variations to the section for requests to remove entries from the blacklist ... but the wording seems to suggest that you meant to request an addition to the blacklist. If it's just in the wrong section - let me know and I can move it for you. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 16:00, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Nevermind, I see now the request on the article talk page. I'll go ahead and move the request to the section for additions to the blacklist. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 16:05, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Hey, you're like the first-ever Wikipedian to point out that I have no idea what I'm doing. You shall have a special place in my heart forever.

Ok, I'll fess up. Unfortunately, you are the 5,428th Wikipedian to point this out. I'll embrace it. I'm clueless. --Moni3 (talk) 16:07, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

It's no big deal. I've started some bot reports to check how widespread of an issue exists with these links. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 16:27, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Thursday

Feeling better yet? Or still want to tell Wiki to ... yea, all that stuff!!

(208): View more from Idaho

why do the even put the "Please drink responsibly" on tequila ads? like has anything responsible ever come from tequlia. No. never.

SandyGeorgia (Talk) 10:40, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

(330):

You stuck your head out the window to puke and got hit with a mailbox.

(760):

The plants looked thirsty. Growing plants need mimosas too.

(334):

Sitting at a bar next to a guy wearing sunglasses drinking a pitcher by himself and having an argument with himself over if journey is more ballin than kiss. Feel better about myself.

(678):

Fuck positive energy. I choose drinking instead,

Just so they'll be none left for you! (You'd better park something really good here for me to find at the of my day!) SandyGeorgia (Talk) 11:48, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

Heya from Legolas

Oh wow. I'm sure you must have found the music video iconic. Thanks for the compliments, it was a difficult article to write. I plant to nominate "Bad Romance" for a future FAC, would you like to help on that? As for the Madonna FAC, its received quite a few supports, but still receiving comments, so feel free to write at the FAC if you please. --Legolas ^(talk2me) 03:18, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

Cluebot says....

edits this big make me autorevert :) Casliber (talk · contribs) 13:52, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

From me to Cluebot, you can so tell him, "Stick it up your ass." Not you, Cas. You're a gem. Thanks for using that extra IQ digit and discriminating. --Moni3 (talk) 13:55, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

Heh...I was going to think of something witty but am too sleep deprived and hence must sleep....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Amazon warrior women?

Valerie Solanas Drum Corps

I knew this day would come. Lesbian forces have gathered in Dupont, drums in hand, to capture each and every male. Gheys are not exempt. Pray for me. (P.S. Have a happy Memorial Day.) APK whisper in my ear 21:26, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

Just lay back and accept the inevitable. You too will smell like patchouli, call yourself Moon Warrior Wolfwomon, and volunteer to wheat-paste leaflets on fences expressing your indignation about a variety of issues no one nearby remotely gives a shit about.

After a pause...that's pretty much everything that makes me ookie when I get in a crowd of lesbians (and once someone called me closed-minded about it, too!). Come to think of it, I do like disco a lot...and sparkly things...maybe you and I are kindred in many ways, APK. If it weren't for the genitals, we'd be set for life. --Moni3 (talk) 21:37, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

Enjoy. APK whisper in my ear 06:38, 30 May 2010 (UTC)

Seven seconds was all I could do. I am not strong. --Moni3 (talk) 12:55, 30 May 2010 (UTC)