Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 08:50, 23 July 2013

Welcome!

Hello, HiLo48, and welcome to Misplaced Pages! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:

• The five pillars of Misplaced Pages
• Tutorial
• How to edit a page
• How to write a great article
• Manual of Style

I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your messages on discussion pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Misplaced Pages:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question on this page and then place {{helpme}} before the question. Again, welcome! -- Longhair\ 07:32, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Further

Further to my response at my talk page I note that both Longhair and Brian have come to your page to welcome you. Both are great participants here and you have some fundamental links to get you started in terms of understanding. If you need more help please ask at any time.--VirtualSteve 07:31, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

Reviewer and rollback

Hi, I've added a couple of flags to your account: reviewer and rollback. I hope you find them useful. Let me know if you have any questions. Regards — Martin (MSGJ · talk) 11:07, 10 July 2010 (UTC)

For keeping the baddies at bay...

		The Anti-Vandalism Barnstar
		Thanks for keeping an eye out for damaging edits. bodnotbod (talk) 10:13, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

Feel free to move this barnstar to wherever in your user space you'd prefer to have it. bodnotbod (talk) 10:13, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

Humor at Protected Pages

As someone who lives on an island (granted its a VERY large island) perhaps you are unaware of what the rules are on the Mainland (thats what we call it) for articles that may be considered political in nature;

1. Any cross-party hugfest can only be initiated by the right,
2. Any internal hugfest (or support of one another) within the right should NOT be constued as anything more than friendliness and cheerful banter,
3. Any internal hugfest (or support of one another) within the left could, should and will result in immediate blocks and bans to the active participants and severe reprimands to any editors that were seen smiling in the general vicinity.

These are just some basic guidelines to assure the safety and sanity of your fellow editors. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if the right is obviously humorous 3 times in a row, some humor from the left will be tolerated since the conversation will be ended via "shrink wrap" at any moment. BTW, sorry about the spelling of humour. Buster Seven Talk 20:25, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for information

Compliments on your sang froid

I can't help but admire your reaction the other day to the namecalling you were subjected to by Encyclopedia91. You must have the patience and forbearance of a saint! I know I would have reacted quite differently. You are a model for us all. Sincerely, --Kenatipo 21:59, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Nice Koekjes

Buster7 has given you a Nice Koekjes which promote fellowship, goodwill and WikiLove. Hopefully this one has made your day better. You can spread the good flavor of Nice Koekjes around Wiki World by giving someone else one. Maybe to a friend or, better yet, to someone you have had disagreements with in the past. Nice Biscuits are very tasty and have been known to calm even the most savage beast. Enjoy! Buster Seven Talk

I just gave a koekje to an Aussie friend, User:Alastair Haines and I thought of you. It's fresh. I made it last night. Buster Seven Talk 14:27, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

Some words I'm working on

Been thinking about this criticism issue for a while. Probably not the ideal place to say this, but I want to try putting the words together. I think criticism sections are almost always going to be inappropriate in Misplaced Pages. Just about everyone has somebody who disagrees with them about something. Some, like outspoken atheists, will have more than many from conservative religious parts of society who disagree. That's a given. We cannot possibly list all the criticism, so what's the point of listing any? We should just describe what's significant about someone (i.e. why they have an article here) and let others decide on the merits of their actions and views. The same goes for people significant for their strong religious views. List those views, and let it stand. Going any further will inevitably create the debate of "how much further?" So, no criticism sections. OK?

I agree with you 90+%. Criticism sections are lazy writing, often places for sneaking in their point-of-view. They are often a way of taking an obscure critic and giving them promotion by adding their opinions. I often get the impression that some editors start with a point of view and then web search until they find some obscure opinion piece and add it to the article. In these cases, only reliable sources and notable ones will do. Instead of putting criticism in its own ghetto, if legit it belongs next to the ideas being presented. Thank you for bringing up an important issue. --Javaweb (talk) 00:10, 15 July 2011 (UTC)Javaweb

You two might want to check out Misplaced Pages:Criticism, an essay that discourages the existence of criticism sections and goes over the main points against them.AerobicFox (talk) 22:20, 30 November 2011 (UTC)

Thank you

I support you

You were right in the Pregnancy talk page. The image you wanted in the lead has a much more "medical", serious and informative tone than the one that the scores of probably American nipple-o-phobic prudes finally forced there. Actually, even from a purely aesthetic point of view the bare breasted image is superior because of the more "charming" expression of the woman in the picture, rather than the a bit like "whatcha lookin' at" expression of the Asian woman. --Cerlomin (talk) 22:01, 1 December 2011 (UTC)

A kitten for you!

For your sport work. :)

LauraHale (talk) 01:59, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

Happy Australia Day! Thank you for contributing to Australian content!

	Australian Wikimedian Recognition (AWR)
	Thank you for your contributions on English Misplaced Pages that have helped improve Australian related content. :D It is very much appreciated. :D Enjoy your Australia Day and please continue your good work! LauraHale (talk) 02:46, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
	I have spotted your username regularly popping up and, on occasion, beating me to a reversion. You also seem to be active in a wide variety of activities on Misplaced Pages. Keep up the good work! LittleOldMe (talk) 07:40, 6 July 2012 (UTC)

Barnstar

		The Original Barnstar
		This has been due for a while. From someone who disagrees with you 3/4 of the time, to someone who understands what an objective world encyclopedia should be, and puts all else aside in pursuing that end, and who's methods of disputing are refreshingly direct. North8000 (talk) 13:08, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

The Olive Branch: A Dispute Resolution Newsletter (Issue #1)

Welcome to the first edition of The Olive Branch. This will be a place to semi-regularly update editors active in dispute resolution (DR) about some of the most important issues, advances, and challenges in the area. You were delivered this update because you are active in DR, but if you would prefer not to receive any future mailing, just add your name to this page.

In this issue:

• Background: A brief overview of the DR ecosystem.
• Research: The most recent DR data
• Survey results: Highlights from Steven Zhang's April 2012 survey
• Activity analysis: Where DR happened, broken down by the top DR forums
• DR Noticeboard comparison: How the newest DR forum has progressed between May and August
• Discussion update: Checking up on the Wikiquette Assistance close debate
• Proposal: It's time to close the Geopolitical, ethnic, and religious conflicts noticeboard. Agree or disagree?

--The Olive Branch 19:07, 4 September 2012 (UTC)

The Olive Branch: A Dispute Resolution Newsletter (Issue #2)

To add your named to the newsletter delivery list, please sign up here

This edition The Olive Branch is focusing on a 2nd dispute resolution RfC. Two significant proposals have been made. Below we describe the background and recent progress and detail those proposals. Please review them and follow the link at the bottom to comment at the RfC. We need your input!

View the full newsletter

Background Until late 2003, Jimmy Wales was the arbiter in all major disputes. After the Mediation Committee and the Arbitration Committee were founded, Wales delegated his roles of dispute resolution to these bodies. In addition to these committees, the community has developed a number of informal processes of dispute resolution. At its peak, over 17 dispute resolution venues existed. Disputes were submitted in each venue in a different way. Due to the complexity of Misplaced Pages dispute resolution, members of the community were surveyed in April 2012 about their experiences with dispute resolution. In general, the community believes that dispute resolution is too hard to use and is divided among too many venues. Many respondents also reported their experience with dispute resolution had suffered due to a shortage of volunteers and backlogging, which may be due to the disparate nature of the process. An evaluation of dispute resolution forums was made in May this year, in which data on response and resolution time, as well as success rates, was collated. This data is here. Progress so far Leading off from the survey in April and the evaluation in May, several changes to dispute resolution noticeboard (DRN) were proposed. Rather than using a wikitext template to bring disputes to DRN, editors used a new javascript form. This form was simpler to use, but also standardised the format of submissions and applied a word limit so that DRN volunteers could more easily review disputes. A template to summarise, and a robot to maintain the noticeboard, were also created. As a result of these changes, volunteers responded to disputes in a third of the time, and resolved them 60% faster when compared to May. Successful resolution of disputes increased by 17%. Submissions were 25% shorter by word count.(see Dispute Resolution Noticeboard Statistics - August compared to May) Outside of DRN other simplification has taken place. The Mediation Cabal was closed in August, and Wikiquette assistance was closed in September. Nevertheless, around fifteen different forums still exist for the resolution of Misplaced Pages disputes. Proposed changes Given the success of the past efforts at DR reform, the current RFC proposes we implement: 1) A submission gadget for every DR venue tailored to the unique needs of that forum. Similar to the one that was deployed, with great success, to the DRN. Structured based on the specific issues most commonly dealt with at each forum. Designed to improve the quality of requests for DR and the efficiency of DR at that forum. Applicable at following noticeboards: Dispute resolution, Neutrality, Reliable Sources, Original Research, Biographies of Living Persons, Notability noticeboard, Fringe theories, Conflict of Interest, Ethnic and cultural conflicts, External links, Third opinion, Mediation Committee, Arbitration Committee. Forms will merely fill out any existing templates (such as Arbcom's) and create a markup-free form in line with specific noticeboard practices otherwise. Example form fields: What pages are involved? What users are involved? What is the issue? What resolution is desired? 2) A universal dispute resolution wizard, accessible from Misplaced Pages:Dispute resolution. This wizard would ask a series of structured questions about the nature of the dispute. It would then determine to which dispute resolution venue a dispute should be sent. If the user agrees with the wizard's selection, s/he would then be asked a series of questions about the details of the dispute (for example, the usernames of the involved editors). The wizard would then submit a request for dispute resolution to the selected venue, in that venue's required format (using the logic of each venue's specialized form, as in proposal #1). The wizard would not suggest a venue which the user has already identified in answer to a question like "What other steps of dispute resolution have you tried?". Similar to the way the DRN request form operates, this would be enabled for all users. A user could still file a request for dispute resolution manually if they so desired. Coding such a wizard would be complex, but the DRN gadget would be used as an outline. Once the universal request form is ready (coded by those who helped create the DRN request form) the community will be asked to try out and give feedback on the wizard. The wizard's logic in deciding the scope and requirements of each venue would be open to change by the community at any time. 3) Additionally, we're seeking any ideas on how we can attract and retain more dispute resolution volunteers.

Please share your thoughts at the RfC.

--The Olive Branch 18:41, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

I have to record this before it gets buried

"...user HiLo48 has a biased towards Netball and against male sport's."

I think it's a gem.

HiLo48 (talk) 06:24, 3 October 2012 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Original Barnstar
	YOU are a human being with a brain, NO scarecrows allowed. Kennvido (talk) 10:29, 4 November 2012 (UTC)

Proposed closure of RfC/U

Hello there, I'm a relatively uninvolved user in relation to your editing. I took a read through the RfC/U and proposed a closure at Misplaced Pages talk:Requests for comment/HiLo48#Proposed Closure. Please read it and see if it is something you could live with. Having read your user page declaration I think that it is. Please let me know. Thanks Hasteur (talk) 16:51, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Hasteur, I appreciate what you're trying to do here. For reasons I've outlined many times elsewhere, I regard Misplaced Pages's justice and discipline processes to be appalling opportunities for the bigots and POV pushers to promote their non-constructive and malicious agendas, and pile mud on an accused, with virtually no chance that their behaviour will be scrutinised in that place, nor for the accused to defend themselves, so I really would prefer to not have to look at any of that RFC/U. It will just make me feel like being uncivil because of the masses of nonsense therein. But, because I can see that yours is a good faith proposal, I have had a look at just that section.

Again, because I know that many of those who would like to silence me do look at my User pages, I'll copy the proposal here for clarity:

HiLo48 acknowledges that their behavior, at times, is incivil and will endeavor to refrain from the identified language. HiLo48 acknowledges that future incivil behavior may result in suspension of editing privileges or referral to ArbCom for resolution of the long standing conduct dispute.

I would still argue that most of this dispute is not a conduct one, but a content one. That should be obvious to any objective reader who might notice that everybody criticising me over civility has also disagreed with me over content, some very nastily. (But possibly without naughty words, which I think only makes it worse.) Attacking me over civility was always a distraction from the truth, and from making Misplaced Pages a great, objective encyclopaedia.

Another point - I would like all involved to look at Misplaced Pages talk:Requests for comment/Civility enforcement. That's the latest incarnation of an agonisingly slow attempt by some here to firstly define incivility, and then decide on punishment for those evil folk who allegedly display it. The discussion really hasn't got past the definition stage. If Misplaced Pages cannot define incivility, logically, nobody can be disciplined for it. (I know logic doesn't really apply here, sadly, but....) Interestingly, much of that discussion has occurred with virtually no contributions from any of those more interested in attacking me at the RFC/U.

I will also repeat my point that some of my allegedly uncivil language has successfully drawn attention to some very nasty POV pushing by some of those who have now tried to silence me via the RFC/U, and ended up keeping some appalling, POV nonsense out of Misplaced Pages. I am proud of that. I ask objective observers, which would you prefer - no naughty words, but lots of POV in Misplaced Pages, or occasional telling-it-like-it-really-is on Talk pages, and a better encyclopaedia as a result?

In conclusion, my position on niceness is made clear at User:HiLo48#A non-swearing vow (Lying is safer). I have no plans to change that position. Ironically, it has been in place since well before the RFC/U, but nobody seemed to notice. Trying to silence an effective enemy must have seemed a much easier option to many than finding out the truth.

Again, thanks Hasteur for your good faith proposal here. HiLo48 (talk) 23:56, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

I think the RfC/U was closed. It's hard to tell. It seems these things aren't publicised very well. Certainly nobody told me. Not sure what it all means. Nothing seems to have changed anywhere. Just a lot of nasty words written about me by people who don't like my approach to the damage they do to Misplaced Pages, while I was off making another few thousand positive contributions. Oh well, such is life. HiLo48 (talk) 11:52, 4 January 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The LGBT Barnstar
	It's the very special LGBT Barnstar for the way you calmly handled the dispute with DarkGuardianVII on Talk:Homophobia. Congratulations and keep up the good work! ツ Jenova20 11:18, 16 January 2013 (UTC)

Happy Australia Day! Thank you for contributing to Australian content!

	Australian Wikimedian Recognition (AWR)
	Thank you for your contributions on English Misplaced Pages that have helped improve Australian related content. :D It is very much appreciated. :D Enjoy your Australia Day and please continue your good work! Hawkeye7 (talk) 22:12, 25 January 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Civility Barnstar
	Brilliant thoughts and prose that emanate from you...! Scalhotrod - Just your average banjo playing, drag racing, cowboy... (talk) 22:01, 2 February 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar
	Good Lord, the vandals just won't leave LaPierre alone, Bravo Sir! Scalhotrod - Just your average banjo playing, drag racing, cowboy... (talk) 20:44, 9 March 2013 (UTC)

Useful source for Sport in Australia and footy people

this Canberra Times article is pretty good and might be worthwhile trying to integrate into the Sport in Australia andFootball in Australia article.--LauraHale (talk) 05:53, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Yes, the same article appeared in The Age yesterday, so I posted a link on Talk:Football in Australia yesterday, seeking comment. No responses yet. Might just go ahead and use some of it. HiLo48 (talk) 07:31, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Resilient Barnstar
	You've earned it. You've had a lot of stick; some earned, some not so much, and yet you're still here. You're a much valued contributor and the constant stream of vandalism to your user page is surely proof of this. If you're not getting vandalism then you're not working hard enough =P. Well done HiLo48 and keep your pecker up! (Pun intended) ツ Jenova20 22:13, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

Aussie rules as AFL

You asked in an edit summary at Sport in New South Wales‎ for a source for the use of AFL as an alternative name for Australian rules football. This article from the SMH mentions the phenomenon. Hack (talk) 12:15, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

Good source, and weird. I've clarified the statement, and added that source to the article. That name just seems wrong to me, and confusing, as that SMH article says. Does anybody in NSW care about that? Or are most simply unaware that their usage wouldn't work in other places? Australia is an interesting country. On one front we have the soccer fans, particularly in NSW telling everyone in Australia we must all call their game football, apparently in complete ignorance of the fact that that name cannot work in those states where Aussie Rules is VERY commonly called football, then we have NSW telling us all that Aussie Rules is called AFL. (Is it a secret push by the soccer fans?) We have less well informed Victorians totally confused about the difference between rugby union and rugby league, and using the names rugby and league interchangably, which annoys the folks up north. And everywhere I've said NSW probably applies to QLD, but I'm not certain, and everywhere I've said Victoria, it probably also applies to TAS, SA, WA, NT and the Riverina, but I can't be sure. Do we end up with multiple articles with different language for the one country, or do we constantly explain that our leather ball sports have different names in different parts of the country? Do we need an article on that fact alone? (Or do we already have it?) HiLo48 (talk) 21:27, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

The usage seems pretty widespread in NSW and Qld in my experience. The odd thing is that the AFL are actually spreading the usage outside NSW/ACT. There is a nationwide grassroots participation program called Play AFL - targetted at getting kids playing Aussie rules. On the confusing naming of the various footballs, Football in Australia touches on the differences in terminology in the first section but could do with expansion and clarification. Hack (talk) 05:00, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

Aaarrghh. Newspeak lives. Corporations have no respect for correct language, do they? Sadly, that section in Football in Australia has only one citation, and it's dead. (What has the federal Dept of Culture and Recreation turned into since 2008?) Anything we add should be properly sourced. You've given us one good starting point. Not sure what else is around. The stuff on soccer vs football is a real challenge. Almost everyone who writes about it is pushing an agenda. (Except me of course.) HiLo48 (talk) 05:34, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

Found the page originally on the Department of Culture and Recreation site - it had been replicated on another government website. Hack (talk) 04:02, 3 May 2013 (UTC)

Following on to the points you make above and apropos of our discussions a couple of years ago, you may be interested to read this transcript: http://neososmos.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/researching-australian-soccer-history.html

I make no comment and I hope that you will appreciate that I am only pointing you to it as I know you have an interest in this.

You can respond here. I am watching here.

Cheers Silent Billy (talk) 07:03, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

Terrific article. Thanks for sharing it. It certainly highlights the confusion over the name. And I learnt something - that the Victorian Football Association, an Aussie rules competition, got in the way of the name Association Football being used for soccer. I grew up in Gippsland, an early home of soccer in country Victoria, mentioned in the article. In fact it was in Yallourn, a now non-existent town in the Latrobe Valley. (Click on the link to discover why.) Thousands of European immigrants made soccer a big sport. In fact Yallourn was the state champion club one year back in the 1950s. But the name couldn't be football. That was already taken. That all that means that I know a fair bit about the game. I've coached girls teams at school, with some success. So, thanks for bringing back the memories. HiLo48 (talk) 08:18, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

Another interesting read on the Guardian Australia website - Hack (talk) 08:10, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

I think that one is written from a Sydney perspective. It's important to emphasise the difference between NSW/QLD, the rugby league states, and the rest of the country, where Aussie Rules reigns supreme. All the big soccer decisions come out of Sydney. And Aussie Rules is only mentioned in one paragraph, with "opponents of the "football" crusade charge its leaders like Foster with sporting imperialism, arguing that football in Australia refers to "the native game" Australian Rules." That's not my perspective. Mine is that one doesn't have to argue it. In the Aussie Rules states, "football" simply IS Aussie Rules. There is no point in arguing about it. All the clubs called football clubs play Aussie Rules. Most of the clubs that play the round ball game call themselves soccer clubs, for the extremely obvious and unarguable reason that Aussie Rules got the name "football" first in most communities. In my suburb and all our neighbouring suburbs we have one of each, a football club (Aussie Rules) and a soccer club. What sense would there be in the soccer club trying to become a football club? And I still don't understand what's wrong with the name "soccer". HiLo48 (talk) 08:30, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Barnstar of Diplomacy
	For your numerous, thoughtful and enriching contributions across the wikiscape even in the face of a few misguided editors who have forgot their civility. Thank you for always being welcoming! ⧐ Diamond Way 08:20, 8 May 2013 (UTC)

While you were out...

Thanks. I always wonder how such comments contribute to the writer's sense of well-being. I guess everybody is different. HiLo48 (talk) 06:31, 22 May 2013 (UTC)

Items of cultural significance in Australia

You have mentioned multiple times on ITN that Australian items get rejected. I'm all for a more inclusive ITN, so perhaps you can help me out with some items you'd like to see posted on an annual basis. I would assume Rugby Union and Australian Rules Football are at the top of the list in cultural importance. Rugby Union is well represented on ITN/R and Football is listed as well - hopefully they stay in the ITN/R rewrite. Then there is the Melbourne Cup and Australian Open, both ITN/R. I assume the swimming word championships are pretty darn important and aren't ITN/R so that's a potential target. Beyond sport, things are less clear to an outsider. Melbourne International Comedy Festival looks like a good candidate, but has never been nominated as far as I can tell. (Would you prefer the opening or the Barry Award?) Google suggested Perth International Arts Festival but our article is just a stub, so maybe its not important in Australia after all - maybe Adelaide Fringe Festival (or Adelaide Festival, not getting the distinction here) is the one that matters. Melbourne International Film Festival looks promising. Comments on the above? What else is worth targeting for inclusion? --ThaddeusB (talk) 05:42, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

ITN/R items are less of a problem than one off events. Adding something to ITN/R can be done with discussion over several weeks or months. There is no deadline. And fewer editors driven mainly by emotion stick around. It allows time for more mature and complex discussion. I have a greater confidence that a new proposal could make it there.

But for one-off events, decisions have to be made in a couple of days max, and if one or two Australian editors are up against a flood of American, Canadian, British editors, etc, saying "never heard of it", "not significant to enough people", etc, etc, an item doesn't stand a chance. Our not voting policy effectively goes out the door and the masses win every time. To promote such items you would need to get a few more supporters, and really highlight the need for quality discussion, and not voting. On the latter point, I've sometimes felt that any post on any item which says something like "Support - per X" (or "Oppose - ....") should be treated as nothing more than a vote, not a useful contribution to discussion, and instantly deleted. HiLo48 (talk) 07:21, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

Now, for your education, on the football front in ITN/R, there's something called the Barassi Line which separates the Australian population roughly in half, with those to the south and west being obsessed with Australian football, and the two eastern states loving Rugby league. Each group can be quite contemptuous of the other's favourite code. Rugby union is also of some interest in the latter area, but not as big.

As for events of cultural significance, leave it with me. I shall mull it over. HiLo48 (talk) 07:21, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

Please do. I would certainly like to see more Australian things posted. --ThaddeusB (talk) 15:48, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

I agree that supports and opposes without rationales should be given limited weight, but "per " is a reason, and stops several users repeating the same point over and over. Good luck getting more Australian stories posted, would be interesting. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 16:07, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

The problem is that cultures heavily represented here will inevitably have a lot more "per " posts than smaller ones. So long as I see Admin closes containing words to the effect of "a lot more oppose/support posts than the other", accepting "per " posts simply reinforces the existing systemic bias, and I say to myself "What's the point of trying?". Such comments from closing Admins appear almost every day, and they get very cross when I suggest that they're just counting votes, but I'm afraid I don't see it any other way. We should always and virtually only ever be looking at the quality of posts, not the quantity. HiLo48 (talk) 23:03, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

Yes, but how does one assess a quality argument when ITN is essentially just about opinion? I mean you can discount a few obviously low quality !votes, but beyond that one will generally see arguments they agree with being "high quality" and those they don't as "low quality". You make a good point about editor numbers, of course. However, I would like to think a majority of the ITN regulars are fair enough to evaluate most items honestly (perhaps I'm wrong). There are exceptions - you probably know who they are as well as I a do - who exhibit strong "yes US, no others" or "yes UK, no others" biases. Those votes can be given little weight, but after that I think numbers have to enter into a decision to post or not. To completely ignore numbers is a license to supervote.

Of course US items do attract an unusually large number of "occasional voter" supports. (In fairness, they also attract an unusual number of occasional voter opposes.) That can and should be taken into account. I don't know if it often is, but I do not think it is any easier to get a US item posted than an average item (UK maybe). The discussions tend to be a lot longer and more contentious, sure, but most vigorously opposed US items do not end up getting posted. --ThaddeusB (talk) 01:39, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Perfectly agree with your last sentence, my point is that "per a high-quality argument" is equivalent to the high-quality argument, i.e. "User:Example makes a good argument, and I'm going to recommend the course of action because I substantially agree with the bulk of what s/he said". Of course, weak arguments (e.g. I like it) should be given limited or no weight, as should a "per" of such arguments. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 23:41, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

That post doesn't address the massive numerical bias in favour of some cultures, nor the Admins saying "a lot more oppose/support posts than the other". It's the combination of all these factors that kills nominations from smaller cultures. And it really does kill them stone dead. HiLo48 (talk) 23:52, 1 June 2013 (UTC)

If the majority uses valid arguments or agrees with valid arguments they have consensus and the item will get posted, regardless of whether it "really" merits it or not. Anyway, I don't think opposing US (or UK, Australia etc.) items on grounds of geography increases the chance of posting a similar event related to a smaller country. Of course, you should oppose if you find that the event is not noteworthy enough. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 10:43, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

You have just used majority as part of a definition of consensus. That's mixing up voting and consensus seeking. They are NOT the same thing. And we're not supposed to vote here. (Despite the sad fact that a lot of closing Admins at ITN mention the number of support and oppose posts. That depresses me too.) But of course I agree that we shouldn't play tit for tat games on a geographical basis. I'm not sure from that post exactly what your own total position is. Have you read my post below? I'd be interested in anyone else's thoughts. HiLo48 (talk) 11:01, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

In short, a clear majority based on strong, valid arguments is sufficient for consensus as consensus is not unanimity. A clear majority based on flawed, invalid or unsustainable arguments is insufficient for consensus as consensus is not based on voting. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 11:44, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, that's pretty close to how I think it should work. I wish it always did. HiLo48 (talk) 11:48, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

There's a nomination at ITN for Jean Stapleton. It's pretty obvious that's going to be posted, and I have no strong objection. I've even helped improve her article. But what goes through my head every time I look at that thread is that it would be much harder for an Australian actress whose fame depended really only on one Australian TV show, even if that actress had won dozens of Logies. (Yes, I know that most here won't have a clue what they are, but that's part of my point.) It would be even worse if that show was a copy of an American show, as Stapleton's was a copy of a British show. I don't think I'd even bother nominating the person. I would only get one or two other Australians interested, because that's how many hang around ITN, and the opposes in the form of "Who?" would be overwhelming. I don't have the energy to play that game. But do others think HiLo48 (talk) 06:40, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Notable Australian actors and actresses should be posted to RD, in my opinion. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 11:44, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

But how would we overcome the inevitable opposition from the masses? HiLo48 (talk) 11:48, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

And what qualifies as notable? Is someone notable because they played a major character on Neighbours for a few years 25 years ago and did the odd guest appearance on various programmes thereafter? Where do we draw the line? It seems to me the person should be internationally famous or massively famous in her own country. Stapleton was neither. -Rrius (talk) 12:02, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Deep down I probably agree with you about Stapleton, but there's an awful lot of American editors who simply cannot comprehend your perspective. Obviously, if Stapleton is notable, so would Ray Meagher be should we lose him too early, but the chances of most American editors supporting such a nomination would be non-existent, even though he won the Gold Logie! I don't see a way past that bias. HiLo48 (talk) 12:09, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Indeed, notable in acting is "internationally famous or massively famous in own country", or perhaps winning an Academy Award for Best Actor/Actress in a leading role. Therefore, I struggle to see sufficient notability in Stapleton's case and I won't support it. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 12:31, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

What I'm thinking right now is that if I made a post there agreeing with you, there would be immediate responses of the form "Typical HiLo anti-Americanism. He just hates everything about America." Shall I try and see if I'm right? HiLo48 (talk) 12:36, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

(Actually, it's late here. I'm off to bed. I'll watch to see developments by morning. Will Medeis have posted it anyway? Wouldn't surprise me.) HiLo48 (talk) 12:40, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

If you do, I sincerely hope you're wrong. 85.167.109.26 (talk) 12:42, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Academy awards are only given for movies. The Emmys are the equivalent award for television, so to say someone who wins an Academy Award is "at the top of their field" and someone who wins an Emmy is not is a poor argument. Since the introduction of Recent Deaths, we have been able to post more deaths (implicitly lowering the bar even if some object to that terminology). I am quite confident if an Australian who won "dozens of Logies" was nominated they would pass easily with the current standards. We've had several Indian actors pass on notability grounds (but not necessarily quality grounds) recently, for example. --ThaddeusB (talk) 18:14, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

I hope both that you're right, and that I don't have to nominate any successful Australian actors dying any time soon. HiLo48 (talk) 22:10, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

And I was wrong and right about the Jean Stapleton ITN nomination. It has been posted, but not by Medeis. I still don't see justification, nor proper response to the opposes, just bullying style and dishonest "the Opposes don't follow policy", so my respect for our processes there has diminished even more. Why should I bother? HiLo48 (talk) 22:24, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

But Medeis has scored a spectacular own goal in the Scripps nomination by writing "vote is 9 to 8 in favor", and then continuing with a belittling commenting about "most of the opposes..." This editor is an insulting, loose cannon. HiLo48 (talk) 22:32, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

The Scripps discussion is a disaster for a variety of reasons, but I'm not sure what you mean about Stapleton. I see a minor debate over how to determine if someone is worthy of posting (i.e. follow media coverage or not), an answering of your question, and a difference of opinion about where the bar for being important enough is. I don't see anyone saying "opposes don't follow policy" in that nomination. --ThaddeusB (talk) 23:00, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

I guess we get to test my theory earlier than expected, or would you consider this one too obvious to count as a test of a more accepting RD? --ThaddeusB (talk) 04:32, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, it's kinda sad, but even more sadly, not really unexpected. I'd actually met Mandawuy, and a few members of his extended family - lots of musos - and he was younger than I am. Health issues are huge in Aboriginal communities. But this is a valid test for ITN, and seems to be passing with flying colours. Maybe a high profile one at this stage is good. HiLo48 (talk) 05:48, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

A beer for you!

I just came across this comment. If that doesn't deserve a beer I don't know what does. Drink up mate. Hot Stop 02:03, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

LOL. Yes, I do laugh when I see how some people think they can advance the position of their political favourites. Here in Australia, our current Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, could be said to have broken a promise she made on a carbon tax before the last election. (There's even some debate about that.) But the opposition and some shock-jocks decided to call here a liar over it. That has led to the (not) absolutely hilarious habit among her sworn enemies of calling her Juliar. After the first couple of times, even those amused by it initially were surely no longer amused, but two and a half years later it still happens. Doubt if anyone will change their vote over it now. HiLo48 (talk) 02:55, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

Precious

"please stop wasting your time and ours"
Thank you for investing your time in greeting IPs and politely telling some "Please stop wasting your time and ours", for typo fixing and quality reverts, for working in this place although it is as it is, but challenging the status quo, - I wish you luck, you are an awesome Wikipedian!

--Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:47, 11 June 2013 (UTC)

Someone has been editing as LoHi48

Someone has been editing as LoHi48. Obviously chosen with you in mind. I believe that it violates Misplaced Pages:Username policy. North8000 (talk) 12:51, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

Yeah. Saw that. It's weird. Whoever it is has been editing quite a few of the same articles I have recently edited, with quite positive and constructive changes. Not sure how I should respond. HiLo48 (talk) 19:56, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

Maybe you have a silent admirer who has been learning from you. :-) North8000 (talk) 20:23, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

I have dropped a note at their talk page asking them to file for a change of name. While the name doesn't breach the WP:USERNAME policy as it stands, there is a potential for confusion, especially as you are editing similar areas. Kim Dent-Brown 23:57, 17 June 2013 (UTC)

Thanks HiLo48 (talk) 02:24, 18 June 2013 (UTC)

Request for input in drafting potential guidelines

Hi. There are, at present, no particular clear guidelines for religious material here, or, for that matter, guidelines for how to deal with ideas in general, particularly those ideas which might be accepted as true by individuals of a given religious, political, or scientific stance. There have been attempts in the past to draft such guidelines, but they have quickly been derailed. I am dropping this note on the talk pages of a number of editors who I believe have some interest in these topics, such as yourself, and asking them to review the material at User:John Carter/Guidelines discussion and perhaps take part in an effort to decide what should be covered in such guidelines, should they be determined useful, and what phrasing should be used. I would be honored to have your input. John Carter (talk) 19:23, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

International Christian School (Hong Kong)

I've left a message on the IP user's talk page. If the problem persists, let me know and I'll protect the page. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 02:12, 4 July 2013 (UTC)

That IP user is not new here. He has been trying for years to add peacock style, marketing language to that school's website, despite many warnings and attempts to educate him. It's sad that some of the worst editing in Misplaced Pages happens on pages about schools. Doesn't reflect well on either those schools or their students. HiLo48 (talk) 02:33, 4 July 2013 (UTC)

I understand the predicament - I probably work more on school articles than most other editors. However, please consider moderating your language in your ES - doesn't reflect well on Misplaced Pages ;) Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 06:43, 5 July 2013 (UTC)

I strongly disagree. Showing extreme frustration with incompetent editing has to be seen as a positive for Misplaced Pages. HiLo48 (talk) 06:48, 5 July 2013 (UTC)

I wouldn't be too sure of that - other admins may even see it as blockworthy. I've semi protected the page. Kudpung กุดผึ้ง (talk) 06:51, 5 July 2013 (UTC)

Because, by nature and culture, I use a more blunt and honest form of language than some here think is nice, I have been part of many discussions on civility. There is simply no agreement here on what it means, nor can there be unless those who would be better off at Conservapedia get their way. Enforced, dishonest niceness is a bad look. HiLo48 (talk) 06:55, 5 July 2013 (UTC)

Sorry For Being A F%^kup

Hi HiLo48,

I am writing to apoligise for being a total douche. I have actually taken active steps to fix and prevent users like my old self. I doubt our paths will cross again but if they do I hope for both of us that they are on friendly terms. Thanks for not being a total d^*k back to me and helping me more understand this place. Cheers bud — Preceding unsigned comment added by TatRattis (talk) 03:01, 7 July 2013

That's cool. Thanks for thinking of posting here. HiLo48 (talk) 22:20, 7 July 2013 (UTC)

ITN

Considering how close you came to a topic ban before (I opposed it), you might want to watch edits and summaries like this one. μηδείς (talk) 22:59, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

Thank you for proving the truth of something I wrote on my User page some time ago. It's more acceptable to many here for editors to write utterly nonsensical, stupid, dishonest, ill-informed bullshit than to even hint at a naughty or rude word. I do wish the niceness police cared just a little more about the actual quality of this encyclopaedia, rather than making everyone conform to some officially undefined but bloody obvious conservative, middle American politeness. (Although ignoring reality and what others tell them, and writing utter tripe, is surely not very nice. HiLo48 (talk) 02:55, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

WP:COMPETENCE

Was pointing to WP:COMPETENCE in this edit absolutely necessary? I think it's fair to have told the editor, "No, they're not at all the same," but the editor has been here since 2006. Isn't it more likely that he just never used or saw Template:Efn before rather than him lacking competence? (I've never used it and rarely see footnotes in articles, and I've been here just as long). I read your userpage and I'm not saying you have to be super nice or anything, but it just seems way off-base to go straight to that essay in your response. I, Jethrobot (note: not a bot!) 03:34, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

Been here since 2006, eh? I'm sorry, but I won't apologise for thinking or even suggesting that someone who doesn't know the difference between a footnote and a citation after seven years here IS incompetent. HiLo48 (talk) 03:39, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. Personally I find it confusing and amazingly stupid that WP:FOOTNOTE is mostly a guide for citations and uses the term "footnote" to describe citations and actual footnotes interchangeably. I, Jethrobot (note: not a bot!) 03:51, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

Spouse of the Prime Minister

It is fully understood by many that the Spouse of The Prime Minister of Australia is not an official office. I would like to remind you also of the fact that being the Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is not an official office. However, if you look at the current Spouse of the PM of the Uk, Samantha Cameron, her infobox names her as an office holder and gives the full information an office holder would normally have. So why can't we put one on for the Spouses of Australian Prime Ministers? It has been done for the Spouses for PM's of the UK despite it being an unofficial office, why can't it be done for the spouses of the Australian PM's? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hellomynameisandrew19991999 (talk • contribs) 05:40, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

What the hell is wrong with you? Several editors have asked you to discuss this matter on a Talk page. You won't. You must be thick. HiLo48 (talk) 05:47, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

HiLo: It is not accetable to call another Misplaced Pages thick regardless of provocation. It is my belief should apologise (WP:CIVIL). --Falcadore (talk) 06:46, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

Actually, I've found that deliberate, seeming over-reaction to unacceptable behaviour often ends up solving problems that Misplaced Pages's niceness policies can never resolve. They bring things to a head so that enough attention is brought to a problem to fix it. I don't apologise for getting problems solved. HiLo48 (talk) 08:25, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

I also saw the "thick" comment you made HiLo and I had the same reaction as Falcadore. You take too much credit for the resolution of problems in this way and I think you're simply wrong in your assessment that your rudeness serves a purpose. I'm not sure whether it's better that your rudeness is calculated and deliberate - in fact I think it's not! However in recent months you have dialled back your levels of insult and I applaud you for it. I think your contributions have gained more weight as people see that you can respond to feedback about civility and I hope and believe that the "thick" comment was a minor lapse. Kim Dent-Brown 08:42, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages is completely unable to define civility, or incivility. I have participated in several attempts. None have gone anywhere. While the niceness police sadly do have teeth here, they will never have true justice on their side. And since I have been treated so poorly by some Admins and the self proclaimed nice people over the matter, I won't give up. Their hypocrisy, lack of real morals, and poor logic just make me more determined. HiLo48 (talk) 08:50, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

What the hell is wrong with me?

Excuse me, I'm not the dumb one you stupid retard. You are the one who is against progress on Misplaced Pages. Three other user other than myself have tried to edit pages of Spouses of Prime Ministers, but like I said, if you don't get your way, you block people from editing. I am new to Misplaced Pages so i do not know how to block people, but you should be banned without an expiry date for editing because you revert progress and do it your own way, and block others from editing when they try to contribute. You are arrogant, rude, disruptive, stupid, narrow minded and disgusting and instead of sitting at home waiting to revert peoples changes back to your way, you should get a job you lazy mutt. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hellomynameisandrew19991999 (talk • contribs) 06:00, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

ROTFLMAO! That's the best abusive post I've had in weeks. HiLo48 (talk) 06:06, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

Like ツ Jenova20 08:30, 23 July 2013 (UTC)