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Revision as of 04:35, 11 January 2013 editCdtew (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users4,546 edits →Merger request WikiProject: NC: new section← Previous edit Revision as of 12:53, 11 January 2013 edit undoE4024 (talk | contribs)7,905 edits →Checkuser: questionNext edit →
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] (]) 19:46, 10 January 2013 (UTC) ] (]) 19:46, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
*Damn, G, you make sure I have to read through a bunch of pages to get the issue ;) I've replied on Salvio's page, asking if he wants to merge or start a case to merge the accounts. I'm not familiar with the case enough at this time to make a determination, but will take the time if instructed by CU to do so. ] - ] ] <small><b>]</b></small> 19:57, 10 January 2013 (UTC) *Damn, G, you make sure I have to read through a bunch of pages to get the issue ;) I've replied on Salvio's page, asking if he wants to merge or start a case to merge the accounts. I'm not familiar with the case enough at this time to make a determination, but will take the time if instructed by CU to do so. ] - ] ] <small><b>]</b></small> 19:57, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
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Hi Dennis. I know you are busy these days; so no hurry to reply. I also need some time to observe better a situation. I am evaluating the possibility of requesting the opening of an SPI concerning a couple of users in the very controversial (AA) area. I noticed that not everybody is a common editor like this scribe but some people have titles, say "sysop" or whatever. When you have some time can you please tell me if there is a special way for asking SPIs concerning users with titles like Bureaucrat, Admin, Sysop or whatsoever hierarchy or nobility we might have in WP.... Thanks a lot in advance. --] (]) 12:53, 11 January 2013 (UTC)


== Merger request WikiProject: NC == == Merger request WikiProject: NC ==

Revision as of 12:53, 11 January 2013

Requests for adminship and bureaucratship update
No current discussions. Recent RfAs, recent RfBs: (successful, unsuccessful)

MMA WikiProject consensus apparently changed with one vote

Hey Dennis. If you think this should go straight to ANI, particularly with the general sanctions on the MMA space, I have no problems doing so. A couple weeks back Willdawg111 (talk · contribs) started a discussion to change the format of results tables. There wasn't a lot discussion or input on the issue. However, this week Willdawg111 decided to 'close the discussion' stating that his preferred format was the one decided by consensus (with only his vote) and is changing the WikiProject page and a few articles as a result. A couple of us have reverted his edits (mostly me) stating one !vote is not a consensus. Since he made his changes there has been more input and !votes from others on the issue which have not been for his desired format. It appears to me that Willdawg111 is not going to relent in their 'closure of consensus' and will be willing to edit war over it if someone (likely me) keeps reverting his changes. Willdawg111 is a new editor (nothing to suggest a sock) and is still learning the Misplaced Pages ropes. What would you suggest the best course of action would be? Thanks and don't work too hard. --TreyGeek (talk) 14:14, 4 January 2013 (UTC)

  • If I wasn't working so many hours, I would go try to talk some sense into him, but I barely have time to pop in. I haven't looked at the situation but have no trouble taking you at your word. You may need to take it to ANI, but you need to point to diffs showing you have tried to work it out first. What is it about editors in general over there? MMA has the highest percentage of combative editors it seems. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:30, 4 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Thanks Dennis. There's been more warnings to this person on the MMA WikiProject talk page from another person as well as myself. If they persist, I'll take it over to ANI. --TreyGeek (talk) 17:34, 4 January 2013 (UTC)
    • Just to note on this, I posted a request at WP:ANRFC for someone neutral to review, offer an opinion and suggest next steps on this. Hopefully this can short-circuit what's happening and get things moving smoothly again. Ravensfire (talk) 18:20, 4 January 2013 (UTC)
      • You guys do know that special sanctions are in effect for MMA? See the bottom of my user page. Any admin can topic ban him if he has been warned and will not stop. I will look at this other later, got a meeting to go to. It is that time of year when I actually have to work. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:23, 4 January 2013 (UTC)
        • Bleh - work. Know the feeling. To the main point, yup, know about the sanctions. I'm hoping, really hoping that he's not going to push it any farther because he's right on the edge. He's passionate about the subject and I'm hoping with someone neutral reviewing things he'll go with the decision even if it's not his preferred approach. Thanks! Ravensfire (talk) 01:39, 5 January 2013 (UTC)
  • I agree Dennis about you not worrying about it. If Willdawg persists (and it looks like they've decided to just argue the point on talk pages for now), there will be an ANI report filed (it's already written, ready for a copy/paste) and will be handled appropriately. Like I said when I started this section... don't work too hard.  ;) --TreyGeek (talk) 02:16, 5 January 2013 (UTC)
Wilddawg is pushy because the lot of you less informed mma "fans" over at the wiki project stonewall whenever anyone wants to make progress, and cling to inherited notability rationale that starts at WP:NMMA and ends with people treating WP:MMATIER as the gospel. No matter how many news articles I dig up on fighters that would create presumed notability under the WP:GNG people still say "Oh, he has not had 3 top tier fightsd". That's just not fair. I can't compete with the numbers who disagree with this. You've got sockpuppets flooding the afd nominations with fighters, and then boatloads of people who only have ground to stand on because of that god forsaken guideline about the 3 "top tier fights". It is really almost not worthwhile to put in the effort for some of these borderline fighters. It is a pain to root out these sources and then create citations for them. JUst look over at Matt Ewin's AFD at all the refs I pulled out of thin air. On the issue of formats I have seen an outright refusal to compromise over at the Wikiproject. It's like Thunderdome over there PortlandOregon97217 (talk) 20:59, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Dennis, I'm going to slip this here rather than create a new section for potentially one comment. I have invoked your name at ANI at this thread here. Specifically it is regarding the "MMA notability Thunderdome" and your past attempts at being referee. --TreyGeek (talk) 01:04, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Open proxies

Dennis, is there a way to figure out if the IPs editing Robert Agostinelli are doing so using open proxies? The information reported by geolocate was unusual (in my experience) and seemed suspicious to me. Because you're so busy off-wiki, is there someone else I can "bother" with these sorts of questions? Thanks.--Bbb23 (talk) 02:06, 5 January 2013 (UTC)

  • I have some time this morning with my coffee, and besides, I enjoy checking for proxies. I wrote a Perl script to help with proxy testing and working on some other automated tools to make it faster. The first one I just checked did look a bit odd, maybe a webhost proxy. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 12:32, 5 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Thanks, Dennis. I know what VPN stands for (virtual private network, I assume), but I don't know what a VPN proxy is; nor do I know what a webhost (I assume webhot is a typo) proxy is. Rhône Group just came off of semi-protection (imposed by me) and hasn't had any activity since. It's on my watchlist; if there's any unusual activity, I'll protect it again. I'll file the SPI report sometime today. Thanks again.--Bbb23 (talk) 14:56, 5 January 2013 (UTC)
  • You can VPN into a box securely, then use the box as a proxy to hide your real location, a closed proxy, which is normally ok. I have my own closed proxy I use for testing/education. The webhost is another type of close proxy, you have to have an account on that system. They are often blocked if they pose problems. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:02, 5 January 2013 (UTC)

User:Leedezine

Hello Dennis, I thought you might be able to give some insight on something Leedezine posted on my talk. Leedezine has blanked Brandi Hawbaker twice, and done nothing else. Their claim might be legitimate, but I wanted someone else's input. Should this edit also be RevDel'd or Oversighted? When you can, input would be nice. Vacation 22:01, 5 January 2013 (UTC)

Ah, yes, as it stood it contained personal info and was a BLP vio. Vacation 12:56, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Happy New Year

Belated happy New Year, hope all is good across the pond. Sad to see you've got a busy period coming up (I've been almost radio-silent for the last week or so myself). Just glanced at SPI and my heart sank... Basalisk ⁄berate 00:50, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

  • SPI is a bitch, no other way to put it. You have to be a glutton for punishment to work there as they make new socks as fast as you can wash the old ones. It is all about maintenance. I still like it. And happy new year to you as well, I hope you are adjusting to the new tools. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:00, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Case Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/Postnoonnews

Hey Dennis. Can you kindly look over this case Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/Postnoonnews and give your reviews/comments ? Regards. ~TheGeneralUser (talk) 01:14, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

I've endorsed the CU request. Let's see what it throws up. Basalisk ⁄berate 01:21, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar from Sue Rangell

The Admin's Barnstar
for your comments at Wikipedia_talk:Non-admin_closure#Non-admin_closures_should_be_discontinued. You have hit the nail on the head. I have been a Wikipedian for YEARS. I have privileges that some admins will never get...but I do not have the mop. Thank you for knocking one in for those of us who are made to feel like second class citizens everytime we close a discussion that sorely needs to be closed. Your words touched on the exact problem, and your attitude is pure gold...PURE GOLD...and wish you the very best from the bottom of my heart in spreading it around. Misplaced Pages needs more Admins like you. --Sue Rangell ✍ ✉ 03:45, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

The Admin's Barnstar
You epitomize the saying on a plaque I saw once. "Tact is the ability to tell a man to go to hell, and have him happy to be on his way! Gtwfan52 (talk) 07:30, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
;) - I came to congratulate on the GA "1950s ...", great collaboration, well deserved, GA, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:04, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

I came here to give you a barnstar but you've already been spoiled. Congrats!♦ Dr. ☠ Blofeld 15:50, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Maybe a "Car-star" would be more appropriate: ? Well done on a great article. Martinevans123 (talk) 16:09, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

And another...

The Admin's Barnstar Because...if it were not for you I would be just another angry voice shouting into the void. You changed my perception of Misplaced Pages, admin, other editors and myself. You guide a small group into a larger community. I am thankful I was lucky enough to gain your ear and your trust. If there is a model for admin editors people to follow...it is you. No one is perfect...but perfection is not the point or the goal.--Amadscientist (talk) 08:08, 6 January 2013 (UTC) Gtwfan52 (talk) 07:30, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Holy cow

Three barnstars in one day, I'm floored! Thank you Sue, Gtwfan52 and Amadscientist, and of course Gerda Arendt for sharing the good news that my first GA was just passed. Kindness this great is valuable enough to be stored in my Ronco Barnstar Value. Woke up at 3am (ugh..sinuses...) and was greeted by a flood of wikilove. It is a great way to start a day, particularly when it is from a group of people I genuinely respect. Thanks again. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 08:38, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Dennis you've worked very very hard to earn this kind of respect - so it is well deserved. — Ched :  ?  20:43, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

GA

The Good Article Barnstar
Congrats on your first GA! *Wiping tear from eye* It's just so beautiful when an admin does content work. Welcome to the dark side. —Torchiest edits 14:49, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Thank you for the kindness. It feels good to have finally earned a GA. Of course, I had a lot of help along the way: Malleus, Ihardlythinkso, PamD and others really helped put the polish on it and deserve credit for taking it from "a good idea" to "a good article". Kiefer.Wolfowitz is still working on it, fixing my errors, not settling for "good enough". Of course, TBrandley gets some credit for doing the review as well. By any measure, it was a group effort. I'm just glad I could be a part of it. It was a fun article to build with all these people. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:30, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
    It's a great feeling, isn't it? Most of the GAs and FAs I've ever been a part of have been a team effort, a great collaboration is one of the best parts of working on wikipedia; I particularly enjoyed the process of getting Appaloosa and Yogo sapphire to FA. Often, you meet some terrific people, too! It is always great to remember that actually creating content is why we are all supposed to be here!  ;-) Montanabw 19:41, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
    It is a good feeling. I have a companion article "American automobile manufacturing in the 1950s with the technical info, including the birth of American Motors, etc. in the 1950s, in user space, but on the way, plus several others. I have a couple of articles that I made a while back but think I could get them to GA status, such as Lexington Barbecue Festival and one I expanded, High Rock Lake that need a lot of work but have enough material to get there with some help. I may recruit some friends from Wikiproject North Carolina. I'm also working on Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin with another editor, and I need to get working on that one this week, already got a DYK out of it. Since that is why we are here, to create good articles, it does satisfy. Its like a drug, once you have one hit, you want another ;-) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 20:29, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
Reminds me of collaboration with another admin, moving his GA to German and make it a DYK there ;) - you get many hits because an article stays on their Main page for 48 hours, - right now and tomorrow "my" de:BWV 40 (bottom right, "Darzu ist erschienen ..."), --Gerda Arendt (talk) 20:43, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
Congratulations, Dennis! Is there anything here you can't do? Maybe you'll take over for Jimbo when he leaves whatever position he has. AutomaticStrikeout (T • C) 21:01, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
You are all much better writers than I am. Unquestionably. I truly believe in the stone soup method of article creation. Most of my prose experience has been writing for radio ads and ecommerce sites, which made me a good living but really is terrible for encyclopedia articles, so I'm having to completely relearn writing. Besides, I'm better at raw prose, chasing sources and getting people cooperating together to polish it than I am at proper writing. And no, Mr. Strikeout, I'm not applying for Jimbo's job, no thanks. ;-) There is much I haven't done here, but I'm working on it. The key is having fun doing it. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 21:12, 6 January 2013 (UTC)
What's this about fun? Back to work. The Yadkin Pee in Dee River article won't write itself. ```Buster Seven Talk 00:18, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

A pie for you!

We can share this pie under that rock together ;) v/r - TP 02:28, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
  • My favorite flavor, humble. Really it shouldn't matter, but I just felt bad and staying out is best. I would have had I known. I'm still floored and still not used to seeing others quotes me like that, so that caught me off guard. I was humbled in several ways. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 03:02, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

MfD nomination of Misplaced Pages:IP addresses are not people

Misplaced Pages:IP addresses are not people, a page you substantially contributed to, has been nominated for deletion. Your opinions on the matter are welcome; please participate in the discussion by adding your comments at Misplaced Pages:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:IP addresses are not people and please be sure to sign your comments with four tildes (~~~~). You are free to edit the content of Misplaced Pages:IP addresses are not people during the discussion but should not remove the miscellany for deletion template from the top of the page; such a removal will not end the deletion discussion. Thank you. NReTSa (talk) 02:44, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

  • That is almost comical. Someone complains that it is used in bad faith, yet the "what links here" clearly shows no such thing. This is a silly waste of time and resources, and I think nominating, by proxy for the IP or on your own, shows a poor understanding of policy. And odd choice for only your 25th edit to Misplaced Pages. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 03:21, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Referred here from another admin.

Hello. I was wondering if you could take a look here and then click to view all of the recent AFD's. You will see there is this very long pattern of deletes by the same two users. It alternates between JakeJr and Jadesnake back and forth. It seems very odd. Their comments at the AFD's for these articles are also simiilar, yet different. I was hoping you could tell if there might be more to this than just the pattern, or how Jakejr plays professional wrestler "Jake the Snake Roberts" to Jadesnake's Damian. Now, maybe that is little bit too crazy to believe. But, if you could find time to investigate that'd be swell. There's no rush. Or if perhaps you could point me in the direction of another admin that'd be ok too. If you feel inclined, pleased read the referral from MBisanz's talkpage. Thanks. PortlandOregon97217 (talk) 07:34, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Dennis, FYI there is already existing existing SPI report about a possible link between Jadesnake and JonnyBonesJones. --TreyGeek (talk) 14:06, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
I found another possible sock and added it. I'm considering the links as we speak. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 14:18, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
When I first got referred here images of a famous Brown were conjured up in my mind; with good reason it would seem PortlandOregon97217 (talk) 19:59, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Whisperback

You have new message/s Hello. You have a new message at Dainomite's talk page.

Ottawahitech

It's time for something to be done about Ottawahitech's actions at WP:WER. How to do something about those actions without inhibiting our goal, I don't know; however, he can't be allowed to continue to use the project for his personal vendettas (along with other silly disruption). Ranging from "twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are" because he won't read a link, to constantly complaining about deletions due to his misunderstanding of what should be included in an encyclopedia (and often to complain about his own articles), to the most recent case, where I have taken some action, of an attack against Alan Liefting completely unrelated to the topic of the section. Ryan Vesey 16:54, 7 January 2013 (UTC)


Question about sock puppet case

http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/JonnyBonesJones
There were 3 other accounts that appear to also be sockpuppets of JonnyBonesJones: TreyGeek, Poison Whiskey, and LlamaAl
Can you tell me if they were looked at also, confirmed as not being sockpuppets, or just not enough evidence either way. Willdawg111 (talk) 20:07, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

  • They were not listed in the case, they were only mentioned. If the CU had found linkage, he would have listed them in the appropriate template. Very likely he didn't check since no evidence was presented. I know TreyGeek fairly well as I've seen his work at MMA for a long time and familiar, he isn't a sock. Can't speak for the others. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 23:11, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for the feedback. That gives me a little more confidence in the project. Willdawg111 (talk) 01:13, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Note

Very likely, I'm going to be very scarce (or completely absent) for a few days. Our entire database system barfed this afternoon, and I'm the closest thing we have to an IT dept. so it falls on me to make the problem go away. It is 10 year old software designed for 1/4 the load we give it, patched up with gum, duct tape and several Perl scripts. Be glad you aren't me this week. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 02:50, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Good luck .... do leave details of where the search party needs to be sent if you have not resurfaced by the weekend! ✍ Mtking ✉ 03:00, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Try gaffer's tape instead of duct tape - stronger and it comes in lots of pretty colors. Beyond My Ken (talk) 03:11, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Or you could do what I did several years ago when the company owner refused to spend the money on IT hardware. Dump a couple of well-placed boxes of steel needles in the mainframe and find the fire extinguisher. Gtwfan52 (talk) 03:23, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Just walked in after running maintenance all night, no bueno. The hardware is actually pretty good, twin Dell servers, dual quad core with SAS drives, mirrored, CentOS 6/64bit and 16GB of ram, etc. The software uses a Btreive database designed to run on Win9x, not Win7 with a Linux server. Back to work... Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 13:07, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Ouch, that hurts hearing about it. I think it's time to face it: She's dead, Jim. Time to upgrade to a modern day database software.  ;) I know, convincing the pointy-haired bosses it's worth the time and money is the hard part. Good luck! --TreyGeek (talk) 13:54, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
It isn't even about money, he just doesn't want to learn new software. New software is less than $5000, but the lost productivity while learning the new package is 10x that. I'm in the middle of a final attempt to rebuild the entire database, for the 4th or 5th time. I literally have 30 working backups, trying all kinds of tweaks and tweaks on tweaks. My head hurts. I'm not a full time IT guy, and really a marketing guy, so it has been a challenge to remember all this stuff. Back to the grind... Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:27, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Ouch ... that's not pleasant. Been in the same situation and finally got the upgrade approval when the server crashed and we couldn't get the database software to load on any contemporary OS. Even duct tape can only go so far. Good luck! Ravensfire (talk) 22:40, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Btrieve? Wow, that's a blast from the past – I haven't used that since the 80s, back in the DOS days, but I can still picture the "UPS truck brown" manuals. Good luck Dennis. Mojoworker (talk) 00:05, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Pound4Pound

Per the results from the checkuser at Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet_investigations/BigzMMA/Archive#Clerk.2C_CheckUser.2C_and.2For_patrolling_admin_comments_8 I call for a block on Pound4Pound as a sockpuppeteer. Hasteur (talk) 13:50, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Looks like P4P is already blocked as a puppet of BigzMMA. Or am I missing something? --TreyGeek (talk) 13:54, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
Sorry for the dustup. it appears that the user was blocked but no Indef block notice is on their page. Hasteur (talk) 13:57, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
There is a notice on the user page, nothing is needed on the talk page. Just shows my initial block months ago was correct. I did notice DQ had to do a lot of research, and I certainly understand. I had done the same thing, it was one of the harder cases. I had to do it last time without CU data, so the fact that he would with CU data reinforces the findings. Bigz had changed a lot of his methods, but he didn't change who he was. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:23, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 07 January 2013

Multiple account problem

Dennis, I came within one click of filing this as a SPI, but I truly don't feel she's using multiple accounts to be abusive. If you have a minute, I wonder if you might give her a hand:

What would have been the SPI evidence if I'd clicked "Save page": Let me start by saying that I think that this is just clumsiness more than any attempt to deceive and that the best and proper remedy here is to advise the editor to only use one account, to sign in rather than edit from the IP address, and perhaps to help her WP:VANISH on the personal name account if that is what she desires. Evidence: In this edit the IP editor removed information which the Corrina Caudill account took credit for in this edit. The Dnbr23 account removed information in a series of edits beginning with this edit which the same IP responded to and took credit for in this edit. The IP editor signed this edit with the initials "CC". The Lemko Project account made similar edits until it was blocked as a role account. I have to wonder if the editor came to realize that most editors here avoid identifying their real-world identity and tried to move away from her original account, first with the Lemko Project account, and then with the Dnbr23 account and might appreciate being informed about the right to vanish and/or have a clean start. In light of what she's said about me at Talk:Bukowsko, I doubt that she will take kindly to any of those admonitions and suggestions coming from me.

Best regards, TransporterMan (TALK) 17:16, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, Dennis. It now appears to be all fixed. She's started editing with her proper account and we've worked out some issues on the article talk page. Just for the record, she now claims that Dnbr23 wasn't her and having talked some, I think she's more than likely telling the truth, and that the edit in which she appears to be taking credit for Dnbr23's edits was based upon a false assumption on her part. I appreciate your help very much. Best regards, TransporterMan (TALK) 20:37, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
I won't debate who is linked to who, all that matters is that discussion is taking place ;) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:47, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Merchandise Nomination

A Tshirt! I thought that you deserved something a bit extra for all of the amazing work you've done for the project.
I've nominated you for a gift from the Wikimedia Foundation!

Vacation 19:35, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

  • I appreciate the kindness, but if you check here, I was already nominated, tried to refuse it, got talked into accepting the t-shirt and made a donation to cover the cost :) You guys are already too nice to me, but I am flattered by the thought. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 19:38, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
I'm happy to have gotten a shirt as well. I've known about the existence of the program, but haven't endorsed anybody for the same reason I don't keep wikifriends lists. To add one person means to not add another, in this case to endorse one means not to endorse another. I don't like that idea, but also don't plan on endorsing all editors for the sake of endorsing them so I've stayed away. Ryan Vesey 19:50, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
It is tough. I've endorsed some, but I've stayed away from endorsing several that I think are deserving, but I feel a positive conflict of interest with, ie (wiki-buddies). I did endorse DGG, whom I consider a mentor, but jeez, that is DGG. His accomplishments aren't exactly a secret, and once I take away everything he has done for me, we are still left with enough reasons to provide his entire wardrobe. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 19:55, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Oh... maybe I should have checked first. I'm new to the Merchandise Giveaways program. Sorry about that. Vacation 19:56, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
No apology necessary, it is the thought that counts, and I genuinely appreciate the thought. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 20:02, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
I submitted the formabout a week-and-a-half ago, but it still hasn't gotten here yet . Oh well. I've nominated two people for shirts, but did so anonymously both times; I agree with Ryan, it's a really fine line. Go Phightins! 20:16, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Well, I spoke to soon. My shirt got here a half hour after I posted that it wasn't here. Go Phightins! 21:18, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

The Original Barnstar
Well, I can't get you a t-shirt, so here's a barnstar. Nothing Dennis does doesn't deserve a barnstar. Constantly helpful, always kind, gives advice in any situation, and all around helpful. Oh, and did I say helpful? Vacation 19:58, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Would you allow me to add the "Oh, and did I say helpful?" part in your vault? And is that a reference? If so, I don't get it. Vacation 20:08, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Ronco is a reference to the company owned by Ron Popeil, and don't feel bad if you don't get it, many wouldn't. I'm an old guy and grew up with his products advertised on TV in the 1970s, like the Ginsu Knives, the Pocket Fisherman, spray on hair in a can and the current best seller Showtime Rotisserie. He invested the phrase "But wait, there's more!!". You've probably seen him if you've ever watched any US TV, selling his stuff. To be even more obscure, the "Barnstar vault" is a references to the "Ronco Album Vault" from an episode of Futurama, "The Luck of the Fryish" I believe. I guess you have to be an old nerd to get some of my odd and convoluted humor :) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:31, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Ah, ok. I'll check it out. You didn't answer my question though; can I add the amended barnstar to your collection? Vacation 22:33, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Sure, and thanks for asking. :) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:44, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Feel free to decline

I was brought into a rather complex RfC (multiple options) on my talk page. I'd like to find one or two people to do two things. First, close the RfC (in the future). Second, monitor the page and the talk page. I believe Ahnoneemoos is done edit warring his version of the article in, but he has repeatedly cited the fact that BRD is an essay as an excuse to do so. In any case, I'd like to have someone lined up beforehand. If you don't want to close it, can you pass it on to someone you think is able to? Ryan Vesey 20:19, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Ryan, he came to my talk page as well asking roughly the same thing. I also saw him on several watchlisted talks; he's bringing quite a few people into this. Go Phightins! 21:19, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Hmm, I noticed that. For what it's worth, I am under the impression that it is not canvassing as a) he didn't actually ask people to take part in the discussion and b) he doesn't appear to have been inviting others based on a thought that they would agree with him at the discussion. Ryan Vesey 21:21, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
As an aside, I'm not sure he would even be familiar with canvassing. He didn't even mention an RfC to me, I mentioned it to him on my talk. We shall see, I suppose. Go Phightins! 21:34, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
(Also messaged about this) It's not canvassing, he's just pinging people who are Teahouse hosts, asking for advice on what to do. I'm hoping Ahnoneemoos picks up on my subtle, hey, diplomatic hinting in the conversation on Ryan's talk page and realizes that he's edit warring. Writ Keeper ⚇♔ 21:37, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
On that point, BRD needs to be rewritten. In practice it is used in cases where an edit is made with no previous discussion, reverted, then discussed. According to the essay, it is used during ongoing discussion if the discussion isn't going anywhere. Ryan Vesey 21:50, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • BRD is treated as "near law" because it encapsulates so many other policies and guidelines. It has been at a vote to become a guideline and has gotten a lot of support, but not enough to promote it yet. Ignoring it is always optional, but so is an admin deciding to block for edit warring without requiring 3rr being strictly violated. I'm more inclined to block an editor who is just reverting once a day for weeks than someone who violates 3RR in a single hour. Doing it over weeks shows a willingness to ignore the community, doing it over an hour just shows a temporary lack of judgement and getting caught up in the moment. As for closing, I would probably decline just because I'm so swamped at work most days, and I don't like closing something unless I can take the time to really study it adequately. It shouldn't require an admin to close anyway unless it is very, very contentious. (note: and I say that not because I think admin are smarter, but because admin are expected to deal with the backlash that comes with closing contentious issues). I might have the time, but I might not, so I would have to pass. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:42, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Sounds good. Do you have a particular admin or non-admin in mind who would be ready to close it? I'm taking part in the discussion (and need to get back to clarify my statement) so I can't close it. Ryan Vesey 22:43, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

Glock17gen4 and JonnyBonesJones

It has come to my attention via some off wki communication that there is a very good chance the two indef blocked accounts Glock17gen4 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) and JonnyBonesJones (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) are one in the same, there is a SPI for JBJ what should I do to have this looked into, should I open a SPI for Glock17gen4 or should I tack it onto the end of JBJ and request if found the same then have the SPI moved to the correct name ? ✍ Mtking ✉ 21:31, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

From my experience, you should tack it on to the end of JBJ. A clerk will do the necessary moving. I think they'd need to confirm that JBJ was a sock of Glock17gen4 to move it around. Ryan Vesey 21:36, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
  • Actually, I would ask a CU to look into it, to see what the odds of a link are. You can ask on the main WP:SPI page, and if they link it, one of the clerks (like me) will fix up the paperwork and do the history merge, which does require the admin bit to do since you are deleting/undeleting a lot of edits to merge. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 22:34, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
Am about to post a SPI, is CU stale ? ✍ Mtking ✉ 23:48, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
see Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/JonnyBonesJones. ✍ Mtking ✉ 23:51, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
I meant to ask at the bottom of WP:SPI, but since you started, someone will look. Sometimes, even when it is stale, one of the CUs will have a good enough memory or access to previous data that isn't generally available, and can make the connection. The key is, I don't like merging cases unless a CU says to do so, in case there is some reason they want to not merge them. They have access to info that clerks don't. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 00:27, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
Sorry I miss understood; I had drafted the SPI following Ryan's comments just got interrupted by real life before I could file it and came back here and did not fully understand your suggestion. ✍ Mtking ✉ 00:34, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
No biggie, it will get looked at one way or another. That is what we clerks do, just shuffle papers, so once a CU makes a call, that is what we will do :) Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 18:33, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

An invitation for you!

Hello, Dennis Brown. You're invited to join WikiProject Today's article for improvement. If you're interested in participating, please add your name to the list of members. Happy editing! Northamerica1000 01:11, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Doncram opened

An arbitration case in which you commented has been opened, and is located at Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Doncram. Evidence that you wish the Arbitrators to consider should be added to the evidence sub-page, at Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Doncram/Evidence. Please add your evidence by January 2, 2013, which is when the evidence phase closes. You can contribute to the case workshop sub-page, Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Doncram/Workshop. For a guide to the arbitration process, see Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Guide to arbitration. For the Arbitration Committee, (X! · talk)  · @813  ·  18:30, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

Checkuser

Uncle G (talk) 19:46, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

  • Damn, G, you make sure I have to read through a bunch of pages to get the issue ;) I've replied on Salvio's page, asking if he wants to merge or start a case to merge the accounts. I'm not familiar with the case enough at this time to make a determination, but will take the time if instructed by CU to do so. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 19:57, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

Hi Dennis. I know you are busy these days; so no hurry to reply. I also need some time to observe better a situation. I am evaluating the possibility of requesting the opening of an SPI concerning a couple of users in the very controversial (AA) area. I noticed that not everybody is a common editor like this scribe but some people have titles, say "sysop" or whatever. When you have some time can you please tell me if there is a special way for asking SPIs concerning users with titles like Bureaucrat, Admin, Sysop or whatsoever hierarchy or nobility we might have in WP.... Thanks a lot in advance. --E4024 (talk) 12:53, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

Merger request WikiProject: NC

Dennis, back in December I posted a merger request to the WikiProject NC page concerning two articles: Province of North Carolina and Royal Colony of North Carolina. To date, only one other person has joined the discussion, supporting my request to merge the superfluous Royal Colony article into the more correct, and slightly more substantive Province article. You told me to ping you when it'd been a month, which is now up. Thank you for your help! Cdtew (talk) 04:35, 11 January 2013 (UTC)