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Possible rangeblock in Kolkata area?[edit]

The above and many more more are all the same person, based in Kolkata and using the BSNL ISP. They have admitted to being B de2002 (talk · contribs) and were initially contributing to family articles such as Basanta Kumar De, Barun De and Jyotish Chandra De. They've since moved on to articles such as Kumar Suresh Singh and Obaid Siddiqi, changing dates, adding unsourced material, writing hagiography etc. While some articles have been semi-protected, we could go on for ever here. Since they have admitted who they are - eg: here - they are not sockpuppeting.

I don't understand why they are not logging in and I don't understand why all of these are static IPs yet they are changing almost by the hour. Qwyrxian did ask about the logging-in issue but I'm afraid that I cannot find it among the huge number of IP addresses that they have been using. Is there scope for some sort of range block here? My suspicion is that the range will be too big and this report is too vague but I'm getting a bit fed up of it. - Sitush (talk) 06:13, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

    • Another option might be semi-protecting those three articles, if not done already. --TitoDutta 06:21, 22 August 2013 (UTC) Semi is a nice idea. --TitoDutta 06:32, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Some have been - Kumar Suresh Singh, for example - but this has the potential to run and run. - Sitush (talk) 06:23, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • (edit conflict) (off) You can send those guys who are eager to talk to me, De family is a notable Bengali family. --TitoDutta 06:32, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • In India, one way to explain the IP hopping would be an ISP's use of carrier-grade NAT, where these are the outgoing public IPs.--Jasper Deng (talk) 06:28, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • A range block of BSNL in Kolkata isn't the best option, many many institutes, colleges, and universities use BSNL and the collateral damage is likely worse than playing whack-a-mole. Just ping me on my TP with individual pages and I'll sprotect them based on the need. —SpacemanSpiff 06:34, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks SpacemanSpiff; I've already probably crossed over to "involved", although on some of the articles its still questionable. But having someone else to do the protecting makes it safe on all sides. Qwyrxian (talk) 10:11, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Bingo1on1[edit]

User made personal attack. Please block. Also please block Sampanchaa (talk · contribs), who is a sockpuppet. Insulam Simia (talk) 09:04, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I have blocked both accounts and deleted one of the articles she/he was trying to "save" from speedy deletion by removing the CSD tags in concert. I think the other article you rescued from CSD (Savio D'Sa) should also be deleted under WP:CSD#A7, but I'll leave that one at AfD since it was an uninvolved user who declined the CSD. Qwyrxian (talk) 10:09, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Herbxue[edit]

User: Herbxue (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

Page: Acupuncture (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)

The user Herbxue has been engaged in an edit war on the Acupuncture article. The user was warned previously about 3rr here. A few months ago, violated 3rr warned here. Most recently, violated 3rr ([1], [2], [3]) and warned again here. He continued the edit war ([4] [5] [6]), engaged in personal attacks on the talk page, and showed no remorse/understanding of the edit warring. He gives personal attacks in edit summaries and edit wars asking for an admin to take action.

In summery, the user is an WP:SPA with a history of bias/disruptive editing in acupuncture-related articles. Recently, he's escalated to personal attacks and edit warring, including 3RR violations. TippyGoomba (talk) 03:17, 15 August 2013 (UTC)

Well, Im glad you posted this because its time for an admin to look into this issue. This mostly has to do with the questionable scientific basis of acupuncture, which is obviously a very controversial issue. But to be fair, I dont think Herbxue has any intent to engage in edit wars and I do feel that he is putting in a lot of effort to engage in discussions on the talk page and, until recently, was not that active in editing at all. At least not before I made that controversial edit regarding the effects of acupuncture. In any case, I hope any admin looking into this matter would be neutral and impartial, without any prejudices against this topic and its editors, or else the dispute won't end. -A1candidate (talk) 06:40, 15 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for referring to the talk page discussions, A1Candidate. On all the recent controversial issues, I have either defended existing text, suggested compromises in wording on Mallexikon's edits to satisfy Dominus, suggested compromised wording on the issue of "theory" to satisfy Dominus, and more recently suggested mutually agreeable wording on the placebo issue. All this was met with immediate unexplained reverts by Dominus, who clearly has a strong POV, stating that acupuncture is practiced by "quacks". Dominus and Tippy have repeatedly restored wording that is controversial and not supported by the sources. When repeatedly asked to justify their edit using the source, Tippy responds by accusing ME of edit-warring. It is amazing that Tippy has the nerve to accuse me of edit warring when I have been the one trying to engage in the actual content issue while Tippy lectures me with WP policy that he himself is violating.
Please see my talk page and the acupuncture talk page under the subjects "medical procedure?", "theories?" and especially "its effects are due to placebo" to get a feel for how things have progressed the way they did. You will see a clear pattern of me trying to reach consensus and being reasonable, while Dominus and Tippy show a pattern of disruptive and disrespectful editing.Herbxue (talk) 14:30, 15 August 2013 (UTC)
I would agree with the sentiments of both A1candidate and Herbexue. There has been a habit of drive-by editing/reverting by Tippy and Dominus at the acupuncture article, with no apparent effort shown to AGF or to even read the sources or verify the text that they are editing. Herbexue has made repeated requests at their talk pages and at the acupuncture talk page to address the article content, but the focus has been left on Herbexue himself rather than on the content or edits.Puhlaa (talk) 15:39, 15 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Taking a quick glance at this since no one else is commenting: while I am skeptical of acupuncture and am inclined to think the page needs to be edited to be less promotional, it looks there's a good chance of a boomerang here. I have to get on my high horse a little bit. You can't just write something on Wikipedia and cite as a source something that directly contradicts it. My view is that ranks among the highest crimes one can commit on Wikipedia, especially if it is deliberate (but even if it is just negligent, as in the case of the Jagged affair). To bring this to ANI at this point seems remarkably brazen, as if there's an assumption that neutral parties can't read or comprehend sources. The article lead says right now: "General scientific consensus maintains that the effects of acupuncture are due to placebo, and is therefore solely dependent on a patient's expectation of treatment outcomes". Three scientific reviews are cited. As pointed out calmly on the talkpage, none of the sources support this statement. The only one that comes close is the Ernst paper, which only says: "In conclusion, acupuncture remains steeped in controversy. Some findings are encouraging but others suggest that its clinical effects mainly depend on a placebo response". The others two say (2) "A small analgesic effect of acupuncture was found, which seems to lack clinical relevance and cannot be clearly distinguished from bias" or (3 - Cochrane review) "For chronic low-back pain, acupuncture is more effective for pain relief and functional improvement than no treatment or sham treatment immediately after treatment and in the short-term only". Note that edit-warring goes both ways, but if someone is deliberately misrepresenting academic sources in Wikipedia, that seems much more problematic, and the party which should be looked at closely is the one working to include misrepresentation. Now, maybe one of these reviews, particularly the last one, really needs to be dropped. The argument can be made and hashed out, perhaps with the help of people at RS/N or something. It looks like Dominus is at least making an attempt to explain why some high-quality sources should be discounted (altho concluding consensus, when every source talks rather about controversy and uncertainty, seems untenable at this point), but I don't see the same at all from Tippy, whose comment when accused of lying was simply "no, u". I can't promise to be engaged in this conversation as I'll be traveling most of tomorrow. My hope is that future participants here resist the urge to slip into an alternate reality where the brazen source misrepresentation is not happening, simply because of the subject at hand and many people's preconceived opinions. Sometimes problems are just so obvious and incontrovertible that they have to be acknowledged. II | (t - c) 04:42, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
I would be pleased address the content and sourcing issues you've raised. If you are able to spare the time, please bring them to the talk page. TippyGoomba (talk) 06:19, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
The above is possibly the most breath-taking missing-the-point comment I have seen at Wikipedia. TippyGoomba raised a report at ANI only to receive a detailed statement explaining that using a source to assert a fact when the source does not assert that fact is one of the highest crimes that can be committed at Wikipedia, and that Tippy is apparently supporting the statement of a fact when the three sources do not verify the statement. I saw the Jagged affair mentioned above, and agree that misuse of sources is far worse than vandalism and personal attacks and hoax articles. Tippy needs to assess the position and respond at ANI: Is it the case that some attempts to oppose fringe views have been excessive? Is Tippy going to remove the unverified assertion? Is Tippy denying what ImperfectlyInformed wrote above? The community must reject misuse of sources even when the misuse is "in a good cause". Johnuniq (talk) 00:07, 17 August 2013 (UTC)
I believe the sources do verify the assertion. I don't think that has any relation to the user conduct issue I've raised above. Even if Herbxue were correct on this issue, that doesn't change the fact he's a disruptive WP:SPA, with a history of edit-warring. I don't think there should be two parallel content conversations taking place here and on the talk page. TippyGoomba (talk) 02:49, 17 August 2013 (UTC)
The argument at Talk:Acupuncture#"Its effects are due to placebo" seems to be that a medical trial looks for evidence that a proposed treatment is more effective than a placebo, and therefore pretty well any source can be used to verify "the effects of acupuncture are due to placebo" because that default position applies until evidence to the contrary is available. The fact that the three sources do not support that statement is (apparently) not relevant because the reader should understand the default position of medical science. While there is a lot of merit in those statements, the article simply must be reworded (for example, to assert that the only known benefit is from placebo) as it is not satisfactory for a source to be used where verification relies on the editor "believing" the source verifies a statement which does not appear in the source. The question of whether there is a problem with another editor's behavior is very much secondary to whether Wikipedia's voice should be used to assert something that is not in the any of the three sources. Johnuniq (talk) 04:13, 17 August 2013 (UTC)
Were the reverse true, we would not discuss user conduct on the talk page of the Acupuncture article. Similarly, I don't think this is the appropriate venue to discuss changes to the article. If an admin wants me to rehash the argument here, I'd be happy to do so. TippyGoomba (talk) 04:43, 17 August 2013 (UTC)

Bumping this. I hope an admin has some time to take a look. TippyGoomba (talk) 03:01, 18 August 2013 (UTC) Still looking for someone to take a look. TippyGoomba (talk) 04:13, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

I had to re-read the links I provided above as I'm still basically shocked at the situation. I'm considering the best approach to handling the lying about sources. My priority right now is straightening out the outright misconduct and lying, which is as much a disservice to the authors of the scientific papers as it is to the readers. I'm also a little concerned about what other articles may have been affected, although it is nice that the edits are anti-promotional. I have no interest in engaging in a discussion on an article talkpage with someone who cannot even agree to basic factual statements. This is basically is the most flagrant and deliberate misrepresentation I've seen in around six years of floating around Wikipedia in numerous different topic areas, particularly in that the statement in the article directly contradicts the sources. After doing some research just now, I've discovered that the edit originated with User:A1candidate (3 August diff) but User:Dominus Vobisdu and User:TippyGoomba have edit-warred over the past couple weeks in numerous instances to keep it; all three defended it on the talkpage after its dishonesty was pointed out (their ally Alexbrn showed some honesty and pushed back a little). My initial reaction is to propose full-on bans from the encyclopedia for all three, as it appears all three have a severe honesty problem. I've never done that before and it's not something I take lightly. However, I doubt it would happen and remediation and social pressure should probably be tried first. I know Johnuniq tried (generously) to convey where exactly this is coming from, but I don't think even the argument which he noticed being proffered is valid, since none of the reviews say that in their top-level (abstract) conclusions, and the Cochrane source (#3 above) actually appears to affirmatively say that the effect is not due to placebo (to be clear, I'm not saying that this source should trump other sources or even be included in the article, just pointing it out to emphasize the extent of the misconduct). To give this more exposure and hopefully bring some sanity to the situation I'm going to ping some of the more active medical people I've encountered who seem to have integrity and competence in using references, including Jmh649, MastCell, Yobol, Zad68, WhatamIdoing, Colin, and SandyGeorgia. These editors are likely skeptical of acupuncture but I hope have enough integrity to recognize when something is wrong. I'm also opening a topic about this at WT:MED. II | (t - c) 09:19, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Just wanted to mention I saw this ping and wanted to thank ImperfectlyInformed for the vote of confidence. I haven't had time this week to really dig into the sources but on first look agree with the others discussing here that generally the flat statement "no better than placebo" isn't representing the sources as faithfully as would be necessary, and some qualification/nuance needs to be added. Would also like to mention/remind everyone that ANI isn't for deciding content issues, they need to be discussed at the article Talk page. ANI discussions like this are supposed to be about problematic editor behavior and this discussion has taken a pretty sharp turn away from that, if there are no pressing disruptive editor behavior issues to discuss at this point, this ANI discussion should be closed. Zad68 01:53, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Can you clarify the issue you see II?
This ref [7] more or less says that acupuncture had a small effort in the literature that was not of real importance and could be do to psychological reasons. It is a systematic review and meta analysis published in the BMJ. One could interpret it to support that acupuncture may have no greater benefit than that of a placebo.
The 2006 Ernst study more clearly states that the majority of the evidence found no greater effect than placebo [8]
So yes I disagree with the wording changes proposed by A1c [9] Yet this user added the other wording here [10] Anyway will need to look at things more when I have greater time. I guess the key is "may" was left out. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 11:54, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
One of my points is that if you're going to cite 3 different sources, all 3 better be represented by the statement you're attributing to them. So if only that particular source had been cited, and particularly if the word 'may' was used, the misconduct would not have been nearly as egregious and I wouldn't be having a fit. The 'scientific consensus' is being written in which I believe would be original research, but there's room to debate around there. However, citing 3 sources, one of which is a bit more contradictory, and then edit-warring over a period of 2 weeks to include that misrepresentation when someone points out to you on the talkpage that it is not precisely correct, and then further digging your heels in and refusing to explain (as if everything is up for debate and content is not relevant when dealing with content disputes) just crosses the line into craziness. It seems like the lead could fairly say that the effect is "probably" due to a placebo effect, but there's actually a huge world of difference between "probably" and "conclusively, we know, let's close the book and go home". II | (t - c) 14:03, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

The edit referred to here: "General scientific consensus maintains that the effects of acupuncture are due to placebo, and is therefore dependent on a patient's expectation of treatment outcomes" cites two sources, and II mentions a third source:

  1. Ernst 2006 whose abstract says, "Some findings are encouraging but others suggest that its clinical effects mainly depend on a placebo response."
  2. Madsen et al. 2009 which says, "A small analgesic effect of acupuncture was found, which seems to lack clinical relevance and cannot be clearly distinguished from bias. Whether needling at acupuncture points, or at any site, reduces pain independently of the psychological impact of the treatment ritual is unclear."
  3. Furlan et al. 2008 which says, "There is evidence that acupuncture, added to other conventional therapies, relieves pain and improves function better than the conventional therapies alone. However, effects are only small. Dry-needling appears to be a useful adjunct to other therapies for chronic low-back pain. No clear recommendations could be made about the most effective acupuncture technique. ... The data do not allow firm conclusions about the effectiveness of acupuncture for acute low-back pain. For chronic low-back pain, acupuncture is more effective for pain relief and functional improvement than no treatment or sham treatment immediately after treatment and in the short-term only. Acupuncture is not more effective than other conventional and “alternative” treatments. The data suggest that acupuncture and dry-needling may be useful adjuncts to other therapies for chronic low-back pain. Because most of the studies were of lower methodological quality, there certainly is a further need for higher quality trials in this area."

That is, the cited sources stress the uncertainty around the the question of whether there is more than a placebo effect. The edit does misrepresent those sources, none of which says anything about the general scientific consensus. I haven't looked at the talk page or the article's recent history: If editors are continuing to argue for or edit war over this assertion, on the basis of those three sources, an admin may need to consider counseling those editors, and topic-banning if the counseling doesn't work. --Anthonyhcole (talk · contribs · email) 12:06, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

It is more than just misrepresenting the 3 sources provided; newer secondary sources are also being ignored in favour of older sources that are more critical of the therapy! Vickers et al 2012 source was in the lead a month ago, it concludes that acupuncture is more than placebo when it comes to treating chronic pain, but it was removed during one of the rounds of edit-warring taking place at Acupuncture article. Puhlaa (talk) 15:11, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Whether that meta-analysis should be cited in the article will depend on a lot of things. How it, published in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, compares with recent reviews in higher impact journals specialising in pain treatment and assessment, such as Pain or Journal of Pain, will be a factor. Whether the authors have recognised expertise in pain science and meta-analysis will be a factor. Whether the meta-analysis has been criticised, on what grounds and by whom will be a factor.
If you think there is habitual misuse of sources or unconscionable bias occurring, you'll need to make a clear and concise but thorough case to that effect, probably in an RFC. --Anthonyhcole (talk · contribs · email) 18:32, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Yeah, I am not sure why the 'Vickers' source that I linked to was in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine,, it must be a re-publication? The original source is actually published in Archives of Internal Medicine - see this source.Puhlaa (talk) 18:44, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
My point is that your complaint that the meta-analysis is being ignored is meaningless without context. There may be many good reasons for not mentioning a recent meta-analysis. If you want to bring that forward somewhere as proof of biased editing (an RFC is probably the only valid venue, if your intention is to prove habitual biased editing), you'll first need to make the case that the meta-analysis is worth mentioning in the article. (I see, for instance, there has been some to-and-fro correspondence in Internal Medicine.) This is not the place to discuss any of that, though. If the same editors are still pushing that misrepresentation about "general consensus", come back here and, in a just world, that will be addressed by an unbiased admin. --Anthonyhcole (talk · contribs · email) 19:49, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

So we need to change the wording to "may be due to placebo". Agree that the current wording is overreaching and there is a great deal of uncertainty. We should be using newer refs as mentioned as some of the ones currently being used are a little old. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 00:44, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Have altered the text in question in this edit here [11] to more accurately reflect the literature referenced. I do not see any nefarious intent in the users here. Just a bit of over stating the conclusions of the sources in question that can be easily dealt with hopefully with a few more eyes. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 07:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
WRT Herbexu I do not see a fourth revert within 24hours and thus they have come close but not broken the bright line. At this point I would recommend a RfC rather than further reverting. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 07:46, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
What are you saying? It's not uncommon for therapies to have unclear mechanisms, even among some prescription drugs. That source (NIH Medline) says: "Research has shown that acupuncture reduces nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemotherapy. It can also relieve pain. Researchers don't fully understand how acupuncture works" and goes on to mention some theories. It's not a high-quality source but it's not saying that acupuncture is placebo. II | (t - c) 15:45, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The point I want to make is that if we want to include placebo as a possible mechanism then its only fair to include other proven mechanisms too. MEDLINE is a high quality source. -A1candidate (talk) 08:23, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
MEDLINE is not a source; it's a database. (And there is no "proven mechanism"!) This thread needs to be closed, imo. 86.130.63.47 (talk) 19:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
How is a database not a source? The placebo effect is not a proven mechanism either -A1candidate (talk) 20:15, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Re MEDLINE, please see Wikipedia's guidelines on reliable medical sourcing (MEDRS). 86.130.63.47 (talk) 08:15, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
MEDLINE is a secondary source published by a reliable medical organization (NLB) and its guidelines are based on systematic reviews -A1candidate (talk) 09:30, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Replied at User_talk:A1candidate#MEDLINE_etc.
86.130.63.47 (talk) 12:06, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Comment: I just want to say that I find the mix of genuine content dispute with insinuation of crime in this quasi-judicial forum a concern. Speaking just for myself (and I can't recall editing the page in question), I have done my best in general to contribute to medical content in keeping with WP policies and guidelines, including MEDRS. This ANI thread reinforces my aversion to contribute as a registered user rather than an IP. 86.130.63.47 (talk) 06:24, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

User:Enkyo2 needs to start speaking in English[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


I don't have much of a problem with the guy's point of view on most articles. I actually agree with him quite a lot of the time. But this edit is problematic on several levels: (1) it undermines the RM I had just posted on the talk page by claiming that my MOS argument is invalid and there is "no consensus"; (2) it mentions Wikipedia in the article space; (3) it expresses Enkyo2's personal opinion on the style guideline in the article space; and (4) Enkyo2 appears not to know what a "homorganic consonant" is (his wording implies it's some kind of set group of consonants). This would not be much of a problem with another editor, but because of Enkyo2's "unique" use of abstract philosophical language and so on it is very difficult to discuss things with him. I'm not the first one to notice this but I think something really needs to be done about it. Can someone tell him to please speak in English? Hijiri 88 (やや) 14:10, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

That diff is in English - though you are right in saying there are numerous other issues with it. GiantSnowman 14:14, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I know. By "English" I meant "English that normal Wikipedians are likely to be able to understand". I know it's not the best example of abstract philosophical language either, but still. It's also kind of unclear whether he wants this page to be moved or he's trying to establish consensus against moving so he can go back to his versions of the other pages. I'm not assuming bad faith -- I'm trying to assume good faith, but it's always impossible to tell with him. And it's all off-record so I can't prove it, but what happened originally was I sent him a (friendly) e-mail about the moves and got no response, but while logged in to this account to send the email I accidentally edited while I was supposed to be limited to a different account, and wound up getting blocked. When I e-mailed David Fuchs about that, he told me to stop sending e-mails threatening to get other users blocked. I'm really not sure if David Fuchs had a misunderstanding, or Enkyo misrepresented the situation when asked. And it's difficult as hell to discuss stuff like that with Enkyo. Hijiri 88 (やや) 14:56, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Also this makes me uneasy: "I'm not going to make an argument against the move, but I don't want the page moved, but what I really want is to be on the winning team when the clouds have settled." Hijiri 88 (やや) 15:40, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Hijiri88, what admin action are you actually expecting here? It looks to me more like a content dispute - it's not as if Enkyo2 is being totally uncommunicative. Perhaps continue your discussion with him rather than generate heat by making an ANI case out of it, and if that fails, take it to DRN. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 23:50, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Block-evading sockpuppet[edit]

My laptop's in bad shape, so I can't open an SPI, but this user is a block-evading sock of a couple of other accounts that appear to be posing as IPs (325.7I52.884.921). Hijiri 88 (やや) 12:18, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

For the record, although this is as yet an unsolved mystery, my theory is that this person, whoever he is, is an anti-Shinto POV-pusher, and is trying to associate this religion with unpopular politicians and military men, and hiding behind multiple accounts made to deceptively look like IPs in order to accomplish this. Hijiri 88 (やや) 12:37, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Colton Cosmic[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Block and begone, IMO. Tarc (talk) 13:31, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

AFT vandal[edit]

A bunch of AFT bogus moderation is the only activity of this user so far apart from self-onanismwikilove. [12] Please block. You may also want to protect those pages from further enabling of AFT (note that there is currently no way to know when AFT is enabled or disabled and where so nobody can monitor it [13]). --Nemo 16:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

While on that subject, is there any way of hunting down and indeffing the users who have abused the fact that there are no public logs to systemically remove AFT from all articles with the "disable feedback" button? Regardless of your view on AFT's current status, to abuse a loophole like that without any sort of communication is an irreconcilable abuse of the community's trust. —WFCFL wishlist 16:43, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I think we've learned all we can from the article feedback experiment. Turning it off would solve this and any future issues with this kind of vandalism. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 18:56, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I thought the community overwhelmingly agreed to shut off AFT by a landslide during the RFC. Andrew Lenahan - Starblind 19:38, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
They did - some bright, good-looking, intelligent editor suggested trashing it, and the community overwhelmingly agreed with him... Now if I could just get that to work on other disagreements... GregJackP Boomer! 19:56, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
So how did it come back exactly? I remember the WMF promising to abide by the community's decision (or something to that effect) and yet here we are and feedback is still causing problems. Andrew Lenahan - Starblind 00:51, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The WMF promising to abide by community consensus? Which parallel universe have I slipped into? - The Bushranger One ping only 18:31, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The Bushranger, FWIW, what's being remembered is this: «As my WMF colleagues Eloquence and Okeyes have pointed out, the foundation will respect the community's decision regarding a full deployment of this tool on the English Wikipedia».[14] --Nemo 16:30, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

So, can we get a block please? Or at least a warning by an admin to the vandal? --Nemo 16:30, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Proposing block and/or interaction ban for personal attacks by User:Ubikwit[edit]

User:Ubikwit has just posted three personal attacks

Really getting tired of the hounding. Any help would be most appreciated. He's been notified here

Malke 2010 (talk) 19:11, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Maybe I'm dense, or maybe I'm missing context, but while the tone is not one of particular amicability, I fail to see a personal attack. Disagreeing opinions are not attacks. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 19:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Here's another, "Are the two words "most edits" unintelligible to you as English?"
I suggest You may be able to fly low enough to evade detection by some radar systems, but those maneuvers do not escape the scope of other systems with enhanced resolution is, on its face, a personal commentary about an editor, and not a comment about the content of any post. And it does not appear to be a "disagreeing opinion" AFAICT. Clearly your mileage varies. Collect (talk) 19:56, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I find them to be accusatory, sarcastic and insulting, and directed at the individual.North8000 (talk) 19:57, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Ubikwit has a long and recent history of personal attacks against editors. I will bring diffs. Malke 2010 (talk) 20:02, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

In general, Ubikwit has become more and more truculent and aggressive over the past 4-6 months as it became clear that a major content dispute was not going his way. I'll start gathering up diffs of his misconduct immediately, Stephan, but generally speaking, he's been behaving as though he is superior to other editors, he's been editwarring on a below-the-radar level, and he's been trying to get them blocked via Wikilawyering. Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 20:04, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Not what this is about
  • Wikilawyering: Trying to use diffs that were two weeks apart to support a 3RR accusation and obtain an editwarring block against an editor on the other side in a content dispute:[22] Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 20:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • More Wikilawyering of a more extensive nature: When ArbCom member SilkTork agreed to serve as moderator, he said any concerns about other editors in the moderated discussion were to be brought to his User Talk page. Ubikwit viewed this as a license to complain to SilkTork about anything that bothered him, and thus SilkTork's User Talk page became his "home away from home." A brief and by no means exhaustive sampling:[23] Being scolded by SilkTork for perhaps running and tattling a little too much:[24] Ubikwit responds:[25] Attempting to explain away his own disruptive behavior on the article Talk page:[26][27][28] A bit of backpedaling:[29] Becoming more and more truculent and combative as things clearly weren't going his way: [30][31][32] Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 20:30, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Malke has suggested that the community should review Ubikwit's history of personal attacks, and suggests a block for this behavior. I suggest that the community should go much farther, examine Ubikwit's misconduct of various types, and determine whether Ubikwit should be blocked immediately and topic-banned from all articles relating to U.S. politics, as a result of his generally tendentious conduct over the past six months. The Wikipedia project needs to be protected from Ubikwit. Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 20:33, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

To be honest, after looking over several of the diffs (edit-conflicting with the latest batch from P&W) you all provide, it looks more like a typical US-political conflict carried onto Wikipedia, with what looks like a self-reinforcing group of similar-minded editors hitting on Ubikwit more-or-less in concert, and without much regard for facts or policy. As an example, the WP:3RR/N has been renamed to WP:AN/EW, making it even clearer that it also deals with longer-term edit warring, not only with strict "more than 3 reverts in 24 hours". So calling the report "wikilawyering" is a stretch. Likewise, I fail to see a personal attack here. This is not even an edit by UbikWit. And so on. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 20:38, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Actually, no it's not editors ganging up on Ubikwit. This is editors finally fed up with Ubikwit attacking them. And the diff you reference is an example of continuing hounding. If you knew the full history you'd understand better. But right now he's attacking editors and needs to be blocked. Malke 2010 (talk) 20:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
And This is to show this is his usual behaviour. He's being warned there about continuing personal attacks. Warnings do not help. He just goes right back to doing it. Malke 2010 (talk) 20:50, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
And Phoenix and Winslow should not be expanding this to include any content disputes. This is about continuing personal attacks on editors, me specifically, and I would like him to be blocked or given an interaction ban. If other editors want to propose a site ban, they can open their own thread. Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 21:01, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I can't help but notice that – Stephan Schulz aside – all of the comments above are from parties to Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Tea Party movement, which appears to have just moved into voting on its proposed decision. If I am not mistaken, it appears that ArbCom is considering revert restrictions (at a minimum) and/or topic bans (on most) for every one of them. On its surface, this AN/I thread appears to be a simple exporting of interpersonal disputes already before the ArbCom to yet another venue. The recent diffs that start this complaint all appear to be part of discussion on the ArbCom case, and should be handled by the clerks there. (Though like Stephan, I'm disinclined to label them as personal attacks. They're not perfectly civil or constructive and they won't win Ubikwit any friends or arbitrator votes, but they're not beyond the pale, either.) The diffs provided in subsequent comments appear primarily to be hashing up months-old incidents that, presumably, should be part of the ArbCom case and its decision. You guys need all need to find a way to stop poking each other; I suspect that the apparently-forthcoming topic bans will help quite a bit. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 21:30, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Actually, this is about hounding. I can absolutely understand how it might appear and I should give you some more background. I believe Ubikwit is User:Dylan Flaherty who was indef blocked. Dylan hounded me relentlessly back in 2010. The current ArbCom started out as an ANI back in February. You are correct that the Proposed Decision on the Arb case is coming this week. However, today, editors were posting their rebuttals and Ubikwit, as is his custom, began haranguing editors. This is typical. He has zero respect for editors as his extant interaction ban with EvilDoer will bear out. He is routinely incivil. But he has been coming after me since the ANI where, though he claimed never to have edited the article in question, was able to pull out a thread from the archive. That's quite a feat. I recognized his language, his behaviours, etc., and I went to a checkuser who said it was too late check because it was so old. But his IP address is on Wikipedia because he edited as an IP to harass me back then also. Rest assured, nobody is picking on Ubikwit and this is not about the ArbCase. I can show you old diffs of Dylan Flaherty and you'll know exactly what I mean that they do seem one and the same. Right down to the personal attacks and the flamboyant signature style, the same complaints about scholarly sources. It's all there. Malke 2010 (talk) 21:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict) Well, with all due respect to Malke, I think there's a cumulative effect here. Viewed in isolation, a few diffs of personal attacks by Ubikwit may not seem like much to go on from Stephan's point of view. But at least two ArbCom members have found that Ubikwit's overall misconduct "ignored sound arguments about article content, and contributed to hostility at pages relating to the Tea Party movement article by making assumptions of bad faith about and condescending to other disputants." [33] Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 21:33, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
And for the benefit of TenOfAllTrades, at least one ArbCom member (SilkTork) has spoken several times about the "chilling effect" that ArbCom activity has upon activity by administrators regarding the same article, and the same group of editors. SilkTork is the most deeply involved of all ArbCom members in this dispute, so deeply that he's been forced to recuse himself from voting in the proceedings, and it's his position that there should be MORE admin action when ArbCom gets involved, not less. Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 21:38, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
But this is NOT about content. This is about continuing bad behaviours that need to be addressed. The hounding has never been addressed and this time I'm finally going to do something about it. So please, if you have issues, start another thread. Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 21:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Phoenix and Winslow is right about the chill effect on admins. Ubikwit brought me to ANI not that long ago and I tried to do something about him then. But the ArbCase put a chill on things and though an admin commented to Ubikwit that he was the one with the problem, nothing got done. No block for his hounding, no interaction ban. I've been putting up with this for 6 bleeding months. And I'd like relief. Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 21:50, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

If past behavior is any indication of future performance, ArbCom is going to take weeks to get this sorted. Possibly months. In the meantime, should Ubikwit continue to be allowed to make these personal attacks and exhibit this condescending attitude with complete immunity against Malke, Collect, and anybody else who gets in his way? Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 21:57, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Then it would be good to open another thread. With his recent blocks/bans, continuing disruptive behaviours and other issues, you could ask for a site ban. Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 22:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • ADMINS: this is the ANI complaint Ubikwit brought against me. It was unfounded and done just to harass. Malke 2010 (talk) 22:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
If I count correctly, there are now 1718 comments by Ubikwit's detractors, with a total of 3 replies (4 counting this). I suggest you (all) take a step back and just wait for a few hours to see how opinion develops. I doubt more text is useful - indeed, I think the current posts are far to long, breathless, and unorganised. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 22:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree. Neither Stephan Schulz nor TenOfAllTrades speaks on behalf of the entire community. There's plenty of evidence that's been posted here. Let's allow more members of the community to review the evidence and offer their opinions. regards ... Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 22:31, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Okay, thanks Stephen. I deleted the text from the old ANI. The link is there. And P&W, please stop posting that content bit. Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 22:35, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

If this is related to an open ArbCom case, then why are we even discussing this here? We should wait for their decision. Gamaliel (talk) 22:50, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

This behaviour is not the subject of the ArbCom case. Malke 2010 (talk) 23:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The comments were regarding articles under the purview of an open ArbCom case involving many of the commenters here, including yourself. Instead of starting from scratch, we should wait for the ArbCom ruling and then only act to supplement it. Gamaliel (talk) 23:52, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
See my earlier remarks regarding the "chilling effect" discussed by ArbCom member SilkTork. He wants MORE involvement by admins when ArbCom gets involved, not LESS. And in my estimate it will take weeks, maybe even months, for ArbCom to resolve this. In the meantime, Ubikwit is able to harass people with complete immunity. But that's the way you like it as an admin? Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 23:56, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Okay, you want it, you got it. I've just stuck my toe in, but my initial impression is that the diffs I've read don't appear to me to be particularly outrageous so far. The only one I think deserves a trouting is the "unintelligible" remark. I've seen some of the complainers defend much worse behavior on these boards before, so my initial impression is that this appears to be an extension of the conflict that brought us the ArbCom case, nothing more. Gamaliel (talk) 00:03, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Regardless of the merits of the complaint being discussed, it surely can't be correct that users whose conduct is being considered by arbcom are immune from scrutiny at ANI. That would make no sense at all. Formerip (talk) 00:01, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
That's not what I'm saying at all. I just don't see the need to duplicate efforts. Gamaliel (talk) 00:03, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
So Ubikwit gets to harass people at will for the next couple of months while ArbCom sifts through a few hundred diffs, right? That isn't a duplicate effort. That's failing to protect the Wikipedia project from a tendentious editor. Does the fact that at least one ArbCom member wants MORE admins getting involved, to keep this mess under control while they deliberate? Does that enter into your decision at all, Gamaliel? Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 00:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
P&W, you seem a bit harsh on Gamaliel. I think he's just trying to understand things here. Malke 2010 (talk) 00:15, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

This is something (in terms of the edits to Arbitration space) which could have been brought to the arbitration clerks to deal with, since it very much is within our remit. I'll note here that I saw one of the linked diffs, removed it and warned Ubikwit before I saw this discussion plus collapsed discussion where another comment in a linked diff was made. If there is more of it in Arbitration space Ubikwit will be banned from editing case pages. Callanecc (talkcontribslogs) 00:15, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

That's not why this complaint is here. The Arb page hatting doesn't stop the hounding and the constant personal attacks at me. Malke 2010 (talk) 00:19, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Sorry, it didn't occur to me that since some of the harassment occurred on ArbCom pages, an ArbCom clerk could have handled it. Malke brought the matter here, I noticed it, and so I followed the matter here rather than notifying the clerk. There's a lot about ArbCom that I still need to learn. But three things I've already learned are that (A) it's very, very slow; (B) the community at large (meaning admins and senior editors) is extremely reluctant to become involved with an article, or a group of editors, once ArbCom becomes involved; and (C) at least one ArbCom member has said that it's got to stop. The fact that Ubikwit happened to harass other parties to the ArbCom proceeding on an ArbCom page, and subsequently attracted the actions of an ArbCom clerk, does not eliminate the possibility that in the future, some troll in an ArbCom proceeding could harass other parties beyond the reach of an ArbCom clerk. On an article Talk page, for example. Or a User Talk page. Admins in the community need to be more willing to step up and prevent an ArbCom proceeding from "overflowing" into the community at large, with warnings and, if necessary, blocks. Think of ArbCom as the Supreme Court, and the admins as cops walking a beat. There are a lot of criminals out there, out on bail while their cases slowly crawl through the Supreme Court. Should the cops ignore them? Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 01:35, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
But if I'm understanding things correctly, the Clerk's function is concerned with the Arb pages only. Behaviours, especially ongoing behaviours, can still be brought to ANI. Malke 2010 (talk) 01:46, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
That's correct. However, my concern (and SilkTork's concern) is that once such concerns are brought here to ANI, once someone announces that the parties are involved in an ArbCom case, admins are reluctant to take any action — as Gamaliel so clearly demonstrated here. That's the "chilling effect" SilkTork talked about. Phoenix and Winslow (talk) 02:32, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Honest to God, if I issued a week-long block to every every Tea Party Movement party who has commented in this thread more than thrice, that would help out this encyclopedia project more than anything else...

Administrators, please feel free to issue a block to any party you deem necessary, irrespective of any Arbitration case that may be going on right now. As for myself, as an Arbitrator, I must say that this thread has cast away any doubts I had about voting on several sanctions and has made me start to consider additional ones. NW (Talk) 02:57, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Now that the Clerk and the Arb have effectively shut down this compliant, can an admin close it? Thanks. Malke 2010 (talk) 04:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
...Wow, just wow. Noformation Talk 07:29, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Primarily for the sake of giving a little context to the "unintelligible" remark referred to by Gamaliel (as being troutable...), here are a couple of diffs that go way back to April.
Way back in April (Ubikwit  連絡 見学/迷惑 12:57, 13 April 2013 (UTC)) on the Workshop page I had referred to a point first articulated by Silk Tork regarding the Moderated discussion in which he made the comment "As Malke is the main contributor to the article...".
More recently, AGK removed his "obiter dictum".
Meanwhile, Malke had posted a verbatim copy of that statement on the Evidence page on July 15. It is not the case that she was unaware of that to which I had been referring.
With regard to the claim of hounding, thank you Stephan Schultz for the the editing stats. Here is an example of a dialog to which I should have posted a diff on the case pages, but haven't even bothered, basically. [34].
--Ubikwit 連絡 見学/迷惑 04:40, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Admins, I have now had the time to read through (some of) the complaints in the walls of text above, and am compelled to suggest that WP:BOOMERANG is applicable here. The rationale for that is that not only are the complaints made against by and large unrelated to the comments on the Arbcom case page, false accusations have again been made that I am a sockpuppet of Dylan Flaherty. Malke has made that accusation repeatedly across various pages (e.g., the Workshop page of the Arbcom case, the above-linked ANI, etc.) and of hounding her ("like Dylan did"), etc. It would seem that such behavior has become egregious and clearly falls under WP:HARASS. Malke could easily have opened an SPI case (long ago) or request a checkuser if there were any actual evidence to support the false accusations.--Ubikwit 連絡 見学/迷惑 15:13, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

User's talk page needs archiving[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


I see that the talk page for User:Doncram has reached a length of almost 700K and that several other users have removed content (possibly by accident, and likely due at least in part to the huge size of the page) when posting there. Doncram has reverted those deletions and has not added to his talk page archives in the last several months. I have no idea why he quit archiving, and no one can force him to archive his page, but it appears from the page history that the situation is becoming a problem for other people who want to communicate with him. I imagine that the length of the page is a source of aggravation for the WP:AFC volunteers who post there. It would be nice if someone could politely suggest to Doncram that he should resume archiving. --Orlady (talk) 01:45, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

As you say, nobody can make him archive, but we do have {{utverylong}} for suggesting that he do so. Beeblebrox (talk) 03:31, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Apply social pressure - don't process his AFC requests until his talk page is "more reasonable". Ravensfire (talk) 03:36, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Just a reminder that Doncram is under indefinite general editor probation. Beyond My Ken (talk) 05:02, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
How about you just leave him alone and wait for someone else, preferably someone without a personal vendetta against him, to raise these concerns?--The Devil's Advocate tlk. cntrb. 05:10, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • What would help is for an admin to simply close this frivolous report. I do not see evidence that anyone has so much as discussed the issue with him, especially not Orlady. No policy forces archiving of user talk pages so it isn't an issue for administrators to address in the first place.--The Devil's Advocate tlk. cntrb. 05:55, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Actually, when an editor is under general probation, every aspect of their behavior can be subject to examination. I do agree, however, that considering the relationship between them, Orlady really ought not to be reporting Doncram at AN/I for what is, at the very worst, an extremely minor problem. Beyond My Ken (talk) 06:42, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for notifying me Kudpung and thank you TDA and BYK and others for your considerate remarks. I appreciate that ANI participants have to sort out complicated situations, and your receiving an ANI report from an administrator long-involved in conflict with the targeted editor calls for some discussion, even when the report seems to be frivolous. It is disturbing/depressing to see support/calls for punishment against me for doing nothing wrong, but I appreciate you all have to try to sort it out.
If there is a problem with the AFC tools that break on a long Talk page (I am not aware that there is, but perhaps there could be a pagesize limit that should be identified as causing problems), then that is a technical issue that should be brought up somewhere far from ANI. If there is an actual technical report made about that in some appropriate forum, please someone inform me.
This seems to be an unpleasant stunt by Orlady, a small but real violation of wp:harassment policy: "Do not stop other editors from enjoying Wikipedia by making threats, repeated annoying and unwanted contacts, repeated personal attacks, intimidation, or posting personal information." / "Harassment can also include actions calculated to be noticed by the target and clearly suggestive of targeting them, where no direct communication takes place."
The above-linked arbitration includes cautions/suggestions to Orlady not to pursue harassment against me, which were expressed in workpages by several parties, if I recall correctly. The final report included, about Editor interactions: "5) ... Unseemly conduct, such as personal attacks, incivility, assumptions of bad faith, harassment, disruptive point-making, and gaming the system, is prohibited."
I imagine that Orlady might wish to provoke me to say something that ANI participants can use further against me. There is danger that whatever I say will be used against me. I will say, nonetheless, that Orlady is acting out, in this and other small incidents that I have not responded to, what I personally do experience as harassment. Which are harassment. ANI telling Orlady clearly to stop with petty harassment, would be appreciated by me. Otherwise I see no issue worthy of ANI here, and likely will not respond further. --doncram 13:20, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
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My apologies for not pointing out that Doncram does not allow me to communicate with him. That's why I didn't notify him on his talk page. However, my linking his userid here should have alerted him to the discussion. --Orlady (talk) 14:04, 22 August 2013 (UTC) [This posting encountered an edit conflict with the closure of this discussion Orlady (talk) 14:48, 22 August 2013 (UTC)]

@Orlady: - that is no excuse. It says quite clearly that you must notify them, regardless of any 'ban' a user has placed on you posting on their talk page. GiantSnowman 14:15, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Well, the last time I notified him of an AN discussion, the AN discussion was temporarily derailed into a discussion of his objections to my having posted the notice on his talk page. My sole objective here was to find someone who does not have a history with Doncram and whose opinions he would respect to talk to him about that page. I don't believe that anyone I might have contacted individually would have fit that description. I am pleased to see that he archived his talk page. I was hoping that this could happen with a minimum of aggravation and confrontation. --Orlady (talk) 14:48, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I can understand how you were 'once bitten, twice shy' by the reaction at the last AN..."derailment" as you put it. It should not have put you off, and so a serious trouting to anyone who was critical of you for simply following explicit instructions and notifying the editor in question. GiantSnowman 16:06, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Canvassing email accidentally pasted into an AFD[edit]

Yuvalg9 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

Over at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Rashumon, Yuvalg9 has pasted in a canvassing notice that looks like it was meant for some off Wikipedia forum or email list. This article has a history of sock and meat puppting you can read about at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Photopinka/Archive. I'm not sure what to do in this kind of circumstance. Would it be appropriate for me to request semiprotection of the AFD? - MrOllie (talk) 13:53, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I have seen what Yuvalg9 has published and reverted it. I am aware that he was not supposed to do so. Michael.haephrati (talk) 14:02, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I wonder who could have posted the original message... Hijiri 88 (やや) 14:57, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Yea, that's pretty cut n dried block-worthy right there. Tarc (talk) 15:01, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm tempted to send this back over to SPI, given the history of sockpuppetry (and the fact that one of the previously identified socks has a name that matches User:Michael.haephrati.) This nails it, I think. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 15:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Aha, nevermind, see Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Photopinka. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 15:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks, everyone. The AFD is now semi protected. Good find with the Amiga forum post. - MrOllie (talk) 16:32, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Just wanted to add my own saying: I am not YuvalG9. I first published what can be considered to be a canvasing forum message. I corrected the mistake and changed the tone. Yuvalg9 seems to have copied this message (before the change) and posted it on the AfD page and I reverted it and asked him (on his Talk page to stop). As I wrote on my own Talk page, to be on the safe side, I have entirely deleted this offsite message.M. H. 19:18, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

User:Seashell Bay: personal attack and signature forgery[edit]

Seashell Bay (talk · contribs). Seashell Bay is a new user account that has been given templated general notice, caution and warning (by another user and me) for making repeated unsourced edits. Warnings that the user responded to by making a personal attack [35] and forging my signature on a fake block notice [36]. Which, in my book at least, is not acceptable behaviour, so maybe an admin could take a look at it. Thomas.W talk to me 16:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I have indeffed the account, they do not appear here to build an encyclopedia and the use of the block template for a 'new' user was also very suspicious. GiantSnowman 16:51, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Hoax Debanjan Deb[edit]

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Someone created Debanjan Deb, which is a deliberate hoax and is being discussed at Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Debanjan_Deb. The editor is continuously making non-contructive edits. Has been given a bunch of warnings including last warnings. TitoDutta 17:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

  • I went ahead and blocked. The account's entire contribution has been creating the hoax and then trying to disrupt the deletion process. Andrew Lenahan - Starblind 18:37, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Thank you. --TitoDutta 18:50, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
And I deleted the article as a hoax. Please feel free to close the AfD. --Jezebel'sPonyobons mots 18:57, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Closed. §FreeRangeFrogcroak 19:23, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
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Banned User Repeatedly Returns[edit]

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An editor, banned for various things (including threatening an Admin who intervened) has returned as a new sockpuppet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Patriots49ers

He deleted my ANI notice, and a warning from another editor, from his talk page: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Patriots49ers&action=history

That he's a sockpuppet is clear from: 1) the timing of the creation of the account with a previous ban; 2) his editing subject matter pattern (specific rock bans and PA governor Tom Corbett); and 3) his abusive editing on the Tom Corbett page, for example: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Tom_Corbett&diff=prev&oldid=569743571

This is the last ANI thread about his then most-recent sockpuppet: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Incidents&diff=prev&oldid=422341559#Banned_User_Returned

Another ban seems appropriate.

Thanks.

John2510 (talk) 19:06, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Blocked. --Laser brain (talk) 19:27, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
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User:Redhanker and political agenda[edit]

Many of Redhanker's edits appear to be pushing a specific agenda and not adhering to NPOV. For example:

Zanzibar acid attack -
  • "Police found no direct evidence of involvement of Uamsho, a militant Islamist group which some have speculated could have ties to Al Qaeda." This is a speculative and uncited claim.
  • "Nevertheless, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Islamist preacher Sheikh Issa Ponda Issa who is a supporter of the radical group." Uncited
  • "Two Catholic priests had been shot and killed there in previous months." Uncited and unrelated to the article. I surmise this inclusion violates NPOV.
  • "Friends of the girls speculated that they were targeted because they are Jewish." I'm not sure about this but I suspect this violates NPOV.
  • "Many press reports omitted any reference to the religion of the victims, or likely religion of the attackers in a city that is largely Muslim." Uncited and grossly irrelevant to the main article. This is definitely pushing a certain point of view.
Paul Sheldon Foote
  • This entire article seems to just be on how the person is anti-Israel and pro-Iran.
  • All the citations are from unreliable blog sources.
  • This article grossly violates NPOV by placing all the weight of the article on his political position and absolutely nothing on anything else.
Mashregh News
  • This is a relatively unnotable organization. I cannot find any significant coverage of this company in reliable sources. Yet, this company has an article for the line "The ADL criticized the site for spreading disinformation such as the false Holo­caust claim that Nazis "man­u­fac­tured soap from their Jew­ish vic­tims" to prove that Holo­caust is a his­tor­i­cal falsity."
Category:Pro-Iranism
  • This is a category created by Redhanker. It was deleted per this discussion [[37]]
Pro-Iranian sentiments
  • This was an article created by Redhanker. It was deleted under CSD:A3.

All in all, what I've listed and far more that can be found in his edit history points to a pattern of pushing a certain political position on Wikipedia and not adhering to NPOV. Transcendence (talk) 02:38, 17 August 2013 (UTC)

This hostile ANI appears to be a response to my observation that Transscendence appears to engaging in a pattern of deleting articles about notably violent attacks with wide national and international media coverage, most of which end up being kept because of extensive media coverage and notablity. The edits above are nearlyh all based on content in the mainstream press or official government sponsored news sources.
One particular editor User:Transcendence has been very deleting articles which have no apparent connection other than most are of very violent mass attacks which have not been connected to terrorist motives
Removed
Redhanker (talk) 05:49, 17 August 2013 (UTC)
POV-pushing does seem to be a problem. For instance, Redhanker using List of Iranian news agencies to list lots of links which weren't Iranian, or which weren't news agencies, but mostly "sourced" by citing a news article on some rather controversial topic around Iran... [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] bobrayner (talk) 13:22, 17 August 2013 (UTC)

Restored from archives. Ansh666 16:05, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

It's not just POV pushing that's an issue here, but User:Redhanker has been accusing User:Transcendence of stalking and hounding, and other editors who nominate and !vote delete on some current events-type articles (those listed above) of being part of a site-wide conspiracy to hide terrorism (like User:The Bushranger here). I can't comment definitively on the matter, but I think there's no merit whatsoever in these personal accusations about Transcendence and literally no chance of there being a conspiracy to hide the truth. Ansh666 16:05, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Another similar posting by Redhanker at Talk:Death of Christopher Lane. [44] I have to suggest that WP:NOTHERE applies, and that Redhanker needs to take his tinfoil hat elsewhere. AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:16, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Ip user 129.27.202.101 blitzing wiki with duplicated text[edit]

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ip user 129.27.202.101 is currently blitzing wiki with duplicated text. Looking at his history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/129.27.202.101 it isnt the 1st time. In fact his entire editing history looks dubious as none have editing comments of any kind. Can someone look into this.--Penbat (talk) 16:34, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Comment: I noted similar behaviour a while ago. While not strictly vandalism in most cases, they seem to repeatedly overwrite citations with ones linked to the academic institution from which the IP originates. I have been unable to check in each case whether their sources provide the content required for the citation but in all cases, citations existed that were notable and sufficient.  drewmunn  talk  16:40, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The linked article is bollocks. I suggest that blacklisting the journal in question would probably be the best option. AndyTheGrump (talk) 16:44, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
It isnt the first time. All edits done by this IP user during 2013 look screwy.--Penbat (talk) 16:47, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Virtually all the edits going back to the beginning of the year seem to be to papers by someone named Sahito, including add one as a reference that wasn't cited.[45]. I'd go for a block and revert. Dougweller (talk) 16:51, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Google Search - reverted twice, once with edit summary "18:06, 4 March 2013‎ Sonicdrewdriver (talk | contribs | block)‎ . . (50,705 bytes) (-2,601)‎ . . (Undid revision 542076430 by 129.27.202.101 (talk) Reverting vandalism. 'STOP. You are incorrectly citing, and citing off topic bias.) (undo | thank)" Dougweller (talk) 16:54, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The content they were linking to at that time was useless, and I had warned them previously to not use that reference.  drewmunn  talk  17:01, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
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Death threats by SPA[edit]

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Not too long ago, this kind gentleman has left this message on my talk page. This comment is this user's only edit, and is written entirely in Chinese. I don't have plenty of free time at the moment to translate this word by word myself, but here is a quick, rough machine translation to get the general idea.

Original

你死定了! 你他媽的幹拎娘機掰咧! 你以為你是誰啊? 你是老大嗎? 海外華人了不起啊? 海外華人就可以濫用權利欺負新手是不是? 你好大的膽子,我看你是不想活了。我警告你,你下次敢再來找我麻煩試試看,信不信我100%絕對會殺了你,別以為我在跟你開玩笑。

Google Translate

You're dead! You carry your mother fucking machine breaking dry blanket! You think you are? You are the boss do? Overseas Chinese terrific ah? Abuses overseas Chinese can not cast aside novice? Hello great courage, I see you do not want to live. I warn you, the next time you dare to come to me trouble try, believe it or not I am 100% definitely will kill you, do not think I'm joking with you.

Now, whilst I am relatively certain that this is most likely a harmless angry rant by an edgy teenager, who is probably upset because I might have reverted his nationalistic POV edits to some kind of controversial regional Asian dispute article within the past year or something along those lines, I would just like to double-check to be certain, as to whether or not I should just ignore this rant and stay at ease, or if this person's comments can be potentially serious. Would it be too unreasonable for me to request a checkuser to confirm whether the user's IP address is from my country or not? I'm not asking for information that is too specific, I'd just like to know whether or not this person is from a different country to me, a simple "yes" or "no" answer, so I can decide between getting over this silly comment and relaxing per usual, or whether I should be more worried than I currently am. Thanks. -- 李博杰  | Talk contribs email 00:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

  • I have indef blocked that Youpho account but it is an obvious SPA and most probably a sock. If a checkuser could help to find the sockpuppet master it would help. Whether you want or not to involve police in this matter it is up to you (I personally would not), but I think Wikipedia checkusers would cooperate with investigation if require. Alex Bakharev (talk) 00:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
    • I'm not going to bother reporting anything, it's not worth my time if it's just a simple prank. -- 李博杰  | Talk contribs email 01:44, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • He is about as far away from you as he can get. I am going to let the WMF know anyway, not sure if they would like to report this. Someguy1221 (talk) 00:49, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • There's a bit of colloquial chinese involved, most likely Taiwanese, but effectively translates to

You're dead! You mother fucker! Who do you think you are? The boss? Are expat Chinese that great? So expat chinese can abuse their privileges to bully newbies (or bite the newbies as it were)? How dare you, you must not want to live. Let me warn you, the next time you dare to trouble me, believe it or not I am 100% definitely going to kill you, do not think I'm joking with you.

which google translate largely got correct. Just thought I'd tidy up the grammar a bit. However, I also feel that there is something else behind it. Some of the phrasing is awfully clunkky. Blackmane (talk) 08:49, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
How did it get "You carry your mother fucking machine breaking dry blanket!" from "You mother fucker"? Are there some ambiguous characters? Nyttend (talk) 23:02, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
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Obvious sock trolling Eric Corbett[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Please nip it in the bud, thanks. Darkness Shines (talk) 20:39, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

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Canoe1967 - GMO[edit]

Canoe1967 and a number of other editors have consistently accused or insinuated that wikipedia editors who disagree with them are shills for Monsanto (e.g [[46]], more recent efforts are more subtle). "This seems further evidence that the editors who, for whatever reason, seem to want to make sure large companies look as good as possible, vastly outnumber the indies left on wiki", by Petrarchan47 (talk · contribs). emphasis mine. [47]. "Note that I didn't enter this realm of articles because of a pre-existing concern about GMOs. I was drawn to them pretty much only because (about this time a year ago) I was disturbed by what seemed like a pattern of corporate manipulation at the Monsanto page.", by Groupuscule (talk · contribs). [48]. See User_talk:Jimbo_Wales#Thanks_for_your_comments_at_Wikimania for more context.

Here are two previous related ANI threads: Wikipedia:Administrators'_noticeboard/IncidentArchive807#Request_to_enforce_NOR

Wikipedia:Administrators'_noticeboard/IncidentArchive806#Accusations_at_Talk:March_Against_Monsanto_that_need_to_be_resolved. IRWolfie- (talk) 01:05, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

Following on this campaign of harassment, in an article about a march, March against Monsanto, Canoe1967 is continuing to use the talk page as a place to dump unreliable links, despite being asked not to, about Monsanto hiring PR accounts on the internet etc [49]. The obvious insinuation is that those who disagree with his edits are Monsanto employees or whatever. The section he has created to make claims about PR agents has no obvious connection to the article or its content. IRWolfie- (talk) 00:59, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I think you missed the point of my OP in that thread. Mainstream media did not cover the event well. Smaller, as you claim, 'less reliable sources' reported this. The removal of these smaller reports is the same as the main reports did. How can we expect mainstream media to report that they censored themselves? They probably didn't do it at Monsanto's request but the other sources claim it is rather odd not to cover a 2 million person march as much a 300 person march. If it is sourced then there is no harm in inclusion. Protests are designed to get media attention. If that media attention is reported as odd then those reports warrant inclusion with credit to who is making the claims.--Canoe1967 (talk) 01:14, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
This "campaign of harassment"? Dramatic. Even outsiders are noting obvious pro-GM activity at Wikipedia. But to IRWolfie, this recognition is just crazy. petrarchan47tc 05:44, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
It should be noted that if you expect to find something, odds are, you will. - The Bushranger One ping only 05:46, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Those "outsiders" are an Anti-GMO group and are also involved in genetics bashing more generally [50]. I'd like to draw the admins attention to a comment posted at that link where someone mentions a private anti-GMO emailing list: I’m on an email list where I’ve heard several people complain about the extreme bias of the Wikipedia page, “The Seralini affair”. They have been trying to edit it to add balance and accuracy but their edits are reverted soon after. Editors like Petrar are using commentary from these Anti-GMO websites to continue their conspiratorial campaigns (as Petrar's talk page says: "This user disapproves of mindless PR firm sockpuppets spreading paid POV around Wikipedia."). IRWolfie- (talk) 10:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I am not sure what you mean by coatrack. Which article is the coatrack? I also wonder why Time Magazine was removed from the article. If we can assume this isn't an RS then should we just blacklist it? I think the editor that removed it has a "huge misunderstanding about what constitutes a reliable source." You asked me on the talk page as to which source I was going to use and what edit I was going to make. I have never edited that article but that question seems like I need your permission first. You may wish to read Wikipedia:Ownership of articles. Can I assume that if I do add a sourced edit to the article then it will just be reverted regardless? I have mentioned the Professor and a doctor with over 100 peer reviewed papers being added to the article. I should let you choose which source and what edit to make to make sure we get it right. I promise I would remove it.--Canoe1967 (talk) 07:50, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
This group of editors also deliberately misunderstand basic reliable sourcing. It has been explained to them that newspapers aren't generally reliable for cutting edge or controversial science, but they continue to propose newspapers as sources for everything, and make statements like the above "If we can assume this isn't an RS then should we just blacklist it". They refuse to get that reliability is context dependent. @TippyGoomba Not for lack of trying, see [51] for example, which was two days ago. IRWolfie- (talk) 10:36, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
LOL, refusing most sources as being unreliable is also a form of POV-pushing, IRWolfie. And I have seen you do just that on many, many articles relating to food safety and organic food. The Banner talk 10:50, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
The Banner added claims, several months ago, into an article claiming regular food causes cancer and contains poison, here is the diff[52], and discussion Talk:Organic_food/Archive_3#We_are_going_nowhere_now... as well as cherry picking papers which the papers that cited it lambasted Talk:Organic_food/Archive_3#WP:MEDRS. That's the context, but it has no relevance to what is being discussed here, IRWolfie- (talk) 13:59, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
It will be clear for all the people who follow your link that you are talking clear nonsense and a personal attack to discredit me. Why should we use medical sources for issues that are not medical? Why are you so afraid of agricultural sources? The Banner talk 18:21, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Since Monsanto has this legal control over all its GMO studies then any peer reviewed study should be brought into question. This my RS is better than your RS isn't the way to go about it. Should we include a line as a qualifier after every GMO peer reviewed study? 'Other studies need to be legally approved by Monsanto.' 'Studies to counter these claims are illegal without Monsanto approval.' I should email a local supply company and see if I can get a copy of the contract just to verify to myself that Scientific American isn't using fringe sources for false claims.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:58, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
If you search for the word "contract" in the GM Food Controversies article, you will find that there is a link to the Monsanto contract already in the article and a discussion of it. It is in the intellectual property section. (Note - the link to the actual contract in the article was broken - found another one after a few minutes of searching and replaced it) And there is already a section about scientific publishing and the difficulties that indpendent scientists have had getting access to the GM seed. Please, please do your homework before making these great statements. Other, good faith editors have been working on this for a long time! This is a repeat of the Starlink thing, where you didn't read the article before adding repetitive content about the Taco Bell Recall and you haven't responded to a single thing we have said about it and where it is currently located. But you are quick to denounce and ignore the working editors as bad faith POV pushers and you keep doing that, even here. Jytdog (talk) 02:00, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Scientific American claims "...difficulties that independant scientists have had getting access..." means "...it is impossible to verify that genetically modified crops perform as advertised." We should try to go with sources not 'advertising studies' by Monsanto. The Starlink material is not in the health recall section but still in two sections it wasn't recalled or controversial for. Again we should try to go with what the sources say.--Canoe1967 (talk) 13:03, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

  • When Canoe made a post at Talk:March Against Monsanto that seemed to me to imply that some editors were "shills", I left a message that you can see on their user talk page, and they came to the article talk page and clarified that they had not intended it to cast aspersions on editors, but rather, they were trying to express concern that readers might think that our content was being manipulated. That's probably not the best explanation, but I was willing to let it go at that. Canoe then posted, in talk, a series of suggested sources that other editors considered to be low-quality; that is what IRWolfie is referring to here. I don't think that posting possible sources on a talk page is something that requires an ANI complaint, and I think that this complaint probably does not require administrator action, in itself. That said, it's painfully clear that this drama over whether or not editors are working on behalf of business interests, or whether other editors are using aspersions to that effect, without real evidence, in order to try to gain advantage in POV disputes, is just going on and on and on. I've said it before, and it hasn't sunk in yet: if you have a valid concern, please take it to WP:COIN, and if you don't, then don't say it. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:34, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Just to indicate that the discussion Canoe started was really about purported shills/COI, Here is what he dropped in the middle of it: [53]. "Monsanto COI edit 1. I will keep looking. --Canoe1967" He dropped a link to a Monsanto IP that edited the Roundup article 8 years ago in the middle of his thread, IRWolfie- (talk) 14:47, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I did not start the discussion for that purpose nor use those terms. Putting thoughts to my posts and words in my mouth is very bad faith bordering on lies and attacks. If you can't provide decent input then either don't bother or expect to have it ignored. I posted the COI edit to counter claims that Monsanto never edits GMO articles. There are probably more but I think I have made my point.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:05, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

My own issues[edit]

I don't participate in these boards much, and have not brought an action here before. I don't much like drama. I don't like to fight with anybody nor do I like getting people in trouble - I like to work things out.

However, two editors in particular, User:Canoe1967 and User:Petrarchan47, have been engaging in a campaign of personally attacking me and a group of other editors, both directly and in a canvassing manner, on the Talk pages of other editors, accusing me and others of bad faith, shill, COI, POV-pushing editing (which I will refer to from now on as "paid editing" for lack of a better term). I have asked each of them to stop, nicely, several times, and finally warned them that I would start an ANI if they continued. Neither has stopped. As User:IRWolfie- has already opened a discussion, I am joining his/her thread. I have not done this before, but the behavior of these editors is making Wikipedia an inhospitable place for me and in an ugly weed is growing that I think should be pulled up.

I request that an administrator at least sternly warn each of them, and maximally block each of them for some amount of time.

I recognize that declared and undeclared paid editing is something that Wikipedia should be concerned with, for sure, but I also very strongly believe that the behavior of these two editors, who have turned simple differences in perspective into a witch hunt, where they continually make accusations in inappropriate places with no evidence, is a kind of McCarthyism (where "paid editor" replaces "communist") that thwarts Wikipedia's goal of having a vibrant community of editors who work together with civility to create a great encyclopedia. I believe they are acting in good faith -- I believe each of them honestly believes that I and others are acting in bad faith, and I believe that each of them honestly wants to make Wikipedia better, but their methods and behaviors are destructive and this behavior needs to stop. As they will not stop themselves, I am asking that they be stopped.

The other editors editors being attacked are individuals who have each found him- or herself interested in the suite of genetic engineering articles for a long time, and include me, User:IRWolfie-, User:Arc de Ciel, User:Aircorn and to a lesser extent User:Bobrayner A few months ago User:BlackHades became more active on those pages, and much more recently, mostly via the March Against Monsanto article, User:Tryptofish, User:SpectraValor, and User:Thargor Orlando have gotten involved. The older group of editors I have come to be very familiar with -- all are science-oriented or scientists, as far as I can tell, and all seek to follow all the pillars in editing especially with regard to NPOV and reliable sourcing. We do not coordinate in any way, that I am aware of.

User:Canoe1967 Canoe first showed up in the GMO suite in an ANI about March Against Monsanto. Canoe's first edit there is here - in that edit he/she wrote: "I came across it offwiki because of a phone call. They knew I edited Wikipedia and wondered why Monsanto seemed to be controlling our content.". Canoe's next edit on Wikipedia, a few minutes later, was in the MaM article, where he/she deleted content with the pejorative and attacking edit note "Monsanto may control the media but not Wikipedia. This section is due without the tag in that case." And his/her edit notes and comments continued in that spirit. Another comment Canoe made in the MaM ANI was "I could care less about the article. What I do care about is the possible outside POV pressure on it which is why ArbCom should be consulted." - here. His/her last, and telling comment in the ANI about MaM is here. THe last comment made by Canoe in the MaM ANI is Copy/pasted for your convenience, because this one is key: ""Addendum. It was more than just that. I have been banned from editing March Against Monsanto for a week. I had never heard of the GMO controversy until the phone call I received. Since then I created Taco Bell GMO recall which I tried to include in Genetically modified food controversies at first. My addition was notable and sourced but one reason for the reversion was 'article too big already'. I then created it as a stand alone. Since then it was re-directed to yet a fourth article, Taco Bell, which I reverted. I expect the next step will be an Afd attempt. I still don't care about the GMO POVs that some editors claim exist but I do care about how it effects Wikipedia. Put these articles on your watchlists to see if any further antics arise.--Canoe1967 (talk) 10:11, 5 August 2013 (UTC)"

Three key things: 1) Canoe notes that he/she was canvassed external to Wikipedia, and 2) Canoe notes that he/she was blocked for edit warring; 3) Canoe makes it clear here that he/she knows little about the issues involved but is determined to fight perceived COI editing. And this is pretty much what has unfolded on the two GM-related articles where I have encountered this editor - very uncivil conversations where it is hard to arrive at consensus on content because Canoe won't deal with facts about the content, but instead personally attacks and keeps shifting ground to get the article to be just as he/she wants it to be.

I asked Canoe about the phone call on his/her Talk page - the query and its response are here. Seems like the initial phone call was not canvassing, but it certainly seemed to set Canoe off on a conspiracy theory that Monsanto is controlling GM-related content and everybody working them, or opposing his/her changes, has COI or POV-pushing issues. The discussion I linked to at the start of this paragraph was very, very difficult for me, as Canoe would not stay on topic, respond to what I actually wrote, and continually threatened to "contact the media about" the putative COI editing, go to Arbcom,telling me "I have told you more than once that you should take a break from editing GMO articles but you seem to just continue with BS which will probably lead to drama boards if you don't clue in." and on and on. I made a minor change on his/her Taco Bell Recall article and Canoe went off on me, wildly - please see the topmost discussion on Talk, here. Simultaneously Canoe, myself, and others were having a dispute in the Talk pages of the GM controversies article about where content about the Starlink/Taco Bell content should go - again Canoe's behavior there was oriented toward personal attacks about COI and POV-pushing, and Canoe had no interest in dialog, establishing the facts, or compromising, but has continually insisted that the content go where he/she wanted it to go. That discussion is here. If it is more helpful to Administrators I will go back through those discussions and pull out more specific things that Canoe wrote, but you don't have to look far.

Here is the 3RR ANI resulting in a warning for March against Monsanto editing - Aug 3. (note - he/she was previously 48 hour blocked for edit warring on another article, here)

Here is another attack on me, not mentioning me by name or notifying me: this dif.

There are more, but this is too long already.

With respect to User:Petrarchan47, this goes back to editing I did on the BP article and his/her frustration in general with the terrible situation that developed in that article. If editors are not familiar with this article, some brief background. There is an employee of BP named Arturo who works on that article, in excellent compliance with Wikipedia's policies - posts suggestions on Talk, never edits, discusses politely. Two camps of editors arose on that page - one that wanted the article to remain tightly focused on BP and its business; another that wanted to include expanded content on environmental, legal and political issues (oil spills including Deep Water Horizon and all the issues around that; safety violations, trading scandals, greenwashing, etc). Things got very ugly there and for a long time a group of corporate-oriented editors had the article in a fairly ugly stranglehold leading to a lot of anger and frustration. This really broke out when an article was published claiming (wrongly) that BP was re-writing its wikipedia article. In any case, I helped break that open (see here and a group of editors, including User: Gandydancer who had been working virtually alone for a long time, User:Petrarchan47 who had been involved in the past and came back after the article published, and others, started adding lots of content. When I felt they went too far and resisted, I became an enemy to them and User:Petrarchan47 became so negative toward me, personally, that I just left the page. Ever since, User:Petrarchan47 has been accusing me of being a shill.

I'm sorry that I have to reply to this, but it is going too far. Many were upset when the news broke about BP's level of involvement in their Wiki page. Slim Virgin asked me to come back from Wiki-retirement and help out at the BP page during this intense time, as I had the longest history there as one who pointed out (accurately) certain POV on the page. Along with Slim, there were two new editors to the page (Buster7 and Coretheapple) who were attracted by the news and the idea of finding a solution to the POv problem presented by PR departments having a large role on Wiki. Along with Gandydancer and Slim Virgin, we had very (purposefully) public discussions about how to keep pages NPOV.
Jytdog entered the BP page quite out of the blue, during our deepest discussions, and by his own admission "took control" of the BP talk page. (An example is here). On Slim's page, Jytdog writes: "I grant that some of my being hounded off the page is my fault, in that when I tried to moderate the conflict on that page, I named "sides" and this was offensive to pretty much everyone. Not sure how you talk about a conflict if you cannot name "sides" but I did it too clumsily. Which I very much regret ". The story is now being spun to look as if I had no reason to be unhappy with his presence. My "becoming so negative" towards Jytdog refers to the time I confronted him about labeling me an environmentalist, among other things, and that is when he sulked off. petrarchan47tc 00:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

The BP article was very hard, very charged, and I think is the root of a lot of this McCarthyism that User:Petrarchan47 is engaging in.

Absolutely manic, this presentation against me. Baseless at its core - but McCarthyism describes the diatribe you left about me at Gandydancer's talk page yesterday. I don't believe even you believe that what you have written is true. You have obviously perused my entire edit history and talk page, so you have apparently chosen to ignore the numerous times I am asked to help with content creation (that would be damning to big corporations), and I say no every time - because I am too busy IRL. Any facts that don't uphold this weird narrative were excluded from the above assessment. If I were part of, or trying to start a cabal, you wouldn't see evidence of it on talk pages. I use talk pages because they are public, because I want to do everything in the open, because I feel I have nothing to hide - not what I am saying nor how I say it. Jytdog, IRWolfie and Tryptofish all raked me over the coals for simply asking Canoe1967 their opinion on an idea for an RfC, this is what they consider canvassing and going behind backs: nefarious activity. This kind of thing makes it hard to take comments by these editors seriously enough to respond, to be honest. petrarchan47tc 00:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

In a discussion on the BP Talk page, Petrarchan actually proposed that forming "an organized team somewhat like CREWE, even if more loosely organized and with few members, is actually a good idea. If Wiki editors are now seriously being asked to do what we are doing at this page, we need to take a moment and reflect on what that really means. We are up against a PR department of one of the most powerful, wealthy companies in the world. And they are not about to stop caring A LOT about what this page says. They have loyal editors here who seem much more organized and less emotional than those of us interesting in removing spin. If that doesn't change, nothing will change with regard to the POV in the article" - which comment you can see here.

Any responsible editor on Wiki should be concerned with PR promoters and their admitted activity here. Anyone trying to intimidate folks attempting to have this open discussion should be shamed off the Wiki for doing so, imo. This place is about NPOV and truth. Shaming, fear-mongering and constant threats of noticeboards are, in this case, about the suppression of both. petrarchan47tc 00:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I believe that this is what Petrachan has been doing recently -- namely, convinced that a cabal is controlling the GM articles, he/she has been canvassing to try to "loosely organize" a group to "fight back", as Petrarchan, User:Gandydancer, User:Coretheapple, and User:Binksternet, and User talk:Buster7 did in working on the BP article (which you can see if you review their user Talk pages - they constantly encouraged one another and discussed what was going on in the BP article in their Talk pages. User:Binksternet was peripherally involved in that. And in the battleground that the BP article had become, and how hard it was, I understood that. I also found it disturbing with regard to canvassing and organizing out of sight of the article's Talk page, but I was already walking away from the BP article so I said and did nothing. I am, however, deeply engaged in the GM suite of articles and committed to their excellence, and I am calling Petrarchan out for canvassing and personal attacks for this behavior now. I don't even know if it is intentional (as in conscious) as much as we are all creatures of habit. But the behavior is no good. (note - edited to respond to Binksternet's objection below. Deleted Binkster from the list and noted peripheral involvement in italics. My apologies. Jytdog (talk) 00:03, 19 August 2013 (UTC))

I don't agree that I have either canvassed or handed out personal attacks. However the above is an example of a personal attack; this is an attack on my very character and my entire 'life' as a Wiki editor. It is not based in reality and evidence for these claims about me (and the conclusions drawn) will not be found in the records or anywhere else. They are simply not true. petrarchan47tc 00:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I note that his/her userpage now has a label stating: "This user disapproves of mindless PR firm sockpuppets spreading paid POV around Wikipedia." and a quote, "The question is whether privileged élites should dominate mass-communication, and should use this power as they tell us they must, namely, to impose necessary illusions, manipulate and deceive the stupid majority, and remove them from the public arena. - Noam Chomsky". These are clearly important issues for Petrarchan. However as I mentioned, this user is convinced I am a COI editor and that I am a POV-pusher, and while we avoid working on articles where the other is working, he/she continues to write negative things about me in Talk pages, and canvasses other users to get them to join his/her anti-paid editing campaign. We unfortunately encountered one another again on the March Against Monsanto article.

I don't know where I said you are a COI editor, or that I even suspected you were. I actually don't care one way or the other WHY you are spinning GMO-related articles, simply that it is happening. You can attack me all you want, and try to build a hefty case here, but it doesn't change the fact that others are seeing the obvious bias in this suite of articles as well. And I will note that there has been very recent talk about sending this whole issue to ArbCom, making the timing for your distraction attempt here very interesting. I must say also that I have never had complaints against me for my behavior or editing until I came across GMO-related articles. I very innocently tried to build the March Against Monsanto page when it was being discussed for deletion (the first time). It was then that I became the greatest menace Wiki has ever known, and have twice been taken to 3RR court (for bogus reasons) during my editing there. My activity across articles does not change, yet the reaction when I encounter the group that is dedicated to these GMO articles diverges wildly from anywhere else on Wiki. It makes no sense that it is my behaviour causing this divergence. It does make sense that I may end up looking like the bad guy since the ones complaining about me are energetic, devoted, and here around the clock with their list of wrongdoings and support for each other in these attacks. I am sick of being attacked, but this complete disinformation created by Jytdog takes it to a level I cannot ignore. It is not OK to make stuff up about someone just to get the spotlight off of yourself, Jytdog. And: it is not OK to spin Wikipedia articles, no matter how civil you are whilst doing so. petrarchan47tc 00:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

This comment by Petrarchan here really makes clear where Petrarchan has ended up, really convinced that I and others are paid editors and that Wikipedia is completely in our corrupt grasp. Simple differences in perspective have become blown up into a battle between good and evil.

Anyway to the point.

There as an ugly discussion of edits I made in the BP article on the Talk page of an administrator, User:SlimVirgin, made without notifying me, which you can see in the deleted entry here - SlimVirgin deleted it after I called it to her attention here.

It continued anyway, here (I am the "a certain editor who materialized recently and held himself out as a 'mediator'", who is negatively characterized) and here (where Petrarchan says I "deserved the 'shill' remark") - again without notifying me.

Also this groundless complaint against me by Petrarchan to Slimvirgin, which was replied to by SV here.

And again Petrarchan brought a conflict with me to SlimVirgin without notifying me - this one about GMOs here - in that instance Petrarchan wanted to introduce health-related content based on a flimsy article, which I had reverted, and when Petrarchan brought that to MEDRS as per SlimVirgin's advice, the source was dismissed as failing MEDRS here which Petrarchan has brought up bitterly several times as another example of me being a shill - see here for one.

Petrarchan probably included me here.

That is all the past stuff. The more recent stuff is more disturbing to me, as I mentioned above, because now Petrarchan appears to be trying to round up another coalition to WP:RIGHTGREATWRONGS again, now on pages I am committed to.

Canvassing behavior against me and the rest of the "evil GMO cabal" is here and here (that one with Canoe) and with User:Viriditas here and many other places on V's Talk page, with User:Groupuscule here, more of it going on here with user:Groupuscule joining in the canvassing/attacking and conspiracy theorizing, and with User:Jusdafax, here and here.

Anyway, I freaking hated doing this. Horrible, unproductive waste of my time. But again, this McCarthyism - this constant making of accusations and personal attacks on Talk pages has got to stop. Thanks for your patience. I know I am out of patience. Jytdog (talk) 18:58, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I would like to see an end to this McCarthyism as well. It seems that what started out as a charge against Canoe has spread into accusations directed against Petrarchan and, using Jtydog's words, a group of editors making "dark complaints about "paid editors" or POV-pushers or what ever you want to call them coordinating with one another to influence articles". I can't speak to Petrarchan's current editing because I haven't followed it, but if it is similar to what s/he was doing regarding the BP article, as Jtydog asserts, there is nothing what so ever to it. Anyone not aware of the so-called cabel-like discussions and activities to bias the BP article that Jytdog states were going on can read his accusations for themselves (on my talk page), and make up their own minds. Regarding Jytdog's above post, I hope that editors do take the time to read the discussion on SlimVirgin's talk page. There is no discussion there on how to bias the BP article. There is a discussion about paid editing, something we all should be concerned about. Incidentally, I believe that it was Delicious Carbuncle that called Jtydog a shill, not Petrarchan, and the "Arturo team" reference is not directed towards Jtydog and other editors--Arturo stated that he is part of a team of employees that work on the BP article. Gandydancer (talk) 15:28, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I am sorry Gandy - several people have pointed out that I should not have brought up the BP background and they were absolutely right. Because I did that, you and others have been distracted and upset. Bad for me, bad for you. I apologize. I am not going to deal with your misunderstandings stated above (e.g. I did not say you were trying to bias the BP article, and I know that it was DC - and I wrote that it was DC - who called the people he was talking to (me and you) shills (plural) - P just made it clear after talking to DC offline that the comment was directed only at me and not at you.) The point of this ANI is that Petrarchan has been canvassing other editors whom he/she views as anti-GMO via their Talk pages, and in the course of that, and in article Talk pages, she has been been making personal attacks of COI, etc etc. Again I am sorry for bringing up the background of the BP stuff - it was a hard and messy time. I would be very happy to continue discussing the background elsewhere if you like. Please let me know. But I will not discuss this further here as it is off topic. Again I apologize for my poor judgement in bringing up the BP stuff. And let me also say that paid editing is something we should indeed be concerned with and actively manage, but that concern cannot turn into McCarthyism as Petrarchan and Canoe have started to do with it. Jytdog (talk) 16:01, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Jytdog, I am not and have never been canvassing - my work on GMO related articles is seen on MAM alone. I have also in the past attempted to add a Reuters article suggesting damage from Roundup to human health, but didn't push the matter when it was inevitably shot down as not meeting MEDRS. That you can claim in a public forum that I am somehow attacking your suite of articles makes me question your ability to be rational, logical and honest. You also have much activity on your talk page showing that people come to to you specifically for help with GMO articles. Is this canvassing? You were called to help the Seralini article, and you've been called out by independent scientists off-wiki for clearly spinning the page and controlling its content. You also seem to take control of every talk page you're involved with. You've been asked before to stop with the possessive attitude which is demonstrated by your welcoming and thanking each commenter. We are all here as equals, and this attitude of superiority and ownership is disturbing to group dynamics, and sets you up as the boss. I have to ask that you stop this campaign against me that is made up from thin air, and please consider that you are obviously and heavily involved in the same activities you accuse others of participating in. We all discuss content and other issues on various talk pages - that's what they're designed for - it is healthy. Again I plead: do not try to suppress my free speech here on Wikipedia whether by intimidation, bullying or otherwise. petrarchan47tc 20:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)


I feel I have adequately responded to these claims before but since you request responses again then I will do so. We go with what sources say on Wikipedia and not edits by those 'already familiar with the subject'. You edited the recall article with copyvio material from the source, falsely stated that Kraft did the recall, and then claimed that your minor typo fixes didn't require you to read the source, which you hadn't. I had read COI differently than others and accepted that is does need to be re-worded to avoid its vagueness. One does not need to be a paid editor to be a COI editor. Too much POV for one side of an article related to ideals or field of work is enough to be POV and COI, IMHO. You keep mentioning that I am not discussing in good faith and I keep asking you the same questions. If the sources say it is X then we go with X. The recall was a health issue as reported by the sources. None of the sources claim it was an environmental issue yet it remains in the environmental section. It was recently added to the allergen section as well, even though the sources didn't mention that it was controversial because of the rare possibility of reaction. It was controversial the way it was handled before, after, and during the recall. Seemingly ignored reports before it happened, misleading statements made after it happened, as well as other concerns mentioned in the sources.--Canoe1967 (talk) 19:38, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
This is a very good summary of the issues. although I wouldn't say I've been interested in the GM articles for a long time, I doubt I edited them before 4 months ago IRWolfie- (talk) 19:16, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • The post here is probably TL;DR for ANI (maybe even for RfArb), but let me try to boil it down to what my own take is on it. Jytdog names a lot of editors, but some of them seem to me to be innocent bystanders, so let's please focus on Petrarchan and Canoe. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I keep seeing TL;DR mentioned everywhere and have yet to find a page on it. I still haven't got a clue what it means but since it is directed at me it is time to ask. Please explain RfArb as well to save me time searching for it.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:12, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
See WP:TLDR and WP:ARBCOM. Jauersockdude?/dude. 13:09, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Both essays an not policy nor guideline but worthy of response anyway. One does not need competence nor an ideal to RGW to simply paraphrase articles with material from sources.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:15, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • And as I said above the section break, editors who, like Petrarchan and Canoe, are worried about paid editing (something I regard as a potentially legitimate concern, although I'm just not seeing evidence of it at March Against Monsanto) should either bring their evidence to WP:COIN, or stop casting aspersions on other editors. Continuing down the WP:RGW road leads to disruptive behavior.--Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't think I have ever accused an editor for editing at the request of an employer. I have stated above that the COI policy is worded vaguely and I had interpreted it as any editor that uses a POV from their ideals or field to edited articles. A discussion at COIN may help clarify this but until the guideline is clarified then others may believe as I did.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:22, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • And it has mostly been asymmetrical: a lot of aspersion-casting against editors like Jytdog, but little or no reciprocation, beyond simply angry replies.--Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't feel I have replied in anger. It may be simple frustration that I don't get response. Such as why when the sources say it is a health issue then it keeps getting relegated to the environmental section when none of the sources claim it was environmental.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:51, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I've pointed this out to Petrarchan: [54], to no effect.
  • I've pointed this out to Canoe: [55], [56], to mixed effect: [57]. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I feel this is a difference of opinion on the vague COI policy. If our articles seem like they are POV to the reader then they may see it as COI editors.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:56, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Jytdog asks for something between warnings and blocks. At this time, blocks would be over-the-top. And ultimately, everyone is going to have to come under scrutiny.
  • But it would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages.--Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
If someone wishes to discuss it at COIN then I would as well. We may be able to clarify the wording of the COI policy at least.--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:19, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
This is now being discussed at COIN. As I stated below, admin may wish to table this thread until there is an outcome at COIN. This thread may be the cart before the horse until we have clarification on the wording of the COI policy.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • For now, an "official" warning is plenty, but escalating blocks may become necessary if the warnings are ignored. Let's hope a warning is enough. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I suggest that all editors involved be limited to the talk pages of the articles. Once consensus is reached on edits then we can put in an edit request for changes. This has been at ANI and other boards with little solution in sight that I can see. It may yet end up at ArbCom. Other fresh and neutral editors should be allowed to edit the articles though.--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:12, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Per WP:TPO, I've moved Canoe's comments to here reverted by Canoe. TL;DR means "too long, didn't read", see: Wikipedia:Too long; didn't read; it was directed at Jytdog. WP:RfArb is where one can ask the Arbitration Committee to accept a case. Jytdog believes that, even if you did not explicitly say something like I think Jytdog is a paid shill, your comments often come across as implying that editors who disagree with you are doing something like that. The issue here is the "casting of aspersions", not, for example, paraphrasing. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:36, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I didn't say that you replied in anger. I said that other editors replied to you in anger. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:57, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
WP:COIN is the wrong place to discuss changes to the WP:COI behavioral guideline. WP:COIN is the place to discuss situations where you believe that editors acting with a conflict of interest might be negatively affecting page content. The place to discuss changes to the guideline is at WT:COI. But the talk pages of articles are the wrong place to discuss any of that. And that's really the whole point here. --Tryptofish (talk) 17:36, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

About WP:COMPETENCE, Canoe seems determined to insert comments within my bullet point comments above, and I'm not going to keep edit warring over it. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:44, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I feel they warrant a response from me in the order you wrote them.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:47, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

Alright then, here are my original comments, un-refactored:

  • The post here is probably TL;DR for ANI (maybe even for RfArb), but let me try to boil it down to what my own take is on it. Jytdog names a lot of editors, but some of them seem to me to be innocent bystanders, so let's please focus on Petrarchan and Canoe.
  • I think that Petrarchan's conduct centers on WP:RGW, while Canoe's is a mixture of WP:RGW and (sorry) WP:COMPETENCE.
  • And as I said above the section break, editors who, like Petrarchan and Canoe, are worried about paid editing (something I regard as a potentially legitimate concern, although I'm just not seeing evidence of it at March Against Monsanto) should either bring their evidence to WP:COIN, or stop casting aspersions on other editors. Continuing down the WP:RGW road leads to disruptive behavior.
  • And it has mostly been asymmetrical: a lot of aspersion-casting against editors like Jytdog, but little or no reciprocation, beyond simply angry replies.
  • I've pointed this out to Petrarchan: [58], to no effect.
  • I've pointed this out to Canoe: [59], [60], to mixed effect: [61].
  • Jytdog asks for something between warnings and blocks. At this time, blocks would be over-the-top. And ultimately, everyone is going to have to come under scrutiny.
  • But it would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages.
  • For now, an "official" warning is plenty, but escalating blocks may become necessary if the warnings are ignored. Let's hope a warning is enough. --Tryptofish (talk) 20:02, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
In re my assessment just above, I find it relevant that Canoe has flooded this discussion at ANI with TL;DR, much of which is off-topic, although he is obviously far from alone in that, whereas Petrarchan has not made any response as of my timestamp, despite other edits in the interim. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:28, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Petrarchan has now posted some responses, albeit blaming everyone except themself. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:04, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The flood is caused by many. Claims made and then me responding to them. Could you please point out my off topic remarks and I will strike them. As I suggested below it is now being discussed at COIN so admin may wish to table this thread and wait for and outcome there for clarification on the COI policy.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:06, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for boiling this down, Tryptofish. Your summary reflects my intentions, sort of. The main policies I am concerned with are WP:No_Personal_Attacks and Wikipedia:Civility and with respect to User:Petrarchan47, the guideline against canvassing. Petrarchan and Canoe justify their behavior with concerns about paid editing but fail to take any official action about that, and instead just attack and attack on Talk pages. If these editors "focused on content and not contributors" while working on these articles there would be no problem. Also. sorry to all about the length. I have not done this before and wanted to present as much content and detail as seemed reasonable. I guess it was too much. Jytdog (talk) 23:27, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I will respond to this again. I have never accused anyone of paid editing so please don't put words in my mouth. I don't consider questioning edits or an editor as attacks. You may feel my questions are uncivil but I don't believe they are. I am sorry if they seem to come across that way. I am not sure what you mean by canvassing.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:16, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
You are welcome, of course, but I think that the case for violation of WP:CANVASS is marginal, and it only distracts from what I believe to be the central issue here. Please keep in mind that administrators at this noticeboard are not going to parse every possible nuance. They are basically asking themselves: should someone here be blocked, or is this just a content dispute that would be a waste of time to get involved in? --Tryptofish (talk) 14:15, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
As I noted below. This is now being discussed at COIN so admin may wish to table this thread until there is a clarification of the COI policy. Horse before cart.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:21, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

There does appear to be rampant paranoia in the GMO related articles by some editors that believe there is some sort of conspiracy that the articles are being controlled by paid shills for Monsanto. Absolutely no evidence for such a thing but they seem to have firmly convinced themselves that this must be the reason why the positions that they constantly push for, are continuously getting rejected by the overwhelming majority of other editors. Rather than accept the extremely rational explanations of wikipedia policies regarding WP:RS, WP:MEDRS, WP:NOR, WP:FRINGE, WP:NPOV, given countless times by other editors, they refuse to accept these are the actual reasons, and believe there is a massive conspiracy that all the other editors are in on and are controlled by Monsanto and constantly accuse the other editors as such. This conduct is problematic and a warning here toward these editors would be helpful. BlackHades (talk) 21:16, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I haven't read all the comments by other editors. I have never used the term 'shill' directed to another editor nor accused them of working for Monsanto. I think I did mention that if that is there field of interest then that may cause an inherent POV to articles. If our readers detect this as biased edits then it reflects badly on all of us for not maintaining NPOV. As to sources I already mentioned on the talk page that some sources are years old and about 30% of the March article sources don't even mention the march. They seem to be added to coatrack the article from both sides. It may end up being NPOV but full of fluff that has nothing to do with the subject. The subject is the march not the GMO controversy. There is a background section but last I looked that had its own GMO controversy sub-section. Not needed IMHO because it is just dragging the same material from the other article.--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:32, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes, and to be as clear as I can be: there will be multiple conduct and content issues as this goes along, but for now, there is a single conduct issue: the repeated casting of aspersions that editors are editing on behalf of Monsanto, without evidence. --Tryptofish (talk) 21:23, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I think you keep missing my point. Inherent POV edits will cause a biased article if not kept neutral. If our readers detect this then it will reflect badly on all of us. I tell everyone I meet to never trust our articles. I tell them how to find the sources that back up the material, read those, see who wrote them, and then make their own judgment on how the articles portray facts, truths, weight, and POV.--Canoe1967 (talk) 22:20, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Jytdog is off the rails here. There's no way that I am part of a "cabal" working on the BP article. Rather, I am a veteran Wikipedia editor with many and varied interests. Whatever kernel of truth might be extracted from Jytdog's concerns must be separated from the preposterous and unsupportable "cabal" accusation. What a load of malarkey. Binksternet (talk) 23:27, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree that this was ill-phrased and dumb to name editors who played some roll in an old content dispute in an ANI thread about a different topic. However, let's not lose sight of the real issues raised here. a13ean (talk) 23:47, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
A13ean I am sorry that I neglected to mention you as one of the consistent editors. My apologies - I knew I was forgetting somebody. Jytdog (talk) 23:54, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
Hi Binksternet, sorry to drag you into this. A13ean and Binkster - The BP stuff was not the focus of my remarks - I was trying to provide context as to where I think Petrarchan might be coming from. I concur that Binkster was not in the center of the group working on BP .... but what I wrote is based on stuff like this and this and this. Again, I apologize and I agree that you were not hot and heavy in the BP article nor in the loosely organized support group that worked to change the BP article. Jytdog (talk) 23:54, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
I corrected the text above. My apologies for being inaccurate. Jytdog (talk) 00:03, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I like Petrarchan47's spirited participation on Wikipedia, and I agree with him that it is difficult to try and identify who might be paid by a corporation and who is simply volunteering. Perhaps indeffed User:Rangoon11 was a paid editor who was disruptive at the BP article; I guessed as much but the truth will likely never be known. I also agree with Petrarchan47 that a corporation paying editors creates an uneven playing field for NPOV representation of the subject. However, the bigger picture is that NPOV can be addressed without slinging around accusations of paid editing, but only if there are enough neutral editors to counteract the paid editors, whoever they may be. Petrarchan47's wish to have more neutral editors for such work should be seen in that light—the defense of NPOV. People discussing the issues here should not lose track of the ultimate goal of having an encyclopedia which hosts neutral information. Binksternet (talk) 01:01, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I regret that Jytdog brought you and some other bystanders into this, in part because it becomes a distraction. I agree with your analysis in terms of the importance of protecting NPOV against paid editing, while also not slinging accusations without evidence. The problem is that "spirited participation" is not what has been happening here. What I have seen has been spirited slinging of accusations without a shred of evidence. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:15, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for reaching for some middle ground, Binskster. But Petrarchan's and Canoe's methods are not appropriate and the good intentions do not excuse the behaviors. That is the point of this ANI. Good intentions run amok. Jytdog (talk) 01:29, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

I don't see how adding sourced material relevant to the articles to keep them neutral can be 'Good intentions run amok.' These articles have been claimed to be POV as well as coatracks of other articles. I have edited them very little as my edits are reverted within minutes. The endless talk page discussions seem to go no where as did the one I tried at DRN. The volunteer closed it as stalled. The article content is still stalled but at least it is closer to NPOV.--Canoe1967 (talk) 02:12, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
The point of this ANI is the personal attacks you keep making, and will not stop making. Jytdog (talk) 02:27, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't feel I have made any personal attacks. I just question the edits and editors in regards of how our articles are neutral in the eyes of our readers. Unbalanced articles stick out like a sore thumb to many of them. These ones question our integrity. To those that can't detect a bias in articles, they will probably carry on thinking our articles are accurate and neutral.--Canoe1967 (talk) 02:34, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Ok, this is the heart of the issue. So in your mind, consistently accusing me and other editors of having a COI on Talk pages of articles and editors - including tagging two articles with the COI tag with regard to me - does not constitute making personal attacks? Again, this is the heart of the issue in this ANI - thank you for acknowledging it and I look forward to your response. Jytdog (talk) 13:43, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I think I have answered this numerous times but I will again since asked again. I tagged pages with COI because of my interpretation, your edits and comments, as well as the admission on your user page: " I work at a university. I'm interested in biotechnology, intellectual property, and the public perception of both. My bold. 'Public perception of both' seems like you want your perception reflected though Wikipedia to our readers. We go with sources and not the perception of editors. I have never claimed you were paid to edit articles by your employer. I have said that working in the field would give you an inherent POV. Your editing is also focused on a small field of articles which would also fit my interpretation of SPA. I have also said that if our articles are out of balance it isn't fair to the readers that can't tell and looks like outside influences, such as Monsanto, are involved to the ones that can spot a biased article. I have also recommended that you take a break from editing GMO articles. I do when I am not responding to the same questions with the same answers.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:28, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
You understand that having an interest in something is different from being interested in it I take it? What you are describing is not COI. Alexbrn talk|contribs|COI 14:36, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
The COI policy has been explained to you previously; continually arguing that someone has a COI solely on the basis of their professed interest in a subject is nothing but another personal attack. a13ean (talk) 17:13, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
+1. --Tryptofish (talk) 17:27, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I feel the COI policy is worded vaguely. This is now being discussed at COIN for clarification. Questioning an editor about his edits I do not consider a personal attack.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:36, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • WP:RGW: [62]: "This is one of those rare cases where mainstream science is POV though." by Canoe. These editors keep making statements like this. Binksternet, do you agree that statements like this are ridiculous to be making assuming one has read WP:FRINGE (Canoe has been linked enough to the guidelines, so I can only assume they have read it)? IRWolfie- (talk) 10:13, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
You forgot to include the sources. Scientific American: "... their user agreements have explicitly forbidden the use of the seeds for any independent research." Contract. I don't know if the contract has been doctored or how RS the site is.--Canoe1967 (talk) 11:46, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
This is exactly what RGW is, you think the most reliable sources should be ignored because scientists have been duped into agreeing that GMO is safe or some such, and that it is up to wikipedia to correct this. We report what the most reliable sources say, we give most weight to mainstream science that that is what we do on wikipedia, that is policy, that is in the guidelines. Whether or not contract X exists, and its implications are besides the point. If you think that the majority of scientists are wrong, go submit your original research to a journal or something, but it's not relevant here. You aren't qualified and I'm not qualified to assess safety, that is why we defer to the scientific consensus. IRWolfie- (talk) 13:08, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
How is it OR when Scientific American claims the 'broad scientific consensus' may have flaws. I only provided the contract as a source to SA's claims since they didn't provide a link in their study. Now we have reliable sources clashing over consensus. We may need to see how many exist on each side.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:07, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

OK, so the conspiracy theorizing and personal attacking is now spreading to off-Wiki sites. Here is an article, Wikipedia as a political battleground: after a GMO/Monsanto content dispute, longtime Wikipedia contributor Viriditas is blocked, written by User:Wer900. I learned about this from this dif by User:El duderino on User:Petrarchan47's Talk page. Jytdog (talk) 13:52, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

We can't do much about off-wiki posts. If editors here declare that they made the posts there then they have outed themselves and we may be able to question them.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:46, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
User:El duderino also notified User:Tryptofish in this dif (congrats to Tryptofish for being considered an honest broker! (not sarcastic, I mean it!). El duderino also posted it on User:Groupuscule's talk page in this dif and on User:Canoe1967's talk page in this dif. Jytdog (talk) 14:09, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict) This the second time that my Wikipedia reputation has been called into question, and I don't like it. A few days ago in a section on BP discussion on Jimbo's page, an editor made several accusations and when I asked for evidence, none was brought forward. Now again I'm asking for evidence that I am part of "a group to fight back [as I] did in working on the BP article (which you can see if you review their user Talk pages - they constantly encouraged one another and discussed what was going on in the BP article in their Talk pages)" which you found to be "disturbing with regard to canvassing and organizing out of sight of the article's Talk page". Please show evidence of this from my talk page. Thanks Gandydancer (talk) 14:39, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Hi Gandydancer. Your question deserves a response, and I will do so on your Talk page and after I do, I will provide a link to that here. As I wrote above, I only wrote about the BP stuff as context for Petrarchan's current behavior with regard to GM articles - as Tryptofish notes below, BP is not the focus of this ANI.Jytdog (talk) 15:37, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
As you will, however I find it ironic that Petrarchan is being discussed here because you and some other editors believe that s/he is guilty of accusing some editors of misconduct, and yet you have accused me of being part of a group that has been "canvassing and organizing out of sight of the article's Talk page" to bias the BP article to our POV, and yet you refuse to publicly provide information to back your accusations on the grounds that it is not the focus of this ANI. I only wish you would have thought of that before you brought my name here, because if it is not retracted it will undoubtedly leave doubt in the minds of many as whether or not I am a trustworthy editor. Gandydancer (talk) 16:08, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
FWIW I have interacted with Gandy a few times before this fuss kicked off and although our POVs may differ regarding some issues I have no doubt that they are trustworthy and have Wikipedias best interest in mind. AIRcorn (talk) 08:06, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Look, we can spin this dispute out to include all kinds of things, but the administrators watching here will just blow it off. I'll repeat what I said earlier: for now, there is a single conduct issue: the repetitive casting of aspersions that editors are working on behalf of Monsanto, without any real evidence, in order to gain the upper hand in content disputes. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:15, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I would like to commend any admin that has read down this far. We just keep repeating the same responses to the same accusations. If they read further the cycle will seem to just repeat again.--Canoe1967 (talk) 13:39, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I will provide support for what I wrote and I will provide difs. It will take me some time to gather it. And as I said I will post the link here. I did note that it was hellaciously trying times on the BP article and I understood where you all were coming from.... Jytdog (talk) 17:44, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I think I have responded a few times above. I seem to keep responding to the same accusations with the same answers. I have never accused an editor of being paid by any employer to edit an article. I did say that their inherent POV can affect their edits because of their job, field of study, and other causes. When this happens then the articles become out of balance and that is what some readers will believe as truth. Other readers will see the bias in articles and lose faith in our integrity. Although I read the COI policy differently than others I feel that COIN will come to the same conclusion that the policy is vague and can be interpreted in different ways. We could go over there and discuss it if you wish.--Canoe1967 (talk) 15:43, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I still cannot believe the extent to which you have consistently dismissed me and the work i have done over the last year and a half, which took a ton of time and I did with great care, and in close discussion with many other editors on all sides of the issues in involved. And all this in a subject that you have shown yourself over and over to understand very little about and worse, you have not even carefully read what the articles actually say. I have had enough of your accusations! And I cannot believe that you refuse to acknowledge that you have been doing this since our first interaction. Examples, and there are so many more than this! Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
'Consistently dismissed you and the work you have done'. Could you please explain what you mean by that? These articles are refined by many. Every time I tried to expand an article with RS material you just revert it to your version without discussing it first. I think the first time you reverted me you claimed the article was too large already. I created a split article and I think your first edit to it was a copyvio and false information. You then stated that you hadn't even read the source and already were familiar with the material. Since then we have discussed adding it to the correct section of your work according to sources. You keep maintaining it was an environmental recall. All of the sources say health and you have yet to find a source that says environmental.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:00, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
here - "I think others are trying to shove too much of the Monsanto POV into it."Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
You selected one part of that diff to quote. When read in context it makes sense. Too much POV material for one side creates an unbalanced coatrack article.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
when i reverted your addition of duplicative material to the GM Food Controversies article (which you didn't know was already in the article, even though I told you it was) you wrote an accusing note: "It was a big issue and to stuff it way down in the article seems like it is being swept under the rug.... Reverting my edit of well sourced material that our readers should see about the subject seems very bad faith. I may tack this and other issues that I consider as 'censorship' onto the Arbcom discussion on it."hereJytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
As I have responded before. I didn't see a health recall in the health section so I added it. This is also where sources have it and where our readers should expect to find it. When looking for TV shows done by an actor we shouldn't be looking in the movie section. If an editor thinks the actor made a bad movie then they would tend to 'bury it' further down in the article 'under the rug' in a section that others wouldn't look for it in. If another editor adds a copy to the movie section then the material in the wrong section should be removed.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:16, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
in this dif you made it clear that " I did create Taco Bell GMO recall as an acid test to see if that article is treated the same way in its inevitable AfD."Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I still expect either an Afd or a merge and re-direct discussion. Since the controversy article is large already then one argument would be to downsize both before merging. Many would disagree because our aim should be to expand and split not shrink and remove.--Canoe1967 (talk) 14:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
and indeed when i made a minor change, correcting the word "unfit" to "not approved" about the Starlink corn, you reverted me based on a putative "copyvio" and then wrote, completely over the top "*I feel your interaction with me by reverting the other article and statements on my talk page show you are COI with this article. I have added the appropriate tag to it. I may bring this up at the COI drama board to see if any other articles warrant it as well" in this dif - in that same dif you added a COI tag. This is what I mean - you came loaded for bear, already assuming I was a POV-pushing COI editor.Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I didn't consider it a minor change. I saw copyvio and false information which I fixed. Then you 'came over the top loaded bear'. You pointedly asked twice because I didn't respond within ~1.5 hours. I then explained how it was copyvio and how I wide paraphrased it. "Not approved" for human consumption means the same as "unfit". If I had asked the FDA if it was fit for human consumption I doubt they would say yes.--Canoe1967 (talk) 16:07, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
and when i explained that anybody familiar with this stuff would find "unfit" odd and expect to find "not approved" and that the change was just "high level" you replied with more over the top stuff: "Please explain what 'high level' means. Again, may I assume that "I am already familiar with the incident" shows that you are using your COI POV and not using sources. Wikipedia reflects what sources say, not those "familiar with the incident" in this difJytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
High level. I am still confused as to what you meant. Approved food is fit for consumption, unapproved food is deemed unfit.--Canoe1967 (talk) 16:18, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
This expression of confusion makes me wonder if we have a WP:CIR issue here. (To state the obvious: "unapproved" means not known to be fit or not; "unfit" means it has has found to be bad.) Alexbrn talk|contribs|COI 16:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Drinking Water Inspectorate: "England and Wales, taking enforcement action if standards are not being met, and appropriate action when water is unfit for human consumption ..." This producer friendly RS uses the same term for healthy food. They wrote it into their headline and the source doesn't use the term in the article.--Canoe1967 (talk) 17:47, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
when i showed you the language the FDA uses, you responded with "Is this the same FDA that failed to do their job according to this article's sources? If so, then Wikipedia doesn't allow it because it is a self published source. You should now read RS as well as OR, COI, POV, etc, etc, etc." in this difJytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Your FDA document did not mention the subject, therefore not RS. OR is your alt definition, "adulterated", that isn't mentioned in sources. COI/POV I have detailed before. The present COIN discussion will clarify whether I was in the wrong with my interpretation of the policies.--Canoe1967 (talk) 16:32, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
This one is the one that really got to me: " I don't feel your work on any of these GMO articles is an improvement but just you pushing your COI POV and owning the articles. I have told you more than once that you should take a break from editing GMO articles but you seem to just continue with BS which will probably lead to drama boards if you don't clue in. .... The GMO controversy page is a huge mess that I feel you are trying to control the content and format with. Anything I have said on its talk page was not treated in good faith and is a waste of time as long as you are allowed to own the article. " dif is here.Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I am sick of your inappropriate attacks! And I do not understand how you cannot see that you have done this over and over and over.Jytdog (talk) 18:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Personally, I'll be satisfied for now if you completely refrain from casting aspersions on article talk pages going forward. All that I have asked for here is that an administrator tell you (and another editor) just that. --Tryptofish (talk) 17:30, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I would have liked to been able to clear my name of any wrongdoing. I certainly did no "canvassing and organizing" to slant the BP article. If Jytdog felt that my behavior was going against Wikipedia principles he should have said so at the time, rather than bring it up all these months later when I am not able to answer to his accusations. Gandydancer (talk) 23:07, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
OK, I responded to your request, probably too quickly. Link is here. Again my intention was not to say you did anything wrong and I sorry for upsetting you. Jytdog (talk) 05:04, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Jytdog, you cannot accuse me of wrongdoing (canvassing and organizing to slant the BP article) and then turn around and say that it was not your intention to say I did anything wrong. I have reviewed your list of instances in which you claim that I was part of a group involved in attempts to slant the BP article, and I find no substance what-so-ever to your assertions. Gandydancer (talk) 15:28, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

A new accusation[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


I hate to create another episode of drama, but in collaboration with Viriditas (talk · contribs) I have been able to trace the identity of jytdog. I won't post it over here because I'm not interested in "outing" him, but suffice it to say that he has a COI one thousand miles wide. No doxing or hacking was used in order to find the identity, only logic and Google searches. Only Viriditas and I know the identity, and we will not reveal it publicly. Wer900talk 18:18, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I do not agree that I have COI. My work has nothing to do with agricultural biotechnology.Jytdog (talk) 18:26, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Again, I'm not going to post identifying information, but stop being disingenuous. You have a tremendous COI. I don't mean to be derogatory to other pro-GMO editors, but you, Ttguy, and Runjonrun (self-identified as Jon Entine) are the unholy trinity of pro-GMO editing. Other pro-GMO editors merely follow you as insects are attracted to light. No aspersions are being cast here, I have solid evidence of your identity. I will, again, not reveal it publicly, but may send it to ArbCom should you continue denying a COI. Wer900talk 18:31, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I understand that different people interpret COI differently and we clearly see this differently. I am happy to take this to arbcom, or as a first step, if you wish to disclose my identity to an administrator whom you trust off line, and let me know who that is, I would be happy to discuss my real identity and professional work with that administrator. I would suggest User:SlimVirgin whom I have seen as very reasonable and whom I know is very concerned with paid editing. I have never dealt with a dox on Wikipedia so I don't know these things are handled, but I will cooperate fully. I am very curious as to who you think I am and why you think your ID is true ( I have googled my true name and my username and they appear no where together, so you must be making an inference at best). I am nothing like Jon Entine, for sure. I do not wish to reveal my identity in public but I am happy to cooperate with the appropriate mechanisms - I really mean that. I assume that you will notify me of the start of any proceedings. btw, I am not aware of any editor who "follows me" - the other editors that have worked on GM articles generally have strong and clear views of their own and it is not infrequent that we differ. Jytdog (talk) 18:53, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
In fact, an even quicker immediate step - if you want to email me at jytdog@gmail.com I will be happy to discuss with you directly, Wer, over the phone. Then you can at least check to be sure who I am. I will trust that you would not disclose that publicly, but if you have the wrong person it will save a lot of hassle, ditto if you have the right person but misconstrue what I do. Jytdog (talk) 19:00, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I have replied to you. Please check your inbox. Wer900talk 20:32, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Viriditas is blocked and should not be using Wer900 as a proxy. This kind of we know the facts, but of course we will not publish it on-Wiki, but maybe we will forward it to ArbCom in the future if we don't like what happens next is completely unacceptable conduct. Forget what I said elsewhere. This rises to where Wer900 should be blocked. If there really is a COI, then either discuss it openly at WP:COIN or forward it privately to ArbCom, now. Don't toss around threats based on "secret" information. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:18, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

There is no "threat". I am talking with Jytdog to resolve the dispute. Let's keep Viriditas out of this dispute, at least give a blocked user some peace. I am not proxying for anyone—this is work that I have decided to conduct of my own accord, and because Viriditas is blocked right now I ask that full responsibility is placed upon me. Wer900talk 19:44, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Are you talking with me? You have not responded to my email nor to anything above...Jytdog (talk) 20:17, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
OK, Wer emailed me with his ID and the "evidence" therefor. I am not who he and V think I am, and their "solid evidence" was 1 fact, 2 semi-accurate summaries of my work at wikipedia and offline, and something they say I wrote but I never did, because it is not and never has been true. Between that thin foundation and their ID, a lot of guesswork. "solid evidence" phooey. I opened that email assuming good faith and left full of distrust. I have withdrawn my offer to personally reveal myself to Wer. I remain open to revealing myself to an Admin or going to COIN.Jytdog (talk) 20:51, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
When you call an editor one of the "unholy trinity of pro-GMO editing", I think it's safe to say that you are not being friendly with them, and "but may send it to ArbCom should you continue denying a COI" sure sounds like something you are threatening to do, depending on whether or not you like what happens. You were the one who brought Viriditas into this discussion. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:56, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Wow yes that is pretty nasty language, isn't it? Wer's note above is indeed of blackmail-y and worse, is a clear effort to derail this ANI. Wer's post has nothing to do with what Petrarchan and Canoe have done, which is personal attack and canvassing. In fact, even if COIN finds that I have a conflict based on Wer's work, what Petrarchan and Canoe have done to date is still inappropriate and they should be warned or blocked for their harassing, personal-attacking behavior. The witch hunt mentality must be shut down - relentless accusations on Talk is an absolutely inappropriate way to deal with concerns about possible paid editing or COI - it is destructive to Wikipedia's goals of creating great NPOV, well-sourced, encylopedic content via a civil, vibrant community of volunteers. Jytdog (talk) 20:17, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Nonetheless, my offers above still stand. I will assume good faith in Wer and if he/she promises to keep my info private I will reveal offline to him/her. Jytdog (talk) 20:17, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Tryptofish, you are going in circles. I decided, specifically, NOT to forward the evidence to ArbCom because I didn't want to come down too hard on Jytdog—I have no wish of getting him banned from the encyclopedia. You are thinking in the wrong terms, as if I were a common process-abusing admin or AN/I dweller; I am not. For the record, it was me who initiated the correspondence with Viriditas; if you are Strongly Opposed™ to any correspondence with him, you should discuss it with me rather than with Viriditas. Wer900talk 20:32, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
No, I am going in a straight line, and you are not going to get me onto a detour. You said above that you might forward the information to ArbCom. I couldn't care less whether you or Viriditas started your mutual correspondence, and you two are free to communicate off-Wiki just as much as you wish. You've said that you accept full responsibility, and I'm all in favor of holding you to it. But there is a single overwhelming fact here: you posted a claim here, that Jytdog has now refuted, that you had identified who he was, and that his identity made him a disruptive editor. It already appears that you did not, in fact, identify him correctly. What you have done is incredibly disruptive, and you do not seem to understand how disruptive it is. --Tryptofish (talk) 21:45, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

I just started a COIN on myself Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest/Noticeboard#Genetically_Modified_Food_Controversies. Can we please discuss Petrarchan and Canoes' disruptive behavior here again? Thank you. Jytdog (talk) 21:02, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Per wp:coi the definition of a coi is "When advancing outside interests is more important to an editor than advancing the aims of Wikipedia, that editor stands in a conflict of interest." so unless We900 has accessed Jytdog's brain, they have not determined a coi. Even if there were, there is no prohibition against COI editing. There IS a prohibition against outing, partial outing, and related interrogation. IMHO We900 has crossed that line in this thread. Either way, We900, it's time to 100% stop that. Sincerely, North8000 (talk) 22:15, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Maybe we can wrap this up?[edit]

Before this discussion sinks under the weight of TL;DR while administrators hope it will just go away, please let me try once more to boil it down to something manageable: It would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages. That's it. Do it, and we are done here. You won't be taking a side in a content dispute, and a fuller resolution of all this stuff will come later. Done. --Tryptofish (talk) 17:42, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Agree. North8000 (talk)
Except for the new accusations by Wer900, just above. That's something entirely different. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:25, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I think that is a sign of the rampant conspiracist ideation going on. What is interesting is the level of private communication going on amongst the Anti-GMO advocates. IRWolfie- (talk) 23:46, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I think we should 'incubate' it until COIN has decided on the status of both the editor and the wording of COI. That board should have been the horse before this cart. The editor has posted there requesting a judgment on himself.--Canoe1967 (talk) 02:11, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I disagree. The point of this ANI is your behavior, and Petrarchan. regardless of whether I am found to have a COI, your behavior, Canoe, is and has been beyond the pale. I know you cannot see it but you were told a bazillion times to stop the personal attacks and take it to COIN, which you never did. Jytdog (talk) 05:07, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

I still consider it as questioning edits and the editors that make them. Others may construe that as personal attacks. All I wish is neutral articles for our readers without having most of my edits reverted. I consider those as an attack on neutral material without discussion. I think you also considered my rare revert of your copyvio edit as a personal attack on your edit.--Canoe1967 (talk) 06:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Now you come out and say it. "Questioning editors" relentlessly on Talk pages is "discussing contributors, not content" and is what the policy against personal attacks is all about. There are appropriate boards to raise those concerns - Talk pages are not appropriate vehicles for that - especially when you do it over and over. And I am not responding to your article-specific comments here, which are off-target. Jytdog (talk) 12:08, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Let's remember that nobody owns any articles, or any content, or any edits, and all content can be edited and changed by anybody. - The Bushranger One ping only 09:10, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't think that WP:OWN has ever been the real issue here. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:01, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Unresolved issues[edit]

  1. I am very concerned that Wer900 took it upon himself to close the section above, since, just before he closed it, the primary question there was whether he should be blocked. I've looked at Jytdog's user talk, and I don't really see any evidence on-Wiki that Jytdog agrees with the assessment that Wer900 and Jytdog have come to an agreement that satisfies Jytdog. I request that Jytdog clarify that point here. If Jytdog is now satisfied, then fine. If not, then Wer900's closure is further disruptive conduct, and it needs to be dealt with.  Done.
  2. Everything else, despite all the TL;DR and drama, really boils down to something very simple, and I'll just say it again: It would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages. That's it. Do it, and we are done here. You won't be taking a side in a content dispute, and a fuller resolution of all this stuff will come later. Done. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:01, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
For the record, I've warned Canoe in the past that he needs to work on assuming good faith on talk pages, as in the past he has been far too quick to jump to conclusions/conspiracy theories of "You want to delete X article, so you must be out to get a wider subset of articles that X falls into". (If that's what you're referring to as "casting aspersions on talk page articles". If not, then ignore.) Sergecross73 msg me 14:52, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for your input and reading any of this Sergecross. I feel I have been very cautious and still not come to any conclusions about other editors. I also feel I am AGF. I have asked politely many times why a health recall is in an environmental section when none of the sources claim it was so. I have pointed out that we should go with what the sources say. I have also pointed out that our readers should have balanced articles without being POV coatracks. When my edits are reverted I have the patience to discuss it with questions on the talk pages. I repeat questions when the answers don't comply with the sources. Most of the discussions just stall out without edits changing the articles. I did edit war once when a wrong tag kept getting placed in the MAM article. Since then the tag was removed as improper. There were 3-4 similar 'tags of shame' that have been removed since as well. I think we are all AGF on but the repeated questions with the same repeated responses tends to frustrate all sides. This may be construed as AGF breakdown. I hope this makes a little sense.--Canoe1967 (talk) 17:15, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes, I'm not necessarily accusing you or anything, I haven't dug into this whole lengthy situation, I just wanted to point out that you should be aware of AGF. Sergecross73 msg me 17:23, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks. In this case, it's implying without evidence that editors who disagree with him might be working as paid editors for companies (that's what all the TL;DR was about). It's very recent, so it must be after the warning you gave him. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:58, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I have never claimed that editors in this matter are paid to edit Wikipedia. I don't know which wording you may be referring but it may be 'the impression we have on readers if they see a biased article.' Is that wording you are wondering about?--Canoe1967 (talk) 16:47, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Yeah, my warning was about a month ago. Sounds pretty similar as far as following AGF and jumping to conclusions... Sergecross73 msg me 15:25, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Above, Jytdog provided a ton of evidence concerning Canoe's AGF or lack thereof in the time following Serge's message to Canoe. Do we really need to start it all over again? I've said earlier in these ANI discussions that some of this has to do with WP:COMPETENCE in Canoe's case. I don't know: perhaps Serge's earlier notice constitutes the warning that I've asked for here, and we are now beyond that point. Administrators can assess for themselves whether or not Canoe "gets it", just by reading what Canoe says above and below. The question to me about which wording I was referring to is a case in point, as is the long post about Canoe's autobiography indicating that Canoe does not have a COI (or doesn't think outing matters?), when this complaint was never about Canoe having a COI. It was about Canoe asserting without evidence that Jytdog and others have COIs, or "appear to our readers" to have COIs. --Tryptofish (talk) 18:36, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Please stop creating drama, Tryptofish. Jytdog told me in an email that the issue has been "laid to rest" as of now. That's all you need to know. Wer900talk 16:11, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Perhaps Jytdog has agreed to leave this issue, but I find your conduct entirely unacceptable. You claimed to have discovered the identity of a user and declared that they had a COI based on off-wiki evidence. You now admit that your solid evidence was nothing but conjecture, but you nearly coerced the user into revealing their actual identity to you first. This is just as disruptive as actually outing someone on-wiki, and perhaps even more so. a13ean (talk) 16:40, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
What a ridiculous assertion! Though given your vehemently pro-GMO stance apparent from article edits, reverts and discussion on the article talkpages, it is not surprising you would misrepresent this conflict, too. El duderino (abides) 22:42, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
A13ean is correct: even if Jytdog decides to let bygones be bygones, that doesn't change what Wer900 has done, although an assessment of Wer900's apology may help determine whether or not any further disruption needs to be prevented. And I don't know whether or not Jytdog has agreed to leave this issue. I've left a message on his talk, asking him to respond about that here. At the time of my message, Jytdog's most recent talk page comment was one of expressing strong distrust of Wer900. Therefore, I do not take Wer900's assurance, and closing of the discussion thread, on face value. Let's find out what Jytdog really thinks, from him. I'm definitely not creating drama. I'm trying to get it resolved, convincingly. --Tryptofish (talk) 18:36, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I graduated high school with full academics. I worked packing groceries until I joined the infantry. I left the army because the pay sucked. I worked as a pig farmer until I capped out the salary level. I still hold the world Cargill record of 95-97% conception rate in sows without AI. I then became a journeyman electrician in industrial maintenance. In that field I have worked in everything from a beef slaughter house to a ski resort. I have edited very few of these articles but assist with discussions on them. I recently declared my COI in a new article here. I don't see a big issue with outing oneself. My main hobby is photography where I do get very COI when it comes to images in articles and at commons. I think that can be expected from photographers when there are image discussions.--Canoe1967 (talk) 17:36, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Nobody thinks you have a COI Canoe. The problem is your accusations of "paid editing" (as broadly defined above) against others, including me. Jytdog (talk) 19:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I still think you are missing my point. I have never accused an editor of paid editing. 'Broadly defined' above is not a policy and I also feel the COI policy needs clarification. If our readers see a biased article then we lose integrity. They should be balanced and not coatracks. Material from other articles should be hat-noted to the other articles without repeating rafts of the same material. One editor wanted the media section removed altogether. This would look like we were censored just as sources 'broadly hinted' of a possible censorship. The Monsanto and industry response section should be re-named Monsanto response because the march was directed at them. If it intends to have responses from those that aren't Monsanto then that is coatracking to get other industry POVs in. The media coverage section should go ahead of the Monsanto section because it happened in that order. I don't think Monsanto reacted before the media coverage.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  1. Thanks for asking where I stand. I'm satisfied; Wer's apology at the end of the private exchange was very strong and heartfelt, I thought. And I thought the public statement Wer made closing the section was a complete-enough retraction. I did not write in private, but I will say here, that my hope is that Wer and Viriditas never engage in this sort of ugly behavior again. Sorry to come to this so late, was in a meeting all day.Jytdog (talk) 19:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you. Based on what you said, I consider #1 to be  Done for the time being. Please let me be very clear about something: This does not mean that what Wer900 did was OK. And it must not happen again. It only means that there is no immediate concern about needing to prevent anything (via a block or whatever), and therefore, for the purposes of what ANI can accomplish, it is time to move on. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:41, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Unresolved issues 2[edit]

Update:

  • Everything here, despite all the TL;DR and drama, really boils down to something very simple, and I'll just say it again: It would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions about editors with whom they disagree being paid editors working for companies, on article talk pages. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
It has been taken to COIN and admin may wish to table this thread until any clarification of COI policy wording, or possible declaration of COI.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:42, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Per the section just above, it turns out that Canoe received a similar warning about a month ago. Personally, I don't think that justifies a block right now, but a follow-up warning would be enough. Petrarchan has never responded to this ANI discussion. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I received a warning for contentious material on my user page. It had nothing to do with this issue.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:45, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I think he's talking about how I've warned you about assuming good faith, when you were being a little too quick to jump to conclusions on that groundless "anti-Canadian art deletion campaign" conspiracy theory of yours because someone nominated a Canadian art article for deletion, but not a conceptually similar American one that was a featured article... Sergecross73 msg me 14:58, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • That's it. Do it, and we are done here. You won't be taking a side in a content dispute, and a fuller resolution of all this stuff will come later. Done. --Tryptofish (talk) 19:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I think admin may wish consider waiting for the COI outcome. Then all that would be in order would be apologies and warnings to all.--Canoe1967 (talk) 20:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
As should have been self-evident, Someguy confirmed there is no COI: [63]. IRWolfie- (talk) 10:50, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I will await the detailed report.--Canoe1967 (talk) 11:17, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
You will not be getting "a detailed report." That would be considered outing. — The Hand That Feeds You:Bite 17:50, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
As I wrote above, whether I have a COI or not, has nothing to do with your behavior or Petrarchan's. There is no need to wait.Jytdog (talk) 21:19, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The oversighter has not completed his investigation.--Canoe1967 (talk) 17:57, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Well, yes, but I'm not sure what about that dif would inspire any sort of confidence for your stance though. He sounds pretty confident that there's no COI... Sergecross73 msg me 20:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree Sergecross, it does look favorable to not being COI. Once we have closure with the final statement then we can probably resolve this as me being wrong about the interpretation of the COI policy as well as me using better phrasing in my edits. It seems they did get read as me accusing editors of being paid which I did not intend.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:37, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Not following this very closely at the moment, but I really agree with Tryptofish that the conflict of interest accusations on article talkpages needs to stop and some discipline needs to be imposed. Stick to the sources. II | (t - c) 21:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Those should stop once we have an outcome from COIN. Even if there is no outcome there then I think they did stop a whole ago, at least from me, because I am waiting for clarification of the COI policy.--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:34, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
It is still happening - see this dif from just a few minutes ago.Jytdog (talk) 22:59, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Are you sure you have the correct diff? That one is just my response to an editor that wanted to add non-controversial material from one side to an article about controversies.--Canoe1967 (talk) 11:00, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Agreed, I see no AGF/accusation issues in that dif... Sergecross73 msg me 18:03, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

First of all, it's very important to note the finding by an oversighter at WP:COIN that the accusations of Jytdog having a COI were entirely groundless, and have been finally put to rest. End of story. Canoe seems to believe that the discussion at WP:COIN is, instead, somehow going to result in some kind of determination that WP:COI is unclear or something, despite being told numerous times that this isn't the role of WP:COIN (as opposed to WT:COI). Canoe also says above that the previous warning does not, in Canoe's reading, relate to the present issues. So, once again, it's really very simple: It would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns about editors with whom they disagree being paid editors working for companies to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages. Do that, and we are done here. It's really not that difficult. --Tryptofish (talk) 14:16, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Could you provide a diff to the "entirely groundless" phrase? I am still waiting for the report.--Canoe1967 (talk) 17:16, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
They were always groundless based on publicly available information and the way you have handled your accusations has been inappropriate. Your harassing behavior cannot be justified after the fact, by anything I have disclosed privately now. You just don't get it, Canoe. Will an admin please, please get this guy and Petrarchan off my back already and prevent them from doing this to others going forward. Please. I am SO out of patience with this. Jytdog (talk) 18:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't feel asking an editor questions is harassment. I am still waiting for a response from you about Taco Bell GMO recall. You insist on having it in Genetically_modified_food_controversies#Environment when all the sources suggest it should be in Genetically_modified_food_controversies#Health. I am 'out of patience' as well. You revert my edits when I try to add it and have not responded to my requests on the talk page. All of the sources state health and none claim it was an environmental recall. You have said that you will not discuss article content here but you are not discussing your reverts there either. I consider this very uncivil behavior. I have never claimed you are paid to edit Wikipedia. I have stated that your edits seem very POV and SPA.--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:34, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
quote "I have stated that your edits seem very POV and SPA." Yes you have, over and over and over, in Talk pages. Not appropriate behavior. If you read way way above you will see that I used the "paid editing" term to cover the whole sloppy mess of accusations that you and others have made. Please already Canoe JUST STOP. Please. With respect to me, and everybody else. Jytdog (talk) 19:56, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Why do you keep accusing me of claiming you are a paid editor when I never have? I find that bordering on lying and could also consider it as a personal attack. I still find you very uncivil by not responding to my questions about justifying your reverts to my edits. Are you ever going to respond or just keep making clams that you are being attacked?--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:19, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
You have repeatedly implied that users disagreeing with you are "controlled by Monsanto". The fact that you haven't named all of us individually is immaterial, although you have harassed Jytdog in particular. Adding a COI tag with a nonsensical basis Claiming that others are controlled by Monsanto Claiming that others are whitewashing and censoring and so on a13ean (talk) 21:44, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I think it's quite clear that Jytdog has no COI (arguments about the right diff notwithstanding), and that Canoe insists that he believes he has done nothing wrong. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

  • A little more detail, for those who have lost patience with reading all of the above (and you have my sympathy, for sure). Those links by A13ean are representative samples, but there is more context. For example, the first diff refers to where Canoe put a template at the top of two article talk pages, identifying (by name) Jytdog as an editor with a COI. I reverted one of those as a clear violation of WP:NPA and warned Canoe on his talk page; Canoe then self-reverted the other one (on a page I didn't know of at the time), and posted the comment in the diff above. But the comment, and the subsequent comments here, make clear that Canoe doesn't really get it, responding to my warning but not really acknowledging anything other than that Canoe has trouble understanding WP:COI in ways that no one else does. As for Petrarchan, they have made some replies higher up in this discussion, but those replies seem to me to assume bad faith about everyone with whom they disagree, and to place the blame everywhere but themselves. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:26, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
And, from the department of my-jaw-is-dropping, just from today: [64], [65]. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:53, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
We keep repeating ourselves again. I have corrected my view of the COI policy pending clarification. I see nothing wrong with removing unsourced BLP statements from a talk page as I did in the above links. --Canoe1967 (talk) 00:31, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Unresolved issues 3[edit]

As we stand now, it's really the same as the sections above: It would be very helpful if an uninvolved administrator would go to User talk:Petrarchan47 and User talk:Canoe1967, and warn each of them to take any concerns about editors with whom they disagree being paid editors, working for companies, to WP:COIN, but not to cast aspersions on article talk pages. Do that, and we are done here. It's really not that difficult. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I can believe we keep repeating ourselves. I have never claimed anyone was a paid editor. I have admitted that I read the COI policy differently than others which I have corrected. I have also stated that due to inherent POV in editors we should not allow those POVs to reflect in our articles to readers. This issue is now being dealt with at COIN and is near closure there.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
About can't believe that we are repeating ourselves, right back at you! I just wish a helpful administrator would step up and put this whole thread out of its misery. --Tryptofish (talk) 00:28, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
We still don't have closure at COIN so admin may be waiting for that.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Both of you should simmer down. Its likely that no Admin have intervened because no one's been able to catch up with all of your bickering. (And I've been WP:INVOLVED in the past, so I can't really do anything here as an Admin, which is why I keep on chiming in here and there.) Cool it and let someone catch up on all of this... Sergecross73 msg me 01:43, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Although you have been involved with me on my talk page in the past, I have no problem with you making a decision here. I don't know if your involvement extends to others on this issue though.--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:36, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I would like to apologize for my additions to this huge thread. COIN has now closed with no COI on jytdog's part. I will refrain from directing the term toward other editors. I would also like to apologize for using it with my interpretation in the first place.--Canoe1967 (talk) 02:20, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for apologizing for your additions to this thread. However what I am looking for is an acknowledgement that your behavior of repeatedly attacking me and others on the basis of COI, being an SPA, and the other assumptions of bad faith, on article Talk pages and user Talk pages has been inappropriate and that you will stop doing it and instead will focus on content, not contributors, and will assume good faith. Your behavior is completely separate from the question of whether I have a COI or not. Jytdog (talk) 13:17, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
You are very welcome. I do now acknowledge that many of my edits have been considered as attacks. I will refrain from that in the future.--Canoe1967 (talk) 18:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Canoe, thank you very much for what you just said here! I really mean that! What you just said is exactly what I have been hoping for. I wish you all the best going forward. --Tryptofish (talk) 22:35, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Agree with Serge, as I've been following this thread. Why so much repeated? It seems highly unusual for Tryptofish to be moderating/directing this discussion, perhaps even inappropriate, and certainly so with the repetitive sections. If an admin wants to wade through the mess, i'm sure they will not appreciate that. I know from my own attempts at talkpage discussion that Jytdog and others like IRWolfie cry "personal attack" when their pro-GMO arguments don't hold up otherwise. I would remind them and others of an important caveat in WP:NPA: "Note that it is not a personal attack to question an editor at their talk page about their possible conflict of interest on a specific article or topic." El duderino (abides) 06:39, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
One of the things that go wrong in dispute resolution at Wikipedia is that editors on the wrong side of an issue try to point to editors with whom they disagree and say "look over there", as a distraction. There is a very simple reason for my re-posting what I have said: this is an administrators' noticeboard, and administrators, collectively, have failed shamefully to help with this problem. TL;DR, too bad. I'm not moderating. I'm not directing. I'm just stepping up and trying to help, in ways that I, as a non-admin, should never have had to do, but there was a vacuum that has been left unfilled. And by the way, the issue here has never been about questioning editors about COI at their talk pages. It was announcing, without evidence, that editors had COIs on article talk pages. --Tryptofish (talk) 22:08, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
User:El_duderino you are another editor who has inappropriately made COI-related personal attacks on Talk pages of GM-related articles, repeatedly, accusing me and others of having an agenda during discussions. As per the quote above, if you have concerns about COI, you bring it up on the editor's Talk page. The next step after than is this board. Just a few examples: here you wrote " And afaict User:Arc de Ciel is not objective enough to write any FAQ inna neutral way."; which you actually defended here with this " discussion of intent is not necessarily an attack, and the guideline of AGF does not require continued assumption in face of evidence to the contrary. '; here you wrote: "You are sounding more and more like other bio-tech industry flacks touting GMO safety."... and there are many more examples on article Talk pages. Jytdog (talk) 12:34, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
You calling them personal attacks doesn't make them so. The NPA wording "at their talk page" has been added sometime relatively recently. Your quotes of my comments are taken out of context as they came after several attempts to discuss content issues with you and others. There are not "many more examples" because I gave up trying to compromise and work collaboratively to build neutral articles. Your defense of Monsanto and their GMO products at wikipedia articles is in conflict with NPOV and it does in fact appear to be "COI editing .... in order to promote your own interests." El duderino (abides) 17:12, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Someone disagrees with you in a content dispute. You are clearly both interested in the subject, to have followed the article for so long. You continue to accuse them of COI editing, after they took the extraordinary step of revealing their identity to an oversighter who confirmed that they don't have a COI. It's not a personal attack to ask someone if they have a COI. It is a personal attack to continually badger them about a fictitious conflict of interest, using a definition so broad it would also apply to yourself. If you have, as you said, given up "trying to compromise and work collaboratively to build neutral articles" then please leave those of us alone on both sides of the issue who are still trying to do so. a13ean (talk) 19:01, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I've seen no effort on your part to work toward NPOV. On the contrary you willfully misrepresent sources, for example, on the safety of GMO food. And an editor's POV-pushing can be quite separate from aspects of their identity. El duderino (abides) 22:49, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict)So User:El_duderino... you just made another random personal attack. This ANI has a focus, and just as Wer did above, you are trying to turn it on me, inappropriately. You say there are not many more like this? Not true. I have read a bunch of your edits and while you are generally quite reasonable, and started that way in the GM articles, you lost it. As near as I can tell you (as others did) started editing GM-related articles via March against Monsanto - your first dif is here. By your third edit (this one in the Monsanto article), you were already discussing contributors, not content here: "Also, IRWolfie perhaps you can forgive others for assuming you have an editorial bias when your reference to the event in this discussion thread as "some march" seems dismissive". Later this: "I may have to post this on all relevant article talkpages too, seems like it's time to shift the debate away from those who wish to control it." Later, this: "I'm beginning to see why others accuse you of ownership issues and pro-GMO editorial bias". Later this: "I'm challenging the assertions of editors here who seem to be pro-GMO, claiming that any and all anti-GMO protest is based on fringe science and thus easily dismissable." (which no one ever said -- this was part of a really frustrating exchange (I am sure for you duderino too) where you were insisting on several pages that other editors were saying that all GMO protest is fringe and that all GMO food is safe, and nobody was saying that, and although I asked you several times to focus and have one conversation, you just kept on, scattered and misrepresenting what others were saying. We never got anywhere. I think it was around this time that you decided the other editors and me were just shills and were already walking away. Anyway..) Yet more here: "Apparently nuance only matters to some here when it serves the POV of pro-GMO." and here: "Among those touting the industry line about GMO safety...". And this was just lovely: " By the way, have you noticed how jytdog and irwolfie seem to be running a wiki-variation on the old good cop/bad cop routine? I think jytdog is trying extra hard to appear neutral, but it's wearing thin". And here - part of the same discussion referenced above, where you kept misrepresenting what others were saying and were frustrated (as was I) that the conversation couldn't get past step 1: "Yes there is a lack of progress because you and the,other pro-GMO editors are stonewalling rather than collaborating." So there you go, plenty more. There are a few more, but pretty soon after that you were indeed gone. This assuming bad faith on your part, prevented us from getting anywhere and made it miserable all around. Recently you made a canvassing sweep, posting the wikidemocracy article by Wer on selected editors' pages. And you are here today too. Still frustrated and still saying nasty things. Please let the conspiracy theory and assumptions of bad faith go. Thanks. Jytdog (talk) 19:31, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

.

  • I returned from a brief hiatus to find an ANI notice on my talk page from this user, to find that I am mentioned in passing as one of the editors who has displeased him at BP, as I have never said anything about whether or not he has a COI and have no opinion on that. I post this with trepidation as I know that I am going to just fuel the drama that he has created here. Suffice to say that I have no opinion as to the merits of his complaint because I simply do not have the time to comb out from these thousands of words exactly what "attacks" are troubling him. What I can do is to share my most recent experience with this editor, which indicates that he has a very expansive view of the word "attack," such as to make it almost meaningless when utilized by him.
At Talk:BP some months ago, Jytdog collapsed some comments I made concerning Department of Justice action re BP, on the grounds that they were a "tangent" and that the "section is not about what DOJ says."[66]. I didn't think he should collapse the comment of an editor with whom he disagreed. So I went to his talk page and asked him to desist.[67]. He deleted my post and zoomed over to my talk page with a post titled "you are all over me," saying "all you do is attack me."[68] He was completely oblivious to what he had done, and responded by saying that he was quitting the BP article. The full text of the bizarre exchange on my talk page can be found here. [69] That was my last contact with this editor, April 2013, until he summoned me to this ANI.
This is a hypersensitive editor who yells "attack" about things that aren't attacks. He has no credibility on that score and should stop the nonsense, stop wasting people's time, and stop stirring up drama over nothing. Coretheapple (talk) 20:15, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for weighing in Core. I have been chastised several times for having brought up the difficulties at BP to provide background as to where I think Petrarchan is coming from. And I now apologize to you too for bringing it up - you are not the subject of this ANI. This is my first time on the drama boards; I disagree that I cry wolf and I think you were indeed all over me on the BP page when I wrote that. I am not going to rehearse all that here but would be happy to discuss on your Talk page or mine -- I will repost this on your Talk page so you don't have to wade through all this.Jytdog (talk) 20:25, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
No. Stay off my talk page. Thank you. Goodbye. Coretheapple (talk) 20:26, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Lets wrap this up[edit]

So to confirm:

  • There's no COI.
  • At least Canoe has apologized and dropped everything.
  • Everyone seems to be well aware that everyone should follow WP:AGF, not throw around empty accusations, etc.
  • There's still plenty of arguing going on, but
  1. Its just talking circles.
  2. Nothings actionable. Should some people calm down a bit, not jump to conclusions, etc? Yes. But Is anyone being so bad that it warrants a block or anything? No.

Therefore, I feel we should just about be wrapping this up. Lets move on. Sergecross73 msg me 20:33, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Canoe has apologized for his behavior and has agreed to not make accusations of this type in the future. I remain unconvinced that other users are willing to follow his good example. It would be nice if an uninvolved admin could close this with a firm reminder to AGF and focus on the content. a13ean (talk) 20:39, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
With all the back and forth, if they don't get it by now, they never will. I'm afraid at this rate, with almost no one willing to stop arguing, no admin is ever going to bother reading through all of this bickering to be able to make a call on this. If they fail to follow AGF in the future, I'm sure they'll be brought back to ANI, and people can link to this conversation to see that just about anyone involved should be well aware of the concept. I think that's about as good as its realistically going to get at this point... Sergecross73 msg me 20:50, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I think Core was the last editor I mentioned who had not written anything. But I will stop responding to anybody here so this can be closed. Jytdog (talk) 21:18, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

My final take on closing, however.

Thanks to everybody who participated,especially User:Tryptofish, and again sorry for making a hash of this (too wordy, and bringing up useless old stuff that was unhelpful). I am done for real. Jytdog (talk) 21:40, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

It's remarkable how little you seem to acknowledge your own part in the conflict's escalation. Your propensity to see disagreement as attack is particularly disruptive. El duderino (abides) 22:52, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict), and it makes for an interesting contrast. Hey, you are very welcome. It's a pity that you had to go through this, and that it ended up dying in TL;DR. --Tryptofish (talk) 22:55, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I went to one of the links above, and found this:[70] cited therein, an attempt to interest Jytdog in a GMO-related article, to which he responded in the affirmative. The person who engaged in that effort has not been dragged into this drama. This appears to be an effort by one side in a content dispute to get the other side in trouble, in a situation in which the activities of everyone does not always meet hindsight scrutiny. We can leave this without a pound of flesh being extracted from anybody. Coretheapple (talk) 22:27, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I hope that anyone who cares at this point will read what Someguy1221 has said at WP:COIN#Genetically Modified Food Controversies – in part, because it really is the final word on the COI accusations that got us here in the first place, and in part, because Someguy1221 is to be congratulated as being the only administrator who really stepped up in any way throughout this entire sad discussion. As Coretheapple's comment immediately above my own demonstrates, any wish that everything is all blown over, and everyone understands AGF, is merely wishful thinking. I'm very happy at what Canoe has said here, and that's a great step forward. There are other editors who acted badly but who have not shown any similar understanding, and it is now clear that administrators, collectively, are simply too put off by the TL;DR to do anything to prevent the problems from continuing. Well, we are all volunteers, and that's the way it is. In all likelihood, this will prove to be a problem that the community will be unable to resolve, and that's what ArbCom is for. --Tryptofish (talk) 22:50, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Meh, that wasn't exactly my point. What I was suggesting is that this is a hotly debated subject, and that what I've seen of it (I've weighed in on March Against Monsanto) what we have here is a content dispute and not a group of horrible editors attacking other editors, who need to be sternly warned to desist. The italicized comments at the very very top, under "Canoe1967 - GMO" don't stand out as atrocities requiring punishment. Or that one group of editors is deeply, deeply wrong, the other side is blameless, requiring suitable apologies. Coretheapple (talk) 23:12, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Damn it I cannot respond on your userpage so I have to break my word and do it here. User:Coretheapple - This is not about content. Disagreements about content are common and resolving them is what makes Wikipedia awesome. Assuming bad faith makes that impossible. Viriditas was the most virulent assumer of bad faith and got banned for it. Canoe was heading there, Petrarchan is still there fullbore, and is canvassing others to join the ABF bandwagon. It is not about content - it is about not losing good faith, and if you do, dealing with that appropriately. Jytdog (talk) 00:21, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I actually became aware of the disputes only recently, but, having followed the edits very closely after becoming aware of it, this very much stood out to me as not being something where moral equivalence should apply. It has been very asymmetrical, with editors on one side disproportionately attributing bad faith to editors on the other. Both sides have been stubborn, both have been overly wordy, and both have done at least a little ABF, but the relative proportion of AGF to ABF has been very asymmetrical. --Tryptofish (talk) 23:50, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Can we all just Drop the Stick? The debate died a natural death – let it remain dead. It is over, let it go. Nobody cares anymore. Hard to stomach, but we are all going to have to live with it. Thank you, VVikingTalkEdits 23:52, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes, exactly. This is all just ego and proving points now. Which was why this section was titled in regards to "wrapping this up" and not "Lets begin round 4!". Looks like its been largely misread though. Sergecross73 msg me 00:43, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
See also: #Maybe we can wrap this up? --Tryptofish (talk) 01:17, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I am sorry it is coming across as all ego now. I have been really bothered by the ABF thing, and what I saw as its spread, and put a lot of time into preparing this. Overdid it, to the end. Done though. thanks again.Jytdog (talk) 02:56, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't agree. I was just accused of following an editor last night based on this dispute with no supporting evidence. It does not appear that many editors are getting it. Thargor Orlando (talk) 14:26, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Obstructive behavior by another user[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


I got problems editing articles related to Jehovah's Witnesses, because of a user, Jeffro77 (talk · contribs). I am sorry it have gone so far as this, as, despite some disagreements, we used to have an okey communication, but I've noticed a negative pattern of obstructive bahaviour, including refusing to comply to a noticeboard decision, and lack of cooperation to get controversial topics balanced. Jeffro77 claims bona fide and good faith, but his high level of knowledge to both wikipedia policies and some of the topics discussed, makes it very hard to defend his obstructive behavior.

Jeffro77's refusal to comply to the noticeboard decision, is well described at Talk:Jehovah's_Witnesses'_handling_of_child_sex_abuse#Sources. The noticeboard discussion, where Jeffro77 was participating, is Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 119#"Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock".

Here Jeffro77 replaces an unreferenced claim I just removed (the claim is not found in the linked source, and Jeffro77 have proven other places he got the ability to read that pretty easily). When I have to feed him with a teaspoon and ask for a thrid persons opinion for every single small detail, it makes it harder to clean up a biased and highly controversial article.

In this edit Jeffro77 request information regarding who the second out of two other editors discussing at IRC was. What was all that about? In a public offwiki forum, where editing Jehovah's Witnesses' handling of child sex abuse (the Wikipedia article) is discussed, another editor of this article is admitting to have recieved a private message from Jeffro77 regarding some specific edits the other editor had made to this specific article. I don't know if Jeffro77's purpose was to attack me (if I had answeared positive), or to induce a violation of the harassment-policy (if I had given up a link to the off-wiki discussion, as he pretty much invited to).

In my opinion some of the JW-related article, Jehovah's Witnesses' handling of child sex abuse no expeption, are biased, an in a high degree making use of OR, as proven at the article's talk page. Use of "elders letters" and "according to faxes here and there without a link" are supplied with selective quoting from primary sources. So, what to do? Grrahnbahr (talk) 11:53, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

(Refactored discussion of separate issues below)--Jeffro77 (talk) 01:40, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Reliable sources[edit]

I already told you[71] to go ahead and make the changes you want to make. So your claim that I'm obstructing you is exactly the opposite of the facts. You are clearly trying to rely on the recent momentum of Maxximiliann's frivolous accusations.--Jeffro77 (talk) 11:57, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Additionally, Grrahnbahr has made conclusions about a discussion at the Reliable Sources noticeboard that were not as absolutely stated as he claims. And despite that, I've already told him that he's welcome to make the changes he wants anyway, and then we can consider if the article maintains an appropriate standard of neutrality.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:00, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
He also claims that "another editor of this article is admitting to have recieved a private message from Jeffro77", which is an absolute lie (unless we're calling User Talk pages 'private'??). I've never used any IRC channels related to Wikipedia at all. My query about the IRC related to another editor who said that he read something on the IRC in support of Grrahnbahr's position.[72] Specifically, Matty.007 (talk · contribs) added a tag to the article about unreliable sources.[73] I asked him about the tag,[74] and he said that he added it as a result of something he saw on the IRC.[75] (However, after Matty.007 considered the sources in question, he removed the tag[76] and stated that the sources seem fine to him.[77]) Clearly there was no 'private message from me' on the IRC in order to have a tag added that I didn't think was needed. It remains to be seen who the other party/parties were who were privately discussing the matter on the IRC. I also note that Grrahnbahr doesn't deny that he was the other person involved on the IRC, but instead made defensive remarks about what it might hypothetically mean if it were him. (That is, it may be the case that Grrahnbahr was canvassing for support via IRC.)--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:10, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
And what's the "recent momentum of Maxximiliann's frivolous accusations" about? Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:01, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Jeffro77 was participating in the noticeboard discussion. I asked furter questions during the discussion, to avoid misunderstandings. Jeffro77 have several times announced he has no intentions to comply to the RS noticeboard regarding the mentioned sources from the discussion.Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:08, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
No. What I said is that the other editors at the noticeboard did not say what you say they did. Specifically, you are referring to JW publications that are generally given to JW elders, but have been (unofficially) made available online. The editors at the RS noticeboard indicated that sources that have been made available to a broader audience, even unofficially, are verifiable and therefore can be used (though I've also repeatedly stated that secondary sources would be preferred). And despite that, I told you to go ahead with your changes anyway.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:15, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I've tagged the references to the book at at least one more article. As long as you reject to comply to the RS noticeboard, it doesn't help me much to go on here. I won't be reverted just because you don't recognizes the RS noticeboard. Regardning "Maxximiliann's frivolous accusations", I found out, so never mind. I would have attached this discussion to the other one, if I was aware about it. This is about your behaviour when it comes to JW-related articles, not about ancient kings and chronology. Grrahnbahr (talk) 13:14, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Your claim that I am 'not recognising the RS noticeboard' is a 'bait and switch'. The other editors at the RS noticeboard did not provide the absolute conclusion that you say they do. What you are calling the 'decision at the RS noticeboard' is your own conclusion.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:21, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes, 'clearly' my suggestion that you make your desired changes warrants you raising an ANI over an hour later.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:24, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
The different users opinions are clearly quoted in the articles talk page. It is obvious you don't like the conclusions from the RS noticeboard. It's the peaceful solutionmaker when disagreeing about a source. This is the last thing I would like to do, but it have to be done, and is the right thing to do as long as you don't fully comply to the RS noticeboard. Several users, you included, was participating in the discussion, so I can't see why it's so hard to comply. Grrahnbahr (talk) 13:49, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
You continue to supply your interpretation of statements made at the RS noticeboard, but the other editors did not make the absolute conclusions that you imply. I have already indicated this at the article's Talk page. And when I tell you to go ahead and change the article anyway, you raise a frivolous ANI.--Jeffro77 (talk) 14:20, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't keep editing, just to get reverted without a good reason. It have been building up over time, and you do still not recognizes the RS noticeboard. You do also keep misusing primary sources, obstruct clean-up of biased and controversial articles related to Jehovah's Witnesses, and doesn't apply to guidelines and policies, like wp:published or wp:primary. It hard to reach consensus when you don't recognizes the policies or the noticeboard for reliable sources. The heading of the RS noticeboard discussion are pretty clear what source it was about, though the discussion also included "letters" used for similar purpose. This is pretty exhaustive explained at the [talk page], if other are interested in looking into the case. Grrahnbahr (talk) 11:19, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
You keep claiming that 'I don't recognise the RS noticeboard', and I keep telling you that the editors there didn't say what you say they said. Matty.007 read the same page at the RS noticeboard that you're talking about, then looked at the same article you're talking about, and he arrived at the same conclusion as me.--Jeffro77 (talk) 11:31, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Specifically, these are the editors involved at the RS noticeboard discussion in question:
  • WhatamIdoing (talk · contribs) said the sources can be used.
  • Cusop Dingle (talk · contribs) indicated that a 'leaked' copy might be challenged as unauthentic, however no challenge has been made to the authenticity of the quoted/cited sources. You have specifically indicated that you do not believe the sources to be unauthentic, but instead you've claimed that the "authenticity doesn't matter".
  • John Carter (talk · contribs) said the sources can be used.
  • Andrew Dalby (talk · contribs) indicated that there might be issues if online copies of the source become unavailable at some point, but that has not occurred, and it is not difficult to find the sources online.
  • Adjwilley (talk · contribs) said that it would be preferable to use secondary sources.
No one has disputed that it would be preferable to use secondary sources for the article in question. However, the editors at the RS noticeboard did not say the leaked JW publications cannot be used. As I have previously indicated at the article's Talk page, the books in particular are usable, though the letters are probably harder to confirm.
The fact remains that I told you—before you raised this frivolous ANI—to go ahead with removing the sources you believe are not usable, and then we could consider if your edits are detrimental to the neutrality of the article.--Jeffro77 (talk) 11:56, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

(Response to your claim that Matt007 have changed his mind): I can't find it, so I can't comment or reject it. A link for him getting to the same conclusion as you, would be helpful. Just removing the tag doesn't prove he've changed his mind. It could also be that, as he's a new user, may not will be too involved in a disute, as a result of an IRC request. Anyway, I haven't seen him as an arbitrator, so I can't say his opinion only would cancel any conclusions from the RS noticeboard. I don't know what your point is anyway, as he's not using he's opinion of the RS noticeboard discussion as an excuse for obstuctive behaviour. Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:04, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Seriously?! I already provided the diff for Matty007's comment (and here it is again[78]). And it's the very first comment in the article Talk section (Talk:Jehovah's_Witnesses' handling of child sex abuse#Sources) that you posted in your initial complaint.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:08, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

(Response to the rest):

  • WhatamIdoing (talk · contribs) did provide one short comment, where he pointed out that borrowing counts. The book is not listed in any public libraries as far as I know, and I haven't seen the oposite to be proven, so fail.
  • Cusop Dingle (talk · contribs) Last comment of this user in this discussion was "[y]es, I realise that. By 'publication' I meant 'the act of publishing it unofficially', not 'the thing published'. The point is that if someone publishes unofficially what they claim to be a private document then we need to have a reputation for reliability on the part of the person publishing to allow us to use the thing published as an authentic copy of the private ducument. After all, anyone can put anything on a website and claim that it is some super-secret doument. In the absence of some reason to believe in the authenticity we simply cannot use it." The mentioned book is not "published", as of WP:Published. He's last two sentences makes it very clear. You have not provided any reliable websites where the book, or the letters (except for one) is published. So fail.
  • John Carter (talk · contribs) writes about self-published sources in general. Andrew Dalby replied to John Carters edit, as the book isn't "published". John Carter did never reply to Andrew Dalby reply, so you can't make it a final conclusion what his opinion was.
  • Andrew Dalby (talk · contribs) "For these reasons, I'd say, we should avoid relying directly on the citation of an unpublished text such as this. But if any source we consider reliable has already cited it (e.g. an academic or journalistic source) we have no reason not to use that as our source. That's like citing a published edition of a manuscript: it's exactly what we do." I asked a following up question, if not the reliable source should be listed, rather than the book (claiming it for being from the book)?. He answeared positive. I've requested reliable websites/sources republishing the book, and non of those are give. So fail.
  • Adjwilley (talk · contribs) "Depending on what you're trying to support with this source, I think it would be much safer if you could find an outside secondary source that cites this source. In other words, instead of citing the internally published book to say that it says such and such, find a scholarly article or book that says that the internally published book says such and such." Jeffro77 haven't provided RS reusing the selected quotes from the book, so fail.

I don't care weather a source is supporting one or the other side in an article, as long as it is not regarded as reliable. Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:28, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

I don't agree with your conclusions that the sources can't be used, and neither did Matty.007. You yourself have indicated that you do not doubt the authenticity of the cited materials. (In fact, you don't even know that the editor(s) who originally added the citations weren't quoting from a physical copy of the book.) Additionally, I already told you repeatedly and before you raised this ANI to go ahead and remove the sources to which you've objected anyway. So your complaint is clearly frivolous and hostile.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:41, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Comment - I offered Grrahnbahr a significant compromise at article Talk about this issue before he even raised this complaint at ANI. It's unclear what he actually wants. Apparently, it's not enough that I actually suggested that he remove the sources to which he's objected. It seems he also requires that I unconditionally agree with everything he says. Well, I don't.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:38, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Unreferenced claim[edit]

He also claims I restored an 'unsourced claim', but the statement (a statement that already existed in the article that I actually just moved to a different section in the article) is sourced, with not only a citation, but also a quote that immediately follows the statement. The actual statement that I moved (not added) is, "Cases of alleged abuse are only reported to secular authorities if required by local laws or as instructed by the local branch office." It is supported by the quote in the next sentence from the cited source: "The elders may be required by law to report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. If so, we expect the elders to comply." (I've just noticed that the source article has been modified slightly and I will update that wording in the article.) The newer wording quoted from the cited source is: "In addition to making a report to the branch office, the elders may be required by law to report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. If so, the elders receive proper legal direction to ensure that they comply with the law."[79]--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:10, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

The mentioned site used for the reverted source, haven't changed significantly for several years. And you accused me for being a lier? Grrahnbahr (talk) 14:04, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

I didn't supply the original quote in the article. When I noticed (tonight) the quote in the article did not exactly match, I fixed it. Regardless of when or why the quoted statement in the article did not exactly match the source, the old and new quoted statements both support the statement I moved from elsewhere in the article, which you falsely claimed was unsourced.--Jeffro77 (talk) 14:20, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
It wasn't the quote, but the statement before the quote, whitch still is wrong, and as I removed: "Cases of alleged abuse are only reported to secular authorities if required by local laws or as instructed by the local branch office". The source states that "...victim or anyone else who has knowledge of the allegation may wish to report the matter to the authorities, and it is his or her absolute right to do so." Further, the quoted statement doesn't exclude elders from reporting it, even though reporting isn't required by law (unlike the impression given by the wikipedia-article: "Cases of alleged abuse are only reported to secular authorities...", which is not according to the source, violation of WP:SYNTH, and most likely not true). Grrahnbahr (talk) 14:46, 19 August 2013 (UTC)
The statement is supported by the quote. The statement and the quote relate to the policy. The policy only indicates reporting to secular authorites when required by law or as instructed by the branch office. Whether a JW elder might otherwise choose to report in other circumstances is not indicated in the policy (though an elder who reports to authorities against the direction of the 'branch office' would be in breach of the JW policy). The statement is about official JW reporting by elders of abuse; obviously their policy cannot control the 'absolute right' of any other person who might unofficially (that is, not reported by JW 'elders') report abuse to secular authorities. The statement that elders "only" report relates to the two conditions of "when required by law" OR "as instructed by the branch office". Additionally, as already stated, I didn't add the 'claim', but merely moved the existing statement from another paragraph,[80] where it also cited same source.--Jeffro77 (talk) 00:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
You did add the claim to the article, after I had removed it. The claim doesn't open up for elders (actually the claim doesn't specify it to be about elders at all; concidering the articles heading, it could be about JW in general) to report sex child abuse, other than when required by law. If a source says USA will respond military to a nuclear attack, and seek support from their allies, it doesn't make sense to state that "USA will respond military only if attacked by nuclear weapons, and if supported by their allies". You are making up stuff, like described in WP:SYNTH. The source is may considered a primary source, or a SPS. Though primary sources are allowed, it is not unconditional. Grrahnbahr (talk) 11:01, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Of course I restored the sourced statement after you removed it and falsely claimed it wasn't sourced. (However, you did claim that I "added"[81] the 'claim' immediately after I initially moved it,[82] before your subsequent attempts to delete it and its subsequent restoration.) But I wasn't the person who originally added it. You know very well that the policy is referring to reporting by elders, and that 'regular' JWs don't 'contact the branch office' to ask for advice about reporting cases of child abuse. In fact the sources you want to censor (see section above) are from publications that only 'elders' are 'supposed' to have access to, which contain the instructions about reporting abuse. Your 'example' isn't even semantically analogous.--Jeffro77 (talk) 11:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The 'Two witnesses'-section is describing only for the congregational handling of child sex abuse, and does not apply for JW the religion's handling of sex child abuse for deciding whether a crime is reported to the authorities or not. The claim is still wrong, and is still a misleading interpretation of the source. The fact you pretend you don't see how this is a misleading interpretation, even after a tea-spoon-feeding where it is pointed out that the specific interpretation is not what is said in the source, is quite provocative, as you have proven to select details from a 70 years range of WTC publications to promote your views. Grrahnbahr (talk) 11:41, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Huh? The statement you've been complaining about isn't even in the 'Two-witnesses' section. (In fact, in the edit you were originally complaining about, I didn't edit anything at all in that section.) If you're going to start complaining about an entirely different statement, please provide a quote of exactly what you're complaining about, preferably in a new subheading. Regarding the statement quoted from the source (where it is indicated that elders contact the branch office to seek direction about contacting authorities), the paragraph explicitly states that the paragraph is in reference to all cases of alleged abuse "even if the elders cannot take congregational action", so your claim that it's only about 'congregational action' is a direct contradiction of the source.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:14, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I have no idea which publications from "a 70 years range" you're referring to (I'm not even aware that JWs have had a 'child protection' policy for 70 years), nor is it clear which "views" I'm apparently 'promoting'. I didn't write the article in question, nor was it me who provided its sources. (I have done considerable copyediting on the article over the years, where I removed a considerable amount of material that was biased against JWs, but I'm sure I'll get no thanks for that.)--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:54, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
You was writing about "the section above", as a reply to me pointing out it wasn't even clear it was about elders. The section above the one with the edit, is the 'Two-witnesses' section. Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:35, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Huh?! No! The section above this one - the one at this ANI about Reliable sources.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Request from previously uninvolved admin[edit]

I note that the entire discussion above has been a dialogue (or perhaps more accurately two separate monologues) with no third party involvement. I suspect that if other regulars at AN/I feel the same as I do, the lack of third party input is due to the excessive length and lack of focus in your two contributions thus far. So I'm going to ask you both to do two things. First, will you each please make a single post outlining what, if any, administrator action you are requesting here? This could be a block, a page protection, a topic ban, an outright ban, an interaction ban or perhaps a final warning to someone that one or more of these sanctions might follow. Don't argue for why your request is justified; please just say what you are hoping for here (which may be "no action" if you think none is justified.) Once we have seen what you are asking for I will then ask each of you to present a short case, with diffs, to persuade us that yours is the preferred course of action. You both know by now enough of the other's position to be able to predict and pre-empt anything they might say. But that's for later - for now, what admin action do you want? One post each please, and no responding to one another so get it right first time. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 13:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Regarding the first point, I already offered a significant compromise before he even raised the ANI. Requested action - Grrahnbahr to get on with actually making the changes he's been whinging about so we can determine if the article still neutrally presents the issue and doesn't become a PR piece. (Admin action - warning.)
Regarding the second point, the accusation is completely false. The statement in question is supported by the cited source. Requested action - Grrahnbahr to stop accusing me of 'adding' a statement that already existed in the article, and to stop claiming that the source doesn't support the statement (this may include him offering alternative wording). (Admin action - warning.)--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Note - if Grrahnbahr is claiming that a topic ban is warranted on the basis that I don't accept his interpretation of selected comments from the RS noticeboard, I suggest that his retributive frivolous request itself merits a block.--Jeffro77 (talk) 00:26, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Thank you Jeffro, can I ask Grrahnbahr please to say what (if any) admin action you are requesting? Please don't respond to or argue against Jeffro's request just now - simply say what action you would like. If you would like this report dismissed with "no action necessary" please just say so. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 14:41, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Since the case about the source was already discussed at the RS noticeboard, and it was about a users conduct, I couldn't find another suitable place to discuss it. It is also a pattern and a long term thing, so I think a permanent topic ban for Jeffro77 (articles related to Jehovah's Witnesses) would benefit the project. Grrahnbahr (talk) 23:41, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Comment: I am not an uninvolved editor. I have made significant contributions to the range of JW articles over several years and have also at times become caught in the inevitable pro/anti JW disputes. Jeffro has worked even longer on those articles and made major contributions, ensuring compliance with Wiki policies. Grrahnbahr is obviously frustrated, but his proposal for a permanent topic ban is extreme and unwarranted. I see the argument from both sides. The issue should go back to an RS noticeboard or dispute resolution forum, or they should seek widespread third party comment and abide by it. BlackCab (talk) 00:30, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Matty.007 already indicated that the sources seem fine to him (diffs already provided above). I have no problem with broader consideration of the comments at the RS noticeboard. In any case, I already suggested that Grrahnbahr go ahead with his desired changes.--Jeffro77 (talk) 00:38, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
But all Grrahnbahr needs is one editor who agrees with him and we're back at square one. And we're also at stalemate if Grrahnbahr makes an edit that you disagree with. I have my own view, but it needs a broader consensus or this thing will just go on and on. BlackCab (talk) 00:47, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Well, yeah. That's why I agreed with your comments and suggested broader consideration of the RS noticeboard discussion.--Jeffro77 (talk) 00:50, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Comment I am an uninvolved editor and I concur with BlackCab (FWIW). Without knowing anything about the sources which are under debate, I'll admit my sympathies lie with Jeffro77 who was just involved in another drawn-out JW-related dispute on AN/I that resulted in an indefinite block for User:Maxximiliann. I don't know much about the dynamics of those who edit JW articles but I can't help but wonder if this is payback. Liz Let's Talk 00:53, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
(The recent ANI mentioned by Liz has since been archived to Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/IncidentArchive808#User:Maxximiliann.)--Jeffro77 (talk) 05:46, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I've been slightly involved with JW articles and more involved with the Maxximiliann ban, but from what I can see a topic ban of Jeffro77 would definitely not benefit Wikipedia and particularly our JW articles. Dougweller (talk) 09:32, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I've been maybe a bit more involved than Dougweller with JW content, but maybe not, and I would have to concur with him that a topic ban of Jeffro77 from JW content would not benefit either wikipedia in general or JW content in particular. It would, in at least my opinion, be possibly one of the worst things that could happen to us regarding JW content. . John Carter (talk) 14:47, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Evidence requested[edit]

So, Jeffro would like Grrahnbahr to be warned by an administrator and Grrahnbahr is asking for a topic ban for Jeffro from JW related articles. Can I ask each of you now to post diffs of the kind of behaviour for which you would like the other person sanctioned? Describe the bahviour (eg incivility, edit warring) and give a diff to show that behaviour in action from the other person. Please do not respond to one another; I'm quite sure you can each predict what the other is going to write and you can get your rebuttals in later. For now just tell us in one concise posting each, what has the other done to make the action you are asking for warranted? Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 09:06, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Hatting material unrelated to the request above Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 13:06, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
I will first ask if an admin could evaluate non-wiki content related to the topic and the user, or if it would break one or some policies. I can't provide it here, as it would for sure break another policy, but could be helpful to evaluate this case and also to some extend prove a COI for Jeffro77. Grrahnbahr (talk) 10:00, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Before Grrahnbahr even raised this ANI, I had already told him to go ahead and remove the sources he was complaining about.[83] Yet despite that, he's continued to complain about my alleged 'failure' to co-operate, and he's since made no attempt to actually work on the article that he claims is so 'biased'. It therefore seems that he is more interested in a personal attack than actually improving articles. He claims that a discussion at the Reliable Sources noticeboard completely rules out the sources he's arguing about, and that I am 'obstructing him' (despite the significant compromise I gave prior to the ANI). Despite his claims, the conclusion about the sources is not merely mine, but also that of Matty.007 (talk · contribs), who also reviewed the discussion at the RS noticeboard; Matty.007 initially added a tag to the article about unreliable sources[84], which he said he added as a result of something he saw on the Wikipedia IRC (chat room);[85] (I left a 'yes or no' question at my User Talk page for Grrahnbahr to indicate whether it was he who sought support for his views on IRC, but he has not responded.) However, after Matty.007 considered the sources in question, he removed the tag[86] and he stated that the sources seem fine to him.[87] I can only guess that Grrahnbahr seeks to have me banned from the topic (a somewhat extreme response to my request that he get on with the changes he wants to make to the article) because he does not like the balance I've sought to bring to articles about JWs.--Jeffro77 (talk) 12:43, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

First of all, this is an important discussion, as Jeffro77 have a history of using ANI to get rid of users not sharing his view of Jehovah's Witnesses and similar topics. This is a serious threat to the neutrality for articles related to Jehovah's Witnesses. Jeffro77 do also have a record for disrespective behaviour against other users, including indentifying/"identifying" other users as pro-JW or their believes as JW-teachings. Jeffro77 did also start gathering support before User:Kim Dent-Brown had open up for further comments, by replying to my comment [88] (later removed), and later by involving into "the rest of it".

One uninvolved user is speculating about this being a payback. I don't know, "know" or "know" User:Maxximiliann, and I haven't been involved (not as I can remember) in any articles or disputes about 607 or ancient kings of Israel/Judah. I am though briefly familiar with all those topics, especially those related to JW doctrines, but mainly not through wikipedia. Liz' sympathies lie with Jeffro77. It is easy to forget it was Jeffro77 who started the ANI, and he got what he wanted. And, I was not involved anytime and anyhow, nor in the talk page discussions or on this page. Concidering Jeffro77's long time history of going after users he conciders as "pro-JW"-users, among them User:FaktneviM [Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/IncidentArchive713#Personal Attacks, Harrassing Behaviour, inappropriate warnings and inappropriate use of Twinkle by User:FaktneviM] and User:AuthorityTam,[Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/IncidentArchive620#User:AuthorityTam] [89] (This is just a couple of examples), he have to be prepared for questioning of his motivations for contributing to wikipedia. This does also prove a long time tension, where users with clear anti-JW-sympathies have managed to make it extremely difficult for regular user to contribute. Former members of JW are in general very knowledgable about JW and their believings, but many of them use it primarly for POV-pushing. In addition, as current members of the religion in general avoids places where discussion with ex-members could occour, it is very rear to get quality contributers for JW-related articles, that are JWs themself. This makes JW-related articles extremely vulnerable to POV-attacks con JW, including misleading use of primary sources, collaboration at anti-JW-websites and introducing of OR.

Jeffro77 is most commonly accompanied by BlackCab, but regarding Jeffro77's behaviour recently have appearently not been supported by BlackCab. When BlackCab said he wasn't an uninvolved user, it is very true. BlackCab suggested that this "issue should go back to an RS noticeboard or dispute resolution forum". I don't agree. I've already sent it to the RS noticeboard, and I am content with the outcome. Why should I do it again? When Jeffro77 then doesn't accept the noticeboard decision, it is not about content anymore, but about user conduct. Jeffro77 does still not recognize the noticeboard outcome, and have not made any efforts to get the outcome changed.

Jeffro77 have done a pretty good job into turning this case from related to user conduct into a case about content and RS. This case is not at all about content. Jeffro77 is very sophisticated when it comes to content and arguments he can use in favour of pushing his POV, and is using both when he feels for it, so that Jeffro77 suddently doesn't see the RS noticeboard decision, and also that he doesn't see how badly the removed/readded content is misusing the source, is very conveniently when his obstructive bahavior is discussed. The issue was handled by the RS noticeboard [Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard/Archive_119#.22Pay_Attention_to_Yourselves_and_to_All_the_Flock.22 here].

It have been hard to make edits and getting progress at some of the mentioned articles for years. For me Jeffro77 did cross the line when he refused to apply to a RS noticeboard decision. He did at least three times remove the tag added.[90] [91] [92] Jeffro77 have later readded controversial content that I removed, despite the removed content was not supported by the given source. Given the clear message on the articles talkpage of this being a controversial article with a lot of claims based on OR, I would expect Jeffro77 to at least check the sources before reverting. I will await Jeffro77's comment, and a reply for wheather non-wiki content could be introduced for the admin(s) before adding more here. Grrahnbahr (talk) 12:52, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

Comment - Grrahnbahr has lied about me several times in his response. I won't respond directly to him, however I will note a few things:

  • I have not "using ANI to get rid of users not sharing his view of Jehovah's Witnesses and similar topics". That is a lie. I have on a few occasions raised ANIs about disruptive editors, and these have been both for or against JWs. This includes an ArbCom against Alastair Haines, who showed anti-JW bias.
  • I didn't even raise the ANI about FaktNeviM, and the ANI about AuthorityTam was about a significant breach of policy by that user (which was as a result of AuthorityTam attempting to label my religious affiliation).
  • I am not 'accompanied' by BlackCab, and I've been a Wikipedia editor for several years longer than that editor. We sometimes agree, and sometimes do not.

I have already responded to Grrahnbahr's other false claims about the RS in the subsections above.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:07, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I have hatted the material above as it does not answer the request I made just above the collapsed section. To repeat myself: Can I ask each of you now to post diffs of the kind of behaviour for which you would like the other person sanctioned? Describe the behaviour (eg incivility, edit warring) and give a diff to show that behaviour in action from the other person. Please do not respond to one another; I'm quite sure you can each predict what the other is going to write and you can get your rebuttals in later. For now just tell us in one concise posting each, what has the other done to make the action you are asking for warranted? I will collapse any posts in this section which do not answer my request directly. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 13:06, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I already provided a description of Grrahnbahr's behaviour, and I supplied diffs about the actual order of events, but you 'hatted' it. His raising of this ANI is the primary behaviour that is objectionable. I didn't supply diffs to this discussion because it seems self-evident.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:22, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you Jeffro. I don't think that raising a matter at AN/I is, on its own, sufficient reason to warn any editor about anything. I do think that Grrahnbahr's dispute resolution style (as well as your own) is sub-optimal and this may justify a warning - or at least some strong advice which I will be happy to provide. The reason I asked you for some diffs to illustrate incivility, edit warring, disruptived editing etc is because I haven't seen from either of you a concise statement about what you think the other is doing wrong, backed up by evidence. None of the diffs you posted seemed to me to be sufficient to merit a warning. Grrahnbahr has not yet posted any diffs which would merit you being topic banned. So at present there is a risk that you will each be sent away with a troutslap and a plea to edit more collegially in future. If either of you has anything firmer as evidence against the other, I'd be pleased to see it. And yes, if you have posted this before I apologise but you have hidden the diffs away in diatribes and lengthy tl:dr screeds such that the evidence has been hard to see. So I am not shy about asking you both to be clearer and mor concise if you want any action taking here. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 13:45, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't really care if he gets a 'formal' warning, or simply gets told that his ANI has no basis. He raised this ANI claiming I was 'obstructing' him an hour after I told him to go ahead with his edits (i.e. removing the statements that are based on the citations to which he's objected). I can't simplify it any more than that.--Jeffro77 (talk) 13:48, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you, that's clear. I'd now like to hear from Grrahnbahr about why s/he feels a topic ban is merited. As a lone admin, I can't impose a topic ban myself so there would have to be a consensus here for such a course. I suggest we wait to hear from Grrahnbahr and then let the consensus discussion run. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 14:01, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm a he. You asked simple questions, and requested simple replies. This case is somewhat complex. Isolated I don't regard Jeffro's conduct in this isolated case a reason for topic ban, but I couldn't answear "warning", because Jeffro77 have already for several occations been warned. My complain about Jeffro77's conduct is found described under Wikipedia:Harassment: "Harassment, threats, intimidation, repeated annoying and unwanted contact or attention, and repeated personal attacks may reduce an editor's enjoyment of Wikipedia and thus cause disruption to the project."
According to Wikipedia:Disruptive editing, section "Signs of disruptive editing" states: "A disruptive editor is an editor who: *Cannot satisfy Wikipedia:Verifiability; fails to cite sources, cites unencyclopedic sources, misrepresents reliable sources, or manufactures original research," and "Rejects or ignores community input: resists moderation and/or requests for comment, continuing to edit in pursuit of a certain point despite an opposing consensus from impartial editors." The dispute resolution tried is the mentioned RS noticeboard discussion (the concensus for use of those sources are also verified here, was done after a similar discussion last year. Several editors participated, and while Jeffro did object during the discussion, he didn't object to the final edits of the discussion, and thus have been accepted the conclusions, at least for then. The following reverts provides evidence for a lack of will to accept the RS noticeboards conclusions:
  • [93] Jeffro reverted my edit, despite the concensus from the RS noticeboard is not changed.
  • [94] Jeffro reverted the edits, and added a comment: "verified that PDF scan of publication shows no evidence of being digitally altered", witch makes no sence.
  • [95] Jeffro reverted again, and added the comment: "Verified. Why would you dispute that the publication says JWs should 'do what they reasonably can to protect children from further abuse'". The concensus from the RS noticeboard is not changed, and another disruptive revert.
  • [96] Jeffro claims the source is available online, while the source is still not available through any RS.
Wikipedia:Ownership of articles#Single-editor ownership states: "If you find that the editor continues to be hostile, makes personal attacks, or wages edit wars, try to ignore disruptive editing by discussing the topic on the talk page. You may need to ignore attacks made in response to a query. If ownership persists after a discussion, dispute resolution may be necessary, but at least one will be on record as having attempted to solve the problem directly with the editor." The attempts tried here [97], was responded by a rejection and a lack of will to comply with the RS noticeboards, and thus the editors concensus concludings.
  • [98] As I kept on the work of editing the article, Jeffro77 kept on by reinsert a highly controversial and not sourced statement.
Why this is brought here: As recommanded at Wikipedia:Disruptive_editing#Dealing_with_disruptive_editors: "If the reverting continues, and they are inserting unsourced information: Revert, and request an administrator via Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents (ANI). Provide diffs of the multiple reverts by the tendentious editor." Wikipedia:Disruptive_editing#Blocking_and_sanctions states: "If a pattern of disruption is subtle or long-term, and informal discussions are ineffective, a user conduct request for comments may be used to document the problem and establish a consensus for an editing restriction or community ban." Jeffro77 have been involved in several ANI discussions, and it have earlier been proposed sanctions like topic ban for Jeffro77, as he have proved to be more interested in keeping JW-related articles biased. Grrahnbahr (talk) 01:57, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
(In each instance where editors have sought to bring such action against me, the editors have themselves been shown to demonstrate considerable bias. Further, Grrahnbahr is clearly referring to the recent ANI about Maxximiliann where various editors noted that the accusation against me was unfounded. In regard to Grrahnbahr's specific accusation here, there was no RS noticeboard decision about the sources in question, only general advice - see also [99] Grrahnbahr should also provide evidence of the alleged "bias" he says I'm trying to 'keep in JW-related articles'.)--Jeffro77 (talk) 02:18, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Draft decision[edit]

It's a bit unusual to have a section with this title, but I'm going with it. I am the only external editor who has recently paid attention to this (at least as far as making contributions to the thread) but I have done so as an uninvolved eye and might have closed this here and now with my decision. However I'd prefer to present my thinking here so other uninvolved editors can give their opinions. If Jeffro and Grrahnbahr are happy to accept this (or if everyone else is happy, even if they are not) then I'll close this in 24 hours time. If other editors think my decision is unreasonable then we can discuss.

Jeffro asked that Grrahnbahr be warned for raising this AN/I, or at least that the AN/I be dismissed as having no merit. Grrahnbahr asked that Jeffro be topic banned from JW related articles. I don't think a warning for Grrahnbahr is necessary but I do think the request for a topic ban is unsustainable, on the evidence given.

Both editors have referred to this RS noticeboard discussion and each has a stronger view of the consensus there than I do. It seems to me that the discussion failed to reach a strong decision, although I think the words of one editor were particularly wise: "Depending on what you're trying to support with this source, I think it would be much safer if you could find an outside secondary source that cites this source. In other words, instead of citing the internally published book to say that it says such and such, find a scholarly article or book that says that the internally published book says such and such."

The actual edit warring complained of largely consists of adding and removing a citation needed tag. Each of the two editors thinks that the RSN discussion reached a different conclusion; one that the JW document on its own is NOT a RS (hence the need for a tag) and one who thinks the consensus is that IS a RS (in which case the tag is not needed). Actually I think the conclusion was much hazier than that and hence the edit war is lame and what should have happened is that a viable secondary source should have been found.

Finally, both of these editors have engaged in battlefield behaviour and neither has ended up appearing collegial and collaborative. Whether one or the other is right is neither here nor there; your dispute has cost you and others much time and has caused many electrons and photons to be needlessly sacrificed. The esteemed Bishonen has fortunately provided a remedy which I now propose to apply. Please find ways in future of engaging more collaboratively and yes, I'm talking to YOU and not the other guy! Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 15:17, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Might be a little stronger than I would myself think, but that's not exactly unusual around here. I would think maybe filing an RfC might produce more definite results than the RSN discussion did. John Carter (talk) 15:51, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
My long term intention is removing content based on "internal"/wikileaks-sources, unless content could be defended by other and more reliable sources. I do have the fully understanding of User:Kim Dent-Brown's decisions and viewpoints, and I am absolutely agreeing this is time consuming (all editing for the Norwegian wiki have been at hold for days). Despite how the outcome of the AN/I looks, I found User:Kim Dent-Brown's viewpoints regarding sources supportive, but I guess Jeffro77 reads it otherways. I don't know if it is proving some lack of sorry, but I do still want a definite result regarding the sources. By the way, the stockfish needs to be beaten to be consumable. Grrahnbahr (talk) 16:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Unfortunately, you're not going to get any sort of definite result regarding the sources here. Like I said above, the best way to resolve that issue would probably be through filing an RfC on the topic and posting notices to it on the talk pages of relevant WikiProjects, and/or maybe at the most appropriate noticeboards. John Carter (talk) 18:05, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
In regard to Kim's thoughts offered above, I agree that the RS noticeboard discussion did not reach any specific decision about the sources, and I've stated that several times throughout this discussion. (Kim's conclusion that I seem to believe the RS noticeboard determined that the sources definitely are suitable is mistaken.) In my view, the discussion seemed to be heading towards rejecting the letters but accepting the books. However no actual conclusion was reached, and it did not seem that any of the editors at the RS noticeboard considered the actual sources in question, but instead only offered general suggestions.
I've stated all along that it would be preferable to have secondary sources on the topic. The problem is there seems to be a paucity of suitable secondary sources for much of the content. This is why I ended up suggesting to Grrahnbahr—before he raised this frivolous and wasteful ANI—that he simply go ahead and delete the content based on the sources to which he objected.
Grrahnbahr also made further accusations that I am 'trying to keep JW articles biased', and he has not substantiated that accusation at all. As one 'example', he objected to my edit, where I confirmed that a JW publication says that JWs should "do what they reasonably can to protect children from further abuse". It's unclear to me how that asserts some sort of bias against JWs.--Jeffro77 (talk) 22:53, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
So, we're talking about the presence or absence of a Citation needed tag and the lack of a secondary source? All of this about a dispute about one RS dispute that was already discussed on the RSN? That's every day life on Wikipedia. I thought the default remedy in these cases is when one editor thinks a particular source is insufficient in itself, either he/she or another editor finds an additional source to back it up or the statement is removed. This is Wikipedia, disagreement is the norm. I don't see any harassment, just standard WP content conflict. No bans, both warned: "Learn to work together." Thanks to Kim for actually looking into all of those diffs. Liz Let's Talk 23:15, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
And since I had already told Grrahnbahr to go ahead and remove the other material before he even raised the ANI, his accusation was especially wasteful. Kim has confirmed what I've been trying to say all along: the RS noticeboard did not reach the conclusion claimed by Grrahnbahr (or indeed any specific conclusion) and we prefer secondary sources. It seems obvious to me that Grrahnbahr actually raised his ANI in the hope that it would follow on from the recent attack by In ictu oculi in the 'Maxximiliann' ANI, using the actually non-existent RS noticeboard 'decision' as a coatrack for false claims about 'biased editing'.--Jeffro77 (talk) 23:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
"...and what should have happened is that a viable secondary source should have been found." You can still add viable secondary sources for the content. Grrahnbahr (talk) 11:50, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Vandal on the loose[edit]

Could somebody please investigate User talk:Amanbir Singh Grewal, (sorry just a talk page) for multiple vandalism. Think a blockage may be in order, but not within my remit. Thanks Brendandh (talk) 11:40, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

People. I need a hand here? Brendandh (talk) 13:44, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Blocked 3 days for blatant edit-warring. I have unclosed this thread because I wouldn't mind a second opinion on whether this should be an indef per WP:NOTHERE or whether this very new editor deserves a second chance. JohnCD (talk) 15:32, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I looked through the edit history and I can see very little sign that this individual has a clue about, or much interest in, building an encyclopedia. I'd support an indef. Ben MacDui 18:00, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
it is a vandalism only account, block indef. before he made a user the guy was vandalizing for days with various IPs: [100], [101], [102], [103], [104], [105], [106], and also he threatens and insults the editors cleaning up after him: "i asked not to come here but it seems you only understand things when you lose blood. you are like a donkey - i have to kill to get stuff into that smart mind of yours.". As this has been going on for days now and he has gone over all kinds of pages I suggest to revert/block on sight. noclador (talk) 23:14, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
It's probably a sockpuppet of blocked accounts User:Amanbir Singh and User:Corsika. Peter James (talk) 23:28, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
And User talk:Mokshanine, and from this IP 117.236.116.179. It is getting boring now! Brendandh (talk) 12:16, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


User: Mister Potato 47 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

Page: EPSXe (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)

Mister Potato 47 is a repeaded vandal on ePSXe[107] and other articles[108]. His previous vandalizing using multiple IP addresses resulted in blocking of at least one of them.[109][110]. After ePSXe was semi-protected, he dug up an old WP account to circumvent the page protetion. This account was also previously involved in edit warring.[111] As this link shows, he is doing this since at least three years and seems totally immune against reason. —KAMiKAZOW (talk) 12:22, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

I'm not seeing vandalism. Disruption maybe, but you might want to read WP:NOTVAND.--v/r - TP 13:16, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
This is not vandalism in your eyes? What is it then? In this case his edit summary was apparently so harsh, an admin had to remove it. --KAMiKAZOW (talk) 13:25, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
That didn't come from this account. There is no vandalism coming from the Mister Potato 47 account. Lashing out at the only administrator who has yet to take notice of your report isn't going to get you anywhere. It's certainly not going to convince me to push the block button and it's not going to encourage any other administrator to jump in either.--v/r - TP 13:30, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Sorry if it sounded like "lashing out". It wasn't meant this way. The Mister Potato 47 account admitted in this edit summary that he is the same as the other IP users. --KAMiKAZOW (talk) 13:35, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I AM NOT A VANDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have NEVER caused disruption on ANY page! Years ago on Google Chrome, I went to the talk page to say why my edit should be included, and the majority agreed with me (source: [112]). Now on ePSXe, I have NOT made ANY edit that has damaged the article! Your explanation in the edit summary was again incorrect. Where's that reference I destroyed? Why should the Android build be added to the table? It should only show the PC releases; provide a separate table for the Android releases. And that date table you linked shows that MM/DD/YYYY is an acceptable date format. Seriously, quit this! You're more of a vandal than me because you keep reverting my good faith edits without ever giving a valid reason, and I will not tolerate this! Also, those IP addresses are not actually mine. I'm using a VPN service, so they're very likely shared IPs. Those edits that caused User talk: 198.7.62.204 to be blocked were made by someone else. I'll say it one last time: I'M NOT A VANDAL!!! --Mister Potato 47 (talk) 13:32, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
@KAMiKAZOW, the reason I linked you to WP:NOTVAND is because vandalism requires an intentional "bad faith" attempt to deface Wikipedia. Mister Potato 47 has shown a level of good intentions but lacks a whole lot of competence. That's not vandalism. It may be disruptive, but that's treated separately.
@Mister Potato 47: Perhaps you should spend more time talking about the issues on the article's talk page. You seem to be having difficulty understanding how Wikipedia works and by using the talk page, you can take advantage of the advice of others.--v/r - TP 13:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
He seems to grasp Wikipedia's inner workings at least so far that he changes IP addresses once one is blocked and digs out an old account once a page is semi-protected.
At first I was not sure if he just lacked competence but seeing how he adapted to blocks, I'm very certain that he does all that in bad faith just to mess with others. I really hope that I make an error in judgment because I'm usually not one to report others but in this case it goes on since almost two weeks: I extend the article with new info and references and he just reverts it – not a single constructive edit (ie. adding(!) content) that may suggest that there is merely a difference in vision for the article. Just destruction, nothing but destruction. --KAMiKAZOW (talk) 13:59, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Did you even read what I said?! As I said before, I have NOT removed a SINGLE reference or ANY info! Seriously, link to an edit that I made where I removed a reference. This admin obviously doesn't agree with you that I'm a vandal. And TParis, I would go to the article's talk page, but I highly doubt he'll ever agree with me. --Mister Potato 47 (talk) 14:12, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm happy to show four references removed by you:
One reference in edit https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=EPSXe&diff=569813605&oldid=569806811
developer = ePSXe [[Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada|S.L.]]<ref name="android" /> ⬅ This is a reference.
Three references removed in edit https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=EPSXe&diff=568585803&oldid=568500954
[…] ePSXe does not come bundled with any of the PlayStation BIOS images, requiring the user to provide one for the emulator.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epsxe.com/forum.php |title=ePSXe message board rules |publisher=ePSXe.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-04}}</ref> ⬅ This is a reference.
* GPU: Most GPU plug-ins run with either [[Direct3D]], [[OpenGL]], or the [[Glide API]], and are available as [[freeware]] or [[open source]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sony/ps1/enhance-ps1-graphics-with-the-best-epsxe-plugin-settings |title=Enhance PS1 Graphics With The Best ePSXe Plugin Settings |publisher=Racketboy.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-04}}</ref> ⬅ This is a reference.
[…] though few games have patches available.<ref>[http://forums.ngemu.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46 Game compatibility list for ePSXe]</ref> ⬅ This is a reference.
All these were deleted by you, no matter how hard you deny it or how many times you switch IP addresses via the VPN service you admitted to use. —KAMiKAZOW (talk) 14:41, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I stopped removing those last three references, yet you still reverted my edits! The first one is not even needed. The emulator is developed by three people, there's no company behind it. Seriously, quit accusing me of vandalism. Like I said before, ALL I DID was put the full names of the months on the releases table, put the original date formats back in which YOU changed, and removed the Android version from the table as it is not needed (the table should only show PC releases - make a separate table for the Android releases). Nothing wrong at all with those edits. --Mister Potato 47 (talk) 14:51, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The emulator is developed by three people, there's no company behind it.
The reference says otherwise.
ALL I DID was put the full names of the months on the releases table
No, you reverted countless of other edits by me.
I follow Wikipedia:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Dates with the decision to use abbreviated dates in the table…
put the original date formats back in which YOU changed
I created the table.[113] I changed no date format in it because it was like this since the beginning. I also use proper date templates.
ePSXe is a Spanish product as the S.L. company type tells. Therefore there is no logical reason to force US date formatting onto the article as you tried several times without any explanation.
the table should only show PC releases - make a separate table for the Android releases
You have no authority to order me around.
I am currently the only actual contributor to the ePSXe article. No one else adds content (Bunny Metal Blue with the 1.9 release info being the sole exception this entire year) – reading through the article history, no one added as much content as I did last month for years. Unless a Wikipedia rule changed without me noticing, this gives me some room for creative decisions random “disruptive editors” do not have.
Nothing wrong at all with those edits.
Let's ask the admins who protected the page and blocked the IP addresses you used previously via your VPN service. Maybe User:DMacks, User:GorillaWarfare, User:Mark Arsten, or User:Toddst1 have anything to say whether there was “nothing wrong” with your edits as IP user… —KAMiKAZOW (talk) 16:11, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
"Unless a Wikipedia rule changed without me noticing, this gives me some room for creative decisions random “disruptive editors” do not have". Nope. Wikipedia is a cooperative effort. Nobody 'owns' an article. Regardless of any other issues, you will have to accept that other people are entitle to propose changes, and you don't have a veto. AndyTheGrump (talk) 16:22, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Fine but no change was proposed. My additions were just blindly reverted by a person who is known for vandalizing. Isn't there a rule against block circumvention? After all, he admitted to be the IP user who was blocked several times with different IPs… --KAMiKAZOW (talk) 16:33, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

I've unprotected the page. This is a trivial edit war. Take it to the article talk page and stop edit warring. Nobody WP:OWNs that page. Toddst1 (talk) 16:51, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

POV IP editor[edit]

92.118.26.189 (talk · contribs) made this edit expressing a fairly blatant antisemitic sentiment in the edit summary. I reverted his edit (because the change he made resulted in a mix of BC and BCE, rather than consistent usage throughout per WP:ERA) and left a message at the editor's User Talk page. However, the editor has again restored his edit at Prophecy of Seventy Weeks. Based on the editor's previous edits I'm not sure the behaviour is going to improve without an official warning.--Jeffro77 (talk) 14:15, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Blocked 36 hours for the racist edit summary. Please try to open a discussion on the content aspects of the dispute on the talk page; there's been no posts there since January. -- Diannaa (talk) 14:34, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks. The offensive edit summary was the main problem, which seems to be an escalation in the editor's behaviour that should be 'nipped in the bud'. The application of WP:ERA itself seems fairly uncontroversial, but I'll raise it at Talk if it becomes an issue.--Jeffro77 (talk) 14:37, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I've revdelled the edit summary too. —Tom Morris (talk) 16:20, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

User:MrYesMa'am[edit]

I've been dealing with User:MrYesMa'am/User:GagsGagsGags for some time now; he/she has no contributions to Wikipedia, other than to create hoax DVDs/tours/albums by Beyoncé Knowles. I'm not sure if this is done maliciously (the person seems to be very focused on the subject), but nevertheless his/her edits are extremely disruptive.

  • I reported User:GagsGagsGags in June for creating three hoax articles, the result of which was a final warning from Drmies. (See here)
  • This was then violated within the week and the user was blocked indefinitely. (See here)

Recently, the user appears to have emerged under "MrYesMa'am", and decided to vandalise The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (the tour Knowles is currently on) by adding a lot of fictional dates. Within the past few weeks, the user has slipped back into hoax/inappropriate pages: "Mrs. Carter (Beyoncé Knowles album)", "Beyoncé: Grown Woman" and "Queen (Beyoncé Knowles album)" (all invented albums, 2 have been deleted via CSD, 1 I have just nominated) and for the latter, extensively edited the Beyoncé Knowles page to include these inventions.

The creation of "Queen (Beyoncé Knowles album)" comes just hours after I issued the user a final warning for their disruptive behaviour, and just demonstrates how this user has no regard for wanting to improve the article. Although they were indefinitely blocked, it seems it was simple for them to just come back under the guise of another account to continue this editing pattern. I find it strange that a user wants to create fictional articles -- it almost comes across as some sort of fan fiction, but any sort of communication with the user is useless as they never reply. I'm not sure what the next steps are, but I don't feel that an account ban will work with this user, as he/she will just not learn. Is there anything that can be done to stop any of this for good? —JennKR | 13:19, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

  • There's no learning curve here: there is nothing to learn. You're dealing with someone who is obsessed, and the best we can do is continue semi-protecting those articles and keeping eyes on new creations, as you have been doing. I just blocked this one, but I think you should file an SPI to gather evidence and help pull out more of those disruptors. Thanks, Drmies (talk) 13:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The GagsGagsGags account does indeed have a number of of socks, all of which are now blocked. I would suggest going through the contributions of the accounts listed here to ensure that no erroneous information remains in the relevant articles.--Jezebel'sPonyobons mots 17:16, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks to both of you -- I'll check out the socks' contributions to see if I find anything. —JennKR | 19:19, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

IP Block for Edit Warrior after RFC Resolved[edit]

The page Talk:Investment_Industry_Regulatory_Organization_of_Canada#IP_Ban:174.114.18.119 covers the history of this, we had two or more individuals engaged in edit warring after which an RFC was requested, discussed, a decision rendered, and the RFC closed. This morning one of the individuals engaged in the dispute has resumed the edit war so I'm asking WP:AMI to evaluate whether a temporary block is appropriate.

The individual utilizes an IP, not a user name, ergo their Talk: page has not been notified. Damotclese (talk) 17:24, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

They still need to be notified. I have done so. We don't block people for failure to follow the outcome of an RFC, especially without warning and on their first edit since April. If the disruption continues, please try discussing the problem with the other editor and then if that fails, consider requesting page protection at WP:RFPP. -- Diannaa (talk) 19:05, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Yeah, difficult to alert the offending individual when he's using an IP address. We went through a lengthy discussion, several days to allow the individuals to work out an agreement, then RFC, now one of them is back at it. -sigh- Damotclese (talk) 21:45, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Keansburg[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Good Day, I have been making some useful edits to the KEANSBURG page on Wiki. There is only one Keansburg page so it should be easy to find. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keansburg

Wiki user: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Alansohn has been reverting my good faith edits and deleting my work. This is a step back in the information sharing process and is detrimental to the progress of the site as a whole. I fear that some of these people are simply making edits to earn a special status or award.

Fireems71 (talk) 19:15, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Judging by the highly confrontational note left on User:Fireems71, it appears that Fireems71 doesn't understand that this is a collaborative project and you can't bully your way through the project. I encourage this user to review Wikipedia:Five pillars and severely adjust his/her mode of interaction with other editors. If that doesn't happen, this user has no place on Wikipedia and should be blocked from editing. Toddst1 (talk) 20:02, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

TJRC[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


TJRC block needed.♠

Barrage of blatantly false accusations; Comments being deleted (from Copyright status of work by the U.S. government talk page and from within tags in the article).

(revived discussion)

Please see this DRN, which received no input, even after a relisting : [114]

Re. links and diffs to involved pages, editors, proposed solutions : see the DRN, please… --Elvey (talk) 23:52, 10 August 2013 (UTC)

As far as I can tell, TJRC deleted your Talk page comments exactly once, apparently because he believed that you were editing his comments. I can see why: the formatting, quite frankly, is a mess. Indented quotations may be standard in scholarly works, but indenting on Talk pages means another editor is writing, so when you mix and match indented sections and single sentences per line you become impossible to follow. In addition to that, half of your discussion is on the Talk page and half is in edit summaries. Use the Talk page to discuss. Also, there's no need for edit summaries like this, accusations and demands, or "bumping" comments. You're absolutely right that TJRC shouldn't have made the revert on the Talk page. I feel that he's probably been overzealous in tag removal, too, but he's trying to get a clear justification for the tag but not getting one from you. Please just AGF and answer his question without unnecessary indenting and copying attacks from further up the page. Woodroar (talk) 02:07, 12 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for (if I'm reading you correctly) confirming that TJRC did delete my talk page comments, shouldn't have, and explaining that his accusation that he was reverting a violation of WP:TPO by me was mistaken. I hope TJRC will recognize/acknowledge it too. TJRC?♥ I couldn't make sense of the false accusation at the time, but see HOW he went wrong now. If you can suggest a better way to include those quotations in the talk page, I'm all ears; if it's a mess, then perhaps we can agree on something better. It seems pretty readable to me; I certainly wouldn't call it a mess; what minimal markup will improve it? IIRC, the quote template makes a worse mess.
I'm not sure if you managed to miss the content of the mainspace edit of the diff I provided, but in addition to the deletion you linked to - of THREE questions of mine, I wrote that TJRC " DELETED THE ANSWER " - and in fact he deleted my answer over and over and over and over and over - the answer he deleted 5+ times is: "Puerto Rico and DC are not part of the U.S. Government; they are subnational entities." Because I had answered the question 5+ times, it sure felt like gross violations of WP:IDIDNTHEARTHAT, and had me wondering about WP:CIR. What makes me certain that TJRC DID in fact SEE and READ the answer is TJRC's later edit summary, ""Puerto Rico and DC are not part of the U.S. Government" == "does not apply to .. District of Columbia or Puerto Rico" which proves he read it because it quotes from it. I do strive to always AGF, however AGF doesn't mean one must put up with WP:IDHT over and over and over and over and over.
That's why I suggest pointing out to TJRC that it's not constructive to demand an answer to a question when the question has been answered and TJRC has himself DELETED THE ANSWER.
I'll try to find wisdom in your criticism, and try to fathom why you assert I haven't answered his question as to you why I placed the tags when I have, "Multiple times. Multiple ways."! I'll even answer it again, for a 6th? 10th? time! --Elvey (talk) 05:22, 12 August 2013 (UTC)

First, I have to say, it would have been nice to have been notified of this discussion.♣ I know Elvey had a complaint at the end of July (notified by a bot here, but I was pretty much off-Wikipedia for about a week, and when I went to AN/I, it was already gone).

Woodroar is correct; I had reverted Elvey's edits of my comments only once, and I had intended by my edit summary to make it clear why. I do disagree though, that I shouldn't have made the revert on the Talk page. WP:TPO says it pretty clearly: "If an editor objects to such interruptions, interruptions should be reverted and another way to deal with the issue found." I object to the interruptions, and, exactly as WP:TPO says, the interruptions should be reverted; and I reverted them.

As a matter of disclosure, after Elvey deleted my non-interruption comments yesterday ([115]) and re-instated his interruptions, I did undo that edit, as well, also based on TPO.

Elvey's links to what he thinks are deletions of talk page comments are actually removals of the tags; they're not even edits to the talk page all.

I believe now that Elvey believes that his comment in the tag is self-evident and not in need of further explanation. So when I've asked him what he thinks is confusing, he thinks he's already answered. However, I don't see why he thinks the statement is wrong or unclear, so I'd like to find that out and address it. I think it's clear, but if Elvey doesn't, at least one person finds it confusing and it's worth fixing.

I would also like to distinguish between the two templates Elvey applied here. His first (and second) claimed that the section was inaccurate, because "Puerto Rico and DC are not part of the U.S. Government"; but that's pretty much a paraphrase of what the section actually says: the prohibition against copyright of works of the U.S. government does not apply to District of Columbia or Puerto Rico -- because Puerto Rico and DC are not part of the U.S. Government. So the claims of inaccuracy were just plain wrong. After a couple taggings of that, he's now revised that to "confusing" (with the edit summary "Same difference"; however, I see a big difference between a claim that a passage is inaccurate and a claim that a passage is confusing).

I do think though, that Elvey has some fundamental misunderstandings of US copyright law, and the very different roles that the United States government and the individual state governments play in it. Those misunderstandings, coupled with his confidence, makes this a pretty challenging issue to resolve. Add in his general incivility, and tendency to throw accusations, and this is a pretty frustrating experience for all involved. TJRC (talk) 22:40, 12 August 2013 (UTC)

TJRC, I think you need take on some simple tasks, or a break if you're getting frustrated! Your multiple false allegations that I violated WP:TPO with edits that you reverted are addressed by Woodroar, but seem to have gone over your head. They're upsetting and disruptive. Admin., please FACT CHECK his claim that he "reverted Elvey's edits of my comments" and you'll see that the diffs show no such thing.♠
I'm sick and tired of TJRC's false allegations. Some people aren't able to grasp the subtleties of how Wikipedia works or lack the maturity required to edit effectively. They may still be able to do some easy jobs, but they'll probably run into trouble if they try biting off too much. TJRC fits this category.
Finally, TJRC's accusation that he wasn't of notified of this discussion is demonstrably false! I most certainly DID NOTIFY HIM! And since I've revivied this discussion, I'll notify him again.
TJRC needs to be blocked.♠ He has a very very poor grip on reality. A user who deletes another's comments 5+ times and denies it when diffs are provided, who makes so many blatantly false accusations has got to go! I've told him over half a dozen times that subnational entities are to be discussed in the article with subnational entities in the title, but he doesn't hear that… We have a history; he throws around false accusations like they're going out of style. --Elvey (talk) 22:27, 15 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Full disclosure: Elvey has been following me around lately because he's angry with me for disagreeing with him on a legal article. It's kinda creepy, but I'll put that aside. At the outset, I see hardly any diffs in support of what appears to be a claim of refactoring. Elvey mentions a revived discussion, but I'm sure what he's referring to. After that, he took Woodroar's criticism and transformed it into a confirmation of this report. I could also do without the exclamation points, the inflammatory rhetoric, the shouting (caps), and all the rest of the drama. I deeply sympathize with TJRC. My limited interaction with Elvey indicates that (1) he has no grasp of legal principles and (2) he has great trouble connecting sources with article assertions. As a consequence, he makes rather bizarre claims about content, as well as outlandish claims about others' conduct.--Bbb23 (talk) 22:57, 15 August 2013 (UTC)
BBB mentions anger and following in a completely one-sided review. Perhaps it's him who is angry and following, because our most recent interaction was that I chastised him on his talk page for inexplicably biting a helpful newbie. (See how much better the article is now, perhaps thanks to the 'unbiting' of the newbie!) IIRC, encouraging new contributors has been determined to be top priority 'round here.
I don't recall referring to or using the word refactoring. I have provided many diffs showing my comments being deleted (from Copyright status of work by the U.S. government talk page and from within tags in the article). Hardly any? Hardly.
I would urge TJRC and others to reread what's been said to understand why Woodroar said, "You're absolutely right that TJRC shouldn't have made the revert on the Talk page."--Elvey (talk) 02:02, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
Comment by TJRC

I will admit that I am now running out of patience with Elvey.

First, on the comment editing. I don't have a lot more to add beyond what I wrote above. WP:TPO says that when an editor objects to someone putting interruptions in his comments, he can revert them. I did. Elvey refuses to abide by that and continues to reinsert them. I want that stopped. It is important to me that Elvey's misunderstandings of the subject matter, and his hostile tone, not be attributed to me, which is the primary reason why I wish to rely on WP:TPO.

I will also note that I did not manage to get all of his interruptions out, and have held back on removing them further because he's already pissed off enough, and I have no desire to exacerbate the situation.

I rather politely explained the basis for this on his talk page:

Editing inside another editor's comments
Hi, Elvey. I suspect what might be getting you upset in Talk:Copyright status of work by the U.S. government is less the actual content than my objection to you inserting your comments ("interruptions" in Wikiparlance) in the middle of mine.
I don't like that practice, because it very quickly makes it hard to track who said what, particularly as the conversation gets longer and more iterative (and this is certainly one of those cases).
WP:TPO discusses this. Although that type of editing is not prohibited, "if an editor objects to such interruptions, interruptions should be reverted and another way to deal with the issue found." Since I do object to that, I reverted your interruptions. I'm happy to continue to engage, but please continue to make your replies independently rather than inserting your text amid my existing comments. Thank [sic]!

Elvey deleted this comment, with the edit summary "False allegations from TJRC - AGAIN - this time of editing inside his comments".

Furthermore, Elvey's reinstatement of his interruptions was not only contrary to TPO, but in the process he is removing the little actual progress made to addressing the underlying issue. Take a look at the talk page in this state. There is a section '"Innaccurate"/"confusing" tags' that is trying to address his issue in good faith. Despite the incivility of his response there, at least some headway is being made. Elvey's next edit was to delete that section, for the sake of reinstating his interruptions.

Elevey continues to be wrong in claiming that his diffs show me editing his comments, except for the three I now document; the two discussed above, and again today, all pursuant to WP:TPO. His diffs are edits of the article, not the talk page.

The notification issue is a sideshow, but just to be clear, Elvey did not notify me of this AN/I, or his reinstatement of it today. As I said I got a notification by a bot (not by Elvey) of a different AN/I in mid/late July, but that occurred during a rare period where I actually had a life and it was archived before I could respond. Elvey then added a comment to that notification, but it did not not mention any new AN/I or include any link, or anything else to suggest that it was in reference to anything other than the AN/I archived a couple weeks earlier.♣

To the extent that Elvey has any valid issue about the potentially confusing passage, I also would like to address any valid issue he has, but I'm now frankly reaching the end of my patience. TJRC (talk) 01:07, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

TJRC, can you provide diffs where Elvey is editing inside or moving your comments? It seems like this claim is a source of much of the reverts—not the only reason, of course—but I just can't see it, even after spending far too much time a few days back and again today. In the first diff where you bring up WP:TPO, Elvey strikes out and amends his own comment (nothing unusual there), moves his reply from 2 to 3 indents so that appears as it should (a good thing), and expands some of his comments (again, nothing unusual). In short: he's editing his own comments, not yours, and in ways that general improve discussion. I think it would help everyone involved to move forward if this could be cleared up. Woodroar (talk) 01:41, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
The original inline reply appears to be here. --Carnildo (talk) 02:03, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you, I see it now. TJRC added a block of text which Elvey later edited inside. Woodroar (talk) 03:01, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
Forgive me, I haven't read the entire thread but just bits and pieces. I have a simple question though. Is this an ongoing problem? I keep checking out the diffs and keep ending up with stuff from early June. I don't understand why we are discussing stuff from earlier June unless it's an ongoing problem. Whatever mistakes may or may not have been made, it seems clear there's no reason to block someone for something from June which isn't ongoing. If the dispute itself remains unresolved, then it will need to be resolved somehow and it's unfortunate if the DRN discussion didn't achieve a resolution but there are other steps which can be tried (none of which are ANI) and more importantly, any attempt at resolution should concentrate on the locus of the dispute, not whatever mistakes may or may not have been made in deleting comments over 2 months ago. If you feel you already gave an answer and it was deleted, rather then spending all your time arguing over whether or not the deletion was appropriate and the answer was already given, either rephrase the answer and give it again or show the diff to the person who you feel didn't read it so they can read your earlier answer. In other words, concentrate on resolving the dispute rather then assigning blame. Nil Einne (talk) 12:36, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
Are the two recent false accusations of not notifying of ANIs (diffs above) an ongoing problem? Is the recent false accusation that I "re-instated [my] interruptions, [in violation of] TPO." not indication of an ongoing problem? Does a slew of recent false accusations, recent evidence of IDHT warrant admin action? You seem to have glossed over those issues.
TJRC has repeatedly deleted my comments from the page. I've restored them, as he's not undoing a TPO violation by deleting my comments. LOOK AT THAT DIFF. IT'S NOT REMOVING ANY SORT OF INTERRUPTION! TJRC refused to fix the mess he created, so I have now done so, by diff restoring the comments he and I and others have made since then, without deleting my comments. --Elvey (talk) 19:43, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
The unfortunate confusion about a lack of notification is not something that requires administrative intervention and is fairly unrelated to the comment deletion issue, nor is it a reason for this thread since it wouldn't have happened without this thread. You say he repeatedly removed stuff but then keeping showing stuff from June which reenforces whatever happened in the past, it's not ongoing so you harping on it is not productive. As I already said, I only had a brief look at the discussion, given your response to me here to harp on something from early June and then make a big deal over nothing about the notification kerfuffle, I'm not going to waste my time looking in to the other alleged problems which were without diffs or clarity over what you are referring to anyway. Nil Einne (talk) 22:41, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
It's still a live controversy. As Elvey notes, albeit in his wikidramatic and divorced-from-reality way, he continues to insert his comments into mine, and will not respect my wishers per TPO.
I would like to point out that I am not, at this time, requesting that Elvey be blocked. That's his request with respect to me. Elvey has had gaps in editing before, and I have no reason to believe that a block-enforced time away from Wikipedia would improve his behavior any more than his other absences have. Such a block would be punitive, and being human, I can't say I wouldn't relish that, but my objective side has to admit that that wouldn't really serve the purpose that blocking is intended to serve, to prevent the disruption of Wikipedia. I have no reason to believe that Elvey would not continue his disruptive behavior upon lifting of the block.
What I would like out of this discussion is two things: First, I do not want Elvey's comments appearing in mine and over my signature. I do not want his misunderstandings about copyright law to be attributed to me by a reader who is not careful to notice the interruptions. I do not want his invective and incivility attributed to me. I do not seek to delete his comments. I just want them out of mine. I would welcome an edit by an admin or other uninvolved editor to do that (for example, move them out of my comment and position them indented after it, with appropriate signatures), and then to close out that section in the talk page to prevent further edits to it by either Elvey or myself (and for both Elvey and me to respect that closure).
Second, I would like Elvey to be counseled on how to behave as an editor. The comment issue aside, the underlying issue giving rise to it is that he has tagged the article as confusing, but will not enter into a civil discussion of why he believes it is confusing, and will not work in a good-faith and civil manner to resolve the issue he believes he has identified. I would like to see a commitment from Elvey that he will behave according to that counsel.
I'm not sure that last bit is going to work, but I am still willing to give it one more try. My sense, though, is that Elvey's comprehension abilities are low. He does not appear to understand TPO. His tagging in the article shows he does not know the difference between a claim that something is inaccurate and a claim that it is confusing. His comments above show that he does not know the difference between removing a tag in an article and editing a comment on a talk page. His claim to have notified me about this AN/I shows that he does not know the difference between adding a comment to a bot's discussion of a different AN/I, with no indication of any kind that he has opened (and then re-opened) a different AN/I notifies a reader of those new AN/Is. In the discussion above, it ended with him being counseled to knock it off and to engage in good-faith discussion, and his take-away was, not to knock it off an engage in good-faith discussions, but, as Bbr23 points out "he took Woodroar's criticism and transformed it into a confirmation of this report." That's five different instances of his miscomprehensions, and that's just in this discussion alone; let's not even go into his substantive edits in articles.
Furthermore, if Elvey is unable to civilly and reasonably discuss the tag he has placed on the article, I want to be able to remove the tag. There is no reason that the article should be held hostage to someone unable to engage in reasonable discourse. I should not have to choose between engaging in an invective-laden bunch of rants to try to ferret out what confuses him, and cleaning up the article.
I said above that I'm not at this time seeking a block on Elvey. I do reserve the right to change my mind on that; if Elvey dos not agree to straighten up his act and behave, and then follow through on that agreement, I probably will be requesting either a block or a topic ban on legal-related articles. TJRC (talk) 20:22, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Certainly we both have made significant contributions to the project. Certainly, both of us have made mistakes. I fixed the huge mess on the talk page caused by his attempt to address the TPO issue, early yesterday, August 16th but he seems to have ignored this. Why, TJRC? It feels like IDHT, as usual - it's as if he sees wikipedia is a game he's trying to 'win'. TJRC, please engage. Please, take a look at the page now, and the recent edits that got it there. Please consider taking back the false accusations you've made, and/or at least taking a serious look to see whether the diffs and explications of what I assert are your false accusations are valid and responding. To some extent you've done that - e.g. regarding the two notifications of the AN/I discussions, though with poor results. With respect to your accusation of TPO, it seems you still failed to review the diffs, like the initial accusation. Yes, I did use ALL CAPS, in particular because it was so overdue that TJRC really "LOOK AT THAT DIFF. IT'S NOT REMOVING ANY SORT OF INTERRUPTION!"♥ It is more overdue than ever. Please let us know if/when you've taken another look at that diff, TJRC, and what Woodroar said about it, OK?♥ Then I'll apologize for using CAPS in a last-ditch effort to get you to do so.

I'd really like to see some admin action taken here:

I request admin input - as to who is "divorced-from-reality" with respect to TJRC's claims of missing AN/I notifications, in particular! (For convenience, here again are the diffs from above: diff w/edit summary "Hello! There is a AN/I notice you may have interest in." and diff of 2nd notification.)♠

I request admin input - as to who is "divorced-from-reality" with respect to TPO - looking closely in particular at the initial accusation EDIT in its entirety, which he still vociferously defends, and my edits to Talk:Copyright_status_of_work_by_the_U.S._government yesterday, August 16th ! (Which took a lot of work - 7 edits - don't miss the edit summaries, but here's the overall diff. Given diff, his calls for an admin to prevent further edits to that section demonstrate an amazing unwillingness or inability to cooperate, as that is a pretty foolproof two-click solution to his (rather paranoid) "I do not want" concerns. I think my comments make it clear that I understand the issue of interspersing responses into another's posts. And that TJRC kept editing my comments (in particular reverting my edits, over and over) in a way that bore no relation to that issue, like a bull in a china shop -- he did NOT remove interspersed responses, though clearly he still thinks that's what he was doing with that edit, which he redid over and over and over.

Note: My above request regarding TPO was largely answered by Woodroar when he wrote, "…It seems like this claim is a source of much of the reverts—not the only reason, of course—but I just can't see it, even after spending far too much time a few days back and again today. In the first diff where you bring up WP:TPO, Elvey strikes out and amends his own comment (nothing unusual there), moves his reply from 2 to 3 indents so that appears as it should (a good thing), and expands some of his comments (again, nothing unusual). In short: he's editing his own comments, not yours, and in ways that general improve discussion…" combined with my question below at 23:42 to TJRC, so I strike it.--Elvey (talk) 23:38, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

I don't know if a solution is for TJRC to be counseled on how to behave as an editor; I think an editing restriction, such as WP:0RR holds more promise.♠ I would like to see a commitment from him that he will behave according such a restriction, if imposed.♥ He seems to be blind when it comes to applying "[[WP:" shorthand to his own edits, but on acid (seeing violations that are not there) when it comes to applying policy to others' edits, but I'm at a loss as to what restriction short of a block can address that. Personally, I'd be happy to accept any mentoring - I'd be happy to have someone to bounce edits or comments off before I hit 'Save page'. The false accusations aside, the underlying issue giving rise to the conflict it is quite simple- it's about what goes in the article with respect to CA, FL, DC, and PR, and why. I feel that he is avoiding a civil discussion, and not working in a good-faith and civil manner to resolve the issues.♠

TJRC has repeatedly deleted my answer to his question from the article page over and over and over and over and over. I would like him to acknowledge that he has done so. I would like him to acknowledge that that there was nothing at TPO to justify this deletion of my comments, which he repeated several times. I've restored, as he's not undoing a TPO violation by deleting my comments. If you look at that diff, you'll see - It's not removing any sort of interruption! Again, TJRC refused to fix the mess he created, so I have now done so, by diff restoring the comments he and I and others have made since then, without deleting my comments. --Elvey (talk) 04:00, 18 August 2013 (UTC)

I've got nothing to add based on Elvey's latest comment. It would be repetitive.
With respect to the TPO issue, Elvey has made a few edits that may be helpful. First, a series of edits to remove his comments from the middle of mine, consistent with TPO. That version can be seen here, He then follows up reinserting his interruptions here, but with the edit summary "TJRC - if you must insist on this no- interruption business, this is the edit to undo". Based on that edit summary, I am construing this as an invitation to undo to put it in the no-interruptions state, and am doing so now. I reserve the right to confirm that the text of my comment remains what I entered and to tweak my comment to ensure that it is. Elvey, please either indicate either that this is acceptable, or if it is not, undo my edit. In either case, please do it without additional drama.
With respect to the continued editing problem, that still needs to be resolved. I need for Elvey to commit to civil discussion on the talk page. His recent edit to the article itself does not bode well. He simply struck all the well-cited accurate information that confuses him, going back to his preferred text. His similar edit back in June has been reverted by another attorney-editor, Prosfilaes (talk · contribs) (who, if I recall correctly, is also an IP attorney), here. TJRC (talk) 09:46, 18 August 2013 (UTC)
TJRC, you assert, "He simply struck all the well-cited accurate information that confuses him, going back to his preferred text." but this assertion is egregiously factually-challenged:
  1. I left an informative edit summary.
  2. explained my edits on the talk page.
  3. I didn't simply go back to my preferred text.
  4. The information doesn't confuse me and anyone who's the least bit perceptive should understand by now that I've tagged the information because having the information, which is indeed well-cited and accurate on this page but not having state information is confusing to our readers.
  5. The assertion may or may not meet the technical definition of uncivil, but it sure feels inflammatory. TJRC, if you're not going to respond to my concerns, stop posting to this thread in an effort to derail it.
Your stubborn behavior, acceptable? As I noted 3 days ago I gave up on getting you to revert your unacceptable behavior, TJRC. --Elvey (talk) 23:38, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

I "request admin input" above. Hello? Anyone?

Can I get that input, Pretty Please?

TJRC, you wrote, "...when I've asked him what he thinks is confusing, he thinks he's already answered." Indeed, correct! Will you admit that this was a reasonable way of seeing things - that perhaps when you read and then deleted that answer and then asked me to describe what it is I find confusing as if I hadn't done so at all, over and over, that a reasonable person would be a bit upset?♥ --Elvey (talk) 23:42, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Elvey, your frustration is obvious, but the lack of attention may be because you and TJRC have been talking to one another here, rather than talking to us (the regular admins and other experienced editors who frequent this board.) Could I ask both of you to state in one simple post what, if any, admin action you are asking for here? Eg is it page protection, a block, a ban, a warning, or what? Please don't tell us why this might be justified for a moment - could we just start by asking you what it is you each want us to do? Please reply to me in this thread, and not to each other - we have already had plenty of that. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 16:33, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Kim: TJRC needs to be blocked. (As at "♠" above.) (Reasons to unblock could be (commented out, as this could be seen as a 'why', though it's not intended as such…)
I request an admin answer: Who is "divorced-from-reality" with respect to TJRC's claims of missing AN/I notifications, in particular: Are they required? For convenience, here again are the (small!) diffs from above. Do they show I provided what's required? : diff w/edit summary "Hello! There is a AN/I notice you may have interest in." and diff of 2nd notification.♠
Finally, I would ask that any admin action be grounded in policy applied specific factual findings. And as I've already said I'd be happy to accept any mentoring…♠ I RETRACTED the edit warring accusation, but Prosfilaes acts as if still unaware that his edit restored the wrong version during an edit war. --Elvey (talk) 01:38, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Kim, I would characterize what I'm asking for as a warning: "I would like Elvey to be counseled on how to behave as an editor. The comment issue aside, the underlying issue giving rise to it is that he has tagged the article as confusing, but will not enter into a civil discussion of why he believes it is confusing, and will not work in a good-faith and civil manner to resolve the issue he believes he has identified. I would like to see a commitment from Elvey that he will behave according to that counsel." Please see below. TJRC (talk) 22:55, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm with TJRC here, but on a slightly different angle. On June 26th, he accuses me of edit warring based on one edit. On August 19th, he comes back to demand a justification for that same edit. Really? He can't let it drop?--Prosfilaes (talk) 23:13, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

As TJRC has denied the existence of the discussion post I made to the article talk page yesterday, I have pinged him and reverted in two steps as he only provided a minimal and inaccurate edit summary and not only didn't respond, but insists there is no discussion going on. --Elvey (talk) 01:55, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

I am striking my prior request that Elvey be merely warned. Based on his continued disruptive incivil behavior and repeated reinsertion of his preferred text without consensus (the straws breaking this camel's back are today, here, here and here), I am requesting that Elvey be blocked. These aren't the worst of it, but it's what's finally making me give up on him. TJRC (talk) 02:57, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

  • So, on the point about AN/I notification my view is that Elvey notified TJRC of both AN/I discussions. It would however have been preferable and avoided any confusion if each notification had its own heading, rather than being appended to an existing heading. TJRC's unwillingness to accept the notifications as such, and Elvey's intemperate language ("out of touch with reality"...) indicate to me that each has completely run out of patience with the other and is willing to grasp at any straw to paint the other in a bad light.
To the substance of the requests. I read that TJRC and Elvey each want the other person to be blocked. I know you have both made many arguments above but as you see, the way you have couched them so far has not attracted any admin attention or action. Please now each of you say (a) what policy or guideline has been broken by the other person, eg that on civility, disruption, edit warring etc and (b) give some diffs to evidence this. Restrict yourselves to these two topics please and resist the temptation to argue with the other. A small clue: the way you are handling this dispute so far gives me very little confidence in either of you. Please consider ignoring one another right now on this page and replying to me and the other uninvolved editors reading this. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 08:56, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Elvey certainly could stand to work on civility, for example, not making uncivil remarks about me in a DRV or nominating the userpage of one of my bots for deletion (speaking of which, could someone uninvolved close the MFD? It's a clear "speedy keep"). --Carnildo (talk) 00:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
It's now been more than 24 hours since I asked Elvey and TJRC for a concise, diff-supported statement of evidence. I'll ping both their talk pages now and say that unless e get something here within the next 24 hours I'll close this thread. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 12:01, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
TJRC's examples of Elvey misbehavior

Here are some. There are probably more, but I don't have a lot of time today to address this, work's been very busy for me the past couple days, leaving me very little family time, which has taken priority. This is a mixture of general hostility (WP:CIVIL) and a refusal to take part in good-faith discussions (WP:AGF and WP:CIVIL).

  • "Wild accusations"; "straw men": [116].
  • Again with the "accusations": [117].
  • "General hostility and refusal to discuss his tagging: [118].
  • Abusive edit summary: [119].
  • Here's one I pointed out above: I very politely explained TPO to Elvey (reproduced in the text in this discussion, above): [120] ; Elvey deletes with edit summary "False allegations from TJRC - AGAIN" (because everything is apparently more believable with capital letters): [121], [122].
  • Calling my edit (reverting his error!) "obnoxious" on another user's talk page: [123].
  • general hostility: [124].

While looking for one of the instances above (the comment on Prosfilaes (talk · contribs) talk page), I can see that I'm not the only one who's been the target of his misbehavior.

  • Abuses of Twinkle to improperly flag edits as vandalism, against January (talk · contribs); this actually stems from Elvey's misunderstanding that copyright law and public records law are not the same thing: [125] and January's correction of it.
  • Another spurious Twinkle vandalism warning, this time against MrX (talk · contribs) [126].
  • Another general rant against Guy Macon (talk · contribs) [127].

I'm betting there are more, but these are just what I happened across while looking for the one I remembered.

I would also like you to consider the general tone of Elvey's text above. That's what I and other editors are constantly having to deal with. Also, please consider the comments of editors Prosfilaes (talk · contribs) and Carnildo (talk · contribs) and of editor/admin Bbb23 (talk · contribs).

Kim, the notification issue is a sideshow, and I don't want to spend too much time on that, but let me clarify what I'm trying to say on that point. I have no "unwillingness to accept the notifications". I am saying I simply did not perceive Elvey's comment as a notification, in that, as a response to a comment about a different discussion, with no link or any other indication that this was about a new discussion, it was not at all apparent to me that this new discussion was the subject of his message. We can differ as to whether I should have understood his comment as a notification, of course. But the fact is that I did not.

One final comment: one thing I regret having said in the discussion above is the use of "in his ... divorced-from-reality way" on August 16th. That's not the level of communication I generally use, and is indicative of the amount of frustration I am feeling here. I don't think it is nearly as poor form as the behavior being shown by Elvey, but I should not be adopting that as my own standard.

Thanks. TJRC (talk) 00:57, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Comment by Guy Macon: I am commenting solely because my name was mentioned above. Elvey and I had a rather mundane content dispute at Secure Digital,[128] and he made some rather rash accusations,[129][130] but he later expressed a desire to end the conflict,[131] (very bottom comment) we both deleted/struck various comments.[132] and agreed to get back to building an encyclopedia. We have had no interaction since. Because Elvey did the right thing and disengaged rather that escalating further, in my opinion it would be highly inappropriate to use any of our interactions as evidence in an ANI case. I have no opinion about any interactions Elvey might have had with any other editors. Please leave me out of this. --Guy Macon (talk) 04:52, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks. I won't comment further. Still, any interaction with Guy, Carnildo or anyone else that TJRC canvassed mustn't serve as evidence either way: TJRC's use of the user template in his last AN/I posts to contact the 7 users he says I acted improperly toward is a clear violation of the canvassing prohibition and I hope someone addresses it; it compromises the normal consensus decision-making process, which makes it disruptive behavior. The templates should be removed immediately, along with the apparently resultant posts, as fruits of a poisoned tree. (to be continued…)--Elvey (talk) 09:38, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I wasn't canvassed. I posted because I've been watching AN/I since early 2005, and I wasn't exactly happy with yet another attack on one of my bots. --Carnildo (talk) 10:25, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Semantics, Carnildo. You were canvassed by http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Incidents&diff=prev&oldid=569798894 this edit (diff) ] which added " [[Template:user|{{user|Prosfilaes}}]] and [[Template:user|{{user|Carnildo}}]] and of editor/admin [[Template:user|{{user|Bbb23}}]]." to this page, generating a special notification. Whether you responded as a result doesn't change whether you were canvassed or not. The policy is WP:CAN. It says nothing about the response(s) or lack there of in defining it. It does have a handy chart that I feel is relevant - the message is Biased, the audience is Partisan. --Elvey (talk) 17:05, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Kim_Dent-Brown (talk · contribs) You're not going to respond regarding the canvassing accusation, or let me finish providing the response I told you I was working on and have even posted a draft of here? That doesn't make you seem unbiased, IMO, which defeats much of the purpose of your involvement.--Elvey (talk) 17:22, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

On TJRC. - Elvey[edit]

To find a way forward, it's useful to answer: Who's perpetuating this? The last edit to the talk page was me, ~4 days ago (diff) asking him a short, simple question. Has he answered? No, but he had time to generate the far-reaching write-up, above. He acted worse in response to the nearly-as-short-and-simple question I asked previously: I dared to point out that he ignored me there but had time to fight here and he goes ballistic and reverts. Admin: Editors are not supposed to hold off when its clear that the other user has chosen to respond to other discussions and ignore/abandon the one we're having, based on my reading of policy. Please either show me if I'm misreading policy on that or let me know if I'm not. Please help him see that CIVIL says, "Editors are expected to be reasonably cooperative… …and to be responsive to good-faith questions."

Acknowledgement that I did notify him of the AN/Is, answering the questions I've marked with a '♥' , retraction of unfounded accusations♣, retraction of false statements, such as "I reverted them" and "[Elvey] re-instated his interruptions"? None of these things, which I would see as positive signs - have happened.

The instructions on this (edit) page read, "You must notify any user who is the subject of a discussion." (I did that) and "You may use {{subst:ANI-notice}}to do so."" I could have. Given the three (!) notifications he did get, I think these excerpts of the policy WP:CIVIL are most relevant in showing why these edits require admin action:

  • (c) ill-considered accusations of impropriety
  • (a) taunting or baiting: deliberately pushing others to the point of breaching civility even if not seeming to commit such a breach themselves. All editors are responsible for their own actions in cases of baiting; a user who is baited is not excused by that if they attack in response, and a user who baits is not excused from their actions by the fact that the bait may be taken.
  • (b) harassment, including Wikihounding, bullying, personal or legal threats, posting of personal information, repeated email or user space postings
  • (d) lying

I think that making so many false accusations, if intentional, constitute 'offensive behavior that appears to a reasonable observer to intentionally target a specific person', which violates the WP:HARASS policy. I don't see how they can be seen as anything but intentional, and designed to give offense. I ask that the closing admin itemize the substantiated vs unsubstantiated accusations and claims thereof by TJRC and I, rather than choose to respond to some, but not others.

I believe I've shown his misbehavior was intense, occurred many times, that I identified the misbehavior and asked that it cease, and that it has continued into this hearing. I will admit to using, under strong provocation, some regrettable language. I admit that the comments of mine he kept deleting weren't only where I said they were initially; there were 3 in the article talk space and 5 in article space. I didn't quickly realize it when editors showed they didn't understandReply level indication, but in my defense, his false accusations of TPO violations confused me.

I'm finding that rereading CIVIL in its entirety is a good exercise. (I see there isn't an audio version of CIVIL. An opportunity…) Refusing to actually participate in discussion efforts, and continuing to edit to push 'the right version' - that's the core issue.

Now for the 3 edits central this dispute: I thought TJRC was finally willing to face the reality re. TPO after Woodroar wrote in detail why he saw nothing wrong any of the components of my edit that TJRC reverted 3 times (diffs: "diff and diff and diff", below - I FINALLY NOW POST THE SECOND AND THIRD - lost among all the rest of TJRC misdeeds!). As he still hasn't accepted this, I have to point out that this was edit warring and highly disruptive. This edit warring was a violation of a host of policies. CIVIL says:

He wasn't respectful of my own words; Woodroar noted that there was nothing at WP:TPO to justify TJRC's editing of MY talk page comments **diff anddiff and diff** - THAT is 3 edits to MY comments that DELETE MY QUESTIONS from the article talk page — justified only by the UNTRUE claim that the edits were removing interruptions from his comments. They violated WP:TPO, ironically! Because I made it abundantly clear why his edits were improper, the latter two constitute WP:Disruptive_editing. All my efforts to help him to [see this have been for naught. (example) The three questions he deleted three times from the talk page? They're there, still unanswered, over a week later, in violation of WP:COM and WP:CIVIL.

I characterize his many accusations that I've been unwilling to enter into a civil discussion (e.g., of why x is confusing) to be utterly false and unfounded, as those diffs and many comments above prove. Eventually, Carnildo did identify some in-line comments; I converted the Posting Style.--Elvey (talk) 21:01, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Elvey, your inability to drop the issue and heed Kim's well-meant advice in their close is becoming highly disruptive and is now firmly in WP:BATTLE territory. You are hereby advised and warned to drop the sticks, all of them, immediately, and find something else to do. MLauba (Talk) 22:53, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Vanished user that isn't vanishing[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. A summary of the conclusions reached follows.
Consensus formed, user blocked, not much else to do. Regards, — Moe Epsilon 02:16, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

I don't know where to go with this - I was debating between WP:BN and here, but I chose AN/I because of the required notice.

According to Wikipedia:Courtesy vanishing, vanishing is supposed to be permanently leaving the project. Vanished user 987234 (talk · contribs) is continuing to edit (albeit not disruptively, mainly creating redirects and uncontroversial page moves) despite having gone through vanishing - see their contributions. While this editor may not want to be associated with their previous account, shouldn't the vanishing either be reversed if they wish to continue or be enforced if they do not?

I asked the user about this three days ago, and received no response even though they've edited several times since.

Thanks, and sorry if this is in the wrong place. Ansh666 05:17, 21 August 2013 (UTC) I'm not watching AN/I, ping me if anyone responds please!

Though someone has "vanished" - they don't have to actually vanish. Some users simply won't stay away - so I'd assume this would be treated as a rename in essence. Dusti*Let's talk!* 05:22, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict × 2) But that's not what the page says - "A courtesy vanishing may be implemented when a user in good standing decides not to return, and for whatever reason wishes to make their contributions harder to find or to remove their association with their edits" and "If the user returns, the 'vanishing' will likely be fully reversed, the old and new accounts will be linked, and any outstanding sanctions or restrictions will be resumed." (emphasis is mine). Ansh666 05:30, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Um, wait, was he ever actually vanished? I don't see any logs to suggest he was properly vanished, but rather it looks like he registered that username as is? Someguy1221 (talk) 05:26, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I was actually just doing that. I've gone through move logs and rename logs - I can't find anything. I'll keep looking though. Dusti*Let's talk!* 05:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict)You may be right...then this would be an issue for WP:RFCN? Ansh666 05:30, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
The username isn't an issue - as far as I can see. What, specifically, bothers you about it? It could actually be a clean start account. The fact the username says "Vanished User" doesn't violate a policy. Dusti*Let's talk!* 05:34, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Note: I've gone through the rename logs - this account wasn't renamed - therefore, it's not an account of someone that has vanished. FWIW. Dusti*Let's talk!* 05:35, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict × 2)It may be confusing, just like naming an account "banned editor 2435423". Ansh666 05:38, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree. If it isn't prohibited, it should be.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 21:15, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict × 3)I don't think the logs show anything (see this one, for example - side note, that user was also blocked because they came back from being vanished). From contributions, though, unless the bureaucrats have gotten better at hiding contribs, it looks to be a new user. Maybe I should post on WP:BN asking a bureaucrat to comment here? Ansh666 05:38, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Might be because 'crats use a different method than normal renaming. Anyhow, I'm going to sleep now...if someone wants to ping a 'crat or something, go ahead. Ansh666 05:39, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Rename logs are listed under "User:[old username]", but are occasionally hidden from the public log; Vanished user 987234 is probably not a rename as the local and global accounts were created at the same time. Peter James (talk) 15:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

As far as I can tell, the user wasn't a rename and since their arrival on Wikipedia, they have never interacted with any editor (no talk, user talk, etc. discussion) and they have been here since January. IMHO, this should fall under a username violation as confusing/misleading, get soft blocked and let them choose a new name. Regards, — Moe Epsilon 00:05, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Due to he fact that it has precipitated this discussion I concur that the user name is confusing and should be changed. That said, the type of edits would seem to indicate some significant past experience.Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 00:20, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • The consensus there is clearly to disallow such (new) user names. Can some admin close the discussion per WP:SNOW and implement the soft username block with an invitation to either rename his account or create a new one? Someone not using his real name (talk) 16:24, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Taeyebaar switching back and forth between accounts[edit]

Taeyebaar (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

This user continually switched back and forth between being signed in as Taeyebaar and using the IP 192.0.173.58. Best evidence is this edit by the IP here followed by the fact it was then signed less than a minute later by Taeyebaar as seen here. As the IP he has put Taeyebaar-type info into Speculative fiction‎, Space opera, Science fiction, Space Western, Space Cowboys and others. After being reverted, he came back later on the first two to reinsert his edits as Taeyebaar.

This user is building a history of putting non-sourced or poorly sourced info into articles. One of his dubious sources for Lord of the Flies was turned down at WP:RSN as can be seen here, but he continued edit warring at Speculative fiction, Space opera and others. - Gothicfilm (talk) 06:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

These allegations are baseless and in response to my complaints against him for wp:stalk[133]. The IP address is indeed mine, there is nothing to hide and there are no edit wars. The complaint on my edits to space opera was my choice of words, not because I had "edit warred."
The edit I had made was re-worded multiple times, but not removed, until orangegmike deleted them all together, which I was gonna delete anyways since I was not satisfied with it being re-worded. This user tries to twist around other peoples disputes to serve his purpose. Gothicfilm has been stalking me since July on baseless grounds that I "changed genres" when i only added adjectives to them- even if with reference. He looks through my contributions and edit wars with me on topics he has never himself worked on before. I advise admins to contact user:Alex Bakharev for more details regarding this issue.-Taeyebaar (talk) 06:45, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
What's baseless is the sock puppet investigation you tried to instigate against two long standing editors who both reverted your edits. Just because we both agreed about the merits of what you're doing you want to charge User:TheOldJacobite with being or creating a sock puppet, as can be seen ongoing with your latest edit there. Since User:Orangemike and User:Staszek Lem both reverted you at Space opera, are you going to charge them with being sock puppets as well? - Gothicfilm (talk) 07:13, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Last comment I am not the only one this individual has edit warred against.[134]. He's edit warred before and used attack language at other editors. (see my previous complaints against him). Taeyebaar (talk) 07:18, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

45 minutes ago Taeyebaar continued to edit war again at Space Cowboys, reinserting another unsourced genre change (over two edits) he had earlier put in as the IP. I have given him WP:3RR warnings for both that page and Lord of the Flies. Then, as the IP he said I'll keep doing the IP editing, unless I am in violation of policy as seen here, which he then did at Science fantasy as seen here. So whether it was deliberate before or not, he is now deliberately switching back and forth between accounts. - Gothicfilm (talk) 07:52, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Using both an IP and a named account to edit the same articles, especially to edit war, is basically sockpuppetry even if it is known who the master account is. Taeyebaar should be blocked until they understand that the use of both their account and IP is not acceptable. Blackmane (talk) 08:38, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Without saying what is happening here is ok or not ok I don't think the problem is editing with both an IP and username, as long as it's widely known that they're both the same person. Many people edit from work from time to time on an IP without logging on (I do at least) and sometimes the same articles they've edited before. I agree it's a bad idea if you're editing something potentially controversial but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something I'm not supposed to based on my understanding of the rules. 207.164.152.162 (talk) 17:00, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
When I look at the edit history of a WP page, I want to know if the same person did more than one edit there. If you're switching back and forth between accounts, then that is obscured, even hidden, unless I do some digging. Your own judgment of whether something is potentially controversial might be disputed. Your own Talk page shows someone disputed one of your IP edits and reverted it. It is possible to sign in at work. You're aware we can't tell who you are/what your WP account is even on your posting here, right? - Gothicfilm (talk) 22:36, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

It was my understanding that it was possible to have alternative accounts as long as they are acknowledged on your User Page and you do not use the alternative account to disrupt, vote twice or otherwise misbehave. There is even a category designation Category:Wikipedians with alternative accounts that you can add to your Userpage. I know I have a standard IP account which my contributions default to if I have forgotten to log in. It's listed on my User Page. Here's a list of legitimate uses for a second account: Wikipedia:SOCK#Legitimate uses. Liz Let's Talk 23:35, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

That's another subject. Taeyebaar did not reveal that he was using two accounts until I posted the notice here. He put the same disputed info more than once into at least three articles from two different accounts. - Gothicfilm (talk) 02:50, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Alright, I'll confess one more thing, I partially did it to avoid this "gothicfilm" and his possible sock accounts since he (or she) searches through my contributions and reverts me on every second article I edit (this has been going on since July) However, I never revert warred on IP accounts, nor did I pretend to be "somebody" else, so I don't see sockpuppetry charge, unless this is a "payback" for my suspicions on gothicfilm being a sockpuppet. Taeyebaar (talk) 06:00, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Is it possible for an admin to see both our contributions to confirm/deny that user:goticfilm follows me around wikipedia just to revert me? Maybe an admin can add our contributions to their watchlist. Taeyebaar (talk) 06:13, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

For the record, the sock puppet investigation Taeyebaar is promoting against two long standing editors, TheOldJacobite and myself, has gotten comment from only one uninvolved editor in five days. As seen here, responding to the diffs provided by Taeyebaar, Ishdarian wrote:
  • Observation: I decided to take a look at this request, and I'd like to give the opinion that it is totally frivolous. Both Gothic and TOJ are film buffs. The diffs provided for ET show TOJ removing a rambling post from the ET talk page and Gothic removing vandalism from the ET template. In addition, the X-Files diffs show TOJ reverting unsourced changes to the article and Gothic is discussing something on the talk page. That's hardly solid proof.
  • Behaviorally, the two editors don't even click. Simply looking at the edit summaries of the two users shows that they have different operating methods.
  • This SPI seems to be retaliation against two editors whom Taeyebaar disagrees with. Would a clerk be kind enough to close this request? Ishdarian 11:24, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Instead of seeing the light, Taeyebaar responded with there's no "retaliation" except that when 2 editors edit war on multiple pages that have not been edited in ages, it's likely they are connected, as seen here. I thought perhaps he had no idea how a Watchlist works, but he just mentioned it above. I find it incredible that this editor who is continuing to press for a sock puppet investigation has now admitted to editing from two accounts himself. Perhaps someone can respond to Blackmane's recommendation above? - Gothicfilm (talk) 22:48, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Note that Taeyebaar just put in his disputed unsourced genre change yet again at Space Cowboys despite the WP:3RR warning he got for that page, then two minutes later he switched to his IP account and hit the Science fantasy article again, as seen here. - Gothicfilm (talk) 23:22, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

His constant tab on my edits shows he is stalking me as he/she has been since July. Can an admin look into this please? Put both contributions on your watch list. Also the SP case was endorsed by administrator Alex Bakharev Taeyebaar (talk) 23:58, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Not really. He just passed on info Taeyebaar posted on his Talk page. He has not commented on its merits. I have no reason to believe he ever looked into the case at all. I suspect if he had he would have rejected it, like Ishdarian. A half dozen editors have disputed Taeyebaar's edits. None have supported them. - Gothicfilm (talk) 00:14, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

User FS making legal threats[edit]

This looks like a legal threat to me [135] CombatWombat42 (talk) 03:03, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes, it meets the criteria for a legal threat, and there are several users throwing that term "libel" around, all of whom need to either retract it or be put on ice if they refuse. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 07:47, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Citing a concern regarding a potential legal issue, whether or not it would actually realistically have any legal implications, is a perfectly valid issue to raise and is not the same as a legal threat. In my mind, there were serious BLP/defamatory concerns in using the subject's male name and male pronouns and that tends to lead very easily to issues concerning slander and libel. I have not threatened anyone with any sort of legal action nor do I have the ability to initiate such action. Haipa Doragon (talk) 18:58, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
It is NOT a valid issue to raise, but rather it's an attempt at intimidation. There IS NO BLP issue involved here. What the subject decides to call him/herself this week has no legal standing; and NO ONE, least of all wikipedia, is obliged to capitulate to the subject's whims. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 19:17, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
So how exactly would I go about the issue if there were clear libel on the page, then? I don't stand by what I said about libel originally, because frankly I don't know enough about said laws, but to state that it is intimidation just because I expressed my belief that an action would have legal implications is absurd and bad-faith. "Talking about libel" occurs all the time on Wikipedia and it is not an automatically reprehensible issue. Haipa Doragon (talk) 19:34, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
"If you are going to defame people as Homophobes be informed there anti-defamation laws." That kind of comment is a threat. How to raise the question legimitately? Just say, "Is there a risk of liability on the part of Wikipedia if we say [such-and-such]?" That's the way to go about it, if there's a question. If it's obviously defamatory, such as "[celebrity] is a criminal", without any such facts being ine vidence, that's fair game for removal. As is obvious vandalism such as "[celebrity] sucks". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:05, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
My pointing out of a potential action as libellous is not a legal threat: to state that I may initiate legal action, which I have never stated, is. A threat is a statement that I intend to do something against another person or an entity, and I have made no such thing. This is basic semantics and I will not put up with editors twisting words against me. Haipa Doragon (talk) 21:27, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
This isn't a legal threat per se, since saying "there are anti-defamation laws" is not an actual announcement of intent to sue. However, accusation of homophobia falls under tendentious editing, and is itself grounds for blocking if this has persisted in spite of warnings.--WaltCip (talk) 15:36, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Talking about libel and such as that is an attempt to intimidate other editors, and thus qualifies as a legal threat. The idea that Wikipedia could be held liable for using the legal name "Bradley" instead of the new nickname "Chelsea" is a bluff, and basically a joke. Sourcing does not support "Chelsea". Manning would have to sue those sources first, and since the name has no legal standing, neither would any such lawsuit. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 16:11, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I believe the reference to anti-defamation laws was about the user xemself (that xe was being called homophobic/transphobic), not about what name we call Manning. Once again, Bugs, you seem to be the only one who actually feels that strongly about this issue. — PinkAmpers&(Je vous invite à me parler) 17:02, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
PinkAmpersand, I fail to see how that matters? Does WP:NLT say "no making legal threats in relation to the subject of articles"? I thought it was a pretty blanket ban on legal threats. CombatWombat42 (talk) 17:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
I do feel strongly about the rule against legal threats, yes. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:27, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
TO clarify, CW (love the username, btw), I was simply pointing out that Bugs's little rant about Manning's first name had nothing to do with the alleged defamation. As for what to do with Fs (I tried to post this a few hours ago, but the edit didn't go through due to "loss of session data," and by the time I noticed that I was busy), I'd say we should give xem a chance to respond before taking any action, so xe has the opportunity to retract the borderline threat, or clarify things, if xe didn't mean it like that. (You'll note that I gave xem a warning for this yesterday.) — PublicAmpers&(main accounttalkblock) 18:56, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Pointing out the existence of anti-defamation laws isn't a threat per se, but given the context, it seems Fs is making at least an implied threat to use anti-defamation laws against a person or people they see as calling them a homophobe. —me_and 00:14, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Beatles Vandal[edit]

The community banned Beatles vandal is back at cultural diversity. A range block was applied a few days ago to a different range. Here are some of his recent edits in case it will help determine a new range block. (Most of the individual IPs are already blocked.) [136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150][151] Sophitessa (talk) 20:25, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

I've made a couple of narrow 6 month blocks to 2.93.81.0/24 and 93.81.16.0/24. We'll see if we collect more data points. Acroterion (talk) 01:32, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

False accusations of 'edit warring' from User:Me_and[edit]

Whether through malice, or sheer incompetence, I don't know, but User:Me_and recently reported me for alleged 'edit warring' in the contentious Chelsea/Bradley Manning article at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Edit warring#User:AndyTheGrump reported by User:Me and (Result: ) The diffs were as follows:

17:51, 22 August 2013 (UTC) [152] Where I reverted (once) an edit which changed (amongst other things) the name in the infobox from that in the title - I wasn't the first to revert this change, nor the last, and it was clearly inappropriate for the article to be inconsistent, regardless of the eventual decision as to the way we name Manning.
15:06, 22 August 2013 (UTC) [153], 15:04, 22 August 2013 (UTC) [154] - Reverts of two malformed edits by the same person. One misspelled a person's name, and the other attempted to insert a redirect into the body of the article text.
21:19, 21 August 2013 (UTC) [155] A revert (from almost a day ago) where I removed unsourced POV text added to the lede without discussion.
20:22, 21 August 2013 (UTC) [156] A revert of a poorly-worded 'proofreading' that contained multiple grammatical and stylistic errors.
15:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC) [157] Removal of text which duplicated material already added earlier.

As can be seen, the edits in question spanned a period of well over 24 hours, and were by no stretch of the imagination intended to enforce a particular point of view, or even confined to the same section of the article. Several merely corrected mistakes. Others were simple edits made in the normal course of editing. I have asked User:Me_and to apologise for accusing me of edit warring, but although the user has half-heartedly 'withdrawn' the complaint, this has been done so in a manner that implies that he/she still thinks that I was edit warring. Which I self-evidently wasn't. I ask that at minimum User:Me_and be admonished for posting this malicious and ill-founded complaint, and be formally warned that any future such behaviour is liable to result in sanctions. I can see no legitimate reason why such behaviour should be tolerated - it amounts to little more than harrasment. AndyTheGrump (talk) 19:02, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

I reported AndyTheGrump for a 3RR breach after reporting IFreedom1212 for the same. Although I think AndyTheGrump's edits were far more reasonable, 3RR is a clear line, and it seemed to me that he breached it.
I'd spotted he'd made a number of reverts, and used Twinkle to check if he had crossed the line. Admittedly I didn't properly check the edits Twinkle listed, else I'd have skipped one for being obviously non-contentious (which I've already noted at WP:AN3), and the 15:25 edit for being clearly outside the 24h limit (although I didn't spot that until seeing AndyTheGrump's report at ANI pointing out the timespan). That's my fault for not checking what the tool told me properly (and I'll be sure to be more paranoid about using it in future), but that still leaves four reverts within a 24 hour period.
I've explained this to AndyTheGrump on my talk page, and I've pointed out on WP:AN3 that the block is no longer useful since the page in question has been fully protected.
Had I checked the logs from Twinkle properly, I probably wouldn't have made the 3RR report. However I stand by it – while it's now considerably more borderline, I think it's still over the border.
me_and 19:25, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm beginning to wonder whether we have a WP:COMPETENCE issue here... AndyTheGrump (talk) 19:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict) Meant to say that part of my reason for checking for other editors breaching WP:3RR was my fear of my report of IFreedom1212 being seen as malicious, since their edits were largely reverts of changes I'd made. —me_and 19:35, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
AndyTheGrump, where does WP:3RR say that the reverts must be in furtherance of a particular point of view, or confined to a single section of the article? From what I can tell the rule prohibits any four or more reverts on a single page, whether or not each revert changes the same material, and whether or not it's to the same section of the page. I don't see anything about pushing a point of view. It seems that you've technically violated the policy, and me_and was within his or her rights to report you for it. I don't think you made these reverts with the intention of edit warring, and I don't think you should be blocked for them; however, I do think you're wrong that me_and's report was baseless. Why don't you just withdraw this report, the same way that me_and withdrew theirs, and then we can all just get back to editing? —Psychonaut (talk) 19:43, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Sorry? You are suggesting that removing a spelling mistake is a 'revert'? Removing an attempt to insert a redirect into the middle of an article is a 'revert? That is ridiculous. And if that is the policy, Wikipedia can stick it where the sun don't shine - I edited in the best interests of the encyclopaedia and its readers, and if Wikilayering shits don't like it, they can do without me. I'm not interested in playing games with arseholes who are more concerned with bureaucratic bullshit than with producing an online encyclopaedia. AndyTheGrump (talk) 19:53, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
A revert is a revert, whether it's removing (or restoring) an entire section or just a tiny typographical error:

A 'revert' means any edit (or administrative action) that reverses the actions of other editors, in whole or in part, whether involving the same or different material.

But WP:3RR doesn't say that more than three reverts automatically leads to a block. What you were doing didn't seem disruptive, and I doubt any administrator would have blocked or even warned you for it. Especially since it was withdrawn, you could have simply ignored the report. Surely that would have been a better way of avoiding "bureaucratic bullshit" than stirring up more of it on WP:ANI. —Psychonaut (talk) 20:07, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I've got a better idea - I should probably ignore Wikipedia altogether, and leave it to the amateur-bureaucratic trolls that run the place. Only a complete imbecile would think that revering spelling errors constitutes edit-warring. AndyTheGrump (talk) 20:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Having had a mug of tea and a sit down: AndyTheGrump, I'm sorry for putting in that report. While I maintain you were in breach of the policy, the breach was a technicality and I've never thought your behaviour was war-like. My motivation for the report was partly covering myself against being seen as biased in my report of IFreedom1212, but that should have been for me to deal with and shouldn't have impacted on you.
I object to being accused of being malicious, and as Psychonaut noted, I don't believe my report was ill-founded. Incompetence I'll agree with, though, and have already admitted to; I'll make sure not to blindly trust Twinkle in that way again.
In the interest of getting back to editing, I'd like to draw a line under this now, although I understand that's no longer a decision solely for me to make.
me_and 20:37, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I'd stop digging, your behaviour, whilst only mildly upsetting to a user like Andy, could be seriously off putting and upsetting to a new, inexperienced user. If you're unable to properly interpret data from TWINKLE, please stop using it rather than running around apologising, by which point the damage could be done. Nick (talk) 20:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Meanwhile, something for the rule-mongers to contemplate. One of the exceptions to WP:3RR is as follows: "Removal of libelous, biased, unsourced, or poorly sourced contentious material that violates the policy on biographies of living persons..." One of my edits [158] removed an unsourced assertion (in Wikipedia's voice) that Manning is a "human rights activist and political prisoner". Would anyone like to Wikilawyer an argument to the effect that the statement isn't 'contentious'? No, I don't think so.... That leaves, five 'reverts' - more than 24 hours apart. So even by the deranged Wikilayers rules that are being argued for, I've not broken WP:3RR here, unless one counts reverting a spelling mistake and/or an attempt to insert a redirect slap bang in the middle of the article... Of course, if anyone wishes to look through my edit history, I'm sure they will find WP:3RR 'violations', since, as I've pointed out several times on this noticeboard (amongst other places), with big 'breaking news' stories, WP:3RR often has to be ignored, to avoid articles being swamped by misinformation, vandalism, and just plain incompetence. In such circumstances, what actually matters is maintaining standards, not maintaining rules - and anyone unwilling to accept that WP:IAR trumps WP:3RR when for instance making this sort of edit [159] should seriously think whether they should be editing Wikipedia at all. AndyTheGrump (talk) 21:41, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Unless the 3RR complainant has additional diffs to cite, I don't see any 3RR violation here. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:46, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree with AndyTheGrump that an overly strict interpretation of what a revert is is not helpful to the project, and that the correction of simple errors such as misspellings and formatting mistakes should not count as a revert for the purposes of determining edit-warring. Editors should, however, make those kinds of changes separate from content-dispute reverts, so that it's clear that they are not part of the dispute. Beyond My Ken (talk) 23:21, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Sanity check: reverses the actions of other editors seems clearly to not cover typos, spelling errors, or the like. An "action" consisting of errant spelling is not conceivably covered by the revert rules. Collect (talk) 16:40, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Clearly you've never witnessed an edit war over typos. Believe me, they have happened. —Psychonaut (talk) 16:45, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
And worse. The Bushranger One ping only 17:18, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Oh, yes. Insane stuff. Punctuation, diacritical marks, capitalization, etc. - all manner of stuff that matters to no one except the ones arguing about it. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:30, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
And whitespace. Edit wars over blank spaces. The horror, the horror... - The Bushranger One ping only 21:26, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes. That might be the craziest one of all. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 22:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Except for people who habitually read between the lines. Collect (talk) 14:08, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
ba-dum TISH - The Bushranger One ping only 18:12, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Closing RfC on Tammy Duckworth[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Not an issue for Administrators' noticeboard. Referred elsewhere
 – not an "incident" Beeblebrox (talk) 17:01, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Hello. Could I please have an admin or other experienced user review the RfC on Talk:Tammy Duckworth? The RfC bot has removed the RfC notice, indicating that the recommended time limit has passed. Edge3 (talk) 03:21, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Edge3, you might want to list this article here to get it closed. Liz Read! Talk! 15:56, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you, Liz! I have posted on that noticeboard. My apologies for the inconvenience. Edge3 (talk) 21:48, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
No problem, Edge3! I'm glad I could answer your question. ;-) Liz Read! Talk! 23:28, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Threat to contact Interpol by IP User 82.166.140.117[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


The ip user made a threat to contact Interpol at User talk:82.166.140.117, specifically "I kindly ask you to remove it, otherwise i will contact the Interpol." Not sure if this falls under WP:LEGAL or not, but it's close enough to me to err on the side of reporting it. Transcendence (talk) 19:31, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
  • Guys, the "threat" was against me. I do not think it is a credible threat anyway. The IP user (a new a user) asks for a reproduction of a painting to be removed from an article of Aristarkh Lentulov as a forgery. Apparently there is an article in Haaretz that alleges that the painting is somehow related to criminal rings and forgery. Getting the relevant part of the article requires a paid account that I do not have, but the user seems to have. Obviously if there is a controversy around the painting I would either remove it from the article or write a couple of sentences about the controversy. In the middle of the conversation the new editor got an idea that I might be connected to the criminal ring and threaten to report me to Interpol. Honestly, I do not mind to help police but the only knowledge I have about the painting is the source of the commons image, a reasonably respectful site of a Russian museum. They seem to think the painting is genuine. I am sure that as a new user the IP was not aware of WP:NLT and I would rather work with him or her on the article then see him or her blocked. Is it OK if I unblock the IP? Alex Bakharev (talk) 02:47, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Sure, why not? Please be sure to re-block them if they do more of the same. --Demiurge1000 (talk) 06:42, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Didn't you know Interpol has a team dedicated solely to finding Wikipedia editors and bringing them to justice? ;) Dusti*Let's talk!* 06:47, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
I did not know either although many years ago I was contacted by a German police regarding me uploading an image to commons. Apparently the painting was stolen by Nazis and they though I might know the real location of it. Unfortunately the only help I could provide was a link to the web site I have downloaded the image from (the info was already on the commons page). Alex Bakharev (talk) 11:26, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
That was a joke. - The Bushranger One ping only 18:05, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

I unblocked the guy Alex Bakharev (talk) 11:26, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Good. I was about to. Toddst1 (talk) 15:05, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

User Mmay2[edit]

...and perhaps more. Messing with the infoboxes without explanation. Who knew these characters had occupations? JNW (talk) 20:30, 23 August 2013 (UTC) ‎ ‎

  • I've added an IP account that looks related, and has been warned multiple times for copyright violations. I suspect this is someone who jumps accounts and plows ahead. JNW (talk) 21:00, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I first encountered the user Mmay2 yesterday when I reverted several edits and left a note on their talk page. They declined to respond to my note and have continued their editing, changing infobox colors seemingly at random (sometimes with illegible results), saddling various notable fictional characters with non-notable (in some cases, made-up) nicknames, and making various other changes that are unconstructive. I've just been reverting a few more—and finding it awkward since in some cases there have been subsequent edits from someone else. I suspect we're dealing with a competency issue here, not vandalism, but whatever it is it is disruptive and needs to stop. I'm off to issue a sterner warning now, but if the user proves redeemable I'm guessing a shot across their bows is going to be needed first to get their attention. I'll cough up some diffs if they're really needed, but honestly the history of the above-linked articles tells it pretty well. Add Eeyore to the list. Rivertorch (talk) 07:56, 24 August 2013 (UTC) If anyone would like to help sift through the user's contributions, please be my guest. There seem to be some constructive edits mixed in there, including at least one new article: the mistitled but apparently legitimate Disney's DTV MONSTER HITS (1987 film). Rivertorch (talk) 08:12, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
The sole prose sentence in the Monster Hits article (which is all that the article originally consisted of) appears to be a copy/paste from elsewhere, so that the article is foundationally a copyvio. I don't know what the procedure is to get rid of the copyvio in such cases. Delete the article and then restore it with the sentence rewritten? Deor (talk) 12:17, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
That dovetails with what I was about to add: I've also found and deleted copyright violation passages of movie plots in several articles he/she created. You can tag the articles as copyvios, remove the offending passages, or if the whole thing is rotten request speedy. JNW (talk) 12:23, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Finkellium[edit]

I first came across this article, and editor, following a request from Randykitty (talk · contribs) at WP:BLPN. This editor has an extremely poor grasp of WP:BLP policy, and an even worse attitude. They insist on adding unreferenced, or poorly referenced, and contentious material to an BLP, example diff, despite numerous editors raising concerns on both the article talk page and the user talk page. They have removed valid maintenance templates here and here. They have told me to "go away" and advised me "do not edit it again". They have used faux-complimentary nicknames and comments to insult both myself ("your Giantness" and "GeniusSnowman") as well as Randykitty ("genius editor"). Basically, I feel that they do not have the correct attitude or grasp of policy to edit constructively - I am bringing it here for the community to decide what, if any, action needs taking. GiantSnowman 15:25, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

  • I agree with the above. This editor has clear problems with WP:AGF, WP:CIVIL, WP:RS, WP:I didn't hear that, etc. The attitude problem is obvious, but I start to think that WP:COMPETENT is an issue, too: I originally came to the Crimmins article (not usually an area I edit) because I checked this users edit history, after seeing the badly-researched AfD nomination of Doug Bremner and the inane arguments presented in that AfD. --Randykitty (talk) 15:34, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
    • The Bremner AFD nomination is not over and insulting the valid arguments is not appreciated. GiantSnowman is hurt because I was able to provide accurate support of material he insisted on trying to create a revert war over. He then started the insults. I do not see any reason to escalate this with the complaints to daddy but he does. Sigh. I am scarcely incompetent when in fact I was right. Finkellium (talk) 15:46, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
      • GiantSnowman did at no point insult you, although he did make a comment about your incompetent editing. Apart from that, you have up till now been wrong on all counts. --Randykitty (talk) 16:17, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
        • While there are problems with this article, they are ones that I've seen frequently on BLP. Yes, there are issues, but, unfortunately, they frequently appear in individuals notable at an earlier time. Can't these be fixed without filing an ANI? I thought editors were supposed to come here after they've tried to work things out. Why not take this to the BLPN or RSN? Liz Read! Talk! 20:16, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
          • Thank you Liz. I feel that their personal animus is coloring the decision. I am not ashamed to admit that I was reverting the edit NOT intending to remove templates- I literally just reverted them. I have learned better now but it was not to intimidate them and make them cry like happened. Thank you. Finkellium (talk) 22:30, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Comment - Finkellium, please read WP:BURDEN. It is entirely appropriate that unsourced or poorly sourced content is removed, and should an editor wish to re-add this content, then the burden for providing acceptable sourcing lies with them. Also note that it is entirely appropriate to revert a controversial change, after which time the correct course of action for you would have been to discuss the issue on the talk page (see diagram), instead of engaging in an edit war. It is inappropriate to remove maintenance tags without discussing the concerns on the talk page. It is grossly inappropriate to tell another editor not to edit a page again. This could be interpreted as merely discourteous or threatening. I draw attention to the fact that you do not "own" any wikipedia page, have no right whatsoever to tell other editors if they can work on the page or not. As soon as you make any contribution to an article, it is no longer intellectually your work. Read the Terms of use. It's just under the save page button every time you make an edit. You are clearly not sorry about your behavior, by using words like "cry" above. What do you think this is, some internet forum or online game where you think you can be impolite for no reason? I always think it's pretty funny when people are pointlessly aggressive to people they don't even know, it says so much more about them than the other person. I strongly suggest you familiarize yourself with guidelines and policies that you are clearly not aware of instead of being pointlessly aggressive when people call you on your disruptive behavior. Be polite and respectful and that is how other editors will treat you, it's very simple. Continue as you are an your editing will be a loosing battle that most likely will end in you being banned.
TLDR summary: Editor unfamiliar with editing policies and guidelines, being pointlessly aggressive to editors who are trying to advise them and clean up after him/her.
See also: Online disinhibition effect ; Sea of Cowards. Lesion (talk) 00:14, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
        • I will thank you for telling me how I feel, I obviously am unable to determine my emotions myself. I do know very well what this is. I told the user to READ the sources before saying something was not sourced next time. I stand by that. I have apologized and admitted that the templates were not removed on purpose but were removed. I would hate to be involved in a "loosing battle" since I think tightness is a virtue. I have just today learned that legal documents detailing the facts in a case are not considered valid. I learn so much here it is amazing. And again, the controversial change apparently is trying to be factual and correct. I am sorry I am so controversialFinkellium (talk) 00:27, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • This is a good example. I have dyslexia, and I consider myself generally a courteous editor because, e.g. when other editors have to clean up after my typos and errors, I do not start being rude to them. Lesion (talk) 00:33, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
    • an example of what? I have "Sillus Syndrome and sometimes stub my toe. Finkellium (talk) 00:39, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
(edit conflict) I was drawing contrast between my not attacking people who have to clean my typos and people who are pointlessly aggressive to others who have to clean up them for other reasons, such as not being familiar with how to edit. And for the record, I did actually spot that after I clicked save, but it's only a talk page and it didn't seem that important =D Lesion (talk) 01:00, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • "Sillus Syndrome and sometimes stub my toe" seems to merit a block, grossly inappropriate. And such a PA after having been warned multiple times (and on ANI at that) is nothing less than a provocation. --Randykitty (talk) 07:26, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
I think they've made it obvious they are not going to stop being discourteous. Attention seeking. Ban might help. Although, it could be argued that Finkellium's deeply unhappy life is punishment enough for anyone =D Lesion (talk) 10:10, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Lesion, comments like that are not helping the situation, please retract them. GiantSnowman 10:18, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Okay ... sorry ... =D Lesion (talk) 10:43, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Okay I get it now, I make a self deprecating remark about being silly, and then the "better" editors get to attack me for having a loser life. Randykitty twists it into a provocation and Lesion says my life is a unhappy. And all of this nonsense started, for anyone who is following, because I did not understand (still don't) why putting the actual date, locations and facts of a crime was such a mistake. I still don't because many other such entries have these details. But hey, my life sucks apparently and I am in a loosing battle so there's that. Finkellium (talk) 17:31, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Lesion apologized, apparently something you're unable to do. And why your additions were inappropriate has been explained to you ad nauseam and if you don't want to listen, that's not my problem. Obviously you're not here to build a serious encyclopedia. --Randykitty (talk) 17:38, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes, Lesion did apologize for letting his personal animus show through. Actually if you read better and didn't let YOUR personal animus color your videogame style attack on me you would see that I DID apologize almost immediately. And if you read better you would see that no one has actually explained why the additions were wrong, just that they were because the great Randykitty has saysid so. But to make it easier on your eyes, yes I apologize. I am sorry. I certainly never thought in a million years that people would be upset. Sorry. Finkellium (talk) 17:46, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

You were poking fun of Lesion's dyslexia and I did not see any "immediate apology" anywhere. And your above apology if I may say so, does not really seem sincere either. As for why your additions were inappropriate, you have been directed multiple times to the policy on the use of primary sources in BLPs, which quite explicitly says that court transcripts are not admissible sources. --Randykitty (talk) 17:55, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Still so much animus? Emails and Wikipedia are tonally neutral. I was poking fun at myself for being Silly, hence saying that I have Sillius Syndrome and often stub my toe, which is make a mistake. I apologized very early on on the talk page. The Great Randykitty doesn't get to determine my sincerity. It is sincere. I am sorry. I never intended any offense to you most of all. I understand that court transcripts are not allowed now. I get that. It makes less than zero sense, is actually dumb, but I understand that. I am rewriting the article with footnotes from two major books on the subject, similar to the format used on articles about other killers. I have learned very much here through these attacks. Thank you. And sincere apologies againFinkellium (talk) 18:13, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
OK, this is a warning. Referring to another editor as "The Great so-and-so" is not civil behavior, please stop doing that sort of thing; regardless of your intent with the "Sillius" comment, it still came across as a personal attack on Lesion. These comments directed at you aren't "attacks", these are pointing out that your behavior is not conducive to a collaborative editing environment - when multiple editors are pointing out that your conduct has issues, it might be worth stepping back and considering that maybe the issue might really be your conduct, not theirs. Your continued comments about "animus", "The Great Randykitty", "these attacks", indicate that you are not getting it despite the repeated apologies. Please just step back, have a cup of tea, and consider - regardless of anything that you consider having been a provocation - how you would react if you read somebody else saying these things this way, and how you should change your behavior to be part of the community. If, however, you keep referring to other editors with belittling put-downs and consider constructive criticisms and warnings as attacks, I'm afraid your editing career here will be brief. - The Bushranger One ping only 17:00, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
And, Finkellium, you are still showing a pattern of belittling other editors. If you were talking to people in real life, would you be conversing in this matter? Don't fall prey to the G.I.F.T., and you might want to take a look at WP:BLPPRIMARY. - The Bushranger One ping only 18:10, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for the heads up. I rarely encounter people in real life who tell me that court documents are not reliable and that my life is sad. But I will read these entries to which you link and learn from my ways. Finkellium (talk) 18:16, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Multiple users, most making only one revert, in a manner not unlike the unsolvable ArbCom case on the Tea Party movement... Someone not using his real name (talk) 20:42, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Um, I don't really see an edit war there. I see several reverts, yes, but then I see discussion moving to the talk page. This is not an AN/I matter, suggest closing forwith. And although with reccomended closure it's a bit of a moot point, I don't see you having notified any of the participants in this putative edit-war that you opened this AN/I thread, so I have done so, and here's a {{minnow}} for that. - The Bushranger One ping only 21:18, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Follow me to join the secret cabal!

Plip!

Saves me from fishing tomorrow. Point taken though. I had only looked at the history of the WP-space page. Although an edit war did take place, the matter has been apparently resolved on the talk (WT) page, in the aptly named "BRRRD" thread. Someone not using his real name (talk) 20:59, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

cleanup of poorly sourced articles about skyscrapers/construction projects[edit]

There is a user, Nabil rais2008 (now banned for socking) who during his tenure as an editor appears to have created a great many poorly sourced articles about construction projects or skyscrapers. Many of them are based primarily or entirely upon forum postings from skyscrapercity.com. I started an RfC after noting that this was a widely used source for these types of articles.

After enough commentary was in for me to convince myself that this really is a poor source and I wasn't just misinterpreting things, I started going through and AfDing shorter articles that use skyscrapercity as a source. (after googling them, of course) and I go via AfD because I was told by someone a few weeks ago at WT:CSD that buildings or construction projects cannot be CSDd, there is no appropriate CSD reason for them. But thats another story...

After five or six nominations in a row via Twinkle showed that the same user (Nabil rais2008) was the creator, I figured it was time to ask admins for help. I don't know what mechanisms there are for review or bulk nomination or whatever, but it seems like doing this manually is a fool's errand.

Open to other suggestions. -- UseTheCommandLine ~/talk ]# ▄ 18:08, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Just to be absolutely clear, my strategy for homing in on these articles was to use "skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php -list" as a search term, and look for articles under 5KB in length or so, review, google, etc. it just so happens that most of the first few were created by this same editor. -- UseTheCommandLine ~/talk ]# ▄ 18:27, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • There is a manual mechanism for bulk nominations, at WP:BUNDLE, but I strongly suggest you do it manually as these projects may have completely different levels of notability, and different technical aspects which may require detailed looks. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 01:03, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Yeah, as someone who closes a lot of Afds, over-bundling can be a real frustration since it makes things much more complicated. Mark Arsten (talk) 15:03, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

IP making large quantities of bad edits[edit]

An IP user 64.6.124.31 has made large quantities of poorly assessed articles. IP user has made frequent pleas for assistance at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Military history and has appeared to resort to copy, pasting of assessments. User is also possibly operatiing under different IPs 76.7.238.93 and 65.64.177.48. His abrasive, drop everything and help me attitude is creating a distraction and has had previous problems with following the guidelines in the assessment department. Attempts to coach and help user appear unwanted and ignored.--Molestash (talk) 03:36, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Hello Molestash. It appears that you have not discussed your concerns on the IP editor's talk page. Why is that? You placed a notice of this discussion on their talk page, but didn't sign the notice. Did you forget to sign? Do you consider asking for help a blockable offense? If someone rates an article as "B" that you consider as "C" or "start", do you consider that a blockable offense? Cullen328 Let's discuss it 05:50, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Sorry I forgot to sign the notice just getting back in the swing of Wikipedia here. I have not discussed the concerns on the IP editor's talk page because it appears he switches between IPs making it difficult to communicate on one talk page. I selceted the 64.6.124.31 for the notice because it seemed a more frequently used account. Other users have communicated with the IP on the MILHIST talk page about his poor editing but has not stopped him from continuing his edits. I don't believe asking for help is the blockable offense but he is ignoring other editors concerns and becoming offended by the comments. The blockable offense in my eyes comes from ignoring other Wikipedians, who are trying to help, for the sake of clearing a backlog. By blindly assessing all articles as B-Class, and just running through a backlog to clear it, he negates what the point of the backlog is. He also makes the assessment system arbitrary by not taking the time to proper assessments. I am willing to help the IP User with any questions on Wikipedia but previous history has shows little sign of collaboration. --Molestash (talk) 11:06, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I see the IP is able to make detailed assessments at the rate of 2 per minute. More than just dubious. Dougweller (talk) 11:28, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Since these can't possibly be proper assessments, and are thus actively counterproductive to improving the encyclopedia, I think it would be reasonable to perform a mass rollback of their recent edits. -- The Anome (talk) 13:17, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I concur with this; this looks to be a case of either an inability to understand how the assessments actually work, an expression of frustration at nobody else rushing to help empty the 'unassessed articles' category, or an attempt to "win Wikipedia" by emptying the 'unassessed articles' category. In any of those cases these are not constructive and should be rolled back. - The Bushranger One ping only 16:43, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Having tried to communicate with this IP on MILHIST, I agree there is an issue of WP:IDHT, but the amount of disruption caused to the project by this IP is extensive. A mass rollback and blocks on the IP addresses seems in order. Peacemaker67 (send... over) 01:42, 31 August 2013 (UTC)

Amanbir Singh Grewal[edit]

Amanbir Singh Grewal Vandalism only. Vandalized articles with IPs, then made a user and was blocked quickly for 3 days, came today off his block and continued with the exact same pattern [160]. A few days back a discussion here at ANI uncovered that his disruptive actions stretch back to September 2007 and that he already used socks. As he will just come back from his one week block and go straight at vandalizing articles again, I suggest an indef block. noclador (talk) 16:44, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Continuing WP:OWN issues from User:TonyTheTiger[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Furthermore, despite an ongoing and fairly stable RFC, he has posted a deliciously anti-WP:RFC pseudo-RFC with (in the version that went live) such choice phrases as "Some have raised the issue of removing South Side, Chicago from the list for reasons that may be for no other reason than to contest any authority I claim over the project. No arguments were presented," "in hopes of maintaining the historical integrity of the project. His attempts to revert these three editors led to him being blocked from WP for 48 hours by Bwilkins (talk · contribs)" (note how he doesn't seem to see how he could have been wrong for that block), and "TTT has done the vast majority of the work to keep the project running over the last 4 years. And even the majority of this RFC, setting up possible changes, was prepared by TTT. He has reviewed the vast majority of candidates and made the vast majority of promotions. He has established most of the policies by which the project is run."
In promoting this pseudo-RFC, he's canvassed at the very least twenty editors and Wikipedia talk pages with the decidedly non-neutral wording ""The first (RFC) is to conflate issues so as to keep people from expressing meaningful opinions. The second, by me, is claimed to be less than neutral by proponents of the first. Please look at the second one, which I think is much better.". Any attempt to make him see sense and recognise his shortcomings has been met with reverts, claims about a crew or Milhist drinking buddies ganging up on him.
I freely admit that I have not been on my best behaviour, and that in the past month TonyTheTiger has really started to get my goat and affect my impartiality. However, considering he seems to consider himself a "lone Brave standing against a cavalry stampede demanding a change in the FOUR award", suggesting a WP:BATTLEGROUND mentality, I think it's high time something is done about Tony. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 07:21, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Further reading:
WT:FOUR
User:TonyTheTiger/sandbox/FOURRFC
Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/User:TonyTheTiger/sandbox/FOURRFC
Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:Four Award
Addendum: Wikipedia_talk:Four Award#RfC:_Eligibility_and_opting_out
I don't know the background issues here, I was just a recipient of one of the messages and was pretty startled by the egregiousness of the canvassing. (I "reported" it at WT:FOUR without realizing Crisco had brought it up here.) (For what it's worth, the number of editors canvassed was over 100.) I don't really understand what's going on (for example, Tony mentions two RfCs, but I only see one), but if this is really an attempt to get editors not to participate in a deletion discussion or other discussion, then I think a block for the duration of the discussion might be appropriate, to prevent him from disrupting the discussion. rʨanaɢ (talk) 07:34, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
Question: How can Tony the Tiger claim to have "come up" with the Four Award when the first edit to the project page is by User:TomasBat? That was in February 2009, and TTT's first edit to the project page was in April of that year, two months later. Beyond My Ken (talk) 07:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
He was apparently taking credit for creating WP:FOUR, the shortcut. I was flabbergasted as well. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 07:40, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • The logic escapes me as well. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 07:54, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The issue started here, 1 month ago (almost the whole thing can be found in WT:FOUR). Ed also pointed out in the discussion that the issue that started all this conflict came up three years earlier. Mohamed CJ (talk) 07:48, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Reading the entire litany makes me believe that Tony is right, MilHist is ganging up on him. This started because an article that met the established criteria was awarded the Four award. The editor who had created the article felt that another editor should also get credit, but that's not what the criteria had been, so he basically said if you don't do it my way, I'll take my ball and go home, and take all of "my" articles with me. If he doesn't want his name associated with the award, he doesn't have to display his name, but why should he be able to remove the articles listed as receiving the award? The next thing that happens is a bunch of the MilHist guys show up, Tony gets agitated and gets blocked.

MilHist has done a lot of good, but a number of editors don't like the way the project is run. I don't, which is why I don't do much over there anymore, and when I do, it is way off to the side. I don't think that they should come in and change an established award because it's not the way they do it.

Finally, Tony and maybe one or two others have been the only ones keeping up with the Four Award - so I can understand how he feels - and he is trying to compromise while maintaining the integrity of the award. GregJackP Boomer! 07:52, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

  • First of all: so you're saying Tony is justified in contacting 100 people about his pseudo-RFC? Second, so you're saying that anyone who posts on WT:FOUR or here is MilHist? Heck, Tony's been more active at MilHist over the past year than I have. Third, "he is trying to compromise while maintaining the integrity of the award" - Diff please. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 07:57, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    I'm certainly not MILHIST, and I have yet to see Tony compromise on...well, anything.Ironholds (talk) 08:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    TTT and I disagreed a couple of years ago about when a citation was referring to in the career of Héctor López. Namely whether Lopez was a bad fielder always or just later in his career. I won out but TTT placed the citations lower down in the article. Which was fine with me....William 13:12, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    Can I note that there's no Milhist conspiracy going on here? Let's stop climbing the Reichstag of ridiculousness, please. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 08:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • ^Wow Ed you're still saying the exact same thing from 3 years ago. Didnt the RFC from 3 years ago prove that there were some serious problems with MILHIST? Caden cool 00:08, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • What RfC? If you're referring to the FOUR discussion I started three years ago, did you read the page? It wasn't an RfC, and the Milhist project wasn't mentioned. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 03:20, 21 August 2013 (UTC)


  • We tried to remind everyone, remember? Hasn't worked yet. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 08:15, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • Spoken like a MILHIST guy ed. I was not canvassing. FOUR does not have a membership, per se. So as I stated on the RFC that has been in draft mode for three weeks, I contacted everyone who has won a FOUR to solicit opinions. CRISCO is just desparate to find solid ground to fight on. Both of his MFD are pathetic and so he is grasping at straws here.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 08:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
      • "I contacted everyone who has won a FOUR to solicit opinions." - My talk page is quite naked, actually. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 08:30, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I can understand how Tony feels. I've been there before. Believe me I know how the MilHist boys work and that's why I no longer work on ww2 related articles. Caden cool 08:25, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
      • Same here. My first article was on a WW2 double-ace (which is a GA). After dealing with the MilHist types, I decided that my efforts would be better spent elsewhere on WP. GregJackP Boomer! 14:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • I find your lack of good faith disturbing... - The Bushranger One ping only 09:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • And I find that you havent changed a bit in the past 3 years very disturbing. Caden cool 09:13, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • ...but not as much as I find Tony's blatant canvassing disturbing. This has been plastered over a whole passel of editors' talk pages. If that's a neutral notification of a disucssion, I've just fell off of the intergalactic turnip truck without my towel. Tony's "my way or the highway" approach to WP:FOUR is disturbing as well - it's obvious that he believe he's the possessor, defender, and sole arbitrator of the award; the fact that he's insisting on awarding awards to people who not only don't want the award, but who have never heard of WP:FOUR [161] is just one thing that makes it clear the award is badly broken - but have fun fixing it as long as it has its tiger in shining armor sticking a pike in anyone who dares disagree with his direction for it. - The Bushranger One ping only 09:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
The core issue is the same one as it has always been; Tony does good work but has a massive ego and believes himself to be extremely special etc. I don't often say harsh words about him but his entire attitude every time I come across him just puts me off. I do think he needs to get a grip on himself and attain some perspective - he is not a crucial cog in the machine. Once he grasps that he will be a much more collegiate editor. Sorry to be harsh, I find egotism really pathetic. --Errant (chat!) 10:07, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • As a result of the widespread canvassing, it is clear that no valid consensus can be reached on TTT's RFC. It was transcluded from his userspace onto WT:FOUR. So I have (1) archived and collapsed it; (2) changed the transclusion to a link and left a note at WT:FOUR; (3) closed the MFD on the RFC as moot; (4) removed the RFC tag. I am not making any comment at the moment on any issues of user behaviour here. BencherliteTalk 10:28, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I wasn't thrilled to wake up today and see that Tony posted more than hundred messages all over Wikipedia implying wrongdoing on my part. FWIW, I asked Tony for several days to simply post something brief and neutral of his own, or ask an editor of his choice to do so. ([162], [163]) When he refused, I cut to the chase myself. The intention was not "to keep people from expressing meaningful opinions", and I'm not a part of any MILHIST cabal. -- Khazar2 (talk) 10:58, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Question - why is considered "acceptable" for someone who doesn't agree with the concept of the award to remove the articles that have met the criteria from the list? I'm not talking about removing their username, but the actual article name from the list. If someone removed an FA or GA from their respective lists, everyone would be screaming about it.

The criteria has be clear. Who created the article? X!'s Tools can show that. DYK/GA/FA can all have multiple contributors, but only one person actually creates the article.

I haven't been involved in the FourAward (other than to receive one), but this really strikes me as a number of editors who didn't get their way, so they wanted to take "their" ball and go home. Except the article isn't his ball. They don't own it, and they certainly don't get to control what lists it can or cannot be on. Why wasn't that an issue? That smacks more of WP:OWNERSHIP than what Tony has done. GregJackP Boomer! 14:39, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

    • Re: GA and FA. That's essentially opt-in (people nominate, usually self noms, and at FAC at least primary contributors opinions are considered).. There is essentially no opt-in process here, not anymore since Tony's been running the ship, and if there's no opt-out process, then it means forcing all users to go through this. Re: "ball" metaphor. Where at WP:FOUR does it say this is a "list of all articles which meet these criteria", and not "an award given to writers who write articles that meet the criteria"? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:43, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I have a Four award and I didn't nominate myself for it - it showed up one day, in the same manner as a barnstar or other awards do. The article met the criteria, and the individual that has been tracking those posted the award. While I certainly don't have to display it if I disagree with it, I also realize that I don't have the right to go and demand the removal of "my" article from the list of articles that have been so recognized. To do so would be to say that I "owned" the article and would be clearly inappropriate. Here, the issue started when an editor wanted to remove "his" article from the list, and then others from a project that he was on showed up and wanted to remove "their" articles too. I have a problem with WP:OWNERSHIP here, but it is not from Tony. And as yet, no one has even tried to explain why those editors have a right to demand that the articles be removed from the list. GregJackP Boomer! 14:54, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • They probably haven't tried to explain because it's WP:COMMONSENSE to the point it's hard to understand why it has to be explained. The very meaning of WP:FOUR is that "user X took article Y through creation to DYK to GA to FA". Note the requirement: "User X". This is a recognition of User X for their article - if User X doesn't want to be recognised, why is it right for Tony, or anyone else, to be forcing them to be recognised for the article? Given the very nature of WP:FOUR, in order for an editor to decline it, they have to remove the article from the list. Saying otherwise is the equivilant of saying they're not allowed to remove a vandal barnstar from their page "because they met the criteria". - The Bushranger One ping only 17:13, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Yet if someone doesn't want to be associated with an article that has attained FA, we don't allow them to remove it from the FA listing. It's the same principle. They don't have to display the award, and it is disingenuous to compare it to a vandal's barnstar. GregJackP Boomer! 23:27, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • See WP:FA. Notice something lacking there that is not lacking at WP:FOUR? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 23:32, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Agree with GregJackP. I think it's kind of silly that someone wants their "award" taken away. They don't have to display it. Fine. OK. So someone else might be equally deserving, so then straighten that out. The thing of sandboxing an article before going to main page does confuse the creation issue somewhat, probably need to look at that, but for pete's sake, this is a pretty lame debate. I really wish it wasn't Tony and Crisco at odds because I think both are solid contributors to Wp and both have been helpful to me at various times. (And yes, I too have gotten a four award, though I think I did ask for one when a qualifying article made the cut...) And frankly, I don't see a problem that Tony alerted recipients of the award. Technically it would have been nice had he linked directly here or to whichever page the main drama is playing out, and technically he should not of hinted that he has a position on the issue (which is a dumb rule, WP:CANVASS itself is problematic... it's only canvassing if the other side does it, as far as I can tell...) Anyway, I'm just here to say that stewardship is not ownership, people getting a little possessive is only human, and can't we work this out with a carrot instead of a stick? Montanabw(talk) 18:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • Montana, you're an awesome editor, but I think you can compare this (note that these notices were only sent to people who had commented at WT:FOUR, i.e. those who had actually shown an interest in how the project was run) and Tony's. That Tony shouldn't have hinted (or, rather, outright stated) his position is a given: it predisposes people to agreeing with him, which is why such a notice would never fly in the meatverse. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 23:35, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Relevant thread on AN. - The Bushranger One ping only 20:52, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

Proposed WP:FOUR topic ban for User:TonyTheTiger[edit]

TonyTheTiger is topic-banned from WP:FOUR for a period of one month. This topic ban covers all pages related to the award however does NOT cover any articles that have received or are being considered to receive the award.

The intention of this is to get Tony to move away from WP:FOUR and to edit elsewhere to prevent further disruption to discussion occurring about changes to the award. PantherLeapord|My talk page|My CSD log 12:46, 20 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Support iff Tony does not show any ability to actually move on and drop the stick. If he actually can work collaboratively... — Crisco 1492 (talk) 12:50, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Full fledged support now. Statements like this bring his understanding of "neutral" into question. I don't think we want an editor so active on the project, with such a poor understanding of WP:CANVASS, WP:RFC, and WP:NPOV to continue to run their private fiefdom. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • As an outside observer, I don't think banning Tony from FOUR solves the underlying issues of ownership that have cropped up at WP:FAC and elsewhere. Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs(talk) 12:51, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • I don't think anyone here is talking about ownership at WP:FAC. As a rule I don't revert indiscriminately on articles I've written, and my objection to being listed at WP:FOUR (despite having something like 13 FOUR-eligible articles) was primarily because of Tony's refusal to listen to consensus which was built up at WT:FOUR. I refuse to be associated in any which way with such a broken process. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 12:54, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose for now. I'm not happy about Tony's accusations against me there and on 150(!) other pages, but hopefully this'll be his last attempt at disruption. -- Khazar2 (talk) 13:35, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Contrary to Crisco's comment above, Tony isn't the one that needs to drop the stick. GregJackP Boomer! 14:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Funny. I don't see you addressing any of the issues I brought up above or trying to justify it, just being generally contrarian. Would you like to show us why Tony has no issues at all? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:24, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I would rather discuss why it is appropriate to remove articles from the list. The articles don't belong to the editor that created it. To say that the article can't be listed shows WP:OWNERSHIP far more than defending the criteria for the award does. GregJackP Boomer! 14:42, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • And he offered to replace the editor's name with "placeholder" - but how does that give the editor the right to control if the article is listed? The editor does not WP:OWN the article. GregJackP Boomer! 14:58, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • The editor does not WP:OWN the article. - Who/what is awarded, the editor or the article? An award given to an individual cannot be awarded if the awardee rejects it. The actions may exist, and may be noted elsewhere, but it's certainly not part of the award, and as such should not be listed as such. The articles are secondary to the editor, as FOUR defines itself. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 15:01, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Then by what right does the editor get to demand that the article not be listed, when all other articles which have met the criteria are listed? GregJackP Boomer! 15:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • The right that this award recognises, by its very nature, editors and not articles? - The Bushranger One ping only 17:20, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Quote by Imzadi1979 from WT:FOUR[164]: Our text is not public domain. In fact every submission made to Wikipedia is done under the CC-BY-CA3.0 license and the GFDL. That means each editor still retains his/her copyright over the submission, and the Wikimedia Foundation is granted an irrevocable license to use it. Under the concepts of WP:RTV, every editor in good standing has the right to disassociate him/herself from the prior association with Wikipedia. Other items like the list of WP:Wikipedians by Featured Article Nominations and WP:List of Wikipedians by number of edits allow an opt out, so why can't an award be denied, and why can't the recipient opt out of the award scheme's listing?. Mohamed CJ (talk) 18:28, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Tony is overall a very good editor who I know to be capable of extracting himself from disputes like the above without the heavy hand of sanctions being imposed, even if - like all of us - he can get caught up in disputes when being set upon. bd2412 T 14:26, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose I am sorry but Tony does a good job at the Four Award and looks like he's the only one taking care of it. — ΛΧΣ21 14:44, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • I fail to see how much care the award needs, Harold. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 01:52, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
    • Tony is not the only one looking after it; Little Mountain 5 is also very active. Mohamed CJ (talk) 05:10, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support. He's evidently been in Climbing-the-Reichstag mode and his shenanigans are wasting time, not just inside the small circle who are interested in WP:FOUR, but also elsewhere. WP:FOUR as a whole is not important enough to allow it to cause time wasting across so many places, so whatever it takes to shut the noise out should be done. Fut.Perf. 14:49, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • While I Oppose a direct topic ban for now, I want to strongly urge Tony to stop, listen and think. Tony, when you see nothing wrong with the way you advertised your RfC, we have a problem. And to solve the problem, I think it's by far best to take a big break from the FOUR award, so you can take some distance from it and look at it from the outside. I'd say stay away for at least a month or three. I don't think this will end well otherwise. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 14:52, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose. Tony's conduct has been appalling, and the whole canvassing thing is disgraceful. But a topic ban from WP:FOUR is not going to solve anything - because the root cause of the problems there is not Tony. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 15:17, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • What is the root cause then? Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 01:52, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • In the context of this discussion.... Not Tony. There are allegations about MILHIST members causing issues, and that may be something to look at - or it might not. But (as is noted further down this thread) it's not relevant to the question of Tony's conduct. And on that point, I don't think a topic ban would be helpful. Put another way, in what way would a topic ban help settle things down that a block for shenanigans on Tony would not? If his conduct is that egregious (and it might be), then we need to point the angry mob at a block discussion rather than a topic ban discussion. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 03:02, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
        • I'm still shocked that the Milhist conspiracy theory has gained this much traction. Ian and Nick's article that kindled this was a military history article, so it shouldn't be a surprise that there are a few more milhisters than normal. Even then, I'm only involved because I kicked off this topic three years ago (I happen to be a Milhist coordinator). Crisco basically isn't a Milhister, despite being signed up. There's your Milhist involvement.
        • I tend to prefer topic bans over straight blocks. It allows the contributor in question to keep contributing quality content without the distraction of the problematic topic area. That's just me, though! Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 03:09, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support (and would support a longer, possibly indefinite, version as well). Whether or not Milhist has done anything to provoke Tony - and I see no real evidence of that being presented - Tony has very much dug his own bunker as far as insisting to the world that he owns WP:FOUR, that he must be deferred to there, and that consensus has no place in his fiefdom. None of these are acceptable behavior, and while it's understandable to want to have a say in how one's "baby" is run, Tony has continued doubling down on his seriously questionable behavior, even when it's pointed out that his demands/actions are unreasonable, against policy, or otherwise not consistent with either common sense or Wikipedia's normal processes. It's clear to me at this point that the only way to handle this is either to delete the award entirely or to remove Tony from issues related to the award, and I feel that deleting the award is throwing the baby out with the bathwater when we could stop the damage with a topic ban. A fluffernutter is a sandwich! (talk) 16:34, 20 August 2013 (UTC) last edited 16:40, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose The infamous talk page message I received wasn't even close to neutral, and I'm fairly shocked to see anyone contend that it was. But a topic ban from FOUR is not the proper remedy for that. I'm not really sure what is, but Tony, please take this appeal from someone who's probably more on your side than against you on this one – own up to that mistake; it was canvassing. That said, a topic ban from FOUR makes this issue so much worse. By not allowing Tony to state his positions – however inelegantly he may do so, at times – you effectively eliminate one side of the debate, allowing the other to go on virtually unchecked. That's just ripe for accusations of stacking the deck, regardless of whether that was the intent or not. Also, it seems to me that WP:OWN is primarily concerned with articles, which seems to argue against Tony's actions being a blockable offense anyway. Let the discussion, however, messy, continue at WT:FOUR. Acdixon (talk · contribs) 16:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Neutral. I'll not place an explicit vote given Tony and I have clashed numerous times in the past over a multitude of issues. I will say that unless Tony learns to step back, a topic ban is inevitable, and likely with longer term blocks associated. His posting was blatant canvassing. Almost as blatant as can be. And for what? A god-damned barnstar. Really Tony? This is the hill you are prepared to die on? Pick your battles, dude. Resolute 17:00, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Neutral. I believe Tony has to acknowledge his ill-judgement/mistakes so that we all can move on. Insisting that what he's done is not canvassing shows he's still in denial. On the other hand his long-time contributions and dedication to FOUR are hard to ignore. I see my self supporting such a ban if the problematic behavior continues though. Mohamed CJ (talk) 17:05, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support. Tony's behavior in this issue has gotten steadily worse and worse; the canvassing is just the icing on one of the messiest cakes I've seen in my time on Wikipedia. There is, unfortunatly, no way that this is going to improve unless something drastic is done, and our options are 1. do away with WP:FOUR, 2. remove Tony from WP:FOUR, or 3. do nothing and let WP:FOUR become another one of the festering sores of Wikipedia that winds up doing nothing but feeding the nabobs until something drastic happens and it gets hammered by ArbCom for being an embarassment to the project. Given these options, a topic ban is the lesser of the evils. - The Bushranger One ping only 17:20, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support - Fluffernutter and The Bushranger have said it well. As far as I can see, Tony is the source and locus of many of the problems at FOUR. Certainly, he has done some good there; however, the issues seem to stem directly from his attitude towards the project and those who disagree with him. The most desirable outcome here would be to resolve the issues and FOUR without completely doing away with it so that it can work for the good of Wikipedia without causing this drama. As far as I can see, topic banning Tony for a while would remove the focus of the dispute and allow the project to continue and develop without this disruption. ItsZippy (talkcontributions) 17:31, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose: Once again, someone who is dedicated to a project is at risk of being taken from the very thing he created and maintained - just like The Little Red Hen - does all the work and then everyone else wants the benefits. I don't know Tony real well, but if he's been maintaining this award in quite obscurity for years, it's only natural and human that he cares about it. But I also have had good interactions with Crisco, so nothing personal here, wish you two weren't going at each other. I also agree with a lot of what User:GregJackP said. But bottom line: We are confusing personality disputes with content. If Tony needs to back off, a topic ban is a silly way to do it. Better to just address the behavior with some cooling off time (For example, when the mob with pitchforks gets mad at User Eric Corbett, he periodically endures time-limited blocks, probably because he doesn't specialize in any one topic). I'm also rather tired of the wiki-wide screeching of "WP:OWN" every time there is an editing dispute. Stewardship and quality control concerns are NOT "ownership." Montanabw(talk) 18:29, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support TTT's history of sociopathic behaviour is legend. lots of his problematic behaviour going on here. His domination of it is one thing if nobody minds, but the canvassing is TOTALLY unacceptable not just in the biased message but the audacious scale of it. -- Ohc ¡digame!¿que pasa? 19:12, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support. If it were just for the messages, or even the messages and the edit-warring on the page, then I would oppose. However, Tony frequently has dragged his disputes to ANI, and frequently has made unfounded allegations, violated consensus, and even complained about someone filing a better RfC than him quicker. Tony is either completely incapable of realizing he is causing major problems (so much so that "his" project has had a MfD discussion opened) or he just doesn't care. And he didn't create the project, that's a fib he's trotted out a fair few times. Time for a break, I think. Lukeno94 (tell Luke off here) 21:09, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose Having looked at all that there is no actual evidence those actions are disrupting, except several editors are exasperated with one User because he sees things differently. I'm sorry, but all of you, wake up to what you are talking about (some award - not even content). So, just manage to treat the defeated and outnumbered User gracefully. Ignore it for now. The overwhelming majority will get their way, there is no reason yet to run this User out on a rail, just because he heavily invested himself in something. Alanscottwalker (talk) 21:37, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support the canvassing is disruptive and how anyone can think it isn't is beyond me. considering that tony has started this new thread Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard#I am trying to understand_my_recourse. even while the discussion is ongoing here shows how much TTT doesn't get it. MarnetteD | Talk 21:47, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose. I agree with GregJack's "ball" metaphor. Several editors from MILHIST didn't get their way, so they wanted to take "their" articles off from the list. Problem is the articles don't belong to them. They don't own it, and any responsible editor would know this. Caden cool 23:56, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
    • Again with the articles. Read WP:FOUR. Does it say the award is given to articles, or editors? That "ball" as article metaphor is ridiculous. A proper one would be several people going home after they and their efforts are insulted. Editors have every right the get the F*** out of Dodge when they feel they are unwanted. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 00:05, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • Crisco you are way too involved in my opinion. Not very good. Caden cool 00:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
        • Which doesn't refute the fact that this is an award given to editors, not to articles, and waving the "ownage of articles" strawman around doesn't help resolve the issue at all. - The Bushranger One ping only 00:48, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
        • Ahh I see that Bushranger hasnt changed a bit. Still saying the same old things 3 years later as he runs to the rescue of his MILHIST buddies. Caden cool 00:55, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
          • Apparently, judging by your comment, I'm so deep in the MILHIST anti-Tony conspiracy that I wasn't even aware I was part of it. More seriously though, the fact that you assume there's no way I'm doing anything but "running to the rescue" (instead of, say, voting based on my understanding of policies and guidelies) is dissapointing. - The Bushranger One ping only 02:49, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
          • Caden, please explain to me how Crisco is a Milhist regular. Thanks, Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 01:52, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
            • And how I am also a Milhist regular. PantherLeapord|My talk page|My CSD log 02:02, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
              • Ditto. In fact, my first interaction with Tony, if I remember correctly, was very positive. However, everything I've seen from Tony recently, which is all related to this WP:FOUR (which I'd never heard of previously) has shown that he is a negative in this particular area. Caden, your personal attacks and unfounded accusations destroy your argument's credibility. Lukeno94 (tell Luke off here) 08:07, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Comment: Could participants here please stay on track rather than turning the discussion into a mud-slinging contest between members of different thematic projects? I find some of the comments borderline PA and not helping any consensus to build. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 02:04, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support - Tony's gone far over the disruptive line here, and either a topic ban or a block could solve the issue. In a choice like that, I'll take a topic ban. Ed [talk] [majestic titan] 03:09, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Comment - I believe he doesn't have to, but should I be waiting to hear from this TonyTheTiger fellow before I support this ban? Just wondering. --Malerooster (talk) 03:17, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Well I just saw his comment above, not to encouraging, but I am stepping out. --Malerooster (talk) 03:27, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose This sudden proposal, an outgrowth of a RfC dispute, comes out of nowhere. It appears that TTT is abrasive and now people who dislike him are taking this opportunity to pile on. I recommend parties head to Dispute Resolution to solve their differences. Implementing blocks should not be a knee-jerk result when someone has made a mistake, they only occur when a user disregards admonishments and continues being disruptive or is guilty of vandalism. There are clearly underlying issues over page ownership that need to be negotiated and imposing blocks and bans isn't a good solution. Liz Let's Talk 03:43, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support until Tony somehow expresses that he understands that he was canvassing and that he won't do it again. When that happens, I'll be happy to strike this !vote. rʨanaɢ (talk) 04:20, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
    • This style of reasoning has become more and more prevalent over the last years, and I don't agree with it. Demanding of Tony he says uncle is demeaning, and I don't think it will help. This discussion should be enough of a wake-up call for Tony to stop doing what he's doing. If his future actions show it's not, we can start looking for drastic measures like topic bans. To make him say I'm sorry under threat of a topic ban, what I believe this comes down to, isn't really useful IMO. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 10:19, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • "This discussion should be enough of a wake-up call for Tony to stop doing what he's doing." - I had hoped the same thing for Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:Four Award (there's near universal condemnation of his behaviour there, be it from delete or keep !voters), but here we are now. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 16:06, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • Martijn Hoekstra, I'm not demanding that Tony say Uncle just for its own sake. When someone shows a pattern of problematic behavior, they need to learn to stop behaving problematically. I cannot be confident that Tony won't repeat these mistakes in the future, unless he shows some indication that he understands why they were wrong, and won't do them again. Assuming that I'm just asking for an apology is silly. No one cares whether Tony is sorry or not; what I care about is that he doesn't keep behaving the way that he has. rʨanaɢ (talk) 11:33, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose – I am one of the canvassed editors, I have a FOUR award, and I've been watching the fight for a while now. Tony's notice to me wasn't close to neutral and neither is either RfC. The behaviour from numerous editors at WT:FOUR has been pathetic, I am reminded of children bickering. Taking out Tony so one side can "win" is not a helpful way forward. The disputants need to be trouted and to try for a moment to act like adults. EdChem (talk) 07:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose - I've spent the past two days reading through what I believe is every nook and cranny of this wicked web. My opinion may not mean much, and I'm sure both side will rebut, but this is what I think needs to happen: 1) Tony needs to understand that while he may be caretaker of this award, that it is not HIS or any editor's to set hard and fast rules. 2) Several of the editors that first came down upon Tony regarding the collaboration issue are leveraging their numbers against a single editor. I can understand why Tony has become what I can only describe as maniacal over the course of this discussion; he's spent years on this award and suddenly a group of editors have taken issue with the way it is run. This is very similar to the TFA RFC several months back. 3) Tony, you're normally a great editor, but at times through this issue, it almost seems as if you've lost your marbles! 4) The canvassing is undeniable. In fact, Tony's post to an editor's talk page on my watchlist is what brought this to my attention. 5) The collaboration issue has become a pissing match long past expiration. The solution is simple: if two editors, one of which made the first mainspace edit, claim they collaborated, and the article history (including sandbox) backs up that claim, then it's a collaboration! Don't get so technical with "This is part of the DYK phase and this is part of the New article phase." Reasoning, deduction, and logic are what make us human and not programmed computers! 6) The award is given to editors but concerns articles. Editors should have the right to request that their usernames be removed from entries; the articles should remain. That said, I can see that in this case it has been done as a way to take a stand against Tony, rather than being an actual issue itself. The argument that has split off regarding this is a red herring, and I hope that it be put to rest if the collaboration issue is addressed satisfactorily.
So, the solution here is to fix the cause, rather than addressing the symptoms. All the editors involved here are well-known and productive, so let's fix the problem instead of using discipline and creating disillusioned editors. I've got a handprint on my face from how many facepalms I've done these two days! - Floydian τ ¢ 07:18, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I don't think there would have been any problems if Tony doesn't treat the discussion about the award as personal, but the undeniable fact is he does, because he now considers it as his fiefdom. But the project doesn't belong to him – it never has and never will, and any discussion to delete the project page can rightly be decided on by the community at any moment. And that doesn't necessarily mean the community will necessarily vote to delete. As to what is the cause or symptom, just look at Tony's recurring guest appearances here at ANI – it's neither normal nor desirable. -- Ohc ¡digame!¿que pasa? 07:55, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Why throw the baby out with the bathwater? Tony certainly needs to snap back to reality and work with others, otherwise the whole thing may as well be in his userspace. On the other side, others need to see that he has put years of work into this and that prying it away would likely result in the award going stagnant and a productive content editor hanging up his hat. In the end, what is the best way forward for the project? - Floydian τ ¢ 08:07, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • "The solution is simple: if two editors, one of which made the first mainspace edit, claim they collaborated, and the article history (including sandbox) backs up that claim, then it's a collaboration!" - I think that you'd find general consensus (I'm all for it) for such a position, but getting Tony to stop edit warring over FOUR needs to be finished first. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 12:18, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Yup, that's the solution, water down the criteria for the award. Make it a lot less meaningful so we can hand it out like candy. We could even rename it to the "Three out of Four Award." GregJackP Boomer! 11:33, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support Tony's extreme WP:OWN in regards to this topic has become outright disruptive. Nick-D (talk) 10:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Vehement oppose per Floydian. Step back and think about it from TTT's perspective. TTT has been operating the award for several years, as I understand it. A few editors come in wanting to make sweeping changes. TTT's opinion is swept to the side. It goes downhill from there and we decide the solution is to topic ban him from the award that he spent so much time on? AutomaticStrikeout () 16:15, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Exactly right! Not only do they want to make sweeping changes, they want to water down the criteria for the award, make it easier to get. Only one person can create the article, whether it is done in mainspace or a sandbox, but now we can call it the ThreeOutOfFour award. So TTT gets a little testy in response to what is basically disruptive activities, and now the solution is to topic ban him? GregJackP Boomer! 23:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support – After seeing Tony's inappropriate WP:CANVASS, this only reinforces my belief that none of his WP:OWN issues are going to change. Wikipedia has always been about community consensus. No matter how much time he's spent on the award, that doesn't give him more rights than others associated with FOUR. As I've said previously, enough is enough! —Bloom6132 (talk) 22:35, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Oppose' basically per Automatic strikeout. I understand Tony's position somewhat. He has worked hard for a long time now in a particular area and then a group of editors come in and try to make changes. It is no surprise that he got a defensive. Yes he overstepped the mark, particularily with the canvassing, but to ban him from that area is not the right solution. AIRcorn (talk) 06:59, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Comment: I've been interacting with TonyTheTiger here. I think there is something problematic with aiming for awards instead of aiming to improve an article. Judging from this interaction I'm tempted to think the two are aims are incompatible. TonyTheTiger seems to want to be the catalyst for successfully "improving" the article. It seems to me that he has a formulaic approach that doesn't take into consideration the wide range of possible considerations for successful articles on given subjects. The Talk page is of course not used but instead the "Featured article candidate" page becomes the new and temporary focus for discussion about the article. The article becomes not a product of editorial interaction but a product of TonyTheTiger's formula for resolving all "problems". In staccato fashion TonyTheTiger writes "Fixed", "Fixed", "Fixed" after each "problem" raised. If a poor quality article is all that is hoped for this model for writing articles works great. Bus stop (talk) 13:13, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Aside from topic ban: Canvassing?[edit]

  • While the topic ban discussion above is ongoing, and the topic is still fresh enough to need attention, can I please ask a neutral admin to weigh in and see if a) if Tony's posts were neutral, b) if Tony's posts constituted canvassing, and c) if, assuming they were non-neutral and canvassing, anything other than closing the RFC should be done. I note that "This was not WP:CANVASSing. My statement was neutral saying there are two sides to the issue." and this thread suggest that, if Tony had done wrong, he does not seem to understand it. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 13:26, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
I believe that this was canvassing - the posts are not neutral, as they state Tony's position on the issue at hand ("My RFC is more neutral, look at that one"). There's also the concern that people who should have gotten the notice ("I contacted everyone who has one a FOUR to solicit opinions...") did not actually get the notice, which means the notice was selective in its audience - a hallmark of canvassing. If we had a textbook about canvassing, this'd go in the examples. Does it rise to the level of Disruptive Editing that would warrant a block? I can see the case for it, certainly, but I don't know what damage such a block would prevent. I am concerned that Tony doesn't seem to understand why the notice was problematic, though. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 14:00, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • At the moment, fair enough, but how can we make him understand why the notice was problematic? He's yet to listen to anyone, from what I've read. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:37, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
What do you need an administrator for? Any editor can tell Tony he was incorrect. And he can argue otherwise, and nothing will come of it. An administrator closed the other RfC, and that has not been undone. Why isn't that enough? You expect administrative tools or administrative authority to convince him, how exactly? Much of that is already being discussed above. Alanscottwalker (talk) 14:12, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Odd, Ultra got exactly why Admin tools are handy here. I don't expect "administrative tools or administrative authority to convince him", but I do expect a neutral admin to consider the worthiness of blocking in this instance. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Did you not see: "I don't know what damage such a block would prevent"? Alanscottwalker (talk) 14:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • You asked why I need another admin, I said Ultra got it already (that a block may be needed), then you ask if I read something which is not related to your first question, at all: you asked if I noticed that Ultra doesn't think a block is needed (which I did, to answer your question), which was not relevant to my response to your first question. No wonder ANI gets all the wonderful names like swamp of despair, great wasteland, etc; the communication skills were better in the Bush administration. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:35, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
No. The question I asked had to do with what remedy you wanted, which now we know. And the response was, what will be prevented by such a block? Alanscottwalker (talk) 14:43, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
This. If the tools were needed here to prevent further shenanigans, I already would have blocked. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 14:46, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Thank you. Now, since blocks are not punitive, can we perhaps look forward and find a way to have Tony understand how his edits were considered problematic by the community? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:50, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Crisco, Let me remind you the chronology.
  1. For over 4 years I have run WP:FOUR, I have reviewed about 2000 articles, including the about 700 of the 793 that are currently either officially FOUR or officially rejected using the criteria that included the first stage assessment being a determination of whether the authors were editorially involved in the article before it had its first encyclopedic content (readable prose that defines a notable topic).
  2. You the Ed17, Nick-D, and Ian Rose along with a few other declare a majority consensus for a new criteria in which the first stage is determined by when the article first appeared in mainspace with a 24 hour window.
  3. I insist that since all of the previous articles I reviewed were reviewed by the original criteria I would not promote an article using the newly declared consensus criteria because no other articles were reviewed by that criteria and I would not use a different criteria on one new article.
  4. Fireworks erupted. 3 editors withdrew their articles from FOUR listing.
  5. I attempted partial reverts of these withdrawals using [placeholder] in the majority of the reverts to allow opting out by the editors.
  6. The three of you kept withdrawing articles and I kept reverting until you blocked me for 48 hours.
  7. I came back and took a while to cool off.
  8. I agreed to an RFC on the issue and notified all parties of that fact. I was waiting on a full report on the nearly 800 articles at issue, which took nearly 3 weeks for WP:BOTREQ to produce.
  9. As I drafted the RFC from August 1 until August 20 the intended list of parties to be notified of the RFC always included the 167 FOUR honorees.
  10. Some people did not like my RFC and decided to do their own quick RFC.
  11. I have always complained that this quick RFC does not address the items of controversy that we have had.
  12. I asked that your RFC be tabled until the BOTREQ information was available.
  13. I was told no.
  14. After nearly 3 weeks no one has made any complaints about the intended notifications.
  15. When BOTREQ finally produced the data, I sent out notifications of both RFCs to the intended parties, including the 167 FOUR honorees.
  16. WP:CANVASSing involves telling people which side of the discussion to vote for, not which discussion to participate in.
  17. My notification did not tell anyone which side to vote for, but only to look at the issues presented in my RFC rather than the other one.
  18. I did not canvass either by contacting an objectionable group of people or by telling those people how to vote.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 15:44, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
    • I think that Tony's above comments are quite worrying regarding his understanding of policy and consensus. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 15:55, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • Also, for number 2 (24 hour window?): Diffs please? I sure as heck wouldn't have pushed that forward. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 15:56, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
        • Go to WT:FOUR and search for "hour". Multiple editors were mentioning this part of the proposed new criteria. I don't remember who, because I was trying to deal with so many adversarial opinions.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 18:21, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
          • I did. You and Little Mountain are the ones who use the word "hour". Again, diffs please. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 22:31, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • "You (I)" blocked you? Check your block log. The person who blocked was uninvolved. At all. You had gone 5RR. The discussion is linked above. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 15:59, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
      • "Some people did not like my RFC and decided to do their own quick RFC." - Check your RFC's talk page and your own reverts on that page. Multiple editors tried to forewarn you of issues with your RFC, and you reverted or made single-sentence non-commital answers.
      • "After nearly 3 weeks no one has made any complaints about the intended notifications." - Where the h*** were you storing them? You had those travesties pre-scripted? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 16:03, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Crisco, calm down. Did you really reply to Tony's comments by providing a diff to those very same comments? Or did you intend a different link? Either way, your position is clear and you need to back off a bit. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 16:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Yes, I did, in case he changed his comments afterwards. I recognise that my position is clear. Tony, however, seems to increasingly be making a fool of himself by misrepresenting history and misunderstanding policy. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 22:31, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
True - in this case, I believe Tony's comments say it all, really. So, if consensus is clear that the notices were canvassing, then we give Tony a warning and call it a day. There does not seem to be consensus for a block, nor is there reason for one now that the conduct has stopped. If you want to go further than that, WP:RFC/U is thataway - but I don't know that you'll get much traction there. With 5 different threads on various aspects of this trainwreck, I think we're all discussed out for the moment. Might not be a horrible idea to back off a bit and let things calm down. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 13:05, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Tony, the notice advocated a position - it made affirmative statements about the quality of one RFC over another. By definition, that's canvassing. A properly neutral notice would have been "There is a discussion regarding which of two proposed RFCs is the most appropriate tool for dealing with the recent dispute at WP:FOUR. Your input is welcome at this talk page. You received this notice because you are listed at WP:FOUR as having received one or more FOUR awards as of this date." or some such. You identify the topic, you identify the page where discussion is to take place, and then you're done. That's a neutral notice. I'm sorry to say, but what you sent was canvassing. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 16:11, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Good example. Tony: whatever the justice of it, now you know how others view that message (whatever your intent). Unsolicited advice: use that knowledge constructively going forward. Alanscottwalker (talk) 17:13, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Tony, two very simple questions:
  1. do you or do you not feel you were in violation of policy when sending those notifications, and
  1. As stated above, I did not contact a biased audience (in fact by everyone's silence one might consider the audience pre-approved) and I did not attempt to tell them how to vote on the issues. I believe those are the issues of WP:CANVASS. I did neither of those things.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 17:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  1. do you or do you not feel that those notifications would have been found by an uninvolved individual to be neutral?
  1. It was neutral on every topic at issue. I.e., on no topic at issue, did I attempt to influence anyone's decision.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 17:25, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Please answer. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 16:03, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Tony, if you honestly believe that your notifications were anything remotely approaching neutral, I don't know what to say. [165] "The first [not yours] is to conflate issues so as to keep people from expressing meaningful opinions." - this is not, at all, neutral; a best it's a POV-presenting commentary on it, at worst it's deliberate misrepresentation. "Please look at the second one [yours], which I think is much better." - also not neutral, as you're (a) directing editors which one you want them to examine, and (b) making a statement as to which one you want supported. If you still think that's "neutral", all I can say is that you're obviously either unable or unwilling to comprehend what neutrality is. - The Bushranger One ping only 18:28, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
Tony, I have to agree. The entire tone of your message was "I'm right, and Khazar2 is wrong, so ignore their RFC and vote in mine". Meanwhile, your RFC spends most of its time trying to justify your positions and actions rather than honestly asking for input. That wasn't just canvassing, that was one of the most egregious cases of canvassing I have seen in eight years here. Resolute 21:49, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

He's answered. Why don't y'all stop hounding him, especially Crisco. GregJackP Boomer! 11:36, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Do you get the irony that you posted this nearly 24 hours after my last direct response to Tony? ABF much? — Crisco 1492 (talk) 12:46, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Common user interjection[edit]

(comment from non-involved user) this whole conversation has gotten out of hand. Not only is this ANI open, there's a RFC somewhere and also this Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:Four Award. Too many discussions and too many opinions. Can I suggest that actions against Tony are temporarily frozen until the ongoing RfC and AfD are closed. Speaking of which, since when is an AfD used to close delete an article/project where there is a disagreement of opinion? Surely that's a misuse of AfD? IMO the following should happen:

  1. AfD should close as a snowball keep.
  2. Any existing four-award articles should keep their status.
  3. New four-award article nominations should be subject to the new criteria IF there was a full consensus to the new criteria.
    1. This to me would be like WP:GA is reviewing articles one way. A bunch of guys come by with a new criteria for WP:FL and declare a majority that the FL criteria are the new GA criteria. All future GAs will be judged by the FL criteria. The FL guys should just go create their own award.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 16:10, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • You do understand that when you post on wikipedia you irrevocably waiver all rights under CC-BY-SA 3.0 License? Thus when you created the four-award, you have no rights to the concept's application on wikipedia and thus you have no grounds to impose ownership. If the community comes to a consensus on change then those changes must be implemented. Just because you created the concept and then dislike the changes, doesn't mean your opinion goes beyond the consensus or is in someway more important. Without the community nominating and achieving the award the award is just a concept. Therefore if the community wants changes and there is a consensus to do so then I am afraid changes should go ahead. → Lil-℧niquԐ 1 - { Talk } - 17:35, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  • He didn't create the Four award. He usurped it, and seems to have considerable difficulty letting go of the fact that he can't simply dictate how it exists. Resolute 21:52, 21 August 2013 (UTC)
  1. Four-Award should have a proper project of users like WP:GAN and WP:FL do... it shouldn't boil down to the opinion of just Tony.
  2. Tony should be given a 1-revert sanction for several weeks.

→ Lil-℧niquԐ 1 - { Talk } - 16:04, 21 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Comment (uninvolved). Frankly, I had never heard of the WP:FOUR project until this ANI came up. After spending (too) much time reviewing the whole issue, a) I think Lil-unique1's suggestions above are on the right lines. b) The MfD has been closed in the meantime with a rational I concur with (I didn't vote there). c) There is no doubt in my mind that the 'canvassing' message was biased. d) If the four-award project is to be retained (and that's a separate issue), all changes should be approved by consensus through properly conceived RfC proposals - TonyTheTiger would not be able to argue with that, and should understand project/article ownership principles and that launching counter-RfCs is not conducive to gaining consensus for anything anywhere. However, there is no doubt whatsoever that he has contributed significantly to the project. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 01:21, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I wouldn't object to Tony still being involved in the project but I think now that the MfD has finished, a suitable punishment for Tony should be discussed... he is wrong in the sense that he has assumed ownership over the project and his RfC and subsequent invitations to the discussion were bias. Meanwhile the current RfC should continue and changes should only go ahead with a strong consensus. → Lil-℧niquԐ 1 - { Talk } - 01:29, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I hasten to point out that no Wikipedia sanctions are applied as a punishment. Prevention and/or time to review and reflect upon policies are the objectives.Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 04:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
Apologies, I meant as a means of diffusing the situation and also giving Tony chance to reflect on why his/her actions may have gone against the spirit of wikipedia or violations of our policies. → Lil-℧niquԐ 1 - { Talk } - 16:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

call for closure[edit]

This ANI proceeding has run long enough. There is a lot of silliness and spite, and IMHO it is embarassing about Wikipedia to watch this go on. Any serious issues about the Four Award can be addressed at its Talk page, where spiteful remarks continue. The MFD, clearly invalid from the get-go has happily been closed, although not without plenty of vitriol. Here, while some wish to extract a pound of flesh, an option might be to ban those persons from all discussion, but there has not been coherent discussion of the blame to attach to others from their participation here, in the MFD, and the ongoing RFC. I submit there is nothing good for ANI to do here, and this should be closed. --doncram 18:54, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Which is pretty much why I suggested that it be closed, above. On Canvassing, there is consensus that Tony's notice was non-neutral and a violation of policy, and further such notices may result in a block for disruptive editing. As you correctly note, the rest is sideshow. Someone should sort out the topic ban, though, one way or another. UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 19:43, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I happen to think the canvassing accusation is overblown. On the 4 criteria at wp:canvass, TTT's note was good on Scale Audience and Transparency, not good on Message (seemed biased). I've seen worse, and the remedy is to call attention to it, which has been done. So what, that is what some want to extract flesh for. Since the appeal for commenters failed to move the RFC, clearly, i don't think there is any likelihood that TTT will use bad-type canvassing again and again to get his way. So, no need to prevent anything on that front.
I think there is not consensus for any topic ban. A "compromise" topic ban would ban TTT and one or more opponents to TTT, but that would mean the opponents win and the main contributor would be banned. There's no fair solution by a ban. So, again, I think this is ready for a close of all parts. That's my view, anyhow. --doncram 20:20, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I tend to agree, but I commented on the topic ban, and so didn't think I should comment on what consensus may or may not exist. Nor can I close that section, for the same reason. Perhaps someone uninvolved could take a crack at it? UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 20:40, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
I agree, it's time to close this and move the discussion either to the Talk Page or Dispute Resolution so the underlying issues about this award's future can be resolved. As for the canvassing, I think that spectacularly backfired and so, if anything, it hurt Tony rather than helped him. Hopefully, he learned his lesson from how badly it was received. Liz Let's Talk 23:22, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Soccer in Australia - chemical weapons deployed[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Just taking a quick look at Talk:Soccer in Australia, and (without highlighting anyone in particular) there seems to be a lot of personal abuse going on there. Perhaps some sort of official chill could be dropped on it? --Pete (talk) 22:01, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Unless something has been redacted recently, I don't see anything needing attention. There is one "BULLSHIT", but a very quick skim (and believing the more plausible statements) makes me think it is understandable that such a comment was used because (apparently), "That claim is simply incorrect. It has been explained several times earlier in the thread." I'm not supporting use of "BS", I'm just saying that its use seems understandable when claims that are incorrect are repeatedly made, and one such usage doesn't really rate as personal abuse. If there is something more, please quote a few words to make finding it easier. Johnuniq (talk) 01:21, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Yeah, I said "BULLSHIT" because, as you noted, it was "BULLSHIT". I later withdrew from that thread because it was obvious that rational conversation had ceased from those pushing the line I had called "BULLSHIT". And now, while I perhaps shouldn't have used such language, I think it did have the desired effect and made those posting the bullshit think a little, but only a little, more deeply. What I'd like to know now is, what are the consequences for those who posted the bullshit? Do they get off scot free despite repeatedly posting absolute nonsense here? Incivility comes in many forms. HiLo48 (talk) 07:20, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
As a matter of fact, that whole thread was based on a false assertion, quickly clarified as such, but the proponents of the change (now correctly ruled out by the closing Admin) continued to post falsehoods for days on end. This wasn't the first thread of its kind about that article, and really the whole issue of the naming of the game in Australia on Wikipedia, and it won't be the last. Future threads are almost guaranteed to be equally volatile because of the beliefs and ideology rather than knowledge of those pushing the soccer=football line. Can we stop it? HiLo48 (talk) 07:29, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
HiLo, I agree with your position on this content, but not your way of expressing it. There's a fairly liberal spread of abuse there, but can't we use facts and logic rather than rudeness to make a point? When we lose our temper, it raises the temperature of discussion and things are said that shouldn't be. --Pete (talk) 08:16, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
No, many of us tried using facts and logic, repeatedly, over several days, and it didn't work. Next suggestion? HiLo48 (talk) 08:22, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
And more importantly, what is Wikipedia going to do about the small group of editors who continued to spout bullshit in response to our facts and logic. That's where the real problem lies. They need to experience some consequences, otherwise it will all just happen again. HiLo48 (talk) 08:44, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
One man's bullshit is another's facts and logic - as we see from the discussion in question. Tolerance for other editors is something we could all be aware of when discussion becomes quick and tempered. And, Wikipedia is a collaboration. If we feel we are a lone voice against the tide of idiots, our perception may be faulty. Facts and logic will always appeal to the true Wikinerd - go find some support from fellow editors. Me, for instance - I share your position on this question. --Pete (talk) 22:43, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
I need to make it public here that Pete (Skyring) and I go back a long way. He cannot stand my approach to editing here, which involves, at times, tackling his conservative, right wing approach to editing. He has been asked to avoid interacting with me and, although he claimed in his original post to be writing "without highlighting anyone in particular", it's obvious that I was at least part of his target. In parallel with this action by him he has chosen to edit war with me at Australia Day, repeatedly removing content the conservatives don't like, without using Edit summaries. He has been here for years, and knows ALL about Edit summaries. (He finally used one, and has been reverted by another editor.) I keenly seek input here from other editors (who don't already hold a grudge against me and want to make this personal) about what can be done about the editing approach I described at least in part as bullshit. (I won't try to engage with Pete's comments. I rarely find anything in them that goes anywhere near my world view, and thus cannot have coherent discussions with him.) HiLo48 (talk) 02:26, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Two-way interaction ban seems like the best fix for this.--WaltCip (talk) 15:04, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I wasn't involved in the Soccer in Australia discussion. It was getting into personal abuse - playing the man and not the ball, as one editor noted. HiLo, I don't mind you having a political - or religious or gender or any other - opinion. We all differ. What I mind is attacking other editors over their honest views, and if we look back over your contributions, we see the same old pattern. Claims that those with differing opinions are ignorant, stupid, dishonest and so on, followed by intemperate language and the inevitable complaints here and on other behaviour pages, on topics such as ITN, China, Pregnancy, Trayvon Martin, and others. All of those instigated by different editors, none of them me.
There's a pattern of disruptive behaviour here, stretching back years. It's not two editors having an ongoing spat, it's the same behaviour on a variety of topics with a variety of editors. --Pete (talk) 16:24, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

This thread has become a classic example of everything that's wrong with the ANI process. It's now a pile-on against me, and nothing else. I am a self confessed writer of "BULLSHIT". No problems there. Treat me as the evil criminal and devil incarnate that makes me. But can somebody PLEASE have a look at the behaviour of the repeat pushers of the soccer=football in Australia campaign. This cannot be Pete/Skyring. he hates my guts and has for years. I just don't comprehend him. And as for the "facts" we're discussing, those I opposed DID have it wrong. VERY wrong. This was demonstrated to them several times, and they kept repeating their "facts". It wasted a lot of everybody's time, and AGAIN, they lost their bid. Have a think why. I want to know if something can be done about repetitive pushers of nonsense. HiLo48 (talk) 21:42, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

We have very good procedures to keep nonsense content out of Wikipedia. Please use them. On my initial headsup here, I see that the discussion on Talk:Soccer in Australia has closed with a good result, bringing the poor behaviour there to an end. --Pete (talk) 22:55, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

There's once again a religiously motivated edit war on Claims to be the fastest growing religion between Angelo De La Paz (talk · contribs) on one side and NarSakSasLee (talk · contribs) on the other side, with each of them having made multiple reverts today. I've given both of them a {{uw-3rr}}-warning but that's as much as I can do, so now it's IMHO time for a firm hand and some tough talk from one or more admins. Thomas.W talk to me 19:47, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

There is no edit war between us, I just shortened sources and reworded some sentences. You can compare our edits. Thank you.Angelo De La Paz (talk) 19:49, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
This is ridiculous Thomas, after I've replied to you twice, we're not edit warring. We're just editing and reviewing each others edits. NarSakSasLee (talk) 19:52, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
That's what talk pages are for. Thomas.W talk to me 20:00, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Not really. Talk pages are for discussing disputed content or other such issues. Also how can you claim it's "religiously motivated"? A peer review of someone elses work isn't a "religiously motivated" edit war. Further your assertion that this has happened before is spurious - me and Angelo haven't edit warred in the past. NarSakSasLee (talk) 20:05, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
And isn't this what WP:ANEW is for? - The Bushranger One ping only 20:02, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
You guys, please calm down. Maybe there is a misunderstanding here, I found there is no hostile between me and NarSakSasLee. He is at least keeping my information, a non-Muslim point of view. I think everything is just OK.Angelo De La Paz (talk) 20:11, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Just bear in mind that WP:3RR is a bright-line rule, no matter how "right" either or both of you are. - The Bushranger One ping only 20:15, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

It's not a matter of right or wrong. The article has had a massive issue with both Muslim and non-Muslim editors each inserting their own version of history. I've been looking after the article since to avoid conflicts with both parties. That's about it. None of them however, have ever edit warred with me since I fixed the issue. NarSakSasLee (talk) 20:26, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Of course it does. That is one of the many reasons for its nomination for deletion. If you create an arena, you should expect gladiators to want to fight in it. Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 00:00, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Please, please help[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


This innocuous edit has triggered this mess User_talk:NeilN#A_Good_Editor_edits_and_publishes_not_put_tags.21_Thanks. (read down, and down, and down...) I stopped posting on User:Sou Boyy's talk page a while ago (after three pointers and three talkback templates I think) but he won't stop posting on mine. Can someone else notify him as he seems to take offence to my postings. --NeilN talk to me 20:09, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Just ignore the editor or report an admin to have him blocked for harassment. NarSakSasLee (talk) 20:22, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Thanks NarSakSasLee. I just spent my Sunday writing an article. I should ignore him. Thanks.

User:NeilN is scaring me and not allowing me to edit! Please Help!

'User:NeilN' is scaring me and not allowing me to edit! Please Help! I just started donating articles today, and he is wasting my time, by touching my page every now and then, I am getting an email, saying he did something to the page. I am scared, that he might harm me. Tell this harmful person, not to mention my name anywhere. He is scaring me and not allowing me to contribute to Wikipedia. he has "Bitten" me! I am not technologically advanced like him and I fear, he can hack my computer and harm me someway with his technical knowledge. Please tell him not to contact me. I am really scared that he can be a hacker. Please help. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sou Boyy (talkcontribs) 20:20, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

It seems like you're harassing the above person. Please stop sending him messages. Your clearly making him distraught.

NarSakSasLee (talk) 20:28, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Thanks NarSakSasLee. I covered Wikimania HK and I wanted to contribute to Wikipedia and improve the Indian fashion content, but I am really scared now, as my email is flooded with messages. Thanks for interviewing and helping. Thank You!

Hello Soy. Please sign your posts with either tildes (~~~~) or using the pen icon, signature function in the editing window.
I note that the editor you are accusing of "not allowing you to edit" is actually attempting to help you understand the mistakes you are making. Perhaps you are just reacting negatively and misunderstanding the editors intent.--Mark 20:29, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Mark, I am really scared because the user page does not have a face photo and previously my social networking site was hacked. I am a writer, and not a technical person. I did spend time in it. Thanks now I know how to sign. Thank You! --Sou Boyy (talk) 20:49, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Note the user's page User:Sou_Boyy and website [166] is strangely at odds with his claims not being technically proficient. Something weird is going on here. --NeilN talk to me 20:33, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Dear NarSakSasLee, This guy [--NeilN] is stalking me. Tell him not to write my name anywhere. Please help. Thank You!

I can't do much. I'm not an administrator. But if you approach an admin individually it should work. Raising it here won't do much I think. NarSakSasLee (talk) 21:05, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Actually this is the best place to raise a question to administrators in general when you have an incident. Many administrators watch this board and answer here. GB fan 21:09, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Still at it. And NarSakSasLee do you seriously think I'm stalking this editor? Why give him the advice you did? --NeilN talk to me 21:12, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
It seems to me that we have a WP:COMPETENCE issue here. NeilN has pointed out to Sou Boyy that uploading images with promenent watermarks (see [167]) isn't approved of, and in return, Sou Boyy has responded with a whole stream of nonsense about how he is being "stalked" and how he is "scared" of being "hacked". Frankly, if Sou Boyy is "afraid" of what is entirely normal communication on Wikipedia, he is better off taking his talents (and his images with self-serving watermarks) elsewhere. AndyTheGrump (talk) 21:30, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Sou Boyy, NeilN isn't stalking you but trying to be helpful. I think you have scared him away. Please take a deep breath. If you are concerned about By the way, if you are concerned about stalking, please reconsider including your email and phone number on your user page. It is allowed, but discouraged.--SPhilbrick(Talk) 21:31, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Pretty sure Andy and Sphil are correct here; User:Sou Boyy's concerns about "stalking" and "hacking" indicate that he doesn't understand how Wikipedia works. A bit of studying the various policy and technical pages might be in order? - The Bushranger One ping only 21:42, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Looking at Sou Boyy's latest post [168], I have to suggest that it would be in his best interest to block him from editing, on the grounds that he has fundamentally misunderstood how Wikipedia works, and is clearly temperamentally unsuited to the editing environment. Anyone who complains about someone "hurting my cultural sentiments for abusing me in public by making small things so large in a public forum" isn't going to last long here. AndyTheGrump (talk) 21:51, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I have asked Sou Boyy to remove his email notifications and get to bed, with an additional request to stop posting at NeilN's talk page. Can we just wait to see if he heeds this advice before we drop the block on him? I agree he seems to misunderstand how WP works, but I'd like to try and explain it to him when anxieties are lower and he has had time to rest. Kim Dent-Brown (Talk) 22:02, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Reading through his mass of posts, I think the issue is he'd like to be emailed when he makes a mistake so it can be handled "quietly" and not in "public". --NeilN talk to me 22:08, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Everything smacked of a competence issue except then for this removal. That leaves me a little suspicious; perhaps I need to be less cynical, but given the context (uploading watermarked images) I feel it's interesting. --Errant (chat!) 22:17, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

IP removes references[edit]

The User:74.65.170.32 deletes references or parts of articles which are referenced, if the references are dead links. It was talked to the user many times, but without any reaction. I don't think the majority of the edits of the user are contractive.--CennoxX (talk @ dewiki) 22:00, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

User:Hardeep80s[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


A new user, User:Hardeep80s. Took objection to me removing his/her comment that Unite Against Fascism was "the greates [sic] threat to democracy in the UK today" [169], and similar POV-pushing edits. Has now posted on my talk page informing me that "YOU are a left-wing extremist fascist in support of the UAF. Delete my edits and prevent me from editing and I will jst create a new account. Hardeep80s (talk) 23:20, 25 August 2013 (UTC)" [170] I can take the confused mischaracterisation but a preemptive declaration of socking seems worthy of a block, I'd think? AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:28, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Incidentally, given that the post at my talk page was in a 'WikiLove' template, and that Hardeep80s has been marking all his/her edits as minor, I have a suspicion that this isn't his/her first account... AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:34, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Blocked for one week. Probably should have been longer.--Bbb23 (talk) 23:44, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Unblock requests show a very distinct lack of WP:CLUE. - The Bushranger One ping only 00:24, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

User:Dynomitedetails[edit]

Dynomitedetails (talk · contribs) is a new account created after its owner made an edit as an IP to Stalking that was clearly inappropriate, and was reverted. This editor then began to post pseudo-barnstars on the talk pages of a number of uninvolved editors, asking for help in an incomprehensible way. When I placed a message on the editor's talk page asking them to stop doing that, the reply was this, and in addition this was placed on my talk page. I'm afraid that admin intervention is needed. I'll notify Dynomitedetails of this post. Looie496 (talk) 01:17, 26 August 2013 (UTC)


The above user did not allow me to finish my post, please view the full post on his page, Also, this guy is malicious, I am just trying to do some help for this webpage, that is all, and he is against it, apparently, contributing is an isue hereDynomitedetails (talk) 01:24, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Final warning given for personal attacks and canvassing. Acroterion (talk) 01:38, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Bangladesh Airport Vandal[edit]

The Bangladesh Airport Vandal, who had been inactive for months, has suddenly become very active performing massive vandalism on airport articles, this time mainly Prague Václav Havel Airport and Heydar Aliyev International Airport, and many other related airports as well. One of the few IP airport vandals, they add fake airlines and fake destinations to airport articles, usually so massive that it can't be right. This guy from Bangladesh is always from 180.149 and 58.97 IP ranges, but has been inactive for a while because key Bangladesh and India airports have been protected.

I think it's time to consider a range block in the order of one to three months.

I won't bother to notify anyone because the hopping IP vandal will not receive any message. Short-term activity is being dealt with by AIV. HkCaGu (talk) 06:38, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

This looks like a case for blocking the IP ranges in question. Since the range block is only really required on articles related to airports, and a wide range block might affect other IP editors, this might be a good case for using the edit filter instead of a simple range block.
I've now created Special:AbuseFilter/580 to deal with this. For those with appropriate privileges: can you please check the filter's code, to check that I'm targeting both the correct ranges and the correct articles? -- The Anome (talk) 15:38, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
You might also want to include Category:Airfields and its subcategories. De728631 (talk) 16:25, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Done. -- The Anome (talk) 16:50, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
It looks like the new filter is catching them attempting to make edits similar to those made before. See, for example, Special:AbuseLog/9175123. Please let me know if you see any edits from them that get past this filter, and I can expand its scope further. -- The Anome (talk) 13:22, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Prolific sock-user promoting non-NPOV anti-Shinto agenda[edit]

This user has been engaging in somewhat disruptive editing to the articles on various mostly-unpopular Japanese right-wing politicians and/or pre-WW2 military personnel, deliberately tieing all of them to the Shinto religion specifically with either no source, a very flimsy source, or a semi-decent source that he/she was deliberately misquoting.[171][172][173][174][175][176][177][178][179] Edit summaries confirmed that the user is trying to promote a certain POV.[180][181] I reverted everything I could find, but not having CU powers I have no way of knowing which IP-looking username this person is using now, and most of these articles are outside my usual editing area so I'm not interested in adding them (or the countless other articles he/she might show up) to my watchlist. (I edit articles related to Shinto and Japanese mythology, but usually not politics.) Any idea how to deal with this kind of issue? I'm assuming we're not allowed routinely go back to SPI and say "I don't know who or where, but I'm pretty sure this guy's still around, so can I get a CU to check whether there are any currently non-blocked accounts floating around?" ... Hijiri 88 (やや) 05:50, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Jerry Pepsi[edit]

USer Jerry Pepsi is playing God and keeps undoing edits that are factual and based on accurate information. He is abusing me and harrassing me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tvfanatics (talkcontribs) 05:08, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

I suppose you're talking about Polyamory: Married & Dating? This looks very much like a content dispute, and while Jerry Pepsi has posted on the article's talk page, I don't see any discussion there from you. I also don't see where either of you have provided citations from reliable sources to support the material you're trying to add to the article. My suggestion would be to start talking with each other before an admin decides to ding someone - possibly even the both of you - for edit warring, and for you both to start acting like collaborators rather than competitors -- after all, you have something in common, you both seem to be interested in what looks like a truly wretched and sensationalistic reality show we'd probably be better off forgetting. But then, what do I know? Beyond My Ken (talk) 06:01, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I'm perfectly happy to discuss on the talk page how the last names that the participants in this show have plastered all over the Internet are "false information" but repeated requests that valid information not be removed have fallen on deaf ears. There is also an apparent conflict of interest here since the editor in question has stated that he's "revising on behalf of the show". If reliable sources will shut this editor up and stop him from removing the information then great, I'll track them down.
  • Beyond My Ken, should we find ourselves connected by Wikipedia circumstances in future, I will thank you to remain civil and not hurl curve ball insults about others' tastes in entertainment. Jerry Pepsi (talk) 19:46, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
I believe User:Jerry Pepsi was referring to you saying "a truly wretched and sensationalistic reality show". Howicus (talk) 22:18, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
My mistake, clearly Polyamory: Married & Dating ranks right up there with Shakespeare, Stanley Kubrick and Mad Men as among the best our culture has to offer. Beyond My Ken (talk) 05:26, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I have filed a cross-complaint further down the page and have stepped away from the article temporarily. Jerry Pepsi (talk) 00:06, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

User:Tvfanatics[edit]

This user reported me further up the page regarding Polyamory: Married & Dating and refuses to engage in conversation at that report, on the article's talk page or my talk page beyond advising me that I'm not the "boss of the page" and accusing me of being a troll. I added the known last names of the participants in this series to the page. Tvfanatics continually removes them, first claiming they are privacy violations and then claiming they are false. I have since attempted to add reliable sources for the names and Tvfanatics has removed them again along with the source. We are each at three edits in 24 hours so I will not revert to add the sourced material at this time.

There is also evidence of a conflict of interest since the editor, who has made no edits outside this article (except talk pages), has stated that he is editing the page "on behalf of the show".

This may also be a case of sock puppetry, based on the account Swingerlove whose only edits were to the same page to remove the same information. I realize this is not the right forum for sock puppet discussions but if an administrator wanted to check anyway I wouldn't say no.

It is also clear that Tvfanatics does not understand the conventions of writing about television series based on hir changing the number of episodes incorrectly and removing the participants from the infobox on the grounds that they are not the "stars".

I request that Tvfanatics be asked by an administrator to refrain from removing reliably sourced information from this or any other page and be put on notice that if it continues to happen s/he will be blocked. Thanks. Jerry Pepsi (talk) 00:02, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

69.255.133.105[edit]

69.255.133.105 has made a few edits recently to Santonio Holmes. In their first edit, they state they are "posting facts" however, writing "Since signing the extension, his tenure with the Jets has been nothing short of disastorous" seems a tad out of place for an encyclopedia. As a side note, I'm not sure how the community views the quotes in that edit and because they came from an anonymous teammate (WP:Alleged?) so some advice on that would be appreciated. Previously they had made this edit which I later cleaned-up prior to their August 25 edits.

And this isn't the first time I've encountered this user. We also had a blowout at Bart Scott which spilled over into our talk pages. The short version of that story is the user has a poor attitude and accused me of apparently being the next coming of Kim Jong-un (similar comments have been made about other users in the past) and "protecting" Scott (you can read a large portion of the rant here) which is ironic given that the current version of the article notes the incidents that took place without any undo bias. I was trying to following the policies in place for the project which the user violated on multiple occasions, particularly WP:NPOV: here they included: "he never apologized to fans who paid hundreds of dollars for those seats". There was also this where they included a writer's opinion. This pattern of behavior dates back to 2011 and shows no sign of stopping given their recent edits. -- The Writer 2.0 Talk 18:55, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Quoting is fine, but I don't know that I'd give this kind of sniping any prominence. Compare the lead for Mark Sanchez, which is quite neutral and limits itself to "[t]he next two seasons would be a regression for both the team and Sanchez as they failed to reach the playoffs. Fans and media critics called for a struggling Sanchez to be benched." I'll watchlist the article for a while. Mackensen (talk) 03:43, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Another sock puppet of 67.87.140.155 suspected [in fact, two of them][edit]

67.87.140.155 has returned with two more sock puppets: 72.223.114.14 and 24.146.199.41. These are the puppets that made a Yellow volume to Disney's Greatest Hits and Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic. Here's the evidence: [182] [183] ACMEWikiNet (talk) 21:13, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Please refer to WP:SPI. Rjd0060 (talk) 22:07, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
I've just protected those two articles for a month since even if it's not technically socking it's still clearly disruptive. Mark Arsten (talk) 01:10, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

user:Cyberbot II is out of control[edit]

Tagging hundreds of articles with massive templates and blacklisting websites like Nytimes and Theglobeandmail. Th4n3r (talk) 02:22, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Examples, please? Never mind, the links are examples...doah! Gtwfan52 (talk) 02:29, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
This is an approved bot trial. The bot does NOT add links to the spam blacklist (only admins can), it only tags articles that contain blacklisted links. I haven't checked whether these links are actually blacklisted. MER-C 02:38, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The correct solution here is to fix the blacklist and not the bot. -- KTC (talk) 07:07, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


We got a nice holiday but the the sock-puppets are back causing trouble at Freeboard (skateboard) again. User:Unotretre has a history of creating new accounts (all with the same features) so that he can "correct the record" with regard to the history of the Freeboard and it's various commercial variants and related companies. He started by making particularly grandiose (but unsourced) claims about his own company, Gravitis, but was blocked for sock-puppetry, NLT and NPA. Various subsequent socks have also been blocked for NLT and/or obvious sock-puppetry.

Having failed to use WP to sell his products, his latest claim is that a particular person (for whom he tried to create a BLP a couple of times) "invented" the board and that our account is inaccurate. He has urged the WP community to engage in WP:OR and use patent documents to "verify" his various claims (even if we did, they don't). Unfortunately, his version of history is completely unsupported by reliable sources, most of which actually contradict his claims.

He appeared again this morning with two new accounts and exactly the same unsourced claims as the other 9 confirmed sock-puppets. I referred everything to SPI here but there's a backlog. Can someone please block the new socks and semi-protect the article? (Protection ran out some time ago). Stalwart111 05:28, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

By way of history, see this talk page and this one. Stalwart111 05:36, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Your request is funny, on a side you keep the patents history hidden EVEN in the talk-page, on the other side you ask for verifying: start removing the hidden box in talk page so that people can see that Strand invented a "sliding roller board" and not a "freeboard", NEVER mentioned in his patent, term used indeed by Grippaldi in Europe from 2007 by involving more brands to it and spreading the freeboard word of sport worldwide. Show the patents history out of the box to public, now mention a previous patent, precisely https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=171464563010143&set=a.171464559676810.1073741828.127129214110345&type=1&theater To say, Strand invented a "laterally sliding roller board" not a "freeboard", the term freeboard is used since 2007 in Europe, period. I suggest to change the title of the article as Freeboard (roller board), more appropriate than (skateboard). The paragraph "The Freebord brand" looks like advertising today, why not including all other brands? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Profano (talkcontribs) 06:25, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
read also the comment I did in the bottom here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Profano--Profano (talk) 06:59, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm not keeping anything "hidden". You made silly demands and then got blocked and your demands were hatted. They are still there in case anyone wanted to take your claims seriously.
Patents (that require original research to extrapolate meaning) are not reliable sources. This has been explained to you many, many, many times. Other companies, brands and products are not included because they are not notable (which is also why they don't have articles of their own). This has also been explained to you many, many, many times. Your editing (with various accounts) has had exactly the same pattern -
  1. Start a new account because your others have been blocked;
  2. Make bold claims about the great things Gravitis/Grippaldi have done;
  3. Deminish the claims made in the article that are supported by reliable sources;
  4. Issue legal threats when you edits are reverted;
  5. Get blocked.
You need a new strategy - may I suggest you start by apologising for your dishonest behaviour and seek recourse via the standard offer. Stalwart111 07:02, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I will persecute the legal threats for sure, you just deleted Profano account where you publically wrote this (somebody urged to hide it??), printed in copy:

Freeboard (skateboard)

It's pretty obvious that this is yet another Unotretre account (what with the talk of patents, inability to understand WP:RS, and broken English). You'll soon be blocked (again) and the company you are trying to advertise (Gravitis) will continue to maintain an absolutely atrocious reputation here because of your actions. 9 of your accounts have been blocked so far for disruptive editing, making legal threats, username violations and for sock puppetry. The two from this morning will make it 11. When will you understand that you have only yourself to blame and that your campaign of dishonesty and disruption is pathetically transparent? Stalwart111 06:03, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Stalwart your comment is pathetic, the source was given, there's a list of patents you intentionally kept hidden EVEN in the talk page, there's a further patent mentioned today, previous to those I indicated and put in sequential order, why you keep publicizing the Freebord brand, and do not download the Strand patent and search for the missing "freeboard" word? You are only damaging another brand (Gravitis) in particular here and indirectly the other ones, find that word in the patent, no?! So you understand why I canceled that you wrote "Strand did a University ... about his freeboard?" He did a "laterally sliding roller board" is it clear what I mean? You are writing the FALSE.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Profano&oldid=570361886" — Preceding unsigned comment added by Profano (talkcontribs) 07:10, 27 August 2013 (UTC) --Profano (talk) 07:13, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Not only the socking and legal threats but WP:CIR as well, as no account has been "deleted" and the claimed deleted comments are still right there on his talk page. Blocked. - The Bushranger One ping only 07:19, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Yep, that's all still there - haven't removed anything. Stalwart111 07:31, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Thanks everyone. Stalwart111 07:31, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Advice Please[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Hello, I've recently registered an account having edited previously with my ip address. With my background I thought I'd be of some help with citations and referencing of information. I picked a new and relatively small [184] article on which to cut my teeth, and have found the experience less than satisfactory. Having offered what I thought was helpful advice, and requested information from a specialized group [185] I seem to have raised the heckles of another person who has being acting in a less than inviting manner. They appear to me to be making peculiar and irrational demands of me [186] and I'm finding the experience less than comfortable. The editing on the encyclopedia is extremely easy, and having edited in the past I've never come across any person like this. I hope I have come to the right place, and if not could someone be good enough to point me in the right direction. --Dr Daly (talk) 16:59, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

I have left the template on the persons page. --Dr Daly (talk) 17:05, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Dr Daly, I hope you do not get discouraged and stop volunteering. There are always frustrating editors, differences of opinion, all that happy primate nonsense. It's much more common for people to cooperate, so don't lose heart. :) Damotclese (talk) 17:27, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
User:Mabuska should be admonished for biting a newbie by calling Dr Daly a sock without providing solid evidence. OhanaUnitedTalk page 18:49, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

So what IP did you edit under Dr Daly? This is contrary to what your user page states- that you are a new user who has just studied Wiki policies and only now confident to make edits, now you edited as an IP previously?

Dr Daly to be honest may have just been a new editor to arrive at the wrong time in the middle of an ongoing problem wth a certain editor involving SonofSetantas edits and the latest isue in question: copyvio at Wolfe Tone Societies.

Whilst we should always assume good faith, Dr Dalys recent appearance on Wikipedia and involvement in this very newly created article that has hardly any linked too pages and been very little viewed raised suspicions that they are a sockpuppet of another editor who has been following user SonofSetantas edits and filing AN/I and AE reports on them. Dr Daly has only contributed to this one and only article.

SonofSetanta created the Wolfe Tone Societies article 15:50, 12 August, just after 2 hours it is copyvio tagged. At 22:27 that night Dr Dalys account is created. Dr Dalys first article edit is on the 19th on the Wolfe Tone Societies article - the only artcle they have so far ever edited. Their only issue seems to be in regards to sources, which ironically is what SonofSetenta gets reported for at AE on the 20th, though this is in regards to the copyvio that was tagged on the 12th. Seems too coincidental, and possibly an attempt (by a certain editor who has been stated by several at SonofSetenta quite recent AN/I of being vindicive towards SonofSetenta) to make SoS's usage of sources a sign of troublesome behaviour.and no doubt hoping to get them riled up on the articles talk page which didn't happen.

Problem was, I was the one that added some of the main sources Dr Daly queried, and other stuff was copy and pasted from the older article by SonofSetanta. After taken action in regards to the issue, with my suspicions made known, the initial issues are sorted. Daly then raises a new one and I tell them to be bold and make an edit. They haven't since.

At Dr Dalys talk page I made a reasonable request for them to prove they aren't a sock by making a cntribution to an article on Roy Johnston, a person mentioned in the Wolfe Tone Societies that Dr Daly had a problem with the wording cited. It has similar source issues however despite making a big deal out of the sources on the WST, point blank refused to contribute to an article with similar problems that me, him, and SonofSetanta had not edited before (until I put a tag on the page).

This editors curious behaviour and quickness to file an AN/I report only further fuels my suspicions that Dr Daly is a sockpuppet. Maybe I'm wrong and as stated it's just bad timing on Dr Dalys behalf, but only Dr Dalys actions in the next few days and months such as editing articles that SonofSetanta hasn't edited before and highlighting similar issues as at the WTS article will convince me otherwise..So far they haven't edited any other article and my behaviour is hardly that 'biting' to put them off.

Dr Daly can go about editing as he pleases, I've no beef with that and will make no further issue of them unless it becomes apparent they are following SonofSetantas edits. If he is genuinely a new user to this site, then I apologise wholeheartedly to him, however the coincidental arrival of him is what got me miffed.

Mabuska (talk) 20:38, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Many people chose to contribute through IP because they weren't sure of their commitments to the project. And IPs can't create articles, something you should be very well aware. To create an article, they must register. I fail to see how a new user creating a new article is instantly considered as socking. OhanaUnitedTalk page 20:46, 23 August 2013 (UTC)
Please read what I wrote and try to fully understand the situation. Most of your comment is based on something I never said and what I laid out makes it clear there is the potential that Daly is a sock. Take time to read what I actully wrote please. Just to clarify, though it should be obvious in what I wrote above - I'm not claiming Dr Daly as a sock of SonofSetanta. I never said an IP or Dr Daly created anything other than their own account. Also should I notify this potential sock issue at the AE concerning SonofSetanta seeing as it possibly relates to an editor currently at odds with them? Mabuska (talk) 21:29, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Actually, having spent some time going through edit history of the two editors I believe Dr Daly to possibly have been a sock of and comparing it alongside Dr Daly's, I have to say that unless they where logging in an out every minute to make edits under both accounts, the first suspect is extremely unlikely. The second hasn't made enough edits to substantiate a comparison, thus I have most likely made a serious error in judgement and am quite mistaken by the coincidental nature of events as they unfolded.

In that case, I fully apologise to Dr Daly for any distress I may have wrongly caused them, and will issue such an apology on their talk page. Mabuska (talk) 23:10, 23 August 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps you would consider extending your apology to the falsely accused sockpuppeteers as well, whom you all but named in this thread. —Psychonaut (talk) 18:20, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
I found at least 4 policy violations by Mabuska: biting Dr Daly, not assuming good faith, falsely suggesting that User:SonofSetanta was socking with Dr Daly, trying to blame Dr Daly for another editor's copyvio (and blaming the victim when you said "it's just bad timing on Dr Dalys behalf"). OhanaUnitedTalk page 20:40, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Well, you're right on some counts. Mabuska says in his opening post above that the Dr Daly account is actually operated by "another editor who has been following user SonofSetantas edits and filing AN/I and AE reports on them". The links he goes on to post in the subsequent paragraph leave no doubt as to whom he means. —Psychonaut (talk) 21:53, 24 August 2013 (UTC)


Dr Daly, the two editors you had differences with have withdrawn from editing that particular article. But, being Wikipedia, you can expect conflict and debate in the future, it's how we reach consensus. You took the right route, discussing it on the article Talk Page then going to RS noticeboard. I'm not sure that filing an AN/I was required as the situation worked itself out. Liz Read! Talk! 00:34, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

FLASH: BRAND NEW EDITOR FINDS RSN ON 16TH EDIT AND AN/I ON 28TH EDIT WITH NO ONE POINTING THEM THERE: FILM AT 11 Beyond My Ken (talk) 01:23, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Main Page ->Help Desk->FAQ->Contributing FAQ->Dispute resolution boards. It's almost as if we want new folks to be able to find things. NE Ent 12:08, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for your thoughts, I think? Like I've said, I've edited before as an IP. You would hardly need two PHD's and a BA to edit here or find something, its pretty basic. It has been resolved on the talk page. Dr Daly (talk) 17:37, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Re NE Ent: I have a even faster path (Welcome template + 2 pages vs. your path of 5 pages). {{Welcome}}->Questions->Editor assistance request->RS/ANI. It is precisely the mentality demonstrated by the community like Beyond My Ken that the foundation is spending lots of money on recruiting but failing to retain new editors. OhanaUnitedTalk page 20:40, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
If you think that's the main reason there's a recruitment "problem", I have some bad news for you. - The Bushranger One ping only 22:00, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
There are many main reasons. This is one of them. OhanaUnitedTalk page 03:04, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
FLASH: PROLIFIC CONTRIBUTOR SUPPRESSES COMMUNITY GROWTH WITH ACERBIC JOCULARITIES: FILM AT 11 Beyond My Ken (talk) 03:34, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

I wish to make it clear that User:Mabuska has made no accusations against me. He is in fact my mentor. I have conversed with Dr Daly only once here because I found some of his reverts to be out of step with WP:MOS and to give him advice on the naming convention concerning Derry/Londonderry. I noted that several of his concerns were what I would consider pedantic however as a new user he may well have high standards regarding sources, which really we all should have. One of his concerns however was a quote from a newspaper where I wrote, and Mabuska confirmed, that the Wolfe Tone Societies gave support to "Sinn Fein policies". In fact the quote said the the society gave "support to Sinn Fein". Dr Daly deleted the sentence without apparently noting what the source said. I felt, and Mabuska seemed to agree, that the sentence was better kept in but modified, which is what I did. Dr Daly went on to take issue with the "Protestant faith" of the subject Roy Johnston which was referred to in the article. Mabuska invited him to take WP:BOLD and rewrite but also pointed out that the correct policy as per WP:MOS would be to insert a "citation needed" tag and invite others to participate and add more information. Mabuska also pointed out the existence of the Roy Johnston article and invited Dr Daly to scrutinise it. At this point I decided I had no need to further edit the article and made a statement to that effect on the talk page here. My opinion is that I certainly gave good advice to a new (if confident) user and Mabuska, whilst being cautious, was also civil and invited further participation by Dr Daly and pointed him in the right direction to learn more in accordance with Wikipedia:Five pillars. Both of us extended WP:GOODFAITH. It would appear correct to me to assume, for the moment, that Dr Daly should read up on the Five Pillars to find out more about how to engage with other editors in a collegiate discussion, especially when he doesn't agree with the opinions put forward. It does seem odd that someone who can so quickly find out how to lodge a case here and find a forum for sources, that he didn't read the guidance for new editors first. SonofSetanta (talk) 15:07, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

I am sorry that my view of the situation isn't the same as Dr Dalys. I am now withdrawing from the AN/I. SonofSetanta (talk) 12:32, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Don't really think you needed to make a comment here SoS, though thanks anyway, however my initial attitude should have been more good faith rather than getting caught up in the paranoia surrounding you recent AE's. Mabuska (talk) 15:13, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Regardless of my own current position Mabuska I felt I should comment here. I found Dr Daly's position to be one of confidence but inexperience and have pondered why he has spent so much time learning how to make a complaint when really he should have been reading up on the Five Pillars. It's unfortunate he decided to edit that particular article but perhaps he will take heart from the fact that, although you and I were wary, we treated him with respect and civility. I hope he extends the same to other editors whom he finds to be in the same position in the future. Thanks aren't needed. You've done more to support me than I deserve, so it is I who should be thanking you. SonofSetanta (talk) 15:19, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
"I found at least 4 policy violations by Mabuska: biting Dr Daly, not assuming good faith, falsely suggesting that User:SonofSetanta was socking with Dr Daly, trying to blame Dr Daly for another editor's copyvio (and blaming the victim when you said "it's just bad timing on Dr Dalys behalf"). OhanaUnitedTalk page 20:40, 24 August 2013 (UTC)" - did you read what I posted? Where do I suggest that SonofSetanta is socking with Dr Daly? Even SonofSetanta made it clear above I never did. As Psychonaut was suggesting, I implying him however, I just didn't want to name names as it was a uncertain allegation and may have been wrong. I accept that it most likely appears to be wrong so I apologised to Dr Daly, and will likewise do so now to Psychonaut. Mabuska (talk) 15:17, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
In fact OhanaUnited - of those four charges: Where did I accuse SonofSetanta of socking? Where did I blame Dr Daly for another editor's copyvio? And how does stating that maybe it's a case of bad timing on Dr Daly's behalf count as blaming them? The only things I did wrong was not be as good faith assuming as I should of been and questioning them as to whether they where a sockpuppet, which I suppose is biting them, but in light of the situation it was a possibility - however I have made a full apology to them. I am finding your comments in relation to this discussion incredibly bizarre, almost as if you haven't read my comments accurately or looked at the situation fully. Mabuska (talk) 15:39, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
In any case: the rubric at the top says "This page is for reporting and discussing incidents on the English Wikipedia that require the intervention of administrators and experienced editors." It's really a last resort to be used when other avenues have failed and only admin tools such as page protection or blocking, or community decisions such as bans are in order. Coming here prematurely (which I think Dr Daly has done) is not a good idea when other options are available - seeking the advice of an admin you trust, or raising the issue on a project page for example. SonofSetanta (talk) 16:23, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Mabuska, enlighten us all. You first left this comment bringing up the sock issue and mentioned yourself, Dr Daly, and SonofSetanta. Then you pushed forward with a second round of sock accusation. At no other time did you mention any other user names aside from yourself. Since you only retracted your sock accusation here after Dr Daly asked for advice here, may I ask which editor(s) did you believe in socking? Socking requires a link between two or more accounts/IPs. If you intention was not to claim Dr Daly operating as a sockpuppet account in the first comment, you don't have a valid reason (or target) to call someone socking in the first place. And why did you bring up SonofSetanta's name if your intention was not to consider SonofSetanta being the sockmaster? OhanaUnitedTalk page 02:20, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
I'm more than happy to accept Mabuska's fulsome apology and let it go at that, and as a result of the Talk:Wolfe Tone Societies I've picked up some more editing tools such as the "outdent" function. I do however have a concern with SonofSetanta who despite Mabuska's full and frank apology would suggest that I was extended WP:GOODFAITH. Having read the WP:MOS linked above by SonofSetanta, there are none of the issues I raised contained in WP:MOS. The text was incorrectly cited, poorly sourced and remains so because I backed away from it when I got the reaction that I did. The group at Reliable sources/Noticeboard [187] agreed with myself on the two sources I took issue with, yet they remain on the article. The construction of a sentence based on a hodge podge of separate unrelated sentences still remains regardless of having illustrated the concern with direct quotes. This concern is being disingenuously presented above by SonofSetanta i.e. "Protestant faith," likewise the very misleading suggestion that per WP:MOS the correct thing would be to insert a "citation needed" tag. WP:MOS does not mention anything about "citation needed" tags. Mabuska's advice was useful despite how it is presented here by SonofSetanta, and I did actually use them. That Mabuska was gracious enough to remove and I appreciated what I considered to be a challenge [188] being presented as an invitation by SonofSetanta appears to be indicative of the user. That SonofSetanta is reserving judgment on me 'for the moment' in light of the above and Mabuska's genuine WP:GOODFAITH I will obviously treat in a like manner. Having reviewed SonofSetanta contributions, I have found countless occasions of disingenuously and blatantly misleading the readers of this encyclopedia. I do not make baseless accusations or assumptions, however I feel confident that this user in no way reflects the vast number of volunteers on the encyclopedia. I do not want to give the impression that I'm unsuited to robust discussion, but civility and reason will always win out in my experience. Dr Daly (talk) 18:15, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
While there is clearly still a dispute going on here over sources, it seems appropriate that this discussion return the article Talk Page as I don't see that an Admin is required to weigh in over what is a disagreement over content, IMHO. I think the Talk Page, RSN and DRN are better forums for resolving this disagreement than AN/I which typically involves editor misconduct. Liz Read! Talk! 18:41, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I will resume interest in the article to help address Dr Dalys concerns in a more fitting way. Though out of curiousity I'm confused by Dalys last comment. Are the disingenious and misleading comment referring to me or SonofSetanta?Mabuska (talk) 21:58, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Hello Mabuska, the comments were not directed at you and having read again my comments above I agree that it could be confusing. I have therefor add SonofSetanta for clarity. I hope that addresses the issue. Thanks, Dr Daly (talk) 05:49, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Domain grabbing websites in external links[edit]

I sumbled across several entries with external links to domains that are owned by cybersquatters. For example: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search=hugedomains

I'm assuming there are more of the likes to find. Any chance of automating removals? How is this happening in the first place?

--Thrau (talk) 14:16, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I had a look at the first page that the search you linked came up with, Moshe Czerniak. That title "HugeDomains.com – ChessMile.com is for Sale" was added to the ref at 10:23 on 8 November 2012‎ when an editor used the Reflinks tool to automatically fill in bare URLs. I imagine that between the time the website was used as a source and then, it has become available for sale. Someone forgot to pay their domain registration fees perhaps! Therefore there is nothing 'malicious' going on here. Editors just need perhaps to check the result of using Reflinks before saving the page. ('Only' $1,695 for Chessmile.com. Only?)--220 of Borg 15:00, 27 August 2013 (UTC) (edited my post --220 of Borg 15:06, 27 August 2013 (UTC))

Siryendor (talk) 00:00, 31 May 2020 (UTC)

I stumbled upon the same phenomenon: when looking for a new domain name, I found that hugedomains.com was squatting on a couple of faves. So I turned to Wikipedia to research who these buttheads are. Upon running a search for "hugedomains.com" no page by that name came back, but instead a bunch of embedded reference links. This is annoyance upon annoyance! Anyway, since it had my attention, I researched...found that there's no single user making the edits. Starting with an inquiry on Wikipedia abuse, I narrowed it to page vandalism. After more research on proper reporting, I found this notice. My perplexity on why there's no single user responsible can explained by Thrau's assertion that the phenomenon is a byproduct of using the Reflinks tool to automatically fill in bare URLs (I don't know enough about it to make a call on that). However, a Wikipedia search for hugedomains.com currently returns over 400 such pages. By the date of Thrau's comment above, it looks like a longstanding problem. It seems that hugedomains.com has somehow (either inadvertently or on purpose) set up their stuff to leverage expired reference links in Wikipedia articles as an advertising tool. What can be done about this?

User Heteren[edit]

User:Heteren possibly added fictitious references to the articles Beggars Banquet and Sticky Fingers to support his edits after they had been reverted initially for being unsourced. One of the book sources they have cited is available at Amazon.com's preview here; the editor used page 512 from the book to cite this change to Sticky Fingers (as well as in a synthesis of various book sources here to Beggars Banquet). Using Amazon's preview and typing in "Wild Horses" shows no reference to page 512 (actually leads to the book's index, which shows what pages the phrase "Wild Horses" appears in, and none of the pages are 512). I was suspicious of the editor's addition to Beggars Banquet, where they added a slew of dubious book citations to replace what was already appropriately cited material. Now soon after being reverted for an unsourced change, they add one of the exact same citations for a completely different article. Dan56 (talk) 14:36, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

In the references used I have stated the total pages of the book, not the exact page the reference was pointing at. I thought I created a new reference name, which can be used further in the text. I will fix this mistake. --Heteren (talk) 18:16, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

persistent unconstructive edits/vandalism by 216.159.47.253[edit]

there is a long history of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:216.159.47.253 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/216.159.47.253 --Penbat (talk) 15:24, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

For reference, 14 warnings and a block of 6 weeks since November 2009. See IP's Talk. MM (Report findings) (Past espionage) 21:35, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Warned the school IP. Reblock if disruption continues. Toddst1 (talk) 21:50, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Hijiri88 wrote the following in this AfD talk page: "MH, with all due respect, you can take your goddamn personal attacks and accusations about things you know nothing about, and shove them up your ass. The parenthetical statement clearly shows you edited the message after the page was protected"

I don't think such tone of voice should be tolerated. Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:11, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Please stop spawning so many threads here, or you may get hit with a WP:BOOMERANG. You have already complained about that utterance a few times in the thread above #Regarding_Hijiri88. Someone not using his real name (talk) 19:13, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Persistent Vandalism & Edit Block Circumvention by User: 66.87.83.24[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


The User:66.87.83.24 is persistently vandalizing the WWOR-TV and WNYW Wikipedia articles, further they have circumvented a recent 31 hour edit ban as User:12.53.250.13 by forcing their ISP to change their IP address. The user insists on adding bogus information i.e. added channel 5.3 to the WWOR article and 9.2 to the WNYW article. Channel 5.3 is operated by WNYW as part of their Channel 5 signal and 9.2 is operated by WWOR as part of their Channel 9 signal not the reverse. See here, here, here and here for examples of their vandalism. I would like to recommend that this user have a longer ban instituted and that a temporary IP edit lock be added to the WNYW and WWOR-TV pages so that if they circumvent their ban again they cannot proceed to vandalize this pages again. IMHO these were NOT good faith edits but simply someone trying to take control of the article and its edits. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 17:41, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

  • I do not think there is enough vandalism to justify semi-protecttion of the articles at this point. Lets wait if the user would settle. Thanks for the good work, [User:TheGoofyGolfer|TheGoofyGolfer]]] and please report the user if vandalism continue Alex Bakharev (talk) 01:16, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
    • What about banning this user for their persistent vandalism, It's just gotten ridiculous because I revert their bad edits and they change it right back and after having their editing privileges temporarily suspended they circumvent it by changing their IP address and go back to making bad vandalizing edits. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 03:57, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
      • The same problem, no edits after the last warning. Even assuming he is the same person as User:12.53.250.13 his prior last edit was on August 16. He is editing lass frequently than changes his IP. Quite possible he would start editing next week from a new IP and we would just inconvenience an innocent person who would get his old IP. Lets wait a little bit longer to see if there is enough vandalism to justify more drastic administrative actions Alex Bakharev (talk) 08:45, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
        • I am extremely confident that User:12.53.250.13 and User: 66.87.83.24 are one and the same because look at the pattern of their edits, I mean the edits by User: 66.87.83.24 on WWOR-TV are the done in the same exact way that User:12.53.250.13 has done their edits removing the sub-digital channel 9.2 and replacing it with 5.3 so in this case IMHO we're not dealing with any innocents here. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 13:11, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
          • OK, one more disruption from this user and either semiprotection of the articles or blocking the IP or both. Meanwhile.may be it is worth to talk with this user? Is any possibility that his edits are of good faith? Alex Bakharev (talk) 15:04, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
            • No I would say that is it not a good faith edit because in my edit summaries I stated that channels 5.3 did not belong in the WWOR-TV article and 9.2 did not belong in the WNYW article and yet they continued to revert and add the incorrect information purposely. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 16:11, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Comment Actually they are in good faith, please look at this source of a New York channel map, and under the entries for WWOR and WNYW here; the WNYW SD subchannel on WWOR's channel space maps to 5.3, while WWOR's SD subchannel maps to 9.2 using WNYW's space; also read the PSIP article for more about the issue of the transposing raised here (both stations air an SD form of the other station so viewers get them in some form if they can't get the regular versions). They both transmit over the channels the IP listed and there is no issue that I see here, and they should be listed in each article for full disclosure. What I'm seeing is TGG BITE-ing an IP for bringing good information to an article and the usual troubling ownership issues I see with a lot of NYC broadcasting articles, where I rarely tread because you better make sure your source is dead solid for a change. I have seen no vandalism with this and would suggest that TGG work with what the IP added and clarify the information about the subchannels rather than outright reverting. Also seven edits from different IP's among the WWOR and WNYW articles this month? Definitely not calling that socking, and absolutely not 'persistent' in any sense of the word; this is a case where semi-protection from IP editing isn't needed at all. Nate (chatter) 03:28, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

  • Additional Just looking over the IPs that edited this month; I hightly doubt there's socking at all. The WNYW IP edits came from Sprint, Comcast, and AT&T. The WWOR edits came from Suddenlink and a completely different Comcast node. Unless this 'sock' has two phone companies and two cable companies they're getting service from, it isn't going on. Nate (chatter) 03:38, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
    • No your completely and totally WRONG, Channel 5.3 DOES NOT belong on the WWOR-TV article, It is not a WWOR channel and first off Channel 5.3 is simulcasting WWOR programming for and off of the Channel 5 signal not channel not the Channel 9 signal ergo it does not belong on the WWOR-TV article. This is becoming very frustrating for me because this person is clearly vandalizing and violating Wikipedia rules and nobody seems to care. So I will just leave it as it, If you want Wikipedia to be riddled with inaccuracies then so be it. As of now I am washing my hands of the whole thing. I am out. Oh and by the way they've changed their IP address to User:66.87.109.176 and reverted my edit again back to channel 5.3 while removing the legitimate Channel 9.2 which currently simulcast WNYW on Channel 9's signal. TheGoofyGolfer (talk)
  • And by the way the fact that they are using three different ISP doesn't mean that it isn't the same person I can switch my ISP connection from Verizon Fios to Bright House Networks, to AT&T to Verizon Wireless, hell I can make myself look like I'm in the United Kingdom or Canada or even Germany right now, It's call proxies, also I suspect that some of the edits are coming from mobile devices, so never say never. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 19:40, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
It's a channel transmitting on that space, over that station. It counts, it is sourced, and should not be removed and the circumstances explained within the article. I am going to attempt a compromise edit on both articles in an attempt to ease your concerns (we used to show the actual channel in that template before a long-blocked user unilaterally removed them without discussion) and hopefully that works, but again, editing these articles for years; no sockpuppeteering is going on, this isn't persistent, and no need for any semi-protection. These were good faith IP's trying to restore information you removed that had been in the article for a long time without incident. And no, no normal IP can just 'switch connections'; it's hard to do, we pretty much easily catch open proxies on sight, and Suddenlink is in the Midwest and two different Comcast nodes were used. No socking existed, and please stop persisting in that claim. Nate (chatter) 02:27, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
I have now applied the compromise edits and hope that your concerns have been addressed and that the IPs have also. Nate (chatter) 02:45, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Actually I'm fine with this compromise, Thank you Nate. I'm going to close this discussion now. TheGoofyGolfer (talk) 03:49, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Mutual complaints M.H. and Hijiri 88[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Regarding Michael.haephrati[edit]

Editor is the author of Amiga wordprocessor Rashumon. Article is currently up for AFD (I !voted delete, but I think result is leaning keep). Editor was previously blocked (by User:Canterbury Tail and User:Ohnoitsjamie) for canvassing off-wiki including posting for keep !votes on an amiga forum, and after being blocked emailing many of the editors who !voted in an effort to have them change their votes. In addition to the very obvious meatpuppetry caused by this canvassing, the article/editor in question has a history of socking, most relevant here is User:Haephrati (Master User:Photopinka is ifdeffed). Two separate editors (one being myself, other User:Hijiri88) opened new SPI investigations simultaneously [189] [190] which have yet to receive attention . However, the straw that broke the camels back for me here is now the very blatant repeated removal of comments on the AFD by MH. [191] [192] [193] Gaijin42 (talk) 14:53, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Depending on whether you count the first removal, he's now at 5/6 reverts in the last few hours, and I'm at 4. Apparently he also snuck a comment into one of his reverts, so while trying to protect my own edits I accidentally removed one of his. It was a bad-faith dismissal of my !vote, and he has since demanded on my talk page that I withdraw said !vote, but still. I'm not sure if I should be sanctioned for violating 3RR while attempting to defend my own AFD comments from being removed. Also, as I said on AN, I can't revert the removal of my comments without reverting every other edit in between. Could someone (doesn't have to be an admin) please help me with this? Hijiri 88 (やや) 15:11, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

User:Michael.heaphrati has removed several comments that aren't his own from an AFD and (effectively) hidden them on the talk page where the closer is less likely to notice them. I noticed the most recent one and reverted, but he has now reverted me three times. I'm not asking for sanctions against him, but I need help reverting the first removal. My own intermediate edit prevents me from just reverting back. I'm on a phone so I can't copy-paste more than one word at a time. MH appears not to understand why he isn't allowed remove other users' comments from the AFD. An admin explaining this to him would also be helpful. Hijiri 88 (やや) 14:19, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I would like to report that no announcement was posted in my Talk page.--M. H. 14:55, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)
Following this ANI I have placed back ALL comments (including my replies) back to the main page. Hope now everyone is happy.M. H. 15:00, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)
Why did you remove them in the first place? And are you canvassing for votes at the AFD? UltraExactZZ Said ~ Did 15:13, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Certainly he was, and was blocked for it. (off-wiki, and wiki-email) (I believe there is a WP:CIR issue here, as he maintains that he did nothing wrong. File:Haephrati canvsassing.png Gaijin42 (talk) 15:16, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
1. I still think this the more appropriate place for them is the Talk page, especially as they became more personal and the AfD is about an article not about me in person. 2. Regarding canvassing, I am not canvassing and what I did at start, was in good faith. I published a post which I then altered to be neutral and then removed it completely. The screenshot that is shown is the first version after which I was blocked. I have changed it a short while BEFORE being blocked and apologized. I then alerted the text and only asked anyone who is interested to join the debate and "vote for deleting or keeping the article". Following more complaints, even though, the new text seems to be OK, I have removed it just to be on the safe side. My mistake has nothing to do with this AfD as it is clear that all voters are genuine, most of them have a long editing history.

M. H. 15:27, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes, after the page was protected, editors with long edit history did come to !vote. But How about [194] [195] Gaijin42 (talk) 15:34, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Regarding Hijiri88[edit]

Hijiri 88 has been harassing me and using bad language. See these pages ([[196]] and [page]). He published my personal email address onsite. He used cursing and bad language. An example would be:

"MH, with all due respect, you can take your goddamn personal attacks and accusations about things you know nothing about, and shove them up your ass. The parenthetical statement clearly shows you edited the message after the page was protected. Hijiri 88 (聖やや) 13:27, 27 August 2013 (UTC)" (taken from the talk page).

He is complaining that I am removing his comments to the Talk page but in fact, I moved them and replied to him there (on the talk page), which seems to be more appropriate, especially as his attacks against me are becoming more and more personal. I have no problem moving them back but what Hijiri 88 did was moving his own comments back and deleting my replies to his comments. He also posted what seems to be a non genuine vote, where he attacked me, while the debate is not about me. It is about the article. I have commented bellow and he then deleting my comments. Please look into it. Just ask him to calm down. To avoid such offensive language. I don't have anything against him. I just sent him a personal message suggesting that he stops this fight. Looking forward for your help.M. H. 14:41, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Update: Hijiri 88 continues to delete my comments. I don't know if he is doing it deliberately. He tries to place his comments back to the main AfD page. Even if he is right, he can't do that and at the same time delete my own comments (responses to his). Please advise. M. H. M. H. 15:20, 27 August 2013 (UTC)14:49, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)

Note that MH provides no diff to demonstrate that I published his email address. This is because he made this little tidbit up. He also carefully omits the context of my above somewhat-vulgar response to a comment in which he made a ridiculous and highly offensive accusation against me. He has not admitted that he was wrong and that, given the context of my previously having been stalked in the real world based on my Wikipedia activity, I am justified in being touchy about him attempting to present a revisionist history of said events. Hijiri 88 (やや) 15:40, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
For all the claims of no socking going on, I have to be skeptical. There was originally a misposted canvasing post made to the AfD here. However yesterday Michael made a posting to an Amiga forum canvassing again, and coincidentally used the exact same wording as that other user as per the image posted above. Canterbury Tail talk 15:52, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
[[User talk:Canterbury Tail|, Excuse me but I did not publish any post related to Wikipedia or the article yesterday or since I wrote that I will remove these. --Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:42, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
User:Canterbury Tail Indeed, interestingly, the AFD mispost you diffed there was posted 2 minutes BEFORE the post on the Amiga forums. Certainly there could be clock differences fixing this, but it seems somewhat incredible that if it isn't a sock, he noticed a post and came here to !vote within mere minutes of the post being made. Gaijin42 (talk) 15:57, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
RE: 'He published my personal email address onsite. ' - You posted it on wikipedia yourself, on your user page. I think the cows had already left the barn. - MrOllie (talk) 15:53, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
... and yet, you can't publish mine and I can't published yours.M. H. 15:56, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)
QuotingWP:OUTING, "Posting another editor's personal information is harassment, unless that person had voluntarily posted his or her own information". - MrOllie (talk) 16:00, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
As MrOllie notes; as you've already published it on Wikipedia, re-posting it is not a violation of the outing policy, nor any other policy here. --Errant (chat!) 16:02, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
To be fair, I didn't mean to publish the email of a Wikipedia editor. I copy-pasted part of a posting on an external forum in which MH asked people to help him with the AFD (something he has consistently denied doing more than once). I just forgot to delete the part of the quotation where he published his own email. Hijiri 88 (やや) 16:31, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The email address was not published ever in Wikipedia, which is why it IS a breach. It was taken from the Amiga forum post. Michael Haephrati 16:55, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)
To be honest; because it was a good faith mistake, and because you've publicly published it elsewhere on the internet, the usual response here would be to remind Hijiri88 take care in future. Which I am sure he will. However it's also worth noting that the email address appears on your user page here on Wikipedia in the Contact me section. --Errant (chat!) 17:18, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Here is a SECOND (made also on the 22nd) off-wiki post by Haephrati canvassing for !votes. [197] (The other message has since been gutted [198]Gaijin42 (talk) 16:29, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Note for Uninvolved - since the link above was posted, Michael has deleted the post so it no longer exists, but for reference was a duplicate of the same canvasing wording mentioned above. Canterbury Tail talk 16:44, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Removed the first one as well. BUT this is not canvassing for votes! This is a natural invitation to express an opinion in a debate. M. H. 16:48, 27 August 2013 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michael.haephrati (talkcontribs)
It absolutely is canvassing. Offwiki post, on a forum full of sympathetic Amiga-philes. It is clear WP:VOTESTACKING. and stealth (not to mention your email canvassing which is also covered by stealth). And the messages as originally posted were not neutral, and were campaigning. It is a violation of almost every portion of WP:CANVASSING. Gaijin42 (talk) 16:56, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Michael; I read the original message. Firstly I did see the post before I deleted the image - that was definitely inappropriate canvassing. You are welcome to recruit more people to comment on an AFD, but the message must be neutral, you can't only notify people sympathetic to your cause and ideally you should only be notifying those with an knowledge of Wikipedia policy who are able to contribute. Your post failed on all those three points; you notified a forum sympathetic to your views and directed them to post in support of keeping the article. Posting off-wiki in general only serves to scupper your viewpoint, incidentally, because what happens is exactly what happened here; the AFD gets stuffed with redlinked on-edit contributors.. and the closing admin immediately discounts great swathes of !votes. I'm trying to get my head round this timeline but it looks like you were blocked on the 23rd for a post on the 22nd which canvassed support? And this morning you posted an additional canvassing post on that forum? If that's the case is it now clear to you what our canvassing rules are? And will you undertake not to violate them a further time? To the others, lets tone it down a bit please - some of the rhetoric in that AFD thread is disappointing to say the least --Errant (chat!) 17:12, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I confirm that I have posted offsite invitations to visit the AdF. I did that one time onsite (the Amiga Software talk page) and was then warranted, but did it also offsite (the screenshot), and in good faith, asking people to vote to keep the article. I was then explained that canvassing, even if done off site, is against the rules. I was then blocked by just before being blocked I already apologized and moderated my post to a more natural voice, just asking people to participate in the debate and to vote either for keeping or to deleting the article.
I was then asked to remove it, and had long discussions and debate which in my opinion became very emotional and personal. However, I removed the moderated version as well, just to be on the safe site. I also understand the other point you have listed here which is addressing audience which by nature might be in favor of my side of the debate. For example, calling employees of a certain company to vote (to keep or to delete) an article about this company. Obviously, this is canvassing because naturally, these employees will vote in favor. Just for the sake of the argument, the forum (Amiga.org) is not a forum of Rashumon user, nor a Rashumon user group but a forum of Amiga users. So can't one invite Amiga users to an AfD of an Amiga software product?
But, as I said, I removed the 2nd version. I definitely DID NOT post anything today or yesterday or since I announced that to be on the safe side I am deleting my forum message. Just to clear the table, I have deleted today an identical post message which had the old title but the body was just a call to send sources about Rashumon without mentioning Wikipedia at all. I changed the title.
Please address my own ANI here (which was united with the ones against me. My complaint is about using bad language and cursing.
In a nutshell, Hijiri 88 wrote the following in the AfD page: ""MH, with all due respect, you can take your goddamn personal attacks and accusations about things you know nothing about, and shove them up your ass. The parenthetical statement clearly shows you edited the message after the page was protected." :Should I post it again separately? Michael Haephrati 17:30, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Updated: Michael Haephrati 17:39, 27 August 2013 (UTC) Updated: Michael Haephrati 17:41, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I also wish to add the following text: "Ugh. So we've found ONE thing he technically wasn't lying about, although I did just accidentally copy-paste too much of his public forum post, and he did lie to me a bunch of times by claiming he wasn't still canvassing".

I would like to provide diffs for my original claim and add a new claim (as this personal attack continues): See this diff. Despite the fact that I did not post anything new, canvas or not canvas, that isn't the issue here. The issue is using bad language and personal attacks. Calling another editor a liar, for example, writing ("... he did lie to me a bunch of times ...") is inappropriate. So does using cynical tone, such as ("So we've found ONE thing he technically wasn't lying about..") is also a personal attack and should be stopped. Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:34, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:34, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

As asked here is the diff for publishing my personal email address. He got my email from an offsite blog post even though the same address aparantly was listed by me when I created my personal page (I completely forgot about it). so this address was never published in Wikipedia before.Michael Haephrati (talk) 20:19, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:40, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Your email address is published, by you, directly on your user page, so there is no violation. You are repeatedly lying about your behavior, or the behavior of others. Gaijin42 (talk) 19:45, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
YOU are repeatedly lying about things you claim I have done. I will not tolerate you or anyone calling me a layer. You are creating a personal attack against me. The email was copied from a forum post and I don't think the fact that the same address is published in my talk page has anything to do with that. Michael Haephrati (talk) 20:16, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Move to close[edit]

This thread has gone in circles, and doesn't show any signs of leaving that. I suggest that both users are warned about refactoring comments, accidentally or deliberately, Michael is given a final WP:CANVASS-warning (which means not posting anything about AfD debates on fansites or fan forums, regardless of the wording - the audience is never going to be neutral) and we all move on from this. Also, Michael, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using profanity, being cynical, or making factually correct statements on Wikipedia; some of the things you are complaining about fit these categories, although not all do. Please read WP:NOTCENSORED. Lukeno94 (tell Luke off here) 19:38, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

These are two different claims. I would like my claim about the bad language (which continues) to be dealt. Calling someone a lair or indicating that someone "is lying" is inappropriate. There are more moderate ways to express a disagreement.
About the canvasing issue, even though I did not post anything new, not yesterday, not today and not before (with the exception of what was already dealt here again and again), "fan forums" indeed create the risk of canvasing as all the participators or the audience are having an orientation towards the subject (such as a product). In my case, an Amiga forum is a wider and neutral audience, same as Microsoft Windows users (which is - all of us) are. They can be considered to be objective audience when it comes to a product that runs on Windows. Michael Haephrati (talk) 19:49, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Maybe by using 'proof by contradiction', it might be easier to understand if you provide some examples of neutral audience that an invitation to join an AfD debate would be appropriate for them. Sorry for repeating this point but I would really like to learn from my mistake. --Michael Haephrati (talk) 20:09, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Michael; you;ll notice I made a general comment about toning down the conversation above. So hopefully that will take effect. But in general the comments made do not rise to a sanctionable level. We offer a strong warning to everyone and hope that you take the time to disengage. Thanks for clarifying the sequence of events, that is fine. As an example of who might be worth notifying - Wikproject Computing perhaps. Or if there is a Retro Computing Wiki Project, that would also be a useful place to put a neutral notification. As I understand it the accusations of lying relate to you saying you have not canvassed and them saying that is untrue. Now, I definitely agree that could have been worded better, but does it not seem to be the case? What I prpose to do is go and hat the conversation in that AFD and then you all move on to more pleasant interactions. --Errant (chat!) 20:21, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
Thanks!!! regarding my claim about calling my a liar, I was referring to the claims that I have continue canvasing which was not true. I did not continue, and forum users tend to duplicate such messages and re-post them, but I was not able to locate the user who has done that. Please remember that everything must be assumed as good faith. 5 minutes ago I realized that my own personal Wikipedia page has my email and I put it there and completely forgot! Why would I lie about that? Thanks again. I really appreciate how this ANI was handled. Michael Haephrati (talk) 20:27, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Otto Placik editing plastic surgery articles[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Otto Placik (talk · contribs), whose user page identifies him as a Chicago-based plastic surgeon, fails to follow WP:BRD and insists on edit-warring a major re-write into labiaplasty. He has now been reverted by three different editors: User:SlimVirgin, User:‎Christopher Connor and myself. His large-scale changes have been reinserted five times this month:

All of us feel that the changes turn the page into an advertisement for the procedure (which is, after all, one Mr Placik performs in his day job as a plastic surgeon in order to earn a living).

Also note this earlier revert by a similar Chicago-based single-purpose IP. (Note: Casliber has now fully protected the article.)

As SlimVirgin has pointed out on Talk:Labiaplasty, there is a significant and recurrent history of COI and neutrality concerns expressed about Otto Placik at WikiProject Medicine, over a period of years. The most recent discussions were [199] and [200] – note for example comment by Jmh649: "I would agree that some of this appears to be little more than advertising." Also note the list of single-purpose accounts and IPs editing Wikipedia solely to come to Otto Placik's aid, provided by Paravis in this discussion. They were all blocked by PeterSymonds in 2009:

In my opinion, there is a consistent pattern of abuse, incl. edit-warring with the aid of meat- or sockpuppets, across multiple articles, spanning at least four years, and Dr Placik should be banned from editing articles on plastic surgery, broadly defined, if not community-banned.

Speaking to the broader point, we have had problems with plastic surgeons in this topic area before (e.g. WP:COI issues re plastic surgery articles; Plastic surgeon using Wikipedia as an advertisement for his services; etc.). Vigilance should be exercised, as almost any woman or man contemplating plastic surgery is likely to consult Wikipedia as a supposedly neutral reference source before making the decision to spend several thousand dollars on plastic surgery. They trust Wikipedia not to be written and illustrated by the same people who author and illustrate plastic surgeons' commercial websites and brochures (example: [201], [202], [203], [204]). Andreas JN466 05:51, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Also note the discussion section below on the apparent relationship between User:Otto Placik and User:Mhazard9. Andreas JN466 01:49, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Support ban[edit]

  • Support both topic and community ban, given the above history, especially the recurrent pattern of single-purpose meatpuppets or sockpuppets. Andreas JN466 06:06, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • (edit conflict)Support with proviso that if he can be more WP:CIVIL than the comments I saw on the article, I would not have a problem with him proposing changes on the talkpage. He definitely needs to stay away from the article space in that area. Clearly both WP:COI and WP:SPAM. Are the other accounts tied to him? I wasn't sure if you are also questioning the use of sock- or meat-puppets for action here. I mean besides the ones that are already blocked. If so, that needs to be addressed at WP:SPI, not here. indef community ban and block based on socking evidence below and at SPI. GregJackP Boomer! 06:10, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • CommentSupport topic ban (would be willing to reconsider if the user in question agree to not continue the issues in question). It is unlikely that the user in question is going to edit anything other than plastic surgery and therefore a topic ban is more or less a block. While some of his images are concerning others are good as discussed below. Concerns however include the "other new accounts" that have appear to help him and the use of some primary rather than secondary sources. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 09:39, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support topic ban per above users, Oppose community ban. Community bans should be a last resort, so we ought to see if topic banning will solve the problem first. Mark Arsten (talk) 16:26, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support community ban. There's already evidence of a concerted effort to spam WP, which may include socking. It is not uncommon for bans to be handed out for socking itself, so in conjunction with the spammy behavior, etc, a community ban is a no-brainer, at least from my perspective. -- UseTheCommandLine ~/talk ]# ▄ 18:37, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support topic ban. I also support a community ban given the protracted nature of the problems. SlimVirgin (talk) 18:47, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support at least a topic ban. Well-documented problems voiced by many editors over several threads. User seems intent on having his version of the article, and other editors' concerns are simply dismissed and their edits repeatedly reverted with edit summaries such as "Corrections to the text; reverting vandalism by Slim Virgin Adminstrator", "Corrections to the text; factual agreement with the cited medical sources, for NPOV. Please discuss before reverting", "Corrections to the text; facts and source citations, as agreed with Flyer 22", "Corrections to the text; clarifications and source citations", "Undid pov-pushing revision 569950714 by Jayen466". Clearly he believes only his edits are 'correct' and sees other editors as obstacles he has to overcome. Not interested in helping to write a neutral encyclopedia and not interested in working with others. Christopher Connor (talk) 21:17, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support community ban (edited based on evidence of sockpuppetry) broad topic ban, which will be functionally equivalent to a community ban. Disease mongering is a terrible, terrible thing; as a widely used resource perceived to be unbiased, Wikipedia has a vital role in countering it. Between this user's article edits and their perceptions of other users (accurately summarised by Christopher Connor above), this user's edits are a net negative, and I can't see that changing. Adrian J. Hunter(talkcontribs) 01:48, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support community ban.--Taylornate (talk) 08:04, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support a topic ban and an indefinite block - this hasn't reached WP:CBAN territory yet, but this is blatantly an editor who is not here to improve the encyclopedia. The indef would continue until clue improves; the topic ban could then be discussed by the community if the editor is willing to demonstrate a good-faith constructive effort. If, on the other hand, disruption continues after tban+indef, it'll be time to suggest a cban. - The Bushranger One ping only 16:51, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support a community ban per WP:COI and WP:SPAM he has been warned, and the proper messages placed on this Talk page, I don't see what else can be done to let him know what he is doing is wrong. - Knowledgekid87 (talk) 16:57, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support a community ban. This is a single-purpose, POV-pushing, sock/meat puppeteer with a personal commercial interest diametrically opposed to this project's mission. If Wikipedia had a press office, I'd be recommending a press release about this behaviour. --Anthonyhcole (talk · contribs · email) 17:07, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support indefinite block over sockpuppetry; the evidence this is yet another violation by the editor also known as Mhazard9 was convincing even before they dug themselves deeper into the hole here. Impose topic ban in the unlikely event editor makes a successful request to have the block lifted. Hullaballoo Wolfowitz (talk) 22:39, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support community ban. The oppose below is the icing on the cake, and for me such an action engenders an irrevocable loss of trust. -- Hillbillyholiday talk 07:21, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support, persistent disrespect for several Wikipedia policies and guidelines, motivated by personal gain. I question whether it is enough to block them from editing a handful of pages, I think they will just move on to others, see my discussion comment below. Lesion (talk) 22:16, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support site ban - based on the evidence presented here. The promotional use of Wikipedia is one of the most serious dangers we face, and this person appears to be adept at it. Beyond My Ken (talk) 06:56, 27 August 2013 (UTC)
  • Support Site Ban: Socking and abusing the Wiki multiple times? meet both of those criteria, and i'll support you going BOOM. Buh Bye! from being allowed to edit. (don't worry, I know I can't be taken seriously.) MM (Report findings) (Past espionage) 20:12, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Oppose ban[edit]

I, the Editor Mhazard9, strongly oppose any ban of User:Otto Placik from Wikipedia, because no one has presented factual contradictions of his Labiaplasty contribution [[205], which is the editorial business matter discussed in the Discussion Page of the Labiaplasty article. Instead, you have used this Edit Conflict to concentrate upon the politics of personality conflict, character assassination, in effort to ban User: Otto Placik from Wikipedia, because you dislike his branch of medicine.

With this very hurried ANI, you are acting in bad faith; despite his rules-and-regulations violations, no one here has bothered to counter, with facts, any of the claims, made against Dr. Placik and his contributions. In fact, Dr. Placik asked Slimvirgin to provide factual evidence of his editorial mistakes:

So, let us meet half-way, and you begin the dialogue, by showing the specific sections, subsections, and sentences that are factually untrue. Playing games is conduct unbecoming a Wikipedia Administrator, the ethical onus is upon you, because it is you, Slimvirgin and cohort, who disagree with the medical facts of a medical article. The sources are listed, please explain where the article does not correspond to the facts cited."

Slimvirgin ignored him, and did not practice BRD, the very violation of which Dr. Placik is accused; that the accused, Dr. Placik, abided the BRD, and that the accuser, Slimvirgin, did not abide the BRD, which she requested, confirms the witch-hunt nature of this ANI. So far, no one here has abided and practiced the BRD formula, instead, you have unwisely reached for the truncheon, the pitchfork, and the torch, to storm Castle Placik.

By flouting the Wikipedia rules, and attacking the man rather than the the plastic-surgery-text, you are acting unwisely and emotionally, more from philosophic opposition than from factual dispute. After all, if Dr. Placik lied, can Slimvirgin and her cohort not SHOW it with evidence (from the Placik text) rather than with wiki-lawyering chicanery? Manipulating "the rules" to kill the messenger.

Character assassination by spurious accusation

Habeas corpus? Do you have the body of evidence, of bad faith malfeasance, from the Placik Labiaplasty text? Especially indicative of the witch-hunt nature of this ANI, convened with suspicion-inducing swiftness, are:

  • the Labiaplasty Discussion Page comment "I would rather use an educational image that is untainted by a commercial conflict of interest", by Andreas JN466 (19:25, 24 August 2013 UTC) is an illogical and emotional opinion meant to inflame the anti–Placik and anti–plastic-surgery passion . . . because only surgeons perform labiaplasty, therefore, from where might the opponent's of Dr. Placik find a politically correct labiaplasty image?
In this matter, even Doc James recognises his limitations (medical, professional, and intellectual) about the subject, because he is an ER surgeon, so his opinion is just an opinion, not fact; likewise Slimvirgin's opinion and those of the other lay editors wrestling with medical matters beyond their ken; here intrudes unpleasant reality about medical articles, cf. Wikipedia: anti-elitism and Wikipedia:Competence is required.
  • Andreas JN466 said that Dr. Placik is pushing his numerical definition of labiaplasty. That is factually untrue, because he has chosen to ignore the supplied medical-source citations, specifically: Labiaplasty and Labia Minora Reduction, by Davison SP, West JE, Caputy G, Talavera Fco., Stadelmann WK, Slenkovich NG. (23 June 2008), at eMedicine.com; Clinical Techniques: Evaluation and Result of Reduction Labioplasty, by Rezzai A. and Jansson P., in The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery. Volume 24, No. 2, 2007; Hypertrophy of Labia Minora — Pathomorphology and Surgical Treatment, by Kruk–Jeromin J, Zieliński T. in Ginekologia Polska. 2010 April;81 (4):298302. [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20476604]; and Labiaplasty of the Labia minora: Patients’ Indications for Pursuing Surgery, by Miklos JR, Moore RD, in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2008 June;5(6):1492–95. DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.00813.x. E-pub 19 March 2008.
These real-life doctors provided the clinical numbers, and the hypertrophy medical terms, that Dr. Placik published to substantiate "his version" of the Labiaplasty article; the data and the terms are factual realities, which exist outside of Wikipedia.
  • "Indeed. Disease-mongering is a terrible thing", said Adrian J. Hunter (01:32, 25 August 2013 UTC). Yes, but where in the Labiaplasty article does Dr. Placik do that?

That I, User: Mhazard9, am mentioned here is flattering, but I am a Wikipedia Editor separate and apart from User: Otto Placik. That I have edited some of his pages means . . . that I have edited some of his pages, nothing more. Timing is irrelevant, because how soon I edit, after another editor, does not mean I am in cahoots with him or her; the same can be said and argued about the coincidental edits of the editors who proviked this ANI. After all, freedom to edit is the point of the publishing enterprise that is Wikipedia; or is that now contingent upon ideological interpretation?

To speak of a subject is not to advocate it, merely to discuss it; yet, that once was the case with homosexuality, Communism, and the civil rights of coloured folk. To defend User: Otto Placik is not to agree with him, or to be him, or to be inherently evil, but, the open nature of Wikipedia, does allow me to edit any article, or is that not so?

Recommendation

Instead of banning User: Otto Placik, I recommend dropping this ANI, and that Slimvirgin and Prof. Dr. Placik workout her claims of factual dispute about the Labiaplasty article. After all, it is only a Wikipedia article.

I shall provide more examples.

Mhazard9 (talk) 19:06, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

The key is a willingness to work with other editors and not to use additional accounts. None promotional images can be created and he has created some. Would be good to have a response from the user in question. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 19:55, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
Note that there is an ongoing sockpuppet investigation concerning Mhazard9 and Otto Placik; Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Mhazard9. Andreas JN466 20:27, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
I think the fact that he refers to a Wikipedia article as "the Placik Labiaplasty text" is pretty telling in terms of WP:OWN. Mhazard9, you may wish to address the sock puppet allegations directly at the SPI. To address one of your concerns: You mention the open nature of Wikipedia, yet one of the reasons Placik is being discussed here is that he has been effectively closing Wikipedia articles to users other than himself. Also note that in the same sentence, you seem to have slipped into the first person, though I guess you could say you meant it figuratively.--Taylornate (talk) 21:53, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Discussion[edit]

GregJackP, as for the various single-purpose accounts, all of whose edits were related to Otto Placik, Sarahjjohnson123 (talk · contribs) and Emilymiller123 (talk · contribs) were indefinitely blocked; 75.63.221.230 (talk · contribs) was blocked for a week in 2009. As for the other Chicago-based IPs that have been active recently,

  • 64.107.183.186 (talk · contribs) has only one contribution in the last seven years, edit summary: "Reverted POV version by Slimvirgin, restored NPOV version by User Otto Placik."
  • 64.107.183.115 (talk · contribs) has only one article space contribution in the last seven years, edit summary: "Restored factual version by User:Otto Placik, Because Wikipedia is not censored, will the 'majority' of four editors please explain their bogus COI-censorship of Dr. Placik's contribution?" (plus one edit to Talk:Labiaplasty).

The pattern, focus and geographical proximity are clear enough without troubling SPI. Andreas JN466 06:33, 24 August 2013 (UTC)

Yes the potential use of sockpuppets or others closely tied to him to help him edit is of concern. Also the edit warring here [206] Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 08:56, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • While many of his images are professional looking they are also a little spammy. Take a look at this before and afters [207] no makeup on the before, wearing on the after, [208] no suntan on the before suntan on the after, [209] no suntan on the before however suntan on the after, and same here [210] and [211]. There appears to be efforts to improve the after images in ways other than the surgery which makes them look like an infomercial. Other images however are not so bad [212] Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 09:21, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
      • Well spotted on the images. It seems to me images like that (lipstick on "after", no lipstick on "before" etc.) are incompatible with Wikipedia's educational purpose, and should be nominated for deletion. Andreas JN466 16:56, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
    • Jmh649, beyond the question of images and primary sourcing, there are subtle and not-so-subtle POV problems with the text. To give just one example, his version of the labiaplasty article makes dozens of references to "hypertrophy of the labia" and seeks to present labia that are entirely within the normal anatomical range as a "morphological condition" or "deformity", as "congenital defects" and "congenital abnormalities" ("caused by endocrine disease").
    • Phrases like "The clinical indications for labial hypertrophy" (2nd para of the lead) are bordering on mumbo-jumbo. In fact, there is no generally accepted definition for "hypertrophy of the labia minora", and it is certainly no "congenital defect" – it's simply normal anatomical variation of women's bodies, just like there are 5-inch and 8-inch penises in men.
    • To summarise, Dr. Placik's texts seem apt to make girls and women with entirely normal bodies feel that they have medical conditions requiring an investment of several thousand dollars in plastic surgery paid to someone like Dr Placik to "correct" their "congenital defect". Dr Placik's name and location are helpfully linked on the image pages in Commons, and there is his smiling face on his user page.
    • It should be obvious that Wikipedia is at great risk of being used here in a rather cynical way to drum up business for various types of plastic surgery (which is not without its health risks) in general, and plastic surgeons' private practices in particular, at the expense of providing our readers with neutral information. It's a recurring situation that has gone on literally for years, over many articles. Last year we had another plastic surgeon who created a Wikipedia article on the "mommy makeover" that mirrored his commercial website, and then put out an actual press release (!) about it: "Mommy Makeover Presented by San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Miguel Delgado, is a New and Exciting Addition to Wikipedia". The people intended to benefit from this are not the readers of these articles, who will include many young and impressionable teenagers, but the plastic surgery business. The labiaplasty article alone gets well over 300,000 page views per year. Wikipedia allows this at its peril. Andreas JN466 16:39, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
Yes agree with this analysis. Yes remember the mommy makeover issue. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 19:19, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
There seems to be an unusual unanimity on this incident. As long as notices have been placed on these editors Talk Pages (I haven't checked) is there any reason action on this issue can't be taken this weekend? Liz Read! Talk! 23:12, 24 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I noticed this problem in June 2009 after a spam report. Wikipedia is a sitting duck for the rather clever adverts that plastic surgeons can insert since many people contemplating surgery would come here seeking information. Some quality photos are helpful, but the pictures in question are often promotional, and the editing is disruptive. I'm not expressing a view on how the matter should be handled atm; I guess I'm not sure it can be handled. Johnuniq (talk) 10:02, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I am not particularly involved in this, but I would just like to comment that I found another image uploaded by Otto Placik of a cosmetic procedure, with the characteristic lighting and make up differences in the "before" and "after" which are unencyclopedic representations of the cosmetic procedure that is depicted. I would therefore question whether selectively banning this user from labioplasty alone will stop the non NPOV, COI editing behavior. Lesion (talk) 22:11, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Possible relationship with User:Mhazard9[edit]

See sockpuppet investigation. Note that both accounts, Mhazard9 and Otto Placik, have edited the same plastic surgery articles, in an alternating manner. Andreas JN466 03:49, 25 August 2013 (UTC)

Do you have to call it an "edit war", implying a legitimate content dispute? I was one of the more persistent users removing essentially undisputed NFCC violations that Mhazard9 repeatedly inserted into articles. (Note the "picture is worth a thousand words" comment on Placik's user page, a sentiment Mhazard9 echoed). On another point related to sockpuppetry, note that Placik's standard edit summaries are very similar to Mhazard9's, almost never addressing the substance of their edits. Hullaballoo Wolfowitz (talk) 22:34, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
To be clear, there was no legitimate content dispute. Mhazard9 was edit-warring with Hullaballoo Wolfowitz to re-insert clear NFCC policy violations which Hullaballoo Wolfowitz had removed. Andreas JN466 01:45, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
I've added one piece of evidence to the SPI that I feel is particularly damning. If you are of the opinion that a topic ban would be functionally equivalent to a community ban, please consider this alleged relationship.--Taylornate (talk) 07:57, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
All I'm seeing is more and more evidence that a topic ban is warranted. As long as the editor has been notified, is there anything preventing a topic ban? Liz Read! Talk! 19:06, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
A topic ban is insufficient if the link to Mhazard9 is confirmed. In June, Mhazard9 narrowly escaped an indef block here [213] (and note the warning in their unblock request here [214]. This defiance needs to be stopped. Hullaballoo Wolfowitz (talk) 22:34, 25 August 2013 (UTC)
  • A total indefinite block is what is warranted for both accounts; this is the usual way we deal with persistently entirely promotional editors, and is usually applied without hesitation even by admins who are, like me, very reluctant to block. This will permit the use of G5 to deal with further attempts. DGG ( talk ) 03:10, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
Concur. GregJackP Boomer! 04:47, 26 August 2013 (UTC)
  • I made some comments on Mhazard9's previous disruption and evasion of scrutiny through an IPsock at WP:SPI.[215] I would agree that on-wiki evidence makes the account indistinguishable from that of Otto Placik. Because of his recent editing history, including the comments here, I would support an indefinite block on both accounts. Mathsci (talk) 05:00, 26 August 2013 (UTC)

Possible legal threat[edit]

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


I apologize if (1) I am in the wrong place or (2) this does not warrant your attention. I noticed this edit and this edit that appear to be a legal threat, or something akin to it. I felt it best to bring it to your attention. EvergreenFir (talk) 02:01, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

This is a WP:DOLT moment right here. Let's keep WP:BLP in mind and remove anything that isn't necessary; including anything from an WP:AFD.--v/r - TP 02:04, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Fixed with this edit. We should be done here.--v/r - TP 02:07, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Thank you for attending to this. Being new here, I was unaware of WP:DOLT but remember it in the future. Cheers. EvergreenFir (talk) 10:13 am, Today (UTC+8)

Extra question: Should the two edits I linked be removed as they are a legal threat? They also contain personal info. EvergreenFir (talk) 02:21, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

Another edit has occurred related to this. EvergreenFir (talk) 02:22, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

I took the matter straight to Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Archive252#Spam mail IP? and his posts were scrubbed. I have absolutely no idea who he was, what he was talking about, or why he picked one of my pages from all the users on Wiki. Nor am I interested. Ma®©usBritish{chat} 04:48, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Deleting reliable source of Turkish/Muslim civilians deaths[edit]

Please look here [[216]]. The source for the number of Turkish/Muslim civilians deaths in western anatolia during Greek occupation 1919-1921 is being deleted. The deleting users do original research on the talk page [[217]] and claim the death toll exceeds total muslim number. They claim muslim pop was 1.1 mil but they only use a statistic of 1893 for Aydın Vilayet. But the source refers to all areas occupied by Greece. (Aydin Vilayet Hudavendigar Vilayet Biga Vilayet Kocaeli Vilayet parts of Ankara Vilayet. In those areas 3-4 million Muslims were living before Greek occupation.

In Aydın, Muslim population was 1.4 million in 1914 but the deleting users use a census of 1893 which is 20 years earlier! The Ottoman census of 1914 here [[218]]. They add sources which states at least 15.000 Turks were massacred however those sources call this a minimum number and do not exclude at all that the death toll was hıgher. As it is known from many sources Greek troops burned many villages and towns during occupation and muslim death toll was very high.

The source comes from Cambridge University and the author is Dawn Chatty. Still they deleted the source by doing original research, can you please correct this or inform admins? Thanks88.250.208.19 (talk) 12:15, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

Chatty is using McCarty as a source but now they claim McCarty is unreliable because he denies Armeniam genocide. Correction he does not deny massacres or death toll but only questions the terminology of Genocide, still vague criticism towards him by some in that case is unrelated to the present topic of the Greco Turkish war, his books are used by mainstream academics. They also remove J. Rummel because they claim the issue is too comlex to be added in footnotes. The argument makes no sense as all other genocide death tolls are added in footnotes. They could brimg new sources to the casualty list however they chose to delete all sources which the they do not like, to make it clear all sources which mention Turkish/Muslim casualties.

McCarty uses historical sources to calculate the Muslim and Christian population before the war period and after, the result of his extensive shows the dissapearence of nearly 1,2 million Muslims and 0,3 million Greeks. His figure for Greek casualties is close to that of Rummel 0.26 million. However Rummel gives no total number but mentions that at least 15,000 Turks were massacred by Greeks.

Furthermore they claim McCarty uses deaths earlier then the Greco Turkish War 1919-1922, from 1913 till 1922, howevere this is again wp:or, the reason 1913 is chosen is because that was the moment before the wars. The Muslim death toll from 1913 till 1919 was very small im comparison to the Greek occupation when hundreds of villages and dozens of towns were burned down and massacred by Greek troops, this is confirmed by contemporary western sources. Still they claim that 1,2 million is too vague and is not for the Greco Turkish war period, they base this on nothing, as it is clear almost all Muslim deaths ocurred during the Greek occupation.


These are the sources: Notes: According to research by R. J. Rummel, during the war (1919-1922) nearly 264,000 Greeks and at least 15,000 Muslim Turks had died.[1][2] According to McCarthy's estimates, nearly 1.2 million Muslims in western Anatolia and 313,000 Anatolian Greeks had died in the period ranging from 1913 to 1922.[3][4]

In short they are searching for excuses to censor the Muslim casualties or minimise them towards a very small number.

Blatant pov pushing and denial of Muslim casualties is the case in this article and has beimg goimg on for a long time. Admins have to look at this case, and stop this behaviour without warnings or sanctions it encourages them to do even more pov pushing, source distortion and original research. This is like denial of the Holocaust, but in this case only because the victims were Turkish Muslims they are allowed to censor it and no admin is interested to stop this. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.250.208.19 (talk) 12:34, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

This is an ongoing content dispute, which is in the middle of a recently started discussion at Talk:List of massacres in Turkey (and, I note, the OP has not yet participated in). This going through the normal process for a content dispute, and I am recommending no admin action at this time, and a suggestion that the OP particpate in the talk page discussion). Singularity42 (talk) 13:46, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

O.K obvious pov pushing, deleting academic sources, doing original research, source distortion, wk:canvass, false accusations against authors/books is allowed when the victims are Turks. It is clear why Turkish topic articles are so shit when retarded anti Turkish nationalists can do whatever they please by encouragement and ignorance from equally retarded admins.

Note: The above unlogged user, is obviously (according to the tone of his language) perma banned in such topics user:DragonTiger23, per wp:ae [[219]]. He insists to restore, in a desperate attempt, his pov versions in the specific articles, but no wonder he received a perma ban due to problematic behavior.Alexikoua (talk) 10:42, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

Note: The above user is an extremely pov pushing non neutral editor on wikipedia and should be perm blocked a long time ago for his disrupted behaviour in Turkish articles. He is the one who removed the source with his original reseach in the first place, as always, some time later he was supported by his canvassing buddy user:Athenean and later by more. Their goal is giving the fake appearance of a neutral discussion to outsiders. As for user:DragonTiger23, who was blocked by the manipulations of the above and his canvassing buddies, not that DT23 will be the last as these professional swindlers have the desire to block everyone who disagrees with them.

A latest example of his behaviour:

  • removing information and sources from an article where Greek troops massacred Turkish villagers by removing a list of burned villages. [[220]]
  • adding as a retaliation(?) a massacre of Greeks by Turks. [[221]]

Harassing an administrator?[edit]

I noticed something strange. User:99.119.130.219 has been on Wikipedia less than a day, yet in his first five hours he reverted administrator User:Arthur Rubin 22 times.[222][223][224][225][226][227][228][229][230][231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240][241][242][243]

On a totally unrelated note, did you ever notice that sometimes a new set of socks has a distinctive duck-like smell? Weird, huh? --Guy Macon (talk) 13:06, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

It looks like quacking to me. See User:Arthur Rubin/IP list for others, although this one seemed to start with reverting my reversions of those socks. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 14:13, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Not all socks smell bad. Jauersockdude?/dude. 15:02, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
He's right you know, they don't smell bad after they've been blocked. heh heh. MM (Report findings) (Past espionage) 15:07, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Many people are under the false impressions that sockpuppets are slimy. Actually, they are dry and leathery to the touch, with a just a faint odor of desperation mixed with bile. --Guy Macon (talk) 17:42, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

Repeated Personal attacks[edit]

I have warned Subtropical-man (talk · contribs) about NPA several times. The user does not like WP:NFC and thinks that he can ignore it. During a discussion I asked Black Kite (talk · contribs · blocks · protections · deletions · page moves · rights · RfA) to assist in trying to explain policy because I know that they understand non-free content very well and are fairly good at getting that information across to users who dont necessarily get the policy when informed about it. They have made multiple posts accusing me and Black Kite of abuses, manipulation, and meat-puppetry. These outrageous personal attacks need to stop. I have attempted to warn the user about it but I am ignored. I can pull multiple diffs but is a recent example of his repeated claims Werieth (talk) 17:08, 28 August 2013 (UTC)

Now he is going back and revising his comments [244] to assert the "fact" that enforcing WP:NFCC is "bad". Can we please get a NFC topic ban on Subtropical-man to end this madness? Werieth (talk) 17:14, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
sorry, I do not understand - as a statement of fact is a personal attack? how to write fact that dozens of users consider your methods as bad (without personal attack)? I do not intend to attack anyone, I wanted to write some facts. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:20, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Calling another's edits bad, because you disagree with them is a personal attack. Its not dozens of users, there are about 6 or so that are causing the drama. If you take a look at the files I am removing and NFC you will see that my actions are according to policy. However because you are invested with the articles where I removed files you are unable to step back and review it from a neutral perspective. Werieth (talk) 17:28, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
with "6", you have edit-wars. Number of users against a much larger. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:34, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
  • several times? please links to this several times?
  • your and Black Kite edits are wrong by multiple users wikipedia, see dozens discussions, edit-wars with you and other.
  • also you are using personal attacks and slander, for example: [245][]. I suggest finish writing these things (I and You), and focus on the substantive discussion to be a consensus between you and Black Kite and rest of users. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:16, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Because people do not agree with NFC. In at least one case I brought here to ANI and the user was blocked for noncompliance. There is consensus its WP:NFC you just dont accept it. Werieth (talk) 17:21, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
"NFC you just dont accept it" - this is also personal attack - slander, again. I accept NFC, but I and many other users not accept your over-interpretation of NFC and methods remove of files. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:29, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
  • There is nothing wrong with this edit by Werieth or its edit summary. I'm trying to parse the grammar of the comments linked by Werieth; it's not easy, but what I see is not acceptable. The claims of meatpuppetry are of course baseless, and without a shred of evidence (there is no evidence, besides the fact that both Black Kite and Werieth seem to have a correct grasp of NFC) such accusations are indeed personal attacks. The last controversial addition of such content was here and Subtropical-man was subsequently warned by Black Kite; I hope the editor will think twice about another such edit. If it happens, they should be blocked. A topic ban may be discussed later, but for now I think zero tolerance toward adding such content, and toward making personal accusations, is in order. Drmies (talk) 17:35, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
    Despite the fact that offended me in the description of editing and writing slander about me. I do not intend to attack anyone, I wanted to write some facts. If someone is offended - sorry. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:37, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
    Again with the personal attacks, My comments are not slander. Werieth (talk) 17:39, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
    Sorry, my English is still weak (I'm still learning), maybe better word is "aspersion" or "libel", generally: writing not the truth about someone. By the way, writing about edit by someone as trolling is also personal attack. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:45, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
    Again calling my comments anything similar to what you are saying is a personal attack. I am not not saying anything un-true, I just think your understanding of NFC is incomplete. Have you ever considered that due to English not being your primary language that you might not be understanding the policies correctly? I know English is an extremely difficult language to learn. Take a few days to read through the archives of WT:NFC you will come to understand WP:NFC a lot better. Right now I dont think you are seeing the complete picture. The images you are trying to force back into articles are no where close to meeting the criteria set forth by WP:NFC.
    I tend to consider the type of post that you made full of abusive statements and incorrect information trolling. (Whether or not you intended it to be, it was) Werieth (talk) 17:54, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
  • "Libel" is just as bad as "slander". I explained above why "trolling" isn't so bad here--it's because you made baseless accusations of meatpuppetry. Now, I'll give you a very useful English expression: when you're in a hole, stop digging. Really, stop digging: move on to something else, and drop the stick. Werieth, you too: you made your case, a possible remedy is proposed, let's move on. Drmies (talk) 17:52, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
Ok. Subtropical-man (talk) 17:54, 28 August 2013 (UTC)
  1. ^ Rummel, Rudolph J. (1996). Death By Government. Transaction Publishers. p. 234. ISBN 1412821290.
  2. ^ Rummel, Rudolph J. (1998). Statistics of democide : genocide and mass murder since 1900. Münster: Lit. p. 85. ISBN 3825840107.
  3. ^ Justin McCarthy (1983). Muslims and Minorities: The Population of Ottoman Anatolia and the End of the Empire. New York University Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-5390-3. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  4. ^ Chatty, Dawn (2010). Displacement and Dispossession in the Modern Middle East. Cambridge University Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780521817929. At the end of the war, nearly 1.2 million Muslims in western Anatolia had died. Of the Anatolian Greeks, more than 3 13,000 died.