User talk:This is Paul/Archive17


Let's Get Together and Swing

Let's Get Together and Swing

Here's a listen to the ladies' first record! :) We hope (talk) 21:08, 1 September 2013 (UTC)

September 2013

Hello, I'm BracketBot. I have automatically detected that your edit to Jonathan and Darlene Edwards may have broken the syntax by modifying 2 "{}"s. If you have, don't worry, just again to fix it. If I misunderstood what happened, or if you have any questions, you can leave a message on .

List of unpaired brackets remaining on the page:
  • Weston what Jonathan Edwards was really like, Weston's reply was, "He's a pain in the ass!"<ref>{{cite book|title= A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers|first= Will|last= Friedwald|

Thanks, BracketBot (talk) 16:15, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

Jonathan & Darlene

Since we have television appearances, a magazine interview and a radio one, do you think the Television section should be titled something like "Media appearances"? We hope (talk) 22:02, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

That's interesting, because I never knew why Avakian was so bent on the name of Jonathan Edwards! Dick Whittinghill went from being a Pied Piper to a long, successful career in LA radio, so he knew them both quite well from those years. He was well-known for his on-air jokes and parodies. Let me see what I can get done here now that RL has quieted down a bit for today. :) We hope (talk) 00:33, 3 September 2013 (UTC)
PS Since the clip of the Shower of Stars is not under copyright, would it help to get some screen captures of Jack Benny & Ed Wynn trying to "sell" the song to Jo & Paul before they go into Jonathan and Darlene? It looks like this is the only video of them as the Edwardses; haven't seen any sort of copy of the Garry Moore show. We hope (talk) 01:10, 3 September 2013 (UTC)
Got some last night I'll work on. BTW, we need to change all refs for Time magazine to note that they're now pay-per view or by subscription. Their archives used to be free. :( We hope (talk) 15:50, 3 September 2013 (UTC)
Am now trying to catch them on other pages. ;) We hope (talk) 17:06, 3 September 2013 (UTC)

Screen captures

OK-have done 6 of them, all from the part of the skit where Benny and Wynn are trying to get the Westons to say they'll record the song.

See if you like any of them for the article. We hope (talk) 18:47, 3 September 2013 (UTC)

I try to get a few captures when I can, so there can be a choice. We hope (talk) 19:27, 3 September 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 04 September 2013

  • In the media: Manning "put back in the closet"; State involvement in Azerbaijani Wikipedia
    After media praise for Wikipedia's decision to move the Bradley Manning article to Chelsea Manning, the reversion of that page move on August 31, after a discussion in which several hundred Wikipedians participated, has so far triggered less favourable feedback, as well as a blog post from Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Sue Gardner expressing her disappointment with the decision.
  • News and notes: Privacy policy debate gears up
    On September 3, the Wikimedia Foundation launched the second stage of the process to improve the privacy policy implemented on most Wikimedia sites, including Wikipedia and its sister projects, by publishing a policy draft.
  • Discussion report: Arbcom election procedures, Wiki Loves Monuments, Privacy policy, FDC, and more
    As mentioned in "In the news" on Wikipedia's main page, the Library of Birmingham in the United Kingdom has opened. This interior photo was taken a week before opening. The article reports that the library "has been described as the largest public library in the United Kingdom, the largest public cultural space in Europe, and the largest regional library in Europe."
  • WikiProject report: Writing on the frontier: Psychology on Wikipedia
    This week, we spent some time with the minds behind WikiProject Psychology. The project was created in March 2006 and has grown to include 14 Featured Articles and 43 Good Articles.
  • Technology report: Making Wikipedia more accessible
    In this week's "Technology report", we explore ways of making Wikipedia more accessible to users of screen readers. Graham87 is a highly active contributor who is also blind and accesses the site through a screen reader.

The Signpost: 11 September 2013

  • Featured content: Tintin goes featured
    Four articles, eight lists, and eight pictures were promoted to "featured" status this week on the English Wikipedia.
  • News and notes: As deadline approaches, Individual Engagement Grants looks for ideas
    The deadline for proposals to the Individual Engagement Grants (IEG) volunteer committee on Meta will pass on 30 September. The program is designed to fund projects that tackle long-term problem and have a significant editing community impact; it has previously supported solutions like The Wikipedia Library, which improves Wikipedian access to online reference sources like JSTOR (see Signpost coverage).
  • Traffic report: Syria, celebrities, and association football: oh my!
    While the Syrian Civil War crept its slow way into the minds of the public, with a new fourth related entry in the top 25, the top 10 remained dominated by celebrity, mainly sports and music. Two megabucks transfers stimulated public interest in football/soccer ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, while Lil Wayne's public apology ahead of his latest album release sent him to the top.
  • Arbitration report: Workshop phase opens in Manning naming dispute ; Infoboxes case closes
    Discussion over the Manning title dispute was off to a running start as evidence and workshop phases continued in the Bradley/Chelsea Manning naming dispute. The Infoboxes case closed with topic bans for two users, and a recommendation for community discussion of infoboxes.

Feedback request on screen magnifiers

Hi. I'm trying to learn about how exactly editors use the Wikimedia sites, with accessibility tools like screen magnifiers. I found one of your comments about using a screen magnifier, hence this personal request. Please see the short list of questions at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Accessibility#Visual impairment - what settings, software, or other tools are used to compensate, and if you know of anyone else, help me get the word out to other editors who might be able to give comments on this? Much thanks! –Quiddity (talk) 02:10, 17 September 2013 (UTC)

More on Jo

File:Jo Stafford Supper Club 1945.JPG Got this and something else came with it; the press release with the actual date she joined Chesterfield Supper Club. We hope (talk) 17:19, 19 September 2013 (UTC)

I have a lot more material on Paul, but probably won't be able to start with it until about the middle of next week at the earliest (RL again :-)). Let me try checking on the Emmy info and if I find that, will post it with link here. We hope (talk) 18:03, 20 September 2013 (UTC)
Primetime Emmy Database search BEST FEMALE SINGER - 1955-nominee.
The database bit is sort of confusing because they keep moving it on the website. Looks like I'll need to re-do some Como-related links because of that. We hope (talk) 18:14, 20 September 2013 (UTC)

The search used to be more directly visible and was done differently. I had it linked on some Como pages and need to check re: some other people who worked with him to see if the link is there and if so, change it. It was more explicit about being a past winners'/nominees' search when I did the older links for Como. We hope (talk) 18:28, 20 September 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 18 September 2013

  • News and notes: Third time's the charm: the FDC's newest round of funding requests
    The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC), the volunteer-led body that evaluates chapter and (for the first time) thematic organizational annual plan grant requests to the Wikimedia Foundation, is preparing for its third round of public proceedings to deliberate on the distribution of several million US dollars of Wikimedia movement funds.
  • WikiProject report: 18,464 Good Articles on the wall
    This week, the Signpost headed to WikiProject Good Articles. As of publishing time, out of the 4,331,477 articles on Wikipedia, only 18,464 are rated as "good" (about 1 in 235).
  • Featured content: Hurricane Diane and Van Gogh
    Thirteen articles, six lists, and five pictures were promoted to "featured" status last week on the English Wikipedia.
  • Technology report: What can Wikidata do for Wikipedia?
    In this week's "Technology report", we look at how the growth of Wikidata can benefit Wikipedia. Gerard Meijssen is a highly active contributor and frequent blogger about Wikidata. We asked him to share his thoughts on how the new project benefits Wikipedia.
  • Traffic report: Twerking, tragedy and TV
    The top 10 is bookended by unlucky dates, as Friday the 13th fell just after the anniversary of 9/11. Breaking Bad's final season continued to draw attention, while interest in Miley Cyrus's youthful exuberance is fading only slowly.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Paul Weston, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Joe Haines (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 11:41, 25 September 2013 (UTC)

The other day, someone made a mistake on the Como article. It would probably have been easy to fix if I hadn't kept getting told about the otr ref being blacklisted. This was before the damn bot ran, so I had no idea other than being told I couldn't save the page because of the blacklisted link. :-)

While looking for a replacement for the Johnny Mercer's Music Shop link, I found that there are about 4 volumes of transcripts from the show now recorded and sold. They do feature Jo and Paul quite a bit. Are you interested in any links for these records/CDs? We hope (talk) 21:12, 25 September 2013 (UTC)

The only thing I can think of re: OTR links is that they sell copies of the old radio programs on the site. I had to remove them from many Como pages and one from Red Skelton, as there was a link there for his Avalon Time radio show. :( Do we have a board or center for questions about banned links because this makes it hard for those who work on articles about the old radio shows?
Will get hold of links for the Music Shop material and hope that if some have to be from Amazon, that it's not banned now too. ;) We hope (talk) 22:02, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
Well, I asked, so let's see what happens. We hope (talk) 22:37, 25 September 2013 (UTC)

Johnny Mercer's Music Shop

There are at least six of these:

Artist : Johnny Mercer

Title : Johnny Mercer's Music Shop

Side 1 : Conversation while dancing / The day after forever / Steamboat Bill / Don't fence me in / Rain / Fare thee well to Harlem

Side 2 : Sweet Georgia Brown / It could happen to you / Tired teddy bear / Amor / Somebody loves me / Button up your overcoat / I'll be seeing you

Label : Artistic

Catalogue No : ART 002 - UK pressing

Year : 1982

Audio CD (September 20, 2011) Original Release Date: 2011 Number of Discs: 1 Label: Sounds Of Yesteryear ASIN: B005BY934Y

A total of 26 tracks listed at the Amazon link.

Audio CD (October 16, 2012) Original Release Date: 2012 Number of Discs: 1 Label: Sounds Of Yesteryear ASIN: B008SVS2DA

Total of 28 tracks at the Amazon link.

Audio CD (November 20, 2012) Original Release Date: 2012 Number of Discs: 1 Label: Sounds Of Yesteryear ASIN: B0097RF7UU

32 tracks at the Amazon link.

Music Shop, Vol. 5 Sounds of Yesteryear 2013

24 tracks at AllMusic.

Audio CD (October 15, 2013) Original Release Date: 2013 Number of Discs: 1 Label: Sounds Of Yesteryear ASIN: B00EAZYS54

24 tracks at the link. We hope (talk) 12:48, 26 September 2013 (UTC)

And maybe if you talk about it a bit, the friends and family might put a couple in your Christmas stocking. :-) We hope (talk) 14:37, 26 September 2013 (UTC)

On this day

Oba Chandler is appearing on the "On this day" section right now. I added it and it was accepted to appear.--BabbaQ (talk) 13:44, 24 September 2013 (UTC)

Great news. Paul MacDermott (talk) 15:12, 24 September 2013 (UTC)
Do you think making an article about the Peru Two Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid would be possible? Now especially since it seems to be a long drawn out thing with the prosecutors now not accepting their pleas. I want to hear your opinion.--BabbaQ (talk) 20:54, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
I have thought about it, but hadn't really got round to doing anything. There's a redirect at Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid if you wanted to make a start. Paul MacDermott (talk) 21:03, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
I have started a stub on the Peru Two. Take a look when you got the time.--BabbaQ (talk) 20:43, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
That looks fine. Once all the legal stuff is over it can be expanded. Paul MacDermott (talk) 20:51, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
I have a feeling this case could drag out for many years for these girls. Much like Schapelle Corby for example.--BabbaQ (talk) 20:54, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
You're probably right. I've just been reading that the prosecution have objected to their guilty pleas. I think when the sentencing takes place there'll be more information about the case. Paul MacDermott (talk) 21:02, 26 September 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 25 September 2013

  • Op-ed: Q&A on Public Relations and Wikipedia
    Over the last year, there's been extensive debate about whether public relations professionals and other corporate representatives should participate on Wikipedia and, if so, to what extent and what kinds of rules should be followed.
  • Traffic report: Look on Walter's works
    The saga of Walter White, chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin, as told in the critically adored television series Breaking Bad, has been a water-cooler necessity for years, and now, as it nears its end, audiences are feverishly following every plot thread to guess what the finale will reveal.
  • News and notes: Last call for Wiki Loves Monuments; Community–WMF tension over VisualEditor
    On 30 September, Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM), the Wikimedia community's global photo competition, will reach to the end of its submission period. The proceedings have been underway since the first of this month; national juries will start reviewing submissions for the first round of selections after it closes ... Community aggravation with one of the Wikimedia Foundation's signature initiatives, the VisualEditor, came to the fore again this week with the announcement and implementation of code blocking the tool.
  • WikiProject report: Babel Series: GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!
    This week, we continued our exploration of other language editions of Wikipedia by visiting the Spanish Wikipedia's Wikiproyecto Fútbol (WikiProject Football).
  • Featured content: Wikipedia takes the stage
    Twelve articles, six lists, and five pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia this week.

Circular redirect

Hello, Paul. You recently created Sherafiyah Lewthwaite, but as a redirect to itself. I'm sure that's not what you meant to do, but I can't tell what your intent was. I hope you can fix this. --R'n'B (call me Russ) 20:39, 30 September 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, Russ. It was meant to redirect to Samantha Lewthwaite, but something went a bit awry, I think. :) Have fixed it now though. Paul MacDermott (talk) 22:01, 30 September 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 02 October 2013

  • Op-ed: Commons medical diagnostic images under threat from unresolved ownership
    Medical images have transformed many aspects of modern medicine. Over the past two decades the increasing sophistication of MRI, CT-scanning, and X-ray techniques has made these technologies the cornerstone of diagnosing a range of conditions, replacing what used to be largely guesswork by doctors. They can be the difference between life and death for a patient, and their importance is underlined by the tens of billions of dollars spent on them annually just in North America. For Wikimedia Foundation projects, advanced images are now a powerful tool for describing and explaining, and educating our worldwide readership of medical articles.
  • News and notes: WMF signals new grantmaking priorities
    In what will be remembered as a game-changing week for Wikimedia grantmaking, the Foundation's executive director, Sue Gardner, published a forthright and in places highly critical statement, Reflections on the FDC process, and grantmaking staff revealed that the WMF will significantly strengthen its targeting of optimal impact in funding.
  • Arbitration report: Infoboxes: After the war
    Editor's note: To go beyond the mere facts of cases, the "Arbitration report" invited several editors who participated in the recent Infoboxes case to comment on infoboxes: what they are, where new users can go to find out about them, specifications and protocols, best practices, and how the upcoming community discussion recommended by the Committee in the case decision should be framed.
  • WikiProject report: U2 Too
    This week, we revisited the enthusiastic editors at WikiProject U2. Started in June 2007, the project has grown in spurts, resulting in a collection of 8 Featured Articles and 24 Good Articles. The project maintains a to do list, portal, and a list of references.

The Signpost: 09 October 2013

  • Traffic report: Shutdown shenanigans
    If you're living in the United States, what did you do during the government shutdown? Well, it seems most people watched the final episode of Breaking Bad.
  • WikiProject report: Australian Roads
    This week, we moved to the esoteric world of Australian roads.
  • Featured content: Under the sea
    Seven articles, six lists, and twelve pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia last week.
  • News and notes: Extensive network of clandestine paid advocacy exposed
    An investigation by the English Wikipedia community into suspicious edits and sockpuppet activity has led to astonishing revelations that Wiki-PR, a multi-million-dollar US-based company, has created, edited, or maintained several thousand Wikipedia articles for paying clients using a sophisticated array of concealed user accounts.
  • In the media: College credit for editing Wikipedia
    The University of California, San Francisco attracted substantial media attention over its new course offering that will give credit to fourth year medical students for editing Wikipedia articles about medicine.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited 2013 in the United Kingdom, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Charles Taylor (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 11:27, 11 October 2013 (UTC)


Do you want to collaborate in the edition of Jessie J's page?

Hi, I'm JD3rulo. The thing is that I'm a huge fan of Jessie J, I have made changes in her page, but other users have removed them, replying that the links I referred to don't belong to reliable sources. So I'm wondering if you could dedicate part of your time in helping me to fill some topics that are abandoned, such as Jessie J's vocal type, range and also writing updated news about her career lately. I hope you can help me, cause it seems Jessie's page has been forgotten. If you need some help to write about any article or making research, you can count on me, so this is the only thing I can give you: my friendship to make wikipedia a better and updated site. Chao, have a nice day!JD3rulo (talk) 10:09, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Hi Paul!

Hi, it's me JD3rulo again. I read your message, thanks for answering me. I don't know who are the users that created Jessie's page, but I'll find out, so if you wanna collaborate sometime adding news or maybe photos related to her career, I'll appreciate it. Thanks my friend. JD3rulo (talk) 22:29, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

WP Accessibility in the Signpost

The WikiProject Report would like to focus on WikiProject Accessibility for a Signpost article. This is an excellent opportunity to draw attention to your efforts and attract new members to the project. Would you be willing to participate in an interview? If so, here are the questions for the interview. Just add your response below each question and feel free to skip any questions that you don't feel comfortable answering. Multiple editors will have an opportunity to respond to the interview questions, so be sure to sign your answers. If you know anyone else who would like to participate in the interview, please share this with them. Have a great day. –Mabeenot (talk) 02:16, 18 October 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 16 October 2013

  • News and notes: Vice on Wiki-PR's paid advocacy; Featured list elections begin
    Media coverage on Wiki-PR, the multi-million-dollar US-based company that has broken several policies and guidelines on the English Wikipedia in its quest to create and maintain thousands of articles for paying clients, continued this week with a feature story by Martin Robbins in the British edition of Vice magazine.
  • Traffic report: Peaceful potpourri
    A slow week, with low overall views and the Top 10 dominated by longstanding pages. Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's outer space-set action art film, not only held its position at the top of the US box office but climbed to the top of the Wikipedia chart as well, showing that it has become a major talking point.
  • WikiProject report: Heraldry and Vexillology
    This week, we studied coats of arms and flags with the folks at WikiProject Heraldry and Vexillology. Started in September 2006, the project has grown to include 20 Featured Articles and nearly 50 Good Articles. The project maintains a portal, a list of resources, and a variety of images and templates.
  • Featured content: That's a lot of pictures
    Six articles, two lists, and thirty-three pictures were promoted to 'featured' status on the English Wikipedia last week.
  • Arbitration report: Manning naming dispute case closes
    The Manning naming dispute case has closed, with a strong and unanimous statement by the Committee against disparaging references to transgendered persons. Sanctions were enacted against six editors.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Ron Ball, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Police Federation (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 12:07, 20 October 2013 (UTC)

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Was reading the page BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, page seems fine, but dont you think there are too many external links? OccultZone (talk) 18:28, 20 October 2013 (UTC)

Smooth Radio

I was going by the website - it listed Saturday mornings as presenter-less 10am-2pm. --Donagluithan (talk) 15:32, 21 October 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 23 October 2013

  • News and notes: Grantmaking season—rumblings in the German-language community
    The next twice-yearly round of Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) grantmaking is soon to close for community questioning and commentary. Ten nation-based Wikimedia chapters and one thematic organisation are asking for a total of more than US$5M of donors’ money from the Foundation’s renamed annual plan grant process. Aside from Wikimedia UK ($708k), the three biggest asks are from the German-speaking chapters: Wikimedia Germany is asking for $2.4M and Wikimedia Austria $311k; and the German-language-related Swiss chapter is applying for $500k.
  • WikiProject report: Elements of the world
    This week, we headed to an elementary subject with WikiProject Elements. Founded by Mav in 2002, this project has grown to have 19 featured articles, 2 featured topics, and 68 good articles. The project also has a list of templates, and a periodic table of elements filled with pictures.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Samantha Lewthwaite, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Flash drive (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 11:37, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Trivia

I'm not going to get into a discussion of *if* reverting "good faith" but incorrect edits consititutes "3R", but I will say that using the "3R" threat is a standard crutch for those that have WP:OWN issues. Continued reverts of clearly correct edits to clearly incorrect edits does not fall under "3R" because it is correcting vandalism.

Now... "In Popular Culture" is a synanym for "Trivia". Properly title it or get rid of it. And, please note that while "trivia" is (some people say) "discuraged", it is not disallowed. Why do you think there is a "Trivia" tag? There are two - and only two - proper choices: Properly title "Trivia" as trivia and tag it with the "trivia" tag, or delete it.

Calling what is clearly trivia "In Popular Culture" is what is called "disigenuous" because it is a specific attempt to include trivia without calling it "Trivia". They are the same thing.

Why not be honest? Why be disigenuous?

The "high road" at Wikipedia would be to get rid of all trivia - that is, "In Popular Culture".

Seriously, Paul, what does "In Popular Culture" mean? It's "trivia". =//= Johnny Squeaky 19:15, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Replied on your talk page. Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:24, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
Replied to your comment. Thanks for your views on this subject, please consider my opinion with an open mind. =//= Johnny Squeaky 19:34, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

One more note:

It takes TWO to "edit war". Have you left a "nastygram" for "TheycallmetheDoctor" as well, or are you singling me out because you disagree with my position? Most people would consider that an unfair bias. Otherwise known as a "kangaroo court". As for civility, I have been nothing but, and your accusation is offensive (and uncivil). Please don't do it again. =//= Johnny Squeaky 19:26, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Replied on your talk page. Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:40, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Books and Bytes: The Wikipedia Library Newsletter

Books and Bytes

Volume 1, Issue 1, October 2013

by The Interior (talk · contribs), Ocaasi (talk · contribs)

Greetings Wikipedia Library members! Welcome to the inaugural edition of Books and Bytes, TWL’s monthly newsletter. We're sending you the first edition of this opt-in newsletter, because you signed up, or applied for a free research account: HighBeam, Credo, Questia, JSTOR, or Cochrane. To receive future updates of Books and Bytes, please add your name to the subscriber's list. There's lots of news this month for the Wikipedia Library, including new accounts, upcoming events, and new ways to get involved...

New positions: Sign up to be a Wikipedia Visiting Scholar, or a Volunteer Wikipedia Librarian

Wikipedia Loves Libraries: Off to a roaring start this fall in the United States: 29 events are planned or have been hosted.

New subscription donations: Cochrane round 2; HighBeam round 8; Questia round 4... Can we partner with NY Times and Lexis-Nexis??

New ideas: OCLC innovations in the works; VisualEditor Reference Dialog Workshop; a photo contest idea emerges

News from the library world: Wikipedian joins the National Archives full time; the Getty Museum releases 4,500 images; CERN goes CC-BY

Announcing WikiProject Open: WikiProject Open kicked off in October, with several brainstorming and co-working sessions

New ways to get involved: Visiting scholar requirements; subject guides; room for library expansion and exploration

Read the full newsletter


Thanks for reading! All future newsletters will be opt-in only. Have an item for the next issue? Leave a note for the editor on the Suggestions page. --The Interior 21:42, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

SOLA2012

Hi

i just have a question >>> where can i find a sales albums site to use in WIKI beside RIAA ?????

Thanks sola$$$$$$$$ (talk) 16:13, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

Not sure. Billboard might have some sales figures. You could try asking at WP:HELPDESK or WP:REFDESK, someone there should be able to point you in the right direction. Paul MacDermott (talk) 16:26, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

Trivia

I realize that I have strong opinions about "trivia" vs "In Popular Culture". I believe they are essentially the same thing. I know that "trivia" is "discouraged" (note the quotes), yet in fact in reality it is not actually "discouraged", it is simply renamed "In Popular Culture". Are these not the same thing? Generally they are. I say: Accept trivia, or reject it, don't rename it.

I don't object to "trivia". But I think, as I said before, that engineering around the "dirtiness" of the "Trivia" title by calling trivia "In Popular Culture" is disingenuous and really, dishonest ( only slightly less ugly than "disingenuous" ), and not up to the high standard of quality content that Wikipedia should strive to. Call content what it is. Or, if it is "non-encyclopedic", get rid of it.

Honesty. That is they key.

I apologize if you interpret my words as "rude", it's not meant that way. I'm not a great communicator.

- Thanks, Jake =//= Johnny Squeaky 02:35, 28 October 2013 (UTC)

Your recent comment on my talk page sounds like a threat. That's mighty uncivil of you. And yet again, you decline to talk about the actual issue, and instead take the low road. Shame on you. =//= Johnny Squeaky 15:36, 29 October 2013 (UTC)
Clearly trying to give you helpful advice is about as useful as the proverbial chocolate teapot. The shame here is that you chose not to enter into the spirit of the discussion, but instead chose to argue technicalities that are not important. Paul MacDermott (talk) 16:37, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

Worth noting

A recent discussion I had about the issue of repeated reverting that went round in circles and gave me a headache. It appeared across two threads so I thought it was worth keeping a copy of it as the other party has removed the half that appeared on their talk page. I have tried to reconstruct it as best I can. It begins after I issued a warning for edit warring. Enjoy. Paul MacDermott (talk) 15:53, 31 October 2013 (UTC)

A note on edit warring

I'm not going to get into a discussion of *if* reverting "good faith" but incorrect edits consititutes "3R", but I will say that using the "3R" threat is a standard crutch for those that have WP:OWN issues. Continued reverts of clearly correct edits to clearly incorrect edits does not fall under "3R" because it is correcting vandalism.

Now... "In Popular Culture" is a synanym for "Trivia". Properly title it or get rid of it. And, please note that while "trivia" is (some people say) "discuraged", it is not disallowed. Why do you think there is a "Trivia" tag? There are two - and only two - proper choices: Properly title "Trivia" as trivia and tag it with the "trivia" tag, or delete it.

Calling what is clearly trivia "In Popular Culture" is what is called "disigenuous" because it is a specific attempt to include trivia without calling it "Trivia". They are the same thing.

Why not be honest? Why be disigenuous?

Further to your edit summary. Trivia sections are discouraged; and most of the information in that section is unverified anyway, so there's a strong argument for removing it completely. On the issue of edit warring, you have reverted other people's changes three times now, which Wikipedia guidelines regard as edit warring. I suggest you stop. Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:12, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
As I've made very few edits to the article, I can hardly be accused of WP:OWN, and might I suggest you read WP:CIVIL before your next posting. guidelines. A trivia section can contain other information, apart from references in popular culture, and tends to be a magnet for factoids that people want to insert, but can't be bothered to find somewhere in the main body of the text. I think both you and Doctor need to chill out. Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:23, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
You are talking in circles. "In Popular Culture" contains the same trivia and Trivia. Synanyms. Same content, different name. You can't have it both ways and be honest with yourself.
Now, I'll tell you this: I can stop changing "In Popular Culture" to the more accurate "Trivia", but I certainly will not stop adding the "trivia" info box tag. It's trivia. Think it through.
And, yet again, "trivia" is "discuraged" in one or two "policy" discussions. But NOWHERE is trivia banned, dissallowed, officially verboten, or otherwise defined as persona non grata. Therefore it is allowed. But, it must be properly titled if we are to be honest and accurate about the true nature of the content.
By the way, when issuing "3R" nastygrams, keep in mind "it takes two to tango". Thus, such counciling should be ballanced and not lopsided. =//= Johnny Squeaky 19:33, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

It takes TWO to "edit war". Have you left a "nastygram" for "TheycallmetheDoctor" as well, or are you singling me out because you disagree with my position? Most people would consider that an unfair bias. Otherwise known as a "kangaroo court". As for civility, I have been nothing but, and your accusation is offensive (and uncivil). Please don't do it again. =//= Johnny Squeaky 19:26, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Replied on your talk page. Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:40, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
Check my edit history, and you'll see that I did. Now, in the light of that, do you want to re-examine your posting on my talk page? Paul MacDermott (talk) 19:39, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
Not at all. It's a general comment to those who abuse the "3R" issue and turn it into an uncivilized threat, which is used WAY too often (with all the "stop sign" graphics and everything else that scream "I know better than you, so stop doing what I don't like!!!") by cabals of "editors" who like to throw "power" around to achieve their personal views. Such "editors" often resort to what is known as "Wikilawyering" to smother alternative views in an avalanche of arcane rules and "commentaries" (not unlike Torah commentaries) to smother out views that they disagree with. Interestingly, most of the time these "warnings" are dished out without consensus or discussion. Many people get fed up with the "social cliques" of the "high powered" Wiki editors that "shout down" alternative views, and so they simply leave. This is a disservice to Wikipedia.
Significantly, along these same lines, I see you have decided not to comment on the actual subject, but instead become "offended" at an unrelated side issue. Please consider that actual subject, which is "trivia". Again, "In Popular Culture" is a synonym for "Trivia", exactly by common definition - and indeed by actual content - they are the same thing. Are you willing to think about this idea with an open mind and discuss it? Good day.
=//= Johnny Squeaky 20:54, 27 October 2013 (UTC)
My question actually referred to the final comments you left on my talk page re the so-called "nastygram", but never mind. The template you complained about isn't uncivil, but really a heads up to say "do you know you're edit warring?" and "if not, then check out these links". Edit warring catches out the best of us. I once got blocked for it, so I wouldn't want to see it happen to someone else who didn't know about it. Now chill out and stop getting stressed about this. It all happened several hours ago now, and life really is too short to expend unnecessary energy on such things. Paul MacDermott (talk) 00:32, 28 October 2013 (UTC)
Reverting inaccurate and / or vandalist ( the "politically correct" term is "edits in good faith" ) edits is not a matter of the "3R" rule. =//= Johnny Squeaky 02:53, 28 October 2013 (UTC)

Joni James edits

Johnny, I see this is now the third person's changes you've reverted on this page. I'm going to leave it as it is, but I strongly suggest that you refrain from altering it again if someone else changes it. I see you've recently been in trouble and blocked for edit warring, and despite your claims to the contrary, this looks like classic edit warring behaviour to me. Of course you are entitled to make changes (that is the whole idea of Wikipedia after all), but what you shouldn't do is engage in an edit war with someone if they do not agree with your changes, and/or attempt to cherrypick from phrases in the guidelines that you believe support your point of view. You were not correcting vandalism the other day, you were merely reverting something because you didn't happen to like it. I seriously urge you to think about what you're doing in future. Paul MacDermott (talk) 11:31, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

That sounds like a threat. That's mighty uncivil of you. And yet again, you decline to talk about the actual issue, and instead take the low road. Shame on you. =//= Johnny Squeaky 15:34, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 30 October 2013

  • Traffic report: 200 miles in 200 years
    The top 10 encapsulates the history of human aviation; at #1, a Google Doodle celebrating the 216th anniversary of the first parachute jump; at #10, the enduringly popular scifi film Gravity, a paean to human spaceflight. It's odd to think it's taken us 200 years to travel about that many miles up.
  • In the media: Rand Paul plagiarizes Wikipedia?
    While giving a speech on behalf of a gubernatorial candidate, Paul advocated his pro-life position, and compared allowing unrestricted abortions to the film Gattaca. He went on to use strikingly similar language and phraseology in his speech to what the Wikipedia page reads. The Washington Post's article conceded that Wikipedia is a widely used source for trivial information, but mocked the fact that a politician would view it as a reliable source.
  • News and notes: Sex and drug tourism—Wikivoyage's soft underbelly?
    In January we raised several potentially troublesome issues for the Wikimedia movement in taking on Wikivoyage, including the apparent inadequacy of the English Wikivoyage sex-tourism policy, hurriedly strengthened against mention of child sex after our inquiries. However, both sex-tourism and illegal-activities policies remain equivocal about how the site should treat entries about sex tourism more generally, and drugs that are classed as illicit in almost every country. Yet the Signpost has found it remarkably easy to locate material in Wikivoyage that violates both the spirit and the letter of the policies.
  • Featured content: Wrestling with featured content
    This year's WikiCup competition has finished, while three articles, five lists, and six pictures, were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia last week.
  • Recent research: User influence on site policies: Wikipedia vs. Facebook vs. Youtube
    Laura Stein, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, has concluded that, based on her comparison of user policy documents (including the Terms of Service) of YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia, Wikipedia offers the highest level of participation power overall.
  • WikiProject report: Special: Lessons from the dead and dying
    With Halloween, the Day of the Dead, and other gloomy celebrations this week, we're taking a look at Wikipedia's dead and dying. For some dead WikiProjects, the sole purpose of their life was simply to serve as a warning to others. Some of these projects may still be salvageable, but for most, a revival is unlikely. Here are some projects that never got off the ground and the lessons that can be gleaned from their follies

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited 2013 in British radio, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Bob Harris (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 09:07, 4 November 2013 (UTC)

Joanna Yeates

This article might interest you.--BabbaQ (talk) 14:25, 5 November 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, I suspect the film will get it's own article at some point, but it may be worth mentioning somewhere in the Joanna Yeates article. I'll have a think about the best place to do that. Paul MacDermott (talk) 14:34, 5 November 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 06 November 2013

  • News and notes: Alleged "outing" of editor's personal information leads to Wikipedia ban
    As part of the second major "outing" controversy to hit the English Wikipedia in less than a year, the Chelsea/Bradley Manning naming dispute was dragged into the spotlight yet again when the English Wikipedia's Arbitration Committee ruled by motion to remove the administrator tools from and ban long-time Wikipedia contributor Phil Sandifer.
  • Traffic report: Danse Macabre
    It's fair to say that commemorating death was a strong theme this week, with Lou Reed's passing generating interest, as well as a Google Doodle celebrating the costume designer Edith Head. And of course, the world's greatest celebrations of the dead, Halloween and the Day of the Dead, were also popular this week.
  • Featured content: Five years of work leads to 63-article featured topic
    HMS Hood, one of the most famous warships of the Second World War, was a battlecruiser and therefore part of what is now the largest featured topic on Wikipedia: "Battlecruisers of the world". The topic was promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia last week alongside eleven articles, three lists, four pictures, and two other topics.
  • WikiProject report: WikiProject Accessibility
    This week, we spent some time with WikiProject Accessibility, a project that strives to make Wikipedia accessible for users with disabilities. The project improves Wikipedia's guidelines and Manual of Style, collects useful templates and scripts, and provides support to impaired Wikipedians.
  • Arbitration report: Ebionites 3 case closed
    The Ebionites 3 case has closed with an interaction ban for the two editors involved in the dispute.

YGM

Hello, This is Paul. Please check your email; you've got mail!
It may take a few minutes from the time the email is sent for it to show up in your inbox. You can at any time by removing the {{You've got mail}} or {{ygm}} template.

We hope (talk) 21:36, 9 November 2013 (UTC)

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Johann Lamont, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Daily Record (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 09:27, 11 November 2013 (UTC)

A strange one

Hey Paul MacD, how are you? I've missed your GARs – but then I could always get around to returning favours sometime, I guess ...

Anyway, I've got a real strange one here ... If you're not too busy, would you be able to look in at User talk:Quadell#mirror images? It's regarding a new Harrison biography, which – well, it basically rips off Wikipedia's Harrison album and song articles. Mighty strange, mighty true, and mighty weird.

What I'm hoping is, you might want to follow the link from Quadell's page and hit "helpful" on my Amazon review for the book – which I've signed as "HariG". In the interests of drawing attention to this issue – which, the more I think about it, is really concerning and far-reaching – I'd simply like to ensure that the review is helpful=popular enough to register in the listing's main space. Quite understand if you'd rather not of course (but I hope you do!). Many thanks. Best, JG66 (talk) 18:28, 9 November 2013 (UTC)

Hi again Paul. Just wanted to say thanks for your message and your support with this issue. I think the next step, apart from looking into some of Quadell's suggestions, is for me to write to the publishers with a detailed list of all the (let's be charitable …) overlaps between the book and the Wikipedia articles. What a drag – every time I look at it, I see something new ... Oh, and I don't want you to think I was suggesting you should be doing GARs again, by the way. It's high time I did some reviewing, given all the help I've received – and how at times I've had five or six song articles contributing to the backlog! Thanks again, JG66 (talk) 01:02, 10 November 2013 (UTC)
No worries, let me know how it goes. Paul MacDermott (talk) 12:14, 13 November 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 13 November 2013

  • Traffic report: Google Doodlebugs bust the block
    The numbers this week are beyond anything that has been seen since this report began. The top view count beats the average by an order of magnitude. Usually the appearance of numbers this big on the list is due to spamming, but in this case it seems they are due to honest interest; more specifically, Google Doodles, which for the first time claimed all five top slots. This column has raised numerous times the power of a Google Doodle to shine light on Wikipedia, but the wattage has never been as high as this.
  • Special report: FDC staff raise the benchmarks for activities, impact, planning, and governance
    The supporting staff of the Wikimedia Foundation’s powerful volunteer Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) have released their assessments for the third half-yearly round of funding applications. The applications for the newly named annual plan grants were submitted by affiliated entities on 1 October, and comprise a total of more than US$5M in bids.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Johann Lamont, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page National Union of Students (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 09:15, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 20 November 2013

  • From the editor: The Signpost needs your help
    As I said in August, contributing to the Signpost can be one of the most rewarding things an editor can do. The genre is refreshingly different from that of Wikipedia articles, and can allow writers to use a different range of skills. The need for an independent, volunteer-run Signpost continues to grow, given the increasing complexity and financial expenditures of the global Wikimedia movement, not to mention the English Wikipedia.
  • Book review: Peter Burke's Social History of Knowledge—ambitious, fascinating, and exhaustive
    Peter Burke's A Social History of Knowledge: Volume II: From the Encyclopédie to Wikipedia is a broad and wide-ranging look at how knowledge has been created, acquired, organized, disseminated, and sometimes lost in the Western world over the last two and a half centuries, a sequel to his 2000 book covering the prior three centuries, A Social History of Knowledge: From Gutenberg to Diderot.
  • Featured content: Rockin' the featured pictures
    Four articles, five lists, and thirty-four pictures were promoted to 'featured status' this week, including an image of a small fraction of the 18,000 taxis that serve Hong Kong.
  • WikiProject report: Score! American football on Wikipedia
    This week, we headed over to WikiProject National Football League. With 10 Featured Articles, 61 Featured Lists, and 142 Good Articles (as of publication), this WikiProject has done a lot of work improving American football articles.
  • News and notes: Foundation to Wiki-PR: cease and desist; Arbitration Committee elections starting
    The Wikimedia Foundation has sent a formal cease and desist letter to Wiki-PR—the public relations agency accused of breaking Wikipedia policies and guidelines by creating, editing, and maintaining several thousand articles for paying clients through a sophisticated array of accounts. The Foundation's attorneys, Cooley LLP, have demanded that Wiki-PR's employees abide by the site's Terms of Use and the language of a community ban from the English Wikipedia.
  • Traffic report: Ill Winds
    It's not hard to guess which event is leading interest in the top 25 this week. The sheer scale of Typhoon Haiyan is staggering; estimates place its maximum windspeed upon first landfall in the Philippines on November 6 at 315 km/h, which would make it the most powerful tropical cyclone ever to reach land. To date, the storm has killed nearly 4000 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 4 million homes.
  • Arbitration report: WMF opens the door for non-admin arbitrators
    Back in March, when the March 25 Arbitration Report covered the Audit Subcommittee appointment discussion, a statement from the WMF legal division clarified its position that access to deleted revisions required an RFA or RFA-identical process; therefore AUSC committee appointments were not open to non-admins. The WMF legal team has now further clarified its position, saying that running for and winning an election for arbitrator would qualify as the type of rigorous community selection process required for the checkuser and oversight rights held by arbitrators.

Joanna Yeates

This article might interest you. And this as well.--BabbaQ (talk) 10:26, 24 November 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for those. I've added a bit more about the drama, but think it'll probably need to have its own article as more information becomes available. Quite surprised ITV are doing something about this so soon though. It's all still fairly recent. Paul MacDermott (talk) 13:34, 24 November 2013 (UTC)
Yes, I made a small mention in the article as you noticed, and I agree with you that the drama will probably needs it's own article pretty soon when more information becomes available.--BabbaQ (talk) 13:47, 24 November 2013 (UTC)

Gabriela Isler

Hi, I have included a well sourced incident concerning Gabriela Isler in her article. Now another user who is a evident pageant fan and huge fan of Isler removes the sourced material. And he also left me a quite nasty message at my talk page. I might be wrong but I think Wikipedia should not censor material even if it does not favour the person. Perhaps a change of the "controversy"name or similar would do. We have other Miss Universe winners articles which includes similar material of incidents such a Leila Lopes. Isler is a public figure now and tweets about a president is notable in this context I think. Regards, --BabbaQ (talk) 13:56, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Please leave a message to the user explaining this. He only keeps harrassing me so. Regards,--BabbaQ (talk) 15:39, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

vauxhall heli crash

State of England doesn't exist. Internationally we have just United Kingdom.

Replied on your talk page. Paul MacDermott (talk) 13:20, 30 November 2013 (UTC)

McStay family murder

Hi, I would like to get your opinion about making an article about the McStay family murder, you know the family that went missing in California in 2010 and was found murdered last week in the dessert. There are alot of material so let me know what you think before I proceed with anything.--BabbaQ (talk) 17:33, 24 November 2013 (UTC)

I'm not personally familiar with the case, we don't seem to have had much news coverage of it here in the UK, but news has been dominated this week by the Lambeth slavery case among other things. Sounds like something that would be notable though, and I see there's some international coverage, so I'd say go for it. Paul MacDermott (talk) 17:50, 24 November 2013 (UTC)
Just noticed we have 2011 murder of the Ding family which was a notable case in the UK, so I think an article about the McStay family murder would be ok. Paul MacDermott (talk) 13:42, 27 November 2013 (UTC)
Yes. I have made an article on the McStay family murder. Take a look,--BabbaQ (talk) 20:45, 1 December 2013 (UTC)
Looks interesting. Paul MacDermott (talk) 22:14, 3 December 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 04 December 2013

  • Traffic report: Kennedy shot Who
    Summary:Doctor Who nearly got cancelled in its first week because its premiere was swamped by coverage of the JFK assassination, which happened the same day. Thankfully, producers saw fit to rerun it the next day, which is now its official anniversary date.
  • News and notes: One decade of Wikisource; FDC recommendations raise serious questions
    The sister project Wikisource, the digital library that hosts free-content primary sources, is now a decade old. Wikisource, which now has versions in 63 languages, is the sixth type of project to reach ten-year milestone and will be the last until 2016. The Wikimedia Foundation's volunteer Funds Dissemination Committee has published its recommendations to the Board of Trustees on 11 new applications for annual grants by 11 WMF-affiliated organisations. The maximum total budget for the current and upcoming March rounds is US$6M.
  • WikiProject report: Electronic Apple Pie
    This week, we returned to WikiProject Apple Inc. for a peek at their newest articles about the latest in gadgets and software. The last time we took a bite out of WikiProject Apple, they had just finished merging WikiProject Macintosh and WikiProject iPhone OS. Today, the project is hard at work rewriting their primary article, improving the subject's outline, and adding to the project's list of 25 Good Articles and 6 Featured Articles.
  • Featured content: F*&!
    Seventeen articles, four lists, and twenty-eight pictures were promoted to "featured" status in the last two weeks.

Talk:Death of Lee Rigby

No prob's - almost thought the same thing, until I scrolled all the way down! Nick Cooper (talk) 13:00, 5 December 2013 (UTC)

The Wikipedia Library's Books and Bytes newsletter (#2)

Books & Bytes

Sign up for monthly delivery

Welcome to the second issue of The Wikipedia Library's Books & Bytes newsletter! Read on for updates about what is going on at the intersection of Wikipedia and the library world.

Wikipedia Library highlights: New accounts, new surveys, new positions, new presentations...

Spotlight on people: Another Believer and Wiki Loves Libraries...

Books & Bytes in brief: From Dewey to Diversity conference...

Further reading: Digital library portals around the web...
Read Books & Bytes

The Interior (talk · contribs), Ocaasi (talk · contribs) 16:48, 5 December 2013 (UTC)

The Wikipedia Library Survey

As a subscriber to one of The Wikipedia Library's programs, we'd like to hear your thoughts about future donations and project activities in this brief survey. Thanks and cheers, Ocaasi t | c 15:47, 9 December 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 11 December 2013

  • Traffic report: Deaths of Mandela, Walker top the list
    When one edits this page for too long, one is tempted to appoint oneself as the psychoanalyst for the human race, or at least the English-speaking portion thereof. Since nearly everyone uses Wikipedia, the constant stream of TV updates, pointless celebrity scandals, and inquiries after who has died can seem like a dreary peek into humanity's surprisingly banal collective consciousness.
  • In the media: Edward Snowden a "hero"; German Wikipedia court ruling
    Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales caught headlines last week when he referred to former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden ... Loek Essers of the International Data Group, (IDG) News Service is reporting that a German court has held Wikipedia liable for its content, but still does not have to fact check the information in advance.
  • News and notes: Wiki Loves Monuments—winners announced
    Amid great anticipation the international prize winners have just been announced for the fourth annual Wiki Loves Monuments, now the world's largest photographic competition and one of the biggest events on the Wikimedia movement's calendar. ... The first prize has gone to David Gubler's photograph of a Swiss train crossing a viaduct.
  • WikiProject report: WikiProject Wine
    This week, the Signpost interviewed the Wine WikiProject.
  • Interview: Wikipedia's first Featured Article centurion
    On 7 December, Wikipedia editor Wehwalt reached the momentous milestone of 100 featured articles with History of Chincoteague, Virginia. Quite apart from the reading and research, that's around three-quarters of a million words of finalised text, not counting footnotes, image captions and the rest.
  • Featured content: Viewer discretion advised
    Three articles, one list, and eight pictures were promoted to "featured" status on the English Wikipedia last week.
  • Technology report: MediaWiki 1.22 released
    On 6 December, the latest version of the MediaWiki software was released. In development from March 2013 through October 2013, the release featured anti-spam and counter-vandalism improvements.

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited Death and state funeral of Nelson Mandela, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Peter Robinson (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 09:06, 16 December 2013 (UTC)

Hi there, I see that you are a reasonably seasoned editor, so I'm a bit surprised you coming along and removing redlinks from articles. Have a read of Wikipedia:Red link. Schwede66 17:17, 16 December 2013 (UTC)

I noticed the article is up for GAN, and remember reading somewhere once that ideally, redlinks should be avoided in Good and Featured articles, but this essay seems to suggest they're ok. As they refer to notable people you might be planning to create them. I've no objection if you want to put them back. Nice article, btw. Paul MacDermott (talk) 17:45, 16 December 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 18 December 2013

  • Traffic report: Hopper to the top
    An animated Google Doodle for computer programmer and naval rear admiral Grace Hopper generated another record-breaking hit count for the year, though the count for the list overall was lower than for that of the previous holder.
  • News and notes: Nine new arbitrators announced
    A little more than six days after the close of voting, the results of the annual Arbitration Committee (ArbCom) elections have been announced. Of the 22 candidates, 13 managed to gain more supports than opposes, though only one gained the support of more than half of the voters. Eight were elected to two-year terms, and a ninth will serve for one year.
  • Technology report: Introducing the GLAMWikiToolset
    This week, the GLAMWikiToolset, or GWToolset, is being deployed to the Wikimedia Commons. It allows for GLAM organizations to batch upload content based on various metadata stored in an XML schema. In the past this has been done by various bots, but now it will be easier for GLAMs to do it directly.

Peru Two

The Peru Two finally got their sentences today.--BabbaQ (talk) 22:22, 17 December 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, I just caught something about this on BBC News, but didn't see the whole thing. Here's a link to the story, but I'll have to do some research before I can do anything with the article. Paul MacDermott (talk) 00:16, 18 December 2013 (UTC)
I have created a stub about the Disappearance of Jayden Parkinson a case which has becomed a "new Joanna Yeates" story in the UK. With alot of coverage.--BabbaQ (talk) 13:54, 19 December 2013 (UTC)
It has had a lot of coverage, but I suspect there'll be an afd discussion about it in the next few hours. Paul MacDermott (talk) 14:05, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

Holiday Cheer

Holiday Cheer
BabbaQ talkback is wishing you Season's Greetings! This message celebrates the holiday season, promotes WikiLove, and hopefully makes your day a little better. Spread the seasonal good cheer by wishing another user a Merry Christmas and aHappy New Year, whether it be someone with whom you had disagreements in the past, a good friend, or just some random person. Share the good feelings. - BabbaQ

Thanks. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you also. Can't believe it's already here again. Paul MacDermott (talk) 13:46, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

Jo Stafford says, "Listen to me and have a Happy Holiday!"

Jo Stafford says, "Listen to me and have a Happy Holiday!"
Here's hoping your holidays will be happy and that many more "Jo related" items you've been wanting are wrapped as gifts with your name on them! We hope (talk) 19:49, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

My apologies

Thank you for your messages. I do understand the situation now.

I do thank you and I would like to apologize for my behavior. I thought you were doing some vandalism toward my contributions. I was being immature and I hope you will excuse me.

I read the Wikipedia rules and I will now try to write the things I still think are important to be said about The Girl (with sources talking about the topic).

Thank you again. Fay1682 (talk) 21:43, 27 December 2013 (UTC)

I can't tell you how sorry I still am... it's was childish from me. But right now, I did improve The Girl again and I would like to know if you can take a look at it. Thank you Fay1682 (talk) 22:41, 27 December 2013 (UTC)

The Signpost: 25 December 2013

  • WikiProject report: More Great WikiProject Logos
    We saved one last special report for 2013. After our well-received review of great WikiProject logos a couple years ago, it was only a matter of time before we collected a new batch of interesting iconography that showcases the creativity of the Wikipedia community. Hopefully, these logos will also inspire other projects to liven up their drab pages.
  • News and notes: IEG round 2 funding rewards diverse ambitions
    A significant move by the Wikimedia Foundation has been to broaden the types of activities it funds to develop several different programs for judging and allocating that funding, and to set up volunteer committees that initially assess applications for funding.
  • Technology report: OAuth: future of user designed tools
    Last month, the OAuth extension was deployed to all Wikimedia wikis. OAuth is a standard used for allowing users to authenticate third-party applications, also known as consumers, to take actions on their behalf.

Joanna Yeates

Some interesting developments in the Yeates case. [1]. [2].[3].[4].--BabbaQ (talk) 21:31, 27 December 2013 (UTC)

My apologies for not responding on Friday, I don't seem to have been alerted about this message, and missed it when a later one was posted. I've tweaked your addition to the article a bit, and will look into starting a page about the film. There seems to be enough material about it now to get something underway. Paul MacDermott (talk) 09:52, 29 December 2013 (UTC)

Another page archive source

The Wayback Machine is now offering "Save Page Now" and will archive any present internet page if the site allows crawlbots. Unlike WebCite, there's no need to give an e-mail addy, but you'll need to bookmark the pages you archive because Wayback Machine doesn't send you a copy of the link. We hope (talk) 00:17, 28 December 2013 (UTC)

WebCite hasn't worked for me for a few months, so thanks for the link. I just tested it out by archiving the url for this BBC story and it's working really well. Paul MacDermott (talk) 20:22, 28 December 2013 (UTC)
Didn't know WebCite wasn't working. Quit using it after it made my A/V go off whenever I tried to go to the site to archive. Is there somewhere we could copy the information re: Wayback's page archiving so others who'd like to use it would know it exists? We hope (talk) 15:49, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
Not sure if it's actually stopped working or whether it was just me. It seemed to coincide with upgrading to Windows 7, after which I couldn't get it to archive anything, so I could've done something wrong. We have a how-to guide for the Wayback Machine, but it looks like it's a bit out of date. I don't know if there's a WikiProject that covers this sort of thing, but it might be worth asking at WP:HELPDESK. Paul MacDermott (talk) 16:24, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
If I remember correctly, WC had said in its fundraising that if it became necessary to shut down, it would maintain the database, but just not allow any new archiving. You can try testing it like this without going to the site:
  • replacing urltoarchive with the full URL of the page to be archived, and youremail with your e-mail address.
WebCite's article mentions the "Save Page Now" on Wayback; I think the Internet Archive article would be about right with a new section on their archiving feature, which started at the end of October of this year. We hope (talk)
Just did the section I spoke of above on the Internet Archive article. We hope (talk) 17:00, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
Thanks again for the link. I had better success using it this way. The article Most storm-hit homes 'to get power back on Sunday' has archived here, so it looks like it'll be usable until they decide whether or not to freeze it. I think mentioning this at the Internet archive article is definitely a good idea. Paul MacDermott (talk) 17:11, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
If they do shut down, I think your new WebCite would be fine, as they promised to maintain everything there prior to that point, if it happens. We hope (talk) 17:19, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
That's good, I wouldn't want to have to search for and re-archive everything again. :) I've just been looking for a possible date when it might close, and came across this discussion which you might find interesting. It looks like WM have proposed taking the service over, although I don't know if that's happened. Paul MacDermott (talk) 17:53, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
Seems like there's been no new talk since September. See that there were server issues and they were in the process of moving to another one at Amazon. Looks like he knows money's needed but can't decide how to solve that problem. We hope (talk) 18:37, 29 December 2013 (UTC)

Hi. Thank you for your recent edits. Wikipedia appreciates your help. We noticed though that when you edited 2014 in British television, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page ITV (check to confirm | fix with Dab solver). Such links are almost always unintended, since a disambiguation page is merely a list of "Did you mean..." article titles. Read the FAQ • Join us at the DPL WikiProject.

It's OK to remove this message. Also, to stop receiving these messages, follow these opt-out instructions. Thanks, DPL bot (talk) 09:02, 30 December 2013 (UTC)

Forgot to leave you this-

Google Newspaper Archive has moved to Google sites:

site:google.com/newspapers "the Berlin wall"-example of how to now locate old newspapers. Search is now done through Google web and not via Google news as it was previously.

Even though these newspapers have moved, any links to them in use remain the same.

And you can imagine my sinking feeling when I thought the old links might not work :) We hope (talk) 20:44, 30 December 2013 (UTC)
Ever since they decided to stop scanning newspapers, the search has been difficult. It's also been limited in the number of hits it will display. :( (Am hoping we get some news archive subscriptions here because of that.) Google Books also hasn't been working right for some time, especially for searching magazines. Going through Billboard used to be easy; now it's a chore to try to "beat" what you're looking for out of it. We hope (talk) 23:02, 30 December 2013 (UTC)
There are times when the news stories turn up easier for me when I use Bing search. We hope (talk) 23:04, 30 December 2013 (UTC)
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:This_is_Paul/Archive17