User talk:SpacemanSpiff/Archives/2009/July


Endless.com

It's stubbish to be sure and certainly warrants mention in the Amazon.com article if it isn't there already, but this may be notable enough to stand on its own. Borderline call IMO. Thanks as always for keeping me in the loop.  :) --PMDrive1061 (talk) 05:05, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Your username

If you want, you can probably take over "Spaceman Spiff" for your username. According to this tool, there are only two other accounts anywhere that have any edits. One is here on enwiki, but his edit was deleted, and he has no edits in several years. The other, on nlwiki, is just a typo correction or something similar (I can't read Dutch), and it has also been dormant for a long time, so I think that their bureaucrats would have no problem giving you the account. J.delanoygabsadds 20:48, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the info, coming to think of it, it might be an old user name of mine, the page I created was CSDed and I decided that I'd had enough of Wikipedia and didn't come back except as an IP for a long while, since it was used for only one edit, I'm guessing that was it. -SpacemanSpiff (talk) 21:10, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

PRODded article

Your idea of listing the India-related PRODded article on WP:DSI page is excellent. I think a couple of articles in the list can be rescued. Thanks. Salih (talk) 18:18, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

I figured this might be an easier way to go about it than checking with different people to see if they can check notability on something. I've gone to at least three others active on WP:DSI to see if they can find anything to show notability. So a check once a day for that day's PROD pages might be an easy way out, if a few of us start doing it, then I think more people will do it. -SpacemanSpiff (talk) 18:56, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Sarah Austin Barry AfD

I've closed the second AfD, since the first one is still running. However, because the article has been speedied and re-created—in what the re-creator claims to be a better version—since the first AfD began, you may want to take another look at it and revise or reconfirm your original opinion, which was given before the deletion and re-creation. Deor (talk) 18:47, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the note. I did take a look at the article before my earlier comment on the second AfD. Two of the three sources are among the ones that I referenced in my delete vote at the first AfD (I missed the flag one). I also found another three in Gbooks in addition to those that are already linked, but all these just prove that she existed, and was the wife of John Barry. -SpacemanSpiff (talk) 18:53, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

PokerStars

Years ago, I knew a SpacemanSpiff at PokerStars Internet Poker. Is that you? If not.....So Sorry!--Buster7 (talk) 13:32, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Nope, that wouldn't be me. -SpacemanSpiff (talk) 14:45, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Sources

Apologies - I've only just noticed your post at my talk page. I have added the One India reference to Arappatta Kettiya Gramathil, but can't spot it on statemaster.

Ee Parakkum Thalika seems to be doing nicely at its AfD; Michael Schmidt (himself an actor-slash-model is extremely good at unearthing film sources.  pablohablo. 19:54, 8 July 2009 (UTC)

No worries, thanks, I didn't know if this would be considered RS, so I wanted to check before I added. I could swear that I saw some info on statemaster, I'll check again. -SpacemanSpiff (talk) 20:47, 8 July 2009 (UTC)
I have tried to improve Ee Parakkum Thalika :) -- Tinu Cherian - 05:36, 10 July 2009 (UTC)

Galla Aruna Kumari

Hey mate, thanks for your comments on Ms Kumari's AfD page. I agree now that the article should stick around but does need some major editing, which I'll make a point to work on in the coming days. It's sometimes quite frustrating to encounter an article that's very poorly put together, specifically when the author has been told for many months that it needs improvement and is in violation of a number of guidelines. That frustration is not, however, a criteria for deletion. Lesson learned...and now I know a lot more about the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Cheers! - --Dontexpect (talk) 16:55, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

Glad to be of help. I've also stubbed the article, you might want to withdraw your nomination and close the AfD since you have changed your opinion. -SpacemanSpiff{ CalvinHobbes 17:44, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

Re: Aurora country club

Whoops, sorry about that! Thanks for the fix. –Juliancolton | Talk 18:56, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

John Buchanan

Sorry - I saw removal of some vital info in the LEDE by an IP so reverted. Dint realise the rest. Around The Globeसत्यमेव जयते 17:59, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

No worries, it's all good now, I tend to worry about large scale changes by IPs too, but when I read through this change initially, I figured a revert wasn't needed. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 18:49, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

I had a go at expansion and further sourcing. The film was produced in an area not known for its film industry and had a commercial re-release on VCD and DVD 40 years after it initial release. MichaelQSchmidt (talk) 20:36, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

am opining a merge

Per your comment diff, a merge of the 4 one-sentence stubs would best serve the project... putting the information in the only place where it currently has context. I have opined such at the AfD. MichaelQSchmidt (talk) 04:59, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

I have semi-protected the page per your request. - Smerdis of Tlön (talk) 16:57, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

BLPs

Don't add the cats explicitly use {{BLP sources}},{{BLP unsourced}} or {{BLP unsourced section}}. Rich Farmbrough, 16:23, 17 July 2009 (UTC).

Ah, ok; will do so in future. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 18:16, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In

Good finds, might want to add those sources to the article. Ten Pound Hammer, his otters and a clue-bat • (Many ottersOne batOne hammer) 17:40, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

Done. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 20:37, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

Jeez, I go away for a little bit and my stuff's up for deletion.  :) Thanks WAY too much for the save. You think by now I'd know what was notable and what wasn't...! Seriously, it really is in Wallis' book. He even photographed from about where I was standing. That's what prompted my wife and I to stop there on the way to the Grand Canyon. He even mentions the Chevy. That Tuscon article incorrectly lists it as a Silver Streak. I laughted at those badges when I saw them; a Silver Streak is a Pontiac. I think that poor old car is a Master Deluxe. Heck, he slapped on the "Imp" from "Impala" and the front marker lights from a full-sized '69 Chevy on the hood. Talk about an art car. You have no idea how badly I just wanted to hop in and sit in the driver's seat. Juan Delgadillo was a true Route 66 legend. --PMDrive1061 (talk) 01:17, 21 July 2009 (UTC)

Way too darn much fun. It was my first visit and Lord knows I've been dying to do a Route 66 run for a LONG time. In fact, most of the visitors were German! I have some other pictures I may post on Commons, especially of the "garden." That '69 Camaro convertible of his just sitting there drying out broke my heart. I may point my old Ranchero toward the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino in September. THAT is fun.  :) --PMDrive1061 (talk) 02:41, 21 July 2009 (UTC)

Barnstar

The Indian Barnstar of National Merit
For regularly researching, sourcing, copyediting, and in general rescuing India-related articles worthy of inclusion, I hearby award you this barnstar. Thank you for doing your part to reduce western bias. ThaddeusB (talk) 18:42, 21 July 2009 (UTC)
Thanks; my first barnstar! -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 18:59, 21 July 2009 (UTC)

RKNarayan

It hardly matters whether a name is also mentioned in an Indian language for a well-known personality like RK Narayan in this case. I do not know who started this practice and why.

But for him to have lived, studied and worked (as an author) while in Mysore makes him a very much a part of Mysore or Karnataka, very similar to Rajanikanth, Jayalalitha (both from Karnataka) or MGR (a Nair from Sri Lanka/Kerala). I do not know the reasoning or the rationale in mentioning the names of these individuals in Tamil language or script and the language where have lived. I think the same applies to RKN. If it does not, then names should only be retained in Kannada or Malayalam scripts for the other three individuals too. If you agree, then you should go ahead and include what was deleted (which unfortunately makes one feel that all RKN's relation to Mysore is being erased. I hope that certainly is not the case)

Mentioning his relation to Mysore, does not by any means erase his relation to his birth and childhood place. I do not think there should be any fear or insecurity in this regard, not that there is one. To be very clear, I have pure admiration to RKNarayan's works but no fanaticism. Either way I do not care - about the languages used to mention the name that is.

RKN will always be known by his works and maybe very little from the cities he is associated. Having said that, I also have to mention that facts are facts and we should strive for the correctness in the wiki content. Thanks to all you guys working towards meeting that goal day-in and day-out.

My two cents. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Desi (talkcontribs) 21:16, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

I have opened a discussion on the article talk page at Talk:R. K. Narayan#Language for names; whatever method consensus dictates is what should be done. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 21:28, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

Sources for R. K. Narayan

I read this recently: "V.S. Naipaul, himself a writer without a country, concedes that Naipaul 'operates from deep within his society'." I temporarily forgot where and googling turned up these which you might find interesting: essay in New York Review of Books, other essays. Or not — I don't like reading about my favourite authors as I'm afraid it might spoil the reading experience; otherwise Saki might have been in a much better state :-) Cheers, Shreevatsa (talk) 15:11, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

PS: I first clicked on the "Leave a message" link above and it created a new section on a different page, sorry about that.

Thanks for the PS, fixed it now! I've been wondering why people leave me a message on my old user page, I just forgot to remove the 7 when the page was moved! I added one essay that Naipaul wrote as a ref already, I'll look through the rest. cheers -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 15:35, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Bot or not

I have seen some of your edits lately, nothing bad but am wondering if you are a bot or if you run a bot (or client-side bot that may not technically be a bot but does the same i.e. edits pages mercilessly). It doesn't say bot edit but it smacks of being a bot, though from the number of edits I have seen – no more than a couple of dozen – it seems you are judicious in editing and make wise choices.

Have no problem with the edits I have seen, but if you are running a bot or automated tool you should say so, so that meagre editors who do hand edits know. Bots are good and do some great work for robotic work, but it is useful to have an (automated edit) or something in the edit summary so that it stands out to be checked if wrong. I hope hand editors like myself also do a good job with subbing the things bots can't catch.

I am not that experienced, only have about 6,000 edits, but a reversion rate of about 0.01% so I think I am doing OK.

Best wishes (sincerely, keep up the good work!) SimonTrew (talk) 14:30, 26 July 2009 (UTC). Reply here and {{tb}} please. SimonTrew (talk) 14:30, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

Heh, I've never been called a bot before. No, I don't have any tools other than the standard monobook tools like Twinkle/Hotcat/Delsort etc, so all edits are hand made and based on my understanding. Except for the category adds which I do with Hotcat, I try to make my edit summaries clear enough. cheers. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 14:50, 26 July 2009 (UTC)
hehehe yeah I was wondering too. It is annoyance to me as a hand edit that some editors with these tools tend to just drop a reference in, without bothering to put in e.g. the access date or it just comes up as [1] not very useful and yes you can hover and find the link but [1] is not a good reference in itself. You don't do that, it seems to me you check and clarify and your edit summaries are a testament to that, I at least have half a clue what might be in the edit if it says "corrected typo" I might assume that it is a corrected typo (and I make plenty of them). When you get empty edit summaries (or effectively empty, e.g. just the section title) it takes a lot of work then to go to the history, diff the article, to find they have removed a comma. Why not just say "removed comma" and be done with it? See more rants at my user page and at WP:OWNFEET which I did not start but inspired and edited.

best wishes SimonTrew (talk) 15:57, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

I got an article for you to take a look at, for a change. :)

I just contested a prod on Surekha. A quick search reveals quite a bit of coverage, but it is difficult for me to tell how much of it is the same person. I gave the article a very basic cleaning to at least make it readable. The original version contained a massive list of art shows she'd done, which was of very littel use to the article but might aid in research. --ThaddeusB (talk) 19:27, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Oh yes, this was on my to contest list, I'd added it to WP:DSI hoping someone more familiar would do the contesting, if not, I was going to get to it myself. I'll add to the article this weekend. cheers -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 19:37, 24 July 2009 (UTC)
I have cleaned up and stubbed the article with three inline refs. Also added a show review to the EL section, couldn't find a way to enter it inline. Should be ok for now. cheers -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 16:38, 27 July 2009 (UTC)

Mahalo for QCing Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Patriotic_Nigras_(3rd_nomination).  :-) Da Killa Wabbit (talk) 20:23, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Just to say that the article wasn't wrong when it was written about him being a uni Pro-Chancellor:[1][2], though he's not anymore. We can verify one of his other claims too:[3]. But I'm not going to deprod, as that's all I can find about him. Fences&Windows 00:45, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Hmm, I couldn't find the former two when I was searching for the pro-chancellor piece. I did find the Tribune one and mentioned that in my PROD - where he's quoted in passing; my conclusion on was, that piece can be used to show notability for NICE but not him. Thanks for letting me know. cheers -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 01:52, 29 July 2009 (UTC)
Unless we find better sources than this, off to AfD I guess:[4]. Fences&Windows 20:52, 29 July 2009 (UTC)
Yeah, I saw that; I don't think Bridger was against deletion, only deletion by PROD, else he'd have added another source which is normal for his dePRODs; I'll do one more check before taking to AfD. cheers -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 21:41, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

I wanted to take a moment to delivery a personal thank you (not "thank spam" :)) for your involvement in my RfA. (It passed 117-2-7 in case you hadn't seen.) I was thrilled to have your "strong support" as a user whom I respect greatly. If you ever decide you are ready to become an admin yourself let me know as I would like to nominate you. In the mean time, if you need administrator assistance with anything don't hesitate to ask, as I will be glad to help.

Thanks again, ThaddeusB (talk) 04:34, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

(P.S. I will take care of that page merge thing in a few days, after I get a bit more comfortable with the admin tools.)

Congratulations, my pleasure. -SpacemanSpiffCalvinHobbes 06:17, 30 July 2009 (UTC)