User talk:Gadfium/archive14

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Archived talk pages
2004 Mar-Dec
2005 Jan-Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul-Aug Sep Oct-Dec
2006 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2007 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2008 Jan Feb Mar Apr May current

Contents

[edit] Blenheim

No problem. Still alot of work to be done on the article. Hey, is there any chance we can change these maps? They really bring down the articles in my opinion. Your thoughts? --Matt von Furrie 20:31, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

I don't see a problem with the maps. What do you think is wrong with them? How would you like them changed?-gadfium 22:43, 1 May 2006 (UTC)
When compared with say, the United States maps - they look like Microsoft Paint jobs. Not putting down the work of anyone else at all, but it'd be nice to see New Zealand stand out on Wikipedia. Also, I didn't realize you were an administrator; congrats :)

I created this template a while ago, just came across it today whilst doing my rounds. The tag is {{NZ Globalize }} - what do you think of it? --Matt von Furrie 22:52, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

The template looks good. I've linked it so it doesn't add my talk page to its categories.
Some US maps are a lot more developed than others. The New Zealand maps (taking Image:NZ-Blenheim.png as my example), compare favourably to, for example, Image:OHMap-doton-Blue_Ash.png. I like that the NZ maps are in colour. Other US maps, such as Image:Map of Florida highlighting Tallahassee.svg do look better than the New Zealand ones, but I'm not concerned by the situation.
If you want to find a better base map, I've seen a technique for overlaying a dot (or any bitmap) on it, so we could use just one map (or maybe one for the North Island and one for the South Island) and add the specific location in the wiki markup for each article. See {{superimpose}}, but poke around a bit because there may be downsides to using this I don't know about, or better templates developed since, eg {{location on map}}.-gadfium 23:42, 1 May 2006 (UTC)
FWIW (as the maker of the maps) I deliberately kept the information on them to an absolute minimum to add to their clarity. By using three standard emplates (NI, SI, NZ) it allows any type of feature to be marked, using a different colour dot or shape for each individual feature (towns are red dots, mountains brown dots, headlands black dots, rivers and lakes blue - in the case of rivers, the main river in blue with its tributaries in paler blue - plains light green, forests dark green, etc etc). In other words, an overall system that can be used for any geographic feature and with a set form for each one (something the superimposed "add a dot" can't do AFAIK), so that the New Zealand maps have a uniform look. I agree that the Tallahassee map is a very good one, but it's a far busier look than I was aiming for. Grutness...wha? 06:51, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] ""help!""

how do you stop sub-sections on pages? I'm having problems with my talk page. --Calvinsupergenius 19:21, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Request for Comments on Current events

Hello Gadfium/archive14 –

I'm trying to get some discussion going on two proposals regarding the current events page, but so far have gotten little to no response. Since you have recently edited the current events page, I'm asking for your input on these two proposals:

  • One proposal (this is the big one) involves putting the daily events from the current events pages into article-templates, a lá the monthly pages from 2003 to 2005, as well and having a consistent number of recent days on the current events page instead of a monthly archive. This would allow for the current events page and the respective month pages to be updated simultaneously without the monthly archival. For more, see the current events talk page.

Your input on one or both of these issues would be appreciated. joturner 02:12, 5 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ban on Aidan Work

Just to notify you that we received an email at OTRS (reference ticket number 2006050510004501) that the IP 192.190.108.19 is in fact an IP used throughout their library. We were also notified that this user was "tracked down" and indicated that they would no longer abuse their editing privileges. I have requested that the IP be unblocked, although I would expect User Aidan Work to request unblocking on his own.

I am letting you know, just so that you will be aware, as you are the sysop that originally blocked him/her. ℬastique▼parℓer♥voir♑ 18:37, 5 May 2006 (UTC)

I see you are the one that banned Aidan Work. Does that mean that you are tied up with Kiand, Jdirl, Demiurge and company? Wallie 23:03, 11 May 2006 (UTC)
No, I came across Work through his edits on New Zealand topics. I didn't ban him, I just enforced the existing ban when he continued to edit as an anon after being banned indefinitely. I don't recognise the other names you list, apart from User:Jtdirl (who I now see performed the indefinite banning) and while I've seen his name around as a major contributor to places such as the Village pump, I haven't had any significant interaction with him.-gadfium 23:17, 11 May 2006 (UTC)
I got involved with the Ian Paisley article, and these three people, especially Kiand took a very POV stance. I was just trying to improve the heavy POV in it. I am not particularly for or against Paisley, but like to see that the article is a true representation of the person. Kiand in particular was always trying to wind people up, espeically Aidan. Aidan obviously "lost it" which gave someone the excuse to ban him. Kiand is still trying to annoy him on his talk page, even though he is banned. I see that you mentioned it was Jdirl. I really think that this sort of thing is not good for Wikipedia, and wanted you to know. Wallie 19:35, 12 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Block on User:192.190.108.19

I am just about to unblock User:192.190.108.19; this is a shared IP, belonging to the Wellington (NZ) City Libraries. A library employee wrote us (in OTRS ticket #2006050510004501) requesting an un-block; apparently, Aidan Work was unaware that his blocks affected the library system as well. We've checked the headers on the employee's message, and everything appears to check out.

Please leave a note on my talk page if you have any further questions. - jredmond 18:55, 5 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] NZCOFT

I was about to, do it when I got the new message bar :D Brian | (Talk) 09:49, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] New Zealand geologic time scale

Easy mistake to make, but it is "Raukumaran", not "Ruakumaran". Your change prompted me to go and check, and I also added quite a bit more info to the article :). Grutness...wha? 06:29, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

How embarrassing. The DOC document I was using in the weta article had this misspelling.-gadfium 06:38, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] NZ independence date

Given your edit and the previous few, would it be possible to have multiple dates? that would indicate the that it wasn't a quick transition. The dates I have in mind are 1840 (NZ becomes colony, no longer part of New South Wales), 1907 (Dominion), 1947 (Statute of Westminster), 1986 (last powers of Brit Parliament removed). --Midnighttonight 04:02, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

That would be a good idea, but should probably be a footnote to the infobox rather than be in the infobox itself.-gadfium 04:08, 13 May 2006 (UTC)
I see that aussies article has multiple dates Brian | (Talk) 05:09, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Helen Clark

I have removed the POV-check tag and instead put a section expand tag on the achievements section. --Midnighttonight 07:40, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trolling

I can only assume that you have gone the personal attack way, probably as I mentioned Aidan Work. As far as the issues you mentoned are concerned, you mentioned the Helengrad article, and I immediately backed down. I merged the article on Illegal alien, and no one objected or said I had a negative view of the United States. I thought and still think that the photo is stupid and insulting for a world leader, and it has been placed in the article for that purpose. However, it was put back, and I didn't pursue the issue. As far as Controversies sections are concerned, I hate them. However, if Helen Clark has one so should the others. Otherwise, I can only assume you, as the gatekeeper, are politically biassed. The article on Don Brash looks like a party manifesto. You have said I have a negative view of New Zealand. Well, how would you know? The criticism you made of me were full of half truths. I see that you are an admin, and I suppose that gives you the right to call me anything you like. Well, I won't bite. If you stop the childish insults, and talk about disagreements you have with me sensibly, I will listen to your POV. Wallie 19:48, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trolling

  • Replies

Please don't troll on Wikipedia. I can find no other term for your edits on the articles of New Zealand political leaders recently.

On the Helen Clark article, you remove a picture of Clark, saying it is stupid and reduces her credibility. No other editor on that page can understand what is wrong with the picture. You then place a picture of one of her political opponents in the article.

  • I removed it, and someone put it back. I did not pursue the issue.
  • The article was full of criticism of Helen Clark, and the politican was one of the critics. I put a picture of him related to and in the controversies section. Again, someone disagreed with its presence, and I backed down.

You criticise the existence of a "Controversies" section in the article, and get acknowledgement that the section would be better broken up and distributed through the article. You then add Controversies sections to articles on previous New Zealand Prime Ministers.

  • Yes I did criticize the controversies. But no one was willing to alter the situation. In order to make things equal, I added controversies section to two opposition leaders. This was probably an overreaction on my part. I was very annoyed at the POV material in Don Brash's article.

At Talk:Helengrad, you propose that a controversial article which survived AfD be merged into the main article on Wellington.

  • OK. I did propose this and you disagreed. However, I again went along with you.

In New Zealand English, you add an expression "on the wagon" which is by no means unique to New Zealand.

  • This is probably the most trivial one, which shouldn't even be mentioned. A lot of expressions in the article are not specific to New Zealand.

I can accept some inconsistencies and mistakes, but it seems your contributions on New Zealand topics are overwhelmingly negative, and I request that you either play a more positive role, or find another hobby not involving Wikipedia.-gadfium 19:28, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

  • The last part is grossly condescending, arrogant, insulting and untrue.
  • You call me a troll, and yet if I see a confrontation coming, I usually back down, if it is not important, or the other person points out something.

Wallie 20:27, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] IRC

[21:16] <gadfium> If you look at Foreign relations of Australia, it isn't divided out by country at all. Shall I fold the France section into the body of the NZ article?

Sorry I missed your comment, my sister stole the computer :), IMO go ahead and merge Brian | (Talk) 10:28, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] GA spam on featured template

hi, i see that the "good article" spam has been put back in Template:featured despite objections from several users. this seems to be the way the GA project works: boldly putting something into a page that doesnt want it, then claiming consensus is required to *remove* it again (consensus is never required to put it there in the first place).

this is exactly the same behaviour as witnessed on the attempt to create an article space "good article" star, which i & raul654 finally managed to have deleted (a huge effort since they had already spammed a 1000 articles with it), and on the Community Portal where this non-policy wikiproject has pride of place - its apparently far more important than any of the other dozens of collaborations!

they even had the cheek to remove the "non-policy process" template from the top of their project pages claiming they now had "enough support to be policy" - this is despite clear consensus on the talk page that its NOT policy. an attempt to put it back was quickly removed.

i would appreciate any comments on the template's talk page. i'm really fed up with fighting these GA spam battles everywhere, its quite tiring. why do they have to constantly spread their GA spam everywhere? hope you can help! Zzzzz 09:45, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

I think you might have been better served by not posting this message on so many talk pages. A single notice on Village pump would have sufficed to draw attention to the issue. Calling the issue spam is also using unnecessarily emotive language.-gadfium 03:48, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] NZCOTF

It appers that there is a 3 way tie on the NZCOTF, so we will now have to go to Wikipedia:New_Zealand_Collaboration_of_the_Fortnight#Tie-breakers :) (well unless we get another vote before 8pm NZT) Brian | (Talk) 04:54, 21 May 2006 (UTC)

Yes, that will be interesting. Is there an example of such a run-off vote you can point me to?-gadfium 05:18, 21 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Thank-you

The count is in, and now I join the crew who wield the mops and pails.
Thanks for your support! I pledge to serve both you and Jimbo Wales.

If you have anything you need, then please don't think to hesitate.

For I am the very model of a grateful admin designate!
♫Bucketsofg✐♪

[edit] yeah okay MY BAD

Your concerns about Jeowens behaviour is fair enough. I should know better of course than to ask people about links to music that can be downloaded. --Midnighttonight 08:20, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Redirect Problems

Hi there, I created a redircet from Te Ara to Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, but it doesn't seem to be working and I can't work out why. Perhaps you can tell me where I've gone wrong! thanks Mostlyharmless 10:40, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] User:Sir Edmund Hillary

Umm, not sure where this goes (that entire request for admin help didn't seem to have a place for it), so I will come to you instead. Is User:Sir Edmund Hillary an appropiate user name? It may tarnish the name of the actual Edmund Hillary, if it isn't Sir Ed (which I doubt it is). Edits such as this and this also worry me. --Midnighttonight 23:38, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

You are quite right that this is an inappropriate username, and I have left a message to the user saying so. If he continues to edit under this name I will block him.-gadfium 23:50, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Current Events Oz & NZ

Hello Gadfium

I notice that you have made some recent additions to Current Events Australia and New Zealand (now Current events in Oceania. Thanks for that.

In my work, I help to produce the Austral Peace and Security Network report (APSNet), a bi-weekly roundup of security news for Australia and the surrounding area. You might find it a useful source for the occasional post to Current Events in Australia and New Zealand.

There is an archive of 2006 APSNet issues, and a page for free e-mail subscription, if you think that it would be useful.

My apologies in advance if you feel that this is inappropriate in any way. --Jonathan O'Donnell 01:06, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Current events in Oceania

What happened, how come Current events in Aussie & NZ was moved? Brian | (Talk) 01:23, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

I've replied at Talk:Current events in Oceania.-gadfium 01:38, 30 May 2006 (UTC)