User talk:Cullen328/Archive 99

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Question from Mukesh 3444 (01:25, 30 October 2023)

Hi is it necessary to have experience to edit articles --Mukesh 3444 (talk) 01:25, 30 October 2023 (UTC)

Hello,Mukesh 3444. No, that is not necessary. The only way to gain experience is to begin editing. I suggest that you first familiarize yourself with the three core content policies. They are Verifiability and the Neutral point of view and No original research. I recommend that you avoid highly contentious topics until you have gained some experience, but there are millions of non-controversial articles that need to be improved. Cullen328 (talk) 01:34, 30 October 2023 (UTC)

Question about the Teahouse

If I’m a person who always has questions, would it be preferable to title my topic headers in the Teahouse ‘Some questions’ to be able to group completely unrelated questions under one header? So I don’t clutter the Teahouse table of contents with different questions? I asked my mentor this, and they said it’s probably preferable to do that, but to ask a Teahouse host to make sure there are no Teahouse policies that he wasn’t familiar with. Shadestar474 (talk) 22:28, 31 October 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Shadestar474. There is no set policy, but my recommendation is to create an individual section for each discrete question, with a decriptive header for each. A section with many questions may deter somebody who knows the answer to just one from contributing. Cullen328 (talk) 22:55, 31 October 2023 (UTC)
Nobody worries about the table of contents being cluttered as long as the headers are descriptive instead of vague. Overly long headers are a bit irritating, in my view. Cullen328 (talk) 22:57, 31 October 2023 (UTC)
Thank you very much, @Cullen328! Shadestar474 (talk) 23:04, 31 October 2023 (UTC)

Thanks

Just posting here to thank you for your replies at ANI re: Second Skin. They were very thought out and informative. ― "Ghost of Dan Gurney" (talk)  02:48, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

GhostOfDanGurney, you are welcome. I appreciate your feedback. Cullen328 (talk) 02:51, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from IndieSaer (20:32, 1 November 2023)

do my drafts get saved when I create them? --IndieSaer (talk) 20:32, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, IndieSaer. You must click "Publish changes" in order to save a draft, or anything else. Cullen328 (talk) 20:35, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from IndieSaer (16:22, 2 November 2023)

I am currently creating a page for a lost pop-synth song titled "Everyone Knows That", and I wanted to include an image associated with the song, but I did not created the image. What do I do? (The images in question: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9j6pz55zHb0/hq720.jpg) It is worth noting that the images came from a listing for the radio on the website depop.com --IndieSaer (talk) 16:22, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, IndieSaer. Unless you can find information in writing verifying that the image is freely licensed in an appropriate way, it must be assumed that the image is restricted by copyright. Copyright restricted images can only be used in very narrow circumstances described at WP:NFCI, and can never be used in drafts. Cullen328 (talk) 17:01, 2 November 2023 (UTC)

User:The-symbiant

Hypothetically speaking, is that someone you would approach to offer your consulting services to? Or do you restrict yourself to clients who come to you? If you do offer your services to people you meet during your activies as a volunteer, might I suggest you disclose that in some way? If only to prevent other people wasting their time giving advice that has already been given in private. Speaking personally, I have already decided not to offer my opinion in any matters you have already commented on, especially if it is a matter that requires a detailed response. My Other Wiki Is Magic (talk) 01:39, 5 November 2023 (UTC) ⁶

Hello, My Other Wiki Is Magic. Welcome to Wikipedia! I suspended my off-Wikipedia paid consulting and training activity when the discussion began at WP:VPP almost two months ago. I have declined all inquiries from potential clients since then, although I offered some very basic advice for free to one person.
If I resume that little business venture in the future, I will never offer my services to anyone I encounter on Wikipedia. I kept my off-Wikipedia ventures separate from my on-Wikipedia editing, and have none of the related articles on my watchlist. And, as I have done in the past, I will be completely honest and above board with my clients, as opposed to the undeclared paid editing sockfarm that scammed and lied to The-symbiant. Cullen328 (talk) 02:24, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
The dilemma now is that it is entirely foreseeable for a situation to arise where you see manifest benefit to Wikipedia in temporarily or even permanently setting aside a mere personal promise to keep your consulting and volunteer efforts separate. What then? Does your commitment to honesty stretch to disclosure in those circumstances? My Other Wiki Is Magic (talk) 03:40, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
My Other Wiki Is Magic you are obviously an alternate account of an experienced editor who is unwilling, for whatever reason, to engage in discussion on a level playing ground. Disappointing, but I do not care very much. You see a dilemma. I don't. You see that certain things are entirely foreseeable. I do not own a crystal ball, and yours must be of very high quality. I will comment further, not so much for your benefit because I do not think that you are being fair with me, but for the benefit of other editors who may be reading this discussion.
For about seven weeks, there has been a conversation at WP:VPP that is, quite strangely, both about me and not about me. There can be zero doubt that my decision about a year ago to offer my paid consulting and training services off-Wikipedia inspired the discussion that is now so monumental that it is difficult to read from beginning to end. After a while, I "outed myself", as it were, and admitted that it was me and tried to explain my thinking. Since then, a lot of the comments have been in the form of "I see no evidence that Cullen328 has done anything wrong, but hypothetical Wikipedia adminstrator X might do something terrible." And if I object to the hypothetical, somebody would just say, "I am not talking about you. I am taking about the other corrupt adminstrators that you are now enabling."
Many editors have said that anybody can easily get plenty of good advice at the Help Desk or the Teahouse. I have made well over 10,000 edits to those help spaces and continue unabated. The bottom line is that the paid editing marketplace shows that there are many people who do not understand how Wikipedia works, and instead would like to pay someone to help them. Some want to hire somebody to circumvent Wikipedia's policies and guidelines. I have zero interest in such clients. Others are willing to pay for in-depth "handholding", as it were, for detailed, personalized explanations of how Wikipedia really works. With every single client or potential client, I have made it clear that I am completely devoted to Wikipedia's policies and guidelines and that I will never skirt them in any way. That's the reason why most potential clients do not want to do business with me. And that is why I have made so little money at my little venture. Many people want to pay for the cheap fix rather than the thoughtful, careful approach.
Many folks have commented that my $75 per hour fee is excessive and that I am somehow getting rich. Before I retired, during the pandemic, from offering expert construction related services on jobsites, I charged $150 per hour and was billing multiple hours almost every single day. I now charge $150 per hour for my son's services, and he works for my business many hours a week. This is "good money" but far less than many US professionals earn. The notion that I an getting rich off this is belied by that fact that I have earned less than $2000 in the last year for this consulting, and it is #5 on my income stream, after "interest income". The response to all that is Yeah, but we are worried about the hypothetical corrupt adminstrators, not you. All well and good, but I am the one who has been under intense scrutiny for seven weeks. During that time, I have been carrying on, improving and expanding encyclopedia articles, helping new editors, reverting vandalism, protecting articles, blocking trolls, and doing my best to improve and maintain the encyclopedia, all while dealing with severe health problems of two relatives. Unlike most Wikipedia editors, my life is public and anybody with Google-Foo can quickly learn an enormous amount about my background and my business and personal life. That is because I made a conscious decision back in the 1990s thar anonymity was not right for me online, and that people were more likely to trust me if I was open and frank about who I am.
My bottom line is that I agree that disclosure of offering paid off-Wikipedia services should be made. I disclosed at WP:AN and my own userpage. I also believe that the off-Wikipedia business relationships between any editor including adminstrators, and anyone else, are a private matter, unless evidence of misconduct is presented. In my primary business, I usually have about 200 clients a year. I never disclose any of them in any way without their explicit permission. Some leave reviews on platforms like Yelp and they are overwhelmingly positive, so there's that. All anyone needs to do is Google "consultant confidentiality" to learn that ethical consultants operate under a presumption of confidentiality. Part but not all of the reason why I entered into this venture was to learn more, first hand, about the underbelly of paid editing. And I have learned a lot.
OK, after that long response that is at least partially venting, I will say that if I observed a former client engaging in egregious misconduct on Wikipedia, I would report that to the appropriate noticeboard. If a current client engaged in serious misconduct, I would immediately terminate the agreement, walk away, and report to the appropriate noticeboard.
As I have said repeatedly, but will reiterate, if there are policy changes about this matter, I will comply without complaint. But I reserve the right to defend myself against false assumptions. Cullen328 (talk) 07:24, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
I'm very sorry you've had to go through this. Your explanation above is very clear and convincing. User:My Other Wiki Is Magic is almost certainly a sock. Doug Weller talk 09:40, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
As far as I know, I am fully entitled to approach you in this manner at this venue in this way. I am fully available to answer any legitimate queries about my actives. I am not knowingly trying to break much less skirt any Wikipedia policy. In that spirit and indeed letter, if you do not wish this conversation to continue, you only have to say, and I will respect your wishes. If you do, then allow me to explain where my confidence in my crystal ball comes from.
I can see at least four very good reasons in your reply as to why you would and perhaps should approach people like The-symbiant and offer your services. Manifest benefit to Wikipedia. Learning opportunity. Market need. Profit. Hopefully in that order, but obviously you are in total control of that. If it was me who was trying to downplay the importance of the profit motive in that list, I would probably have promised that all my proceeds would go to charity. But that's just me. A high earning professional consultant with a very good reputation but whose activies are still nonetheless tightly regulated for the protection of consumers, myself and my industry.
Nobody can ever compel me to reveal what I have said to clients, but I understand that the price I might have to pay for that, is potentially going to prison or being struck off my professional register. This activity of yours is therefore in my opinion not even in the same ballpark as far as expected renumeration goes. Even though due to Wikipedia's epic scale, one wrong move from you could severely impact the hobbies of thousands and the lives of millions. Including me. Would that I had such influence. For my professionalism I have the added benefits of prestige and self worth, but perhaps in your own way, that is what you take from being a Wikipedia consultant.
But the fact remains. Unlike in my experience of professional consulting, which is surely the common form of the activity in today's world, I can see only one reason why you would not keep that particular undertaking - your promise that you would not. But I also see no logical reson for that promise. What are you gaining? More importantly, what is Wikipedia gaining? The ethical nature of your activity is already covered by your declaration and your overarching solemn promise. So what does this artificial separation between volunteering and consultation bring to the table for anyone? I see no need for it. Get rid of it, would be my recommendation.
After all, I have already said it makes no difference to me, and surely doesn't to others. I will never offer my services as a volunteer anywhere I see you or any declared consultant contribute first, because I have absolutely no way of knowing that my advice hasn't already been offered in secret, for pay. That is my privelage as a volunteer, and that is a consequence you must accept from choosing this path when there were clearly others available to meet the market need you claim exists and must be served.
This debate has become centered around you because as far as I can tell you willingly chose to be a pioneer and are currently the only known example of a freely declared ethical Wikipedia consultant. Seeing you in action, now that we know this is your chosen path, allows people to speculate how this might impact their own volunteering. Had I not seen you interacting with The-symbiant, it might never have even occurred to me to consider this as a potential downside for Wikipedia, and for me.
I say none of this to be cruel or offensive or any other harmful motive others might attribute to me. I am here to learn from you how your choices will impact me. If I cannot learn, I am free to speculate based on the evidence available and some simple deductions, within the bounds of good decorum, obviously. Best, My Other Wiki Is Magic (talk) 13:31, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
I will not be taking business advice from sockpuppets. Cullen328 (talk) 18:28, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from Lily xteen (13:25, 6 November 2023)

Hello how to post your personal information in Wikipedia --Lily xteen (talk) 13:25, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Lily xteen. Any information that you post must be for the purpose of improving the encyclopedia. Can you be more specific? Cullen328 (talk) 18:38, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

Administrators' newsletter – November 2023

News and updates for administrators from the past month (October 2023).

Administrator changes

added 0xDeadbeef
readded Tamzin
removed Dennis Brown

Interface administrator changes

added Pppery
removed

Guideline and policy news

Technical news

Arbitration

  • Eligible editors are invited to self-nominate themselves from 12 November 2023 until 21 November 2023 to stand in the 2023 Arbitration Committee elections.
  • Xaosflux, RoySmith and Cyberpower678 have been appointed to the Electoral Commission for the 2023 Arbitration Committee Elections. BusterD is the reserve commissioner.
  • Following a motion, the contentious topic designation of Prem Rawat has been struck. Actions previously taken using this contentious topic designation are still in force.
  • Following several motions, multiple topic areas are no longer designated as a contentious topic. These contentious topic designations were from the Editor conduct in e-cigs articles, Liancourt Rocks, Longevity, Medicine, September 11 conspiracy theories, and Shakespeare authorship question cases.
  • Following a motion, remedies 3.1 (All related articles under 1RR whenever the dispute over naming is concerned), 6 (Stalemate resolution) and 30 (Administrative supervision) of the Macedonia 2 case have been rescinded.
  • Following a motion, remedy 6 (One-revert rule) of the The Troubles case has been amended.
  • An arbitration case named Industrial agriculture has been opened. Evidence submissions in this case close 8 November.

Miscellaneous

Sent by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:22, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from MKEBOZZZ (14:34, 6 November 2023)

What is editing..? --MKEBOZZZ (talk) 14:34, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, MKEBOZZZ. Please read Help:Editing. Cullen328 (talk) 18:34, 6 November 2023 (UTC)
Ok thanks ..😊 MKEBOZZZ (talk) 20:16, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

Harassment

Information icon Please be careful about what you say to people. Some remarks can easily be misinterpreted, or viewed as harassment. Wikipedia is a supportive environment, where contributors should feel comfortable and safe while editing. Thank you.

Baseless accusations of dishonesty constitute harassment. Voskresno (talk) 22:26, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

Nobody is accusing you of dishonesty, Voskresno. You have been asked a simple question. Please answer it. Cullen328 (talk) 22:30, 7 November 2023 (UTC)
I have not been asked a simple question, and I was accused of dishonesty, both by Bishonen and then by you. A false statement was made about me ("You are obviously not a new editor, per your edit to Talk:Nick Fuentes.") followed by a question built on a false premise ("What's your main account, please?"). I cannot answer the question honestly, because the question is counterfactual. By suggesting I answer the question honestly, you are presuming that it is possible to answer honestly, i.e. that the false premise (that this is not my main account) is actually true.
Please thoroughly read through the Wikipedia:NPOV thoroughly prior to continuing to baselessly accuse others. Voskresno (talk) 22:43, 7 November 2023 (UTC)
Your logic is spurious. You could easily and honestly say "This is my first account" or "I edited a lot from IP addresses" or "I had previous accout X but lost access" or "This is a legitimate alternative account". Instead, you have chosen to be uncooperative and argue with several administrators. Not a good way to "win friends and influence people". Cullen328 (talk) 22:51, 7 November 2023 (UTC)
Pinging Voskresno. Cullen328 (talk) 22:52, 7 November 2023 (UTC)
"You could easily and honestly say ..." Sure, I could say something of the sort, but that would not be answering the question I was asked. Bishonen began with a baseless accusation then asked a leading question based on a false premise. You showed up and insisted I 'answer the question honestly', which is yet another accusation, though more subtle. If you wished for an answer to the question (which, again, I made clear I could not provide and explained the reasons, which gives you the response you apparently were looking for), you could say, 'Please answer the question.' But, if you didn't necessarily take the accusation as fact and understood the possibility that the premise was false, you could have asked two questions: 'Is this your main/first account? And if not, what's your main/first account?'
I very clearly indicated that I disagreed with the premise of the question by responding with, 'What are you referring to?'. I'm not sure why I should go out of my way to offer information that wasn't asked for, by, as far as I could tell, a couple of random users who seemed to be targeting me based on disagreement with my comment on Talk:Nick Fuentes. I don't make the habit of clicking into the profiles of people who have insinuated falsehoods about me to learn more about them. And their and your being an administrator has no bearing on whether you two were accusing me of lying without any evidentiary basis. If it is a personal inquiry unrelated to your administerial work, then I see no reason I should be pressured to answer the question at all—your authority is inapplicable to personal matters. But if it is an official inquiry, please identify it as such. In addition, you should provide evidence not only that this is not my main account, but also that my purported use of multiple accounts is abusive and thus constitutes 'sockpuppeteering'. If you wish to investigate me, you are more than welcome to open an investigation (or point me to an existing open investigation); however, in order to do so, you must have evidence of this alleged behavior as described on the aforementioned page.
But I would like to know on what grounds I was accused before I address any accusations, as is the customary right in any sort of legitimate legal system—which, presumably, are in general far more corrupt than the bastion of liberalism, Wikipedia—and yet you insisted that I answer Bishonen's question but not that Bishonen answer mine. It's strange that Wikipedia has made one of its only five core principles that editors should treat each other with respect, something I have done towards you and Bishonen without even being aware of your status as administrators and in spite of not being shown any level of dignity myself. Presumably, given you have now flaunted your position and falsely accused me of being 'uncooperative and argu[ing] with several administrators', you believe that your position is one that puts you above me to the point of not needing to show me the same respect I've shown you. I have not in any way argued, I have merely disputed false claims against myself and not rolled over in submission. I have been uncooperative; however, that term is loaded. I would also be uncooperative if the police asked me questions that were clearly an attempt to implicate me in some crime—which seems to be more or less what is happening here, apart from potential consequences. There's no reason I should cooperate with those who treat me uncivilly and clearly are working against me in some capacity.
As for the Dale Carnegie reference, I'm not interested in winning friends who think themselves above me and won't treat me with even the most basic level of respect, or influencing people who have nothing better to do than throw around accusations based on a gut feeling. I have no interest in being cooperative with people who jump immediately to unfounded accusations, presumably because they disagree with my opinion. I would think it's much more important for you and Bishonen to learn how to win friends and influence people, as this entire back-and-forth would have been resolved in about a minute if Bishonen hadn't accused me and spoken discourteously, and it could have been resolved in about 5 minutes if you hadn't done the same.
If both Bishonen and you can, in the thread on my own talk page, apologize sincerely for your condescension, and if Bishonen can (a) explain in detail why they believe this might be an alternate account while acknowledging that this is only a hunch or, at best, a hypothesis, and (b) asks for a response to this idea from me in a way that does not presume that their presumption is fact, I would be happy to respond directly to the question. If either you or they are unable to do that, I'm afraid I will continue to be, understandably, uncooperative. Voskresno (talk) 01:26, 8 November 2023 (UTC)
Voskresno, instead of answering a simple, straightforward question, you have responded with TLDR mischaracterizations and evasive blather. Productive Wikipedia editors are forthright and succinct. Please stay off my talk page except for formal notices required by policy. Cullen328 (talk) 01:35, 8 November 2023 (UTC)
I came here to provide a harassment notice and discuss it after you disputed its accuracy. Please stay off my talk page and you'll have no need to worry about me showing up on your page. Voskresno (talk) 02:34, 8 November 2023 (UTC)

It is duly noted that you have again posted on my talk page after I clearly asked you not to. If I return to your talk page, it will be to take administrative action, Voskresno. Cullen328 (talk) 02:45, 8 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from Uninterrupter (14:19, 8 November 2023)

Hi I would like to know how can I create a page --Uninterrupter (talk) 14:19, 8 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Uninterrupter. If by "page", you mean an encyclopedia article, then please read Your first article. Please be aware that the standards are strict. Cullen328 (talk) 16:42, 8 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from 6a6y gee (02:28, 9 November 2023)

How can I start a wiki page about my rap career and stuff --6a6y gee (talk) 02:28, 9 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, 6a6y gee. Start by reading WP:AUTOBIOGRAPHY. To be frank, I very much doubt that you meet the notability guideline for musical performers. I was unable to find even a single mention of you in a Google News search. Cullen328 (talk) 02:35, 9 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from Cyril R. Cabillos (02:13, 13 November 2023)

I edited an article before I created my account. Can that edit be credited to me retroactively? --Cyril R. Cabillos (talk) 02:13, 13 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Cyril R. Cabillos. You can create your userpage by clicking on your red linked signature. There, you can mention the article you edited as an IP. Cullen328 (talk) 02:16, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Thanks for the info, @Cullen328. I'll try that. Cyril R. Cabillos (talk) 02:30, 13 November 2023 (UTC)

Words from some random user

Hi Jim, I don't think we've ever run across each other before, but I'm a longtime lurker of the darker areas of Wikipedia. I'm not one for giving barnstars, but I wanted to express my appreciation for all the work you do here. You take on some of the most difficult tasks this place can offer, and you do it with the right attitude. You have a viewpoint that Wikipedia can lack, and it is richer for your presence.

Thanks for doing what you do. Madam Fatal (talk) 20:09, 15 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Madam Fatal. Thank you for your kind words. Cullen328 (talk) 22:53, 15 November 2023 (UTC)

Music in Monk Time

Hello Jim - A few years ago you kindly (and patiently!) shepherded my movie, "Music in Monk Time", into a proper Wikipedia listing. Last month "MIMT" was added to the Qwest TV catalog. I would like to add to "Notable Showings":

"In 2023, "Music in Monk Time" became available for viewing on Quincy Jones' streaming platform, QWest TV.

I do have a financial relationship with Qwest TV and I believe there is a proper place to disclose that.

Thank you, Stephen Rice Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 21:41, 10 November 2023 (UTC)

Nice to hear from you again, Thedevoutcatalyst. Please declare your financial relationship with QWest TV on your userpage. And then send me a link to a reliable source regarding your film bring available there. Cullen328 (talk) 22:15, 10 November 2023 (UTC)
Hello Again - I have updated my user page to declare the relationship to Qwest TV. Here is the link to the Qwest TV listing. https://videos.qwest.tv/content/music-in-monk-time
Thanks, Stephen Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 00:45, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
Hello, Thedevoutcatalyst. That is a primary, non-independent promotional source. Far better would be an independent, reliable source, such as a note in a jazz publication. Cullen328 (talk) 00:59, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
Ok, I'll find out if Qwest TV has publicized the acquisition in any print media. Thanks, Stephen Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 20:08, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
Hello Jim - As a streaming platform, Qwest TV doesn't utilize much print media beyond it's initial formation campaign. To date, there has been no announcement regarding the acquisition of Music in Monk Time in print. They sent out a dedicated online newsletter, but that is a primary source. I will send you that link once I receive it, but I think it will be similar to this email campaign: https://videos.qwest.tv/content/music-in-monk-time?utm_source=Main+Marketing+List&utm_campaign=d44e129570-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_09_13_09_09_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_956bd1c86d-d44e129570-16237403&mc_cid=d44e129570
Thanks, Stephen Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 07:50, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Hello Jim - I was trying to send you a screen shot that Qwest TV sent me and it mistakenly went to Wikipedia Commons. I thought it was just going to your private talk link. I tried to follow directions for "Speedy Delete" but I think it requires input from an administrator. Sorry, Stephen Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 20:50, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
I have a link to the mistaken Wikipedia Commons entry, but I'm afraid to press send for fear of another mistake. Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 20:53, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Thedevoutcatalyst, I am not an administrator on Wikimedia Commons, only English Wikipedia. Try https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Deletion_requests]. Cullen328 (talk) 20:56, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Thanks, I'll try that. Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 20:57, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Also I had a typo in the file name. Music in Monk Timer on Qwest TV. Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 20:57, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Ok, I have nominated myself for deletion. Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 21:09, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
Hello Jim - Qwest TV operates in a pretty much exclusively digital world. They did put out a digital newsletter announcing their acquisition of Music in Monk Time for release on their streaming platform. Here is a link to that newsletter in hopes it can be used as a verification source for a Wikipedia update. Thank you, Stephen https://mailchi.mp/qwest.tv/barcelona-jazz-festival Thedevoutcatalyst (talk) 21:23, 17 November 2023 (UTC)

Wrt to statements at User talk:Martin Urbanec (WMF)

Please retract this comment immediately, this falls afoul of basic human decency and civility expectations, not to mention, especially administrator conduct. You have no right to treat technical contributors (and/or WMF employees) like absolute dirt. Sohom (talk) 10:21, 14 November 2023 (UTC)

I stand by the substance of my comments but I apologized for the harsh tone. Cullen328 (talk) 22:17, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
I do agree that your initial concerns were well founded. To be honest, I was agitated about some off-wiki things, and your comment really triggered a nerve that day, especially since I've worked since 2019 as a volunteer developer on various projects at Wikimedia and can very much see myself in the same shoes having made the same mistake. However, I do recognize that I overreacted to the situation, and for that I apologize :) Sohom (talk) 23:09, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
I think that we are all good. Thanks, Sohom Datta. Cullen328 (talk) 23:35, 17 November 2023 (UTC)

Feedback request: Biographies request for comment

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Don Black

Why indefinite and not for a shorter scale? Vive ZX Cola (talk) 03:23, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

{tps} "Indefinite" does not mean "infinite". You can request that the block be lifted at some future time, when perhaps you have a more established track record. Beyond My Ken (talk) 03:26, 22 November 2023 (UTC)
Vive ZX Cola, you have been indefinitely blocked from editing a single article and you are still able to edit 6,748,651 other articles. The reason for the indefinite pageblock is that I do not want you to wait out a time limited block and then resume the disruption. If you want to edit that particular article again, you will need to make a convincing argument in a block appeal explaining why you now understand that your previous edits were inappropriate. If you engage in similar disruption of other articles, you may be blocked site wide. So, don't do that. Cullen328 (talk) 03:32, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello

What are you a cop or something? Constantly sticking your head out to police others? it's cool but a warning next time. JosephWC (talk) 04:17, 17 November 2023 (UTC)

Cullen, I don't know about you, but I'm too old to give such uncollegiality a pass. I blocked this editor, who has a long pattern of incivility, for two weeks, and I have no doubt that the next one will be indefinite. Take care, Drmies (talk) 14:57, 17 November 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, Drmies. I was watching old episodes of Seinfeld with my wife last night and never got around to figuring out what I did to irritate this person. Cullen328 (talk) 18:18, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
It doesn't take much, for some. Please tell Mrs. Cullen I said hi. I got Beef bourguignon cooking: you're always welcome here. Drmies (talk) 23:00, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
I will tell her that, Drmies. Beef bourguignon is one of my favorites. I have thawed some chicken thighs and will cook them with rice and carrots into kind of a casserole. No recipe - just do it. Cullen328 (talk) 23:14, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
Less appetizing. Drmies (talk) 23:17, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
Charming fellow, Drmies. Cullen328 (talk) 23:33, 17 November 2023 (UTC)
@Drmies: I have extended that block to indefinite as I noticed they've evaded their block on 190.27.188.180 and 2800:484:D493:7800:0:0:0:0/64. —k6ka 🍁 (Talk · Contributions) 22:59, 21 November 2023 (UTC)
  • K6ka, I'm wondering about this. Joseph geolocates elsewhere and I'm not sure about the edit summaries either. Drmies (talk) 02:16, 22 November 2023 (UTC)
    • @Drmies: I noticed overlap in their editing behaviour. There's these edits (1 2 3)) of the IPs reinstating an edit by Joseph, which I find suspect. They also primarily edit in the same topic area of Marvel Comics. I just found those similarities too good to be coincidence. —k6ka 🍁 (Talk · Contributions) 14:03, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from Dayton.jeremy on Michael Portillo (16:29, 22 November 2023)

Hello. I don't know how to edit, but I wanted to include Portillos Hidden History of Britain in Micheal Portillos television work. --Dayton.jeremy (talk) 16:29, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

(talk page stalker) @Dayton.jeremy: I took a peek and both the book and the TV series is already included in the article. Knitsey (talk) 16:38, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Jim! Hope you have a great turkey day! Colman2000 (talk) 19:15, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, Colman2000. Same to you. Cullen328 (talk) 20:03, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

November thanks

November songs
story · music

Thank you for reasonable comments! - my story today, Canticle I: My beloved is mine and I am his, - the composer, born OTD 110 years ago, didn't want it shorter (but the publisher), more here. I'm back to a good tradition: a Britten composition on his birthday. How are you and your wife? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 19:34, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Gerda Arendt. Thank you so much. My wife and I are preparing for a traditional American Thanksgiving meal with one of our sons tomorrow. Our granddaughter (and her parents) have gone out of town to celebrate Thanksgiving with relatives on her mother's side of the family. My wife has various health problems but is doing her best to appreciate and enjoy life every day. Cullen328 (talk) 07:43, 23 November 2023 (UTC)
What a good plan! Enjoy in thankfulness! My (unplanned) contribution (pictured on the Main page) are the achievements of Lea Ackermann who is listed here, with thanks. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 10:19, 23 November 2023 (UTC)
I hope your day is good, - next unplanned "harvest" on the same Main page: Colette Maze, - what a story, and your wife might be interested as well. The shortest inspiring video is by the BBC, the most detailed NPR. - I just managed to upload another day of vacation pics - click on songs. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 23:33, 23 November 2023 (UTC)
Today: in memoriam Jerome Kohl who said (In Freundschaft): "and I hope that they have met again in the beyond and are making joyous music together" --Gerda Arendt (talk) 14:59, 27 November 2023 (UTC)

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Editor experience invitation

Hi Cullen328. :) I'm looking for people to interview here. Feel free to pass if you're not interested. Clovermoss🍀 (talk) 12:35, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

Question from Bino10067 (08:45, 4 December 2023)

Hello, before editing I believe I need to insert a template "in use" to avoid anyone else attempting to edit at the same time. How do I achieve that? Thanks --Bino10067 (talk) 08:45, 4 December 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Bino10067. I have been editing for over 14 years and have never once used an "in use" template. To be frank, I consider such templates to be a relic of the early days of Wikipedia. If your edit is concise, go ahead and make it. If your edit is complex, draft it your sandbox space, saving frequently, and then copy and paste it into the article when you are ready. If someone reverts you, then you can modify the content based on the feedback you have received, since it is still right there in your sandbox. Cullen328 (talk) 08:57, 4 December 2023 (UTC)
Thanks for that, yep I picked that up from a Youtube video...as you say probably a relic from the past. I did go ahead and make the changes I wanted to make and after hitting 'Publish' button received this notice:
A database query error has occurred. This may indicate a bug in the software.
[01ddd02d-01f7-4fea-a3ab-c542003ce77b] 2023-12-04 09:03:29: Fatal exception of type "Wikimedia\Rdbms\DBQueryError"
Kindly advise Bino10067 (talk) 09:09, 4 December 2023 (UTC)
Bino10067, I suggest that you ask at Village pump/technical about this specific error message. Cullen328 (talk) 17:27, 4 December 2023 (UTC)
Thanks for that. I did manage to sort out my problem and made the edit. Thank you Cullen328 for your assistance in my very first edit on Wikipedia. Much appreciated. Bino10067 (talk) 00:04, 5 December 2023 (UTC)

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Section headings

I saw you reverted my edit at Taylor Swift. I'm curious, is there a MOS or something that specifically said so? I took a quick look at the recently promoted FA Leonardo DiCaprio as a reference point fyi. Ippantekina (talk) 05:04, 11 December 2023 (UTC)

Ippantekina, in the DiCaprio article, "Career" is the whole heading, while in the Swift article, it is the third word in the heading. We use sentence case, capitalizing only the first word of a heading, except for proper nouns. See Wikipedia:Titling in sentence case. Cullen328 (talk) 05:12, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
Ippantekina, for more definitive language, please see Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Headings, headers, and captions. Cullen328 (talk) 05:18, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
I was referring to the subsections (i.e. "2002–2009: Venture into film production" (DiCaprio) vs "2004–2008: career beginnings and first album" (Swift) ). I understand sentence case but your explanation was insufficient for me. Ippantekina (talk) 05:26, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
I.e. I changed "career" to "Career" (first word of the subsection) but you reverted it. Ippantekina (talk) 05:26, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
My edit was in good faith. If you disagree, feel free to edit as you see fit. Cullen328 (talk) 05:49, 11 December 2023 (UTC)
I was asking to see if I was missing anything and wasn't assuming bad faith in you.. thanks for letting me know :) Ippantekina (talk) 06:15, 11 December 2023 (UTC)

Question from Darrensilk3 (00:06, 13 December 2023)

Hi there Cullen328 & Dudhhr!

Just amneded my first article, and I was initially put off doing so as one of my amendments was instantly reverted back in a fraction of a second without anyone looking at it with the phrase; "Wholly unnecessary". Since then I have queried it and now it has been changed back to my original amendment. The article was to show an almost complete list of the buildings built by a company that my ancestor ran with another person. I've been researching them since 2012 and always wanted to improve the article, which was a stub for a long time.

The long term intention is to build it out into a fully referenced article with a table of all of the buildings, but bullet points were what was there already so I adhered to that existing format for now. I really want to help others with being able to search the information by building articles for each building as I have tonnes of research info that just needs to be put out there.

Sadly this was a somewhat disappointing first experience and would have easily have turned anyone else with any enthusiasm off of wanting to improve Wikipedia. I hope that is not the case for every amendment and things are approached with a degree of pragmatism. As I want to build on this stub of an article; doing things like putting the list into a chart etc. with additional information on each building's listed status, a bit like other wiki pages I've seen for builders / architects. I really want to improve the page and I'm really enthusiastic about building out other related pages too!

Kind regards, Darrensilk3 --Darrensilk3 (talk) 00:06, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Darrensilk3. Here is my sincere practical advice to you:
  • References to reliable sources come first. They come first. Create your references FIRST and only then add content summarizing those references. Expect unreferenced content to be reverted, because it violates the core content policy of Verifiability. Editors have no right to complain if unreferenced content is removed. References to reliable sources ALWAYS come first.
  • Lists should consist of items that already have well-referenced Wikipedia articles. Otherwise, they turn into indiscriminate collections of information. According to the policy What Wikipedia is not, Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information.
Your enthusiasm as a new editor is admirable. I suggest that you get started with good editing habits now. Cullen328 (talk) 03:48, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

New page creation

Hi Jim, I'm a newbie and I would like to add a page to Wikipedia about an old prefabricated church that had three 'lives' in Portsmouth, Hants, UK, between 1858 and 1912. I have created the page using Visual Editor in my Sandbox, but where do I go from here? Clearly I need someone to review it before publication.

Any help much appreciated

Dennis Cartosaurus (talk) 11:06, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Cartosaurus. Please read Your first article, and submit your draft to Articles for Creation when it is ready. See Template:AfC submission/submit for the code that you should add to the top of your draft. Cullen328 (talk) 18:29, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
Many thanks Jim, my draft is now awaiting review. I do have another issue for which I need help. Whilst drafting the article I practised including an image thinking that it woud remain in my Sandbox but it has gone stright to Wikipedia Commons. I do not have permsiion to use this image so I need to delete it can you advise please.
Dennis Cartosaurus (talk) 17:14, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
Hello, Cartosaurus. I assume that you are talking about File:Crinoline Church Eastney 1867.jpg. All 19th century photos are in the public domain, and therefore it does not need to be deleted and you do not need permission from anyone to use it. You need to clean up the licensing language, though. It is not your own work since you are obviously not the photographer. You need to say precisely where you found the photo, and you need to change the licensing from a Creative Commons license to public domain. Cullen328 (talk) 18:12, 14 December 2023 (UTC)
Another thing, Cartosaurus. You should remove [edit] from your headers. The software produces the clickable edit button automatically, so that text you have added is both redundant and non functional. Cullen328 (talk) 18:20, 14 December 2023 (UTC)

Please Check Why the Search Field No Longer Displays on My Wikipedia Profile

Hi. I am an editor/contributor on both English and Spanish Wikipedia who usually donates about $25 a year to Wikipedia. For some reason, since last evening, when I reenter English Wikipedia, the search field has been disabled, despite my having rebooted several times to see if it would fix the problem. When I click on the magnifier glass icon, it fails to bring up the search field. Curiously, it appears normally in Spanish Wikipedia when I switch there. I can work around the lack of a search field in English Wikipedia by entering phrases to the https://en.wikipedia/wiki/ stem, or alternatively on word searches in Google that list Wikipedia entries that match the search term, but that is cumbersome. Would you please check to see why the search field no longer appears in English Wikipedia but appears normally in Spanish Wikipedia?

I suspect it might have something to do with a three message exchange with another editor (Doniago) who reverted my edits of about 5 sentences to an article about Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" on the grounds that my adding a few details resulted in a "plot summary" of 721 words. This editor commented that he had reverted the article to its state before my edits and instructed that I needed to cut the 721-word entry down to 700 words or under. When I commented that 21 words over the "guideline" was "a tad nitpicky" (brief comment, not abrasive), the editor responded that my "tone" suggested that I was taking his comment "as personal criticism." I responded that I was not at all taking the comment personally but believed that my edit was significant because it added context to the "rape" scene in "Marnie" that has become controversial in recent years which merited going a mere 21 words over the "guideline." The editor remained inflexible, insisting that if I wanted to add the comment, it had to fit within the 700 word limit, but if I wanted to appeal his decision, I could take the issue to the talk page. I pointed out (again, not rudely) that there were plenty of plot summaries in Wikipedia that exceeded the 700 word limit by far more than 21 words, but the editor remained in flexible and I finally just added my edit within 673 words. The editor accepted by edits then (saying he was glad I had come to see things his way), but suddenly my search field has been disabled only in English Wikipedia. I find the timing curious and wonder whether that editor may have been the cause.

At any rate, would you please check to see what's going on with the "search field" in English Wikipedia in my profile? Ariadne000 (talk) 01:25, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Hello Ariadne000. I have no idea why you are having trouble finding the search function, but I highly doubt that it has anything to do with your disagreement with Doniago, who is not an administrator and would have no way of interfering with your settings. I suggest that you ask at Wikipedia:Village pump (technical), giving all the details of how you access Wikipedia. Desktop or mobile? Do you use an app? Which skin do you use? And so on. Cullen328 (talk) 01:48, 19 December 2023 (UTC)
Ok, thanks, Cullen. I appreciate your quick response and suggestion. I will check with Wikipedia:Village pump (technical). Ariadne000 (talk) 01:58, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Happy Holidays!


Colman2000 (talk) is wishing you Happy Holidays! This greeting (and season) promotes WikiLove and hopefully this note has made your day a little better. Spread the WikiLove by wishing another user Happy Holidays, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past, a good friend, or just some random person. Happy New Year!

Spread the cheer by adding {{subst:Happy holidays}} to their talk page with a friendly message.

Colman2000 (talk) 07:46, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Disciplines or fields of study in all universities of world

Hi sir I am teenager I am exploring subjects I just want to ask you We see discipline or subjects in our school and universities Like science , commerce ,humanities etc They are division of human knowledge I want to know actually how many fields of study are there in total How many divisions of human knowledge we can do on very broadest level All disciplines that are studied in all universities of world Stupidity9870 (talk) 15:10, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Hello, Stupidity9870. I recommend that you ask this question at the Reference desk/Humanities. Cullen328 (talk) 18:34, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Question from Bert silawan (10:55, 20 December 2023)

Hello --Bert silawan (talk) 10:55, 20 December 2023 (UTC)

December music

December songs
story · music

Today's story is about Maria Callas, on her centenary. - Aaron Copland died OTD, and Jerome Kohl said something wise on Copland's talk. -- Gerda Arendt (talk) 16:19, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

Today, I managed to updated my images to Paris (trip begun on 29 Nov) with a visit to the Palais Garnier, - to match the story of Medea Amiranashvili, - don't miss listening to her expressive voice. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 19:49, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

My story today is about Michael Robinson, - it's an honor to have known him. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 14:49, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

Thank you, Gerda Arendt. Compare Robinson to Joseph Asher. He was the rabbi who married my wife and I 42 years ago, and I wrote his biography in 2010. Cullen328 (talk) 17:14, 13 December 2023 (UTC)
Thank you, - today, I have a special story to tell, of the works of a musician born 300 years ago. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:47, 22 December 2023 (UTC)
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