User talk:Brian McNeil/Archive 07

This is an archive of old talk page discussions!
Do not add new comments to this page, please do so on my main talk page
Archives

Archive 01 — January 9, 2006 | Archive 02 — April 6, 2006 | Archive 03 — June 4, 2006 | Archive 04 — September 29, 2006 | Archive 05 — December 9, 2006 | Archive 06 — March 24, 2007 | Archive07 — May 30, 2007 | Archive 08 — November 4, 2007 Archive 08 — November 4, 2007 | Archive 09 — March 25, 2008

welcome

hehe your welcome (:O) -Nima Baghaei (talk) 17:42, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

stop

woops, sorry didnt know that, i stopped (:O) (:O) -Nima Baghaei (talk) 19:18, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

1. Template:TorontoElection2006
2. Template:2003 Iraq pre-war intelligence infobox
3. Template:2005 Hurricane Season Infobox

I renamed the templates b/c there were already another one with the exact same feature, so i didnt understand why there were two separate templates that showed the same thing? (:O) -Nima Baghaei (talk) 19:30, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

1. Template:Canadian news
2. Template:TorontoElection i gave yah the wrong template above, sorry about that

Archiving

Hey Brian, if you could give me the lowdown on the process of archiving i'm pretty sure I could help out with the backlog. Either point me in the right direction or give me some basic pointers and i'll try and get started! I'm on IRC right now, or leave a message on my talk page! --Skenmy^{(t•c•w•i)} 19:47, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

MP3 Players Sneak Up On Airwaves

What would I have to send you to prove my status as a student?

An email from a recognisable email address at your place of study would suffice. It is late for me now, you might want to chase one of our North American people up to get some progress on your article. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 22:03, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

• Hey Brain. Could you confirm on Talk:Canadian university students would prefer MP3 players over car radios that the user has confirmed in an email to you that he is actually a student at Wilfrid Laurier University? Thanks. —FellowWikiNewsie 19:21, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

No email received, sorry! --Brian McNeil / ^talk 19:24, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid...we really do need notes or some sort of clairification from the user. —FellowWikiNewsie 21:15, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

moving

didn't notice the mispelt license. noticed a misplaced "talk" and a talk page that was not paired with its corresponding project-space page :( –Doldrums(talk) 16:18, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

now fixed.–Doldrums(talk) 16:22, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Wikinews becomes national news website of New Zealand

I like it :) That made my day, shame it was a day lake :) Brian | (Talk) | ^{New Zealand Portal} 23:15, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Deleting

Gotcha, but in the case of New Signs Invade local resident's 'green space' it looks like nonsense to me. Andre (talk) 08:01, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

My mistake. :) Andre (talk) 23:20, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

"Forced Wikibreak"

See my userpage for details.  Thunderhead  ►  08:16, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

RE Relicensing

Only a mass majority of the nearly 75. Please see User:DragonFire1024/Images to request for EDP and comment on the images listed there that I am requesting an EDP. DragonFire1024 11:48, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

I added links to the articles the images are used in. Please review and comment. DragonFire1024 21:19, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Can you explain to me more about EDP and also how my images linked above can be under the EDP... DragonFire1024 08:54, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

• EDP is the policy (yet to be formulated) that will decide which material we can use under "fair use" provisions. Look at Template:Logo for an example of some of the language that will have to be incorporated into the policy.

For the images where you've taken a copy/photo of something someone else owns the copyright on it is an area where I'm not sure, I want to see exemptions for historical stuff that is fair use but not as free as the idealists would like. However, I don't think they're going to let you keep the originals that you took (eg top four on that page). I would recommend looking at your licensing options on flickr, pick one there you're happy with and upload the photos over there. Pick the most open license they have that you're happy with, this is to preserve the photos and allow them to be relabelled here as fair use from a 3rd party. In any case, the ND license stuff seems to be the real sticking point. NC seems to be something we might be allowed to keep for existing works, but not for new. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 10:29, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

If I upload to Flickr...then how would the images be on Wikinews? And why would the images not fall under EDP? I upload to Flickr...but not sure how to choose the license...If my images are down right denied an EDP, as they seem to be, then why bother? An EDP ALLOWS these images to be used given that they are of historical significance to Wikinews...Whats the problem??? DragonFire1024 21:14, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Hello!

Hello, I'm new to Wikinews and would like to just touch bases with some admins. I have adminship on Wikipedia and am interested in eventualy obtaining it here. If you have any advice I should know before starting here it would be great to know. Thanks

Ohnoitsjamie 16:07, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Note that the user above was confimed an imposter of the real Ohnoitsjamie on Doldrums' talk page on Wikipedia. —FellowWikiNewsie 21:23, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Template:Oceania

Can we change the Solomon Islands link so that it is pointing to the Portal:Solomon Islands instead of Portal:The Solomon Islands? I could not figure out how I could change it, is there an easy way for me to change it if something like this occurs in the future? (:O) -Nima Baghaei ^{talk · cont} 14:53, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Virginia law bans mobile phone use by teen drivers

Dear Mr. McNeil, please refer to this article: Virginia law bans mobile phone use by teen drivers during this discussion.

I read the article this morning and noticed that there was something factually wrong and posted a note on the talk page. When the issue was not addressed, I flagged the article "misleading". Then, I find what I wrote on the discussion page as part of the article. Now I know anything I write here is CC-BY-2.5 and can be used anywhere and for anything, but this seems bizarre. I don't know if this is covered in the style guide.

P.S. I have provide links on the talk page where the editor of this article can find some actual information on some of the pertinent state laws.

--SVTCobra 18:27, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Brian, thanks, yes "outright ban" was removed and I removed the "misleading" flag, but instead a comment I made was inserted into the article even after I provided sources for information about the law. --SVTCobra 18:59, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Deleted headline

It's not a gossip, or a blog headline - it's breaking news. --Bridfly3000 20:38, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

Adminbike

Thanks for the (have to say) much better admin bike! Also thanks for officially welcoming me into the cabal - although no-one could ever convince me there wasnt one when i was a normal common user. (Technically still am a 'normal' until craig changes me though!) Thanks --MarkTalk 20:49, 7 April 2007 (UTC)

Thanks

I just wanted to say thank you for the nomination for admin. I really appreciate it, thanks. —Dark_Squall 21:55, 7 April 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia threat

I am nto sure if I am looking in the right spot...but it seems, from what I can see, that the comments, at least in the edit history are not in the edit history. In fact there is nothing to states that an edit was made to the Suicide threat section at all. I went back as far as April 4 and this incident happened on the 6? In other words there is no recent evidence that I can see that indicates that any edits were made at all to that section. Also, there is no evidence in the edit history showing what comments were deleted and why...Unless I am missing something, I smeel a bad egg...(no punn inetnded.) DragonFire1024 14:23, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

Template:Indian_news

Can we merge (redirect) this template to Template:India (:O) -Nima Baghaei ^{talk · cont} 14:53, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Sure, gimmie a list of articles that need it replaced on them. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:12, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

this shows where its included. thought you of all people should know this. tut must be getting old! haha--MarkTalk 15:16, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

I know, but I've usually worked from lists with AWB (Couldn't remember if the AWB options included what links here). Got a few other things to do first too. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:22, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Yeah would do it for you but still waiting for Craig to change me to admin (BIG HINT). :-)--MarkTalk 15:43, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

• Special:Whatlinkshere/Template:Indian_news there yah go (:O) -Nima Baghaei ^{talk · cont} 14:38, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Lead and Boiler Plate?

Whats a boiler plate, and how do i get my article get put up in the front page like it did before.

| Ajindustries | ^{Talk Page} |

23:55, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

To get your story on the front page, use the {{publish}} tag.  Thunderhead  ►  23:56, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Announcement

Hehe, you know that I've memorized the entire Mediawiki namespace, huh? It's found at Mediawiki:Sitenotice, and you need to increase Mediawiki:Sitenotice-id to make it show if it's been dismissed. Cheers,  Thunderhead  ►  15:52, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

Excuse me, it's Mediawiki:Sitenotice id  Thunderhead  ►  18:26, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

I figured that out... eventually. :-) --Brian McNeil / ^talk 18:28, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

The Mediawiki namespace has disgraced us all...  Thunderhead  ►  18:30, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

No, its just poorly documented. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 18:32, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

I honestly thought that everything was one word.  Thunderhead  ►  18:33, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

You were close enough that I found it with only a couple of guesses. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 18:35, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

AWB

I see that you've granted AWB requests in the past. I'd like to ask you to begin watching this page, which is where new AWB requests should go. Thanks!  Thunderhead  ►  20:11, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Elmo

Can i ask if you agree with my block of User:Elmo or was i maybe a bit to hasty??--MarkTalk 16:08, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

A bit too hard, made me smile looking at the diffs. I've reduced the block to 24 hours. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:36, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Re: Speedy deletion

Ah! Thank you, wasn't aware, pretty new to Wikinews (specifically). Cheers. :) AllynJ 16:17, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

cricket world cup

Sorry about removing it, I thought it ended. Bawolff ☺☻ 21:27, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Jimbo asks about Wikinews Video!

Its true...he e-mailed the Wikinews mailing list. He wanted to ask what license the music we are using is under. Could you reply to it on the page where you list the credits for the music? Well not reply...but leave a note as to what license it is under. DragonFire1024 17:43, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

In case your wondering — http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikinews-l/2007-April/000683.html Bawolff ☺☻ 19:53, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Reddit! I need to set up a secondary subscription to the list that allows me to post from a different address than that subscribed. I.e. a 2nd subscription with NODELIVER or whatever setting it is. Otherwise when I log onto the machine where the mail is delivered anything I send to the list is moderated. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:32, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Hey Brianmc, You may want to visit the video poll here and reasses your vite, I have made some changes.

--Symode09 01:45, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

javascript (Only open one dynamic box)

I think i made what you describe work. Try out the top part of user:Bawolff/monobook.js. Bawolff ☺☻ 03:41, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Okay, there is a slight problem with the labels not changing, but i got the gist of it working. Tell me what you think. Bawolff ☺☻ 03:43, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I found a bigger problem than the labels... When you work your way down a list of collapsed items opening each in turn it closes the previous nicely, but if you have the 3rd item open and click on the first nothing much happens. I've reverted to the monobook.js someone else did as an attempt, you might want to take a look at that. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 06:44, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

yes thats because it figures out if the box is open or close by the label. If the labels wrong you have to click it a couple times to get it back to the correct state. <looking at your monobook.js> Bawolff ☺☻ 17:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

issues been fixed now. Bawolff ☺☻ 17:44, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, forgot to mention, if you want to look at the js, its at user:Bawolff/onebox.js. Bawolff ☺☻ 20:17, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Note: I've no enabled it in the site (requires use of EXT=NavOnce parameter). For example, try the below code after hard refresh:

autoclose

{{{CONTENT}}}

autoclose

{{{CONTENT}}}

autoclose

{{{CONTENT}}}

stay's open

{{{CONTENT}}}

stay's open

{{{CONTENT}}}

P.S you may want to de-link my code from your monobook.js, as it may super-impose give me more/you suck over everything (everything will still work, but it isn't as pretty). Bawolff ☺☻ 00:50, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Dupe article

Uhm, not sure what to do here: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/2007_Cricket_World_Cup:_South_Africa_vs_New_Zealand and http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/2007_Cricket_World_Cup:_New_Zealand_vs_South_Africa .

I've been working on the latter, which was also posted first; could you resolve which one to continue working on? I plan on updating this every 10th over~ or so and would rather find out now than later.

Thanks. AllynJ 14:54, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Tag the newer article with {{mergeto|name of first article}} --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:45, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The data's already all there though, is the problem: the latter of the two mentioned above is more up to date, and yet is tagged with {{Dupe}}. Just switch the dupe tags would be my first thought but I'm not sure if it's really appropriate for me to do so as I started the other article. :) AllynJ 15:50, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Where dupe is used, it should be on both articles - sort of asking someone to decide. First is preferred, so go ahead and make the changes - just notify whoever started the other one where to check in future. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:15, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Use of {{QuoteLeft}}

duly noted. --SVTCobra 20:35, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Linux assistance

I'm trying to get w:dyne:bolic up and running with space to write so I can try out LiVES. I've got the CD written (both 1.4.1 where LiVES is and 2.4.2 sans LiVES). 2.4.2 is the nicer version without a loud, offensive startup sound - I'm writing this from it.

My problem is, I've shuffled stuff around on my disks to try and create some space for the package to write its "dock". My first disk is now split into 3. primary partition 0 is C: for Windows, primary partition 1 is blank and the rest of the disk is unallocated in any way. I've also split up my external (USB) drive into a couple of partitions. What's the missing link between having my disk set up like this and getting it formatted for use with Linux? For virtually everything else this distro comes with reasonably easy to use tools - GUI interfaces to the more cryptic Linux command line, it reads (but doesn't write NTFS), and the GUI doesn't take that much getting used to - I just wonder why the mouse is slow when I switch back to Windows. :-) --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:02, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Thats weird (The solution, use linux all the time . I have lives installed on my computer. So far my reaction is so-so. didn't import audio track from video i tested with, and froze after I left it there for a while. But I figured out how to make ffmpeg transcode ogg quite well (I think anyways), so if anyone needs them transcoded, I could do that. Bawolff ☺☻ 02:30, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

After a chat in IRC with skenmy I've downloaded Ubuntu, and you're right that the simplest solution to having access to these tools is Linux only. Unfortunately I have quite a few Windows-only programs I need to use for work. They're using C: which is on drive 0 and starts at the beginning of the disk. I need to move that before Ubuntu can install a bootloader. (At least, that is what I currently assume the problem is with the install process.) --Brian McNeil / ^talk 07:53, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

Are you sure about that? I belive you'd normally install lilo (or grub/whatever boot loader you use) to the MBR, which is not part of C:. Also you can boot using the windows boot loader, to boot to either (this link says how for a different distro I'm sure there is something for unbuntu somewhere). (Note, I have limited knowladge about this subject, anything I say may be totally inacurate). Bawolff ☺☻ 00:45, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

For the mouse thing, maybe linux somehow manages to change mouse settings. between linux and windows boots, Do the properties of the mouse stay constant in the mouse settings in control pannel. (Probably not what's happening, but that's all I can think of). Bawolff ☺☻ 00:53, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

User:Doldrums/Sandbox

comments? is there an article there? (this is following on from Talk:Taliban resurgent in Pakistan on enforcement of Sharia law). –Doldrums(talk) 20:34, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Heading image

IMHO, I think we should allow the header to be easily changed for major events, especially with articles such as the massacre. Is the image bad because you would not be able to see the login links? If it is, I can edit the image again

Symode09 16:29, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Wikinews is International, this is not an international event. We did not put something up when the Indian Ocean Tsunami occurred - far more lost their lives, and far more countries were involved. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:37, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Pro-secular Turks rally against Erdogan's possible presidential candidacy

Oops, sorry I added that image, I hadn't seen the discussion nor template:old. But I wanted to ask you (as you are about as level-headed as I've seen on Wikinews). Do you think that Wikiquote is being used for POV-pushing? Wikiquote:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was created on April 14 and only includes a single quote from 2001 where he sounds very Islamist. --SVTCobra 23:47, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

I can't say I know wikiquote well enough to know how fairly they represent people. It isn't very fair to just have the one quote, but it may be all that could be found translated. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 07:12, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Plagiarism

We have two victims of plagiarism on Wikinews and I'm worried. Virginia Tech Shooter Says Final Words plagiarizes this article and Candlelight vigil for victims of Virginia Tech shootings plagiarizes this article. What should we do? —FellowWikiNewsie 21:46, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

I am investigating the user's contributions at the moment, please list the article on DR. I believe a separate article should be started and the problematic one removed. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 21:48, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

That is disconcerting, because Candlelight vigil for victims of Virginia Tech shootings was the lead article for 24 or more hours. I wish that I had caught that, as I was the first to work on it after it was posted. FYI, the user had already made it the lead article before I even touched it. Also, after I moved it back to develop, citing problems with the sources section, the user immediately reverted it and re-published. --SVTCobra 22:06, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Brian, could you also review this article (which has been archived) by the same user Airline checks Dell and Apple computers for hazard. It lists, what appears the user's personal blog as a source, yet this blog contains nothing related to the article (assuming no deletions, but the date range is covered in the posts). --SVTCobra 22:17, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Please click edit this page on the dell article and you will see that the source redirects to http://www.symode09.spaces.live.com/. This is crazy. —FellowWikiNewsie 22:48, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Tag sources. I'm putting something on WN:ALERT. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 22:49, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

This is even more CRAZY. The editor of the dell article put a link to his http://www.symode09.spaces.live.com/ website in the links section, put his real name in the author section, and put Loop Australia in the publisher section. —FellowWikiNewsie 22:54, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Fruit-Loop Australia. I'm reading his wikipedia page. Tried for admin with < 100 edits, tried to get permisssion to use vandalproof. Asked other people not to edit "his" articles. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 22:57, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

He used the title Airline Checks Dell and Apple Computers For Hazard as the sources article name. Is this a made up story? —FellowWikiNewsie 23:00, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

username

what do you think? –Doldrums(talk) 08:20, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

What, User:Editor at Large? Everyone - including anons can be an editor. Although, I do see your point that "editor" in a news context can have a different meaning. Perhaps if the user's signature avoids use of the word then (Eg "E@L") there will be less room for confusion. Single-signon will give him that username here anyway if he already has it on several other projects and there's probably usernames (Eg "dictionary") that we'd accept but other projects wouldn't. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 08:30, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Re: extreme Iran

Any sensible being would agree with you... but not the judges in the Iran courts. Point is I agree with you, but it still was blatant POV.--Steven Fruitsmaak (Reply) 21:51, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Blue Angels

Thanks for the link and feedback Brian. I did not know of any versions previous to mine, but when i inserted my link on the front page there was no news of that kind there. Whoever wrote that first version, it was not there last night. Hence my question. --Nusbit 11:10, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

image

saw the WC comment, but not tried out the image. does seem to have a few too many dark spots to be a good background though, i think. –Doldrums(talk) 15:04, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Feel free to have a go with another segment of the original, I'll muck about some more later on. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:08, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Is wkinews a public space?

just asking, cuz if u are goin' to delete my "content" then I guess there is no point in posting it.

Is graffiti legal in a public place? No. Neither are obscenities and insults appropriate here. The project has a variety of goals and providing hosting for childish insults isn't one of them. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:56, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

It seems pretty clear that Wikinews and Wikipedia policy has no connection to the facts. The fact is that oversight and what you do, and did do, is delete content on a whim: see bypassed message to Fellowwikinews. You described the poster of a remark as a "potty mouth", and for that POV you delete the content.

Is this oversight? I think not. I think it is an intrusion into the exchange of information that you have no business being involved with. -Edbrown05 00:35, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

I think you should ask FellowWikiNews what he thought about me deleting the string of curses on a page in his userspace instead of attributing a position on the situation to him. I was in IRC at the time and he thanked me for zapping the page. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 08:47, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

He deleted it because it was vandalism and it was a personal attack. Thank you again Brian for reverting it. —FellowWikiNewsie 14:33, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

Edits to SG and CG

Hi Brian. Sorry, but you are becoming my go-to-guy, when I have questions. Do you know of User:Michael614? Tonight, this user has been making lots of changes to WN:SG and WN:CG. A lot of the changes seem sensible, although I did edit one of them. But I thought these pages represented policy and should only be changed by consensus. I would appreciate it if you took a look at this. (Since the changes were sensible, I didn't put it on WN:AAA). --SVTCobra 01:54, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

Category:Macedonia

Can we merge this category? The other category is shown on the page (:O) -Nima Baghaei ^{talk · cont · email} 18:01, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

I don't like the new name, it shouldn't be an acronym. We should have something like Republic of Macedonia. When we do I'll move the articles (I think there's only 2) into the new category. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 18:12, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

• i do agree (:O) -Nima Baghaei ^{talk · cont · email} 13:35, 26 April 2007 (UTC)

Background

Thanks for removing this. The solid grey design looks very nice and very professional (a definite improvement over the solid white). More importantly, the links are easy to read. Sometimes, less is more, and I believe that this is such a case. —David Levy 16:21, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

The old background is still available as an alternative page style - it did have some fans who've expressed disappointment in IRC. I'd like to have a photo of a single folded broadsheet newspaper on a white background to try for a new design. We can't stay with nothing, and the Wikipedia logo is wholly inappropriate for a news site. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:36, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

1. You say that "we can't stay with nothing." Why is that?

2. Who said anything about using the Wikipedia logo?

3. I have no objection to the idea of trying to create a new background image lacking the flaws of the old one (and backed by consensus), but please proceed with caution. It isn't a good idea to experiment with the live site interface and then solicit feedback. There is no urgency, and it's impossible to anticipate all of the issues that some users will experience. Many people rely on this site as an information source, and its accessibility is the most important thing. —David Levy 16:46, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback, I was (at least this is the excuse I'll stick to) exercising my prerogative to "be bold". :-) I've combined the background that I liked with aspects of the Datrio skin and that now has a few people using it. In Firefox pick View->Page Style->Newspaper background. The difficult to see links have a separate background and there's even less white than the standard version of the site.

The reason I say we need something is I think Wikinews should be concerned about the look of the site. I've seen stock photos that would be perfect for making a background that would fade to grey from a clear image of a newspaper, but I can't use them. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 10:47, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

Open proxies

File:Ikillyoubarnstar.png Thank you for targeting and blocking all the millions of open proxies. Bawolff ☺☻ 00:28, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

I'm not finished yet. ;-) --Brian McNeil / ^talk 10:47, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

Image credit help

Hello Brianmc. I wonder if you can offer a suggestion on the best way to handle the credits to an image where there isn't a full name. For instance in this article, Dell to offer Ubuntu Linux on some computers, I used an image where the only identifier was a user id on the Commons. Is it suitable as is? Cheers, Jcart1534 02:07, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

For people who upload on Commons and use a pseudonym I'd recommend linking to their commons userpage. I made that change in the article, it isn't much use most of the time but there will be the one in a thousand instance where a reader wants to say thanks for providing an image. Were it not for time constraints on news I'd suggest when we use images from Commons we ask the contributor if they want to reveal their real name and link it to their pseudonym of just be credited as the pseudonym. In fact, I'll go and ask about that for your Ubuntu article. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 10:52, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

Brian's Bot

That is my account, your one is BrianmcBOT :) cheers, Brian | (Talk) | ^{New Zealand Portal} 19:51, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

Blocked Proxy IPs

Three of the IPs blocked had account creation disabled. People using the proxies will not be able to create and login to an account to edit Wikinews. They are:

• 71.233.40.61 (talk · contribs · page moves · block user · block log)
• 213.246.63.134 (talk · contribs · page moves · block user · block log)
• 194.177.96.78 (talk · contribs · page moves · block user · block log)

Please look into this. Also, you may notice that I modified your list of proxy IPs to use a new template, {{User2}} to display links to the block logs and to block the IP. Enjoy :) —Zachary ^talk 04:11, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Josh Hancock.JPG IFD on Commons

I don't appreciate you insinuating I am crazy. In fact, I have backed up my claims with plenty of evidence. I would hope you change your vote and I request an apology. --68.56.180.115 22:05, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Bruce Hyman case listed

Bruce Hyman case listed You have to go down to the bottom of the page where it says:

12:30 pm For Preliminary Hearing T20077035 HYMAN Bruce A

The link is http://www.courtnews2.co.uk/courtlists/current/indexdailies.htm. Select Taunton Daily Courtroom 04/05/07 and then scroll down to the bottom of the window that appears. Hyman's is the last entry. 84.9.50.45 22:51, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

The document you suggest I check will not load. I get the name on the first case of the day and nothing else. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 22:56, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

I've put the entire page on the article's talk page. Suggest you use a browser that's properly enabled. I don't know why they use javascript rather than straightforward HTML, but they do. I don't see how you can reasonably obstruct this rather fantastic story from publication just because your browser isn't working properly. 84.9.50.45 23:18, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

My browser works properly with the rest of the Internet, I even tried using MSIE to view the page - but no dice. Sorry to say this, but pick someone else to chase through this with - I'm going to sleep soon. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 23:33, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Hakeem interview

reg. ur comment, Ed appears to think that he can turn this into something publishable. –Doldrums(talk) 08:02, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

re:comment

I use to be a reservist with 32 CBG in an armoured BN, I'm now an instructor with Vanguard. If you want interviews/background material/ect for a military related article, give me a shout, and if its in my lane, I'll be glad to help. Sorry for the double edit on your page BTW, I'm new to this and not 100% sure how it all works. Rz350 20:56, 6 May 2007 (UTC)

slash in titles

Hi Brian, Thanks for your support. Hmm, I've been trying to think of when I might have created an article with a slash in it. Can you point me to where I did that. Thanks. --SVTCobra 19:03, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

irc

As to what we were discussing in irc. The following it mediawiki:monobook.js would do it

if (wgUserGroups.indexOf("user") != -1){
document.write('<link type="text/css" href="http://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=User:Symode09/monobook.js&action=raw&ctype=text/css" rel="alternate stylesheet" title="Symode\'s experiments" media="screen,projection" \/>');
}

"user" can also be replaced with sysop, autoconfirmed, emailconfirmed, oversight, etc. Bawolff ☺☻ 23:44, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

mediawiki:Licenses

Why are you adding nasa? NASA images should land on commons. (If there is a reason for them to be here, you need to make a template for the license) Bawolff ☺☻ 02:43, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

Alan J

cheers for that. --MarkTalk 09:30, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

double cheers, thumbs up, kudos :) -76.104.106.168 09:37, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

• Thanks! [Ed unlogged(?)] The response I got from the BBC gives me the impression that it would be fairly easy to get pictures off them in the future when they're in the news. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 09:44, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Blair

Done. Gary Kirk 10:36, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Wazzup?!

Hay dawg! Wanna hear a joke? ۞ 16:19, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Yo, thanks so much for the welcome! Mind if I tell you a joke? ۞ 16:25, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

I spent to long on Vulcan... I seem to have lost my sense of humour but people find the things I say funny. Try IRC for jokes. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:28, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Okay, here is is dawg....

Q: How do you kill 40,000 flies at once?

A: Hit an ethiopian over the head with a shovel!

• And the judges award this effort 2/10. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:32, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Ah...at least...4/10! Happy Editing. ۞ 16:33, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

No problem, just pass around whatever you're smoking if you expect people to find your jokes funny. ;-) --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:34, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Re: Request a little help on Wikinews

Hi Brian, thanks for the welcome message. I will be happy to help out with the Dink coverup article. I'm reading the Radikal article right now. Interesting conversation just above this one! AtilimGunesBaydin 14:17, 11 May 2007 (UTC)

Hi again. I've checked the article and I can confirm that it's in agreement with the cited sources and is not a one to one translation of either one. As a note, Radikal's original article includes a more detailed account of what has been said on these phone conversations, but the omission of these in the Wikinews article does not pose a problem and, I believe, keeps the article more focused and easy to follow. There are a few things to be fixed: The article makes reference to so-called "security sercives", all instances of which should be replaced with "police". The cited source makes this clear, and uses the Turkish word "polis" itself. Radikal gives a telephone number in the form "0123 123 12", which is reproduced in the Wikinews article. It is obvious to me that this phone number misses two last digits, and should perhaps be given like "0123 123 12 **". Regards, AtilimGunesBaydin 14:57, 11 May 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for your kind invitation. I'm actually in a rather busy period (thesis work, homeworks etc.) and already trying very hard to stay away from Wikipedia. And honestly, I'm not very convinced that this Wikinews project is a good idea at all. Nevertheless, I think I might be interested in spending some time here in the future. Also, you are always welcome to bug me with similar matters. I will be happy if I can be of help. Regards, AtilimGunesBaydin 01:57, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

The categories I created were for future use.

As you can see I am adding roughly 1 article every day about the subject. Rajinikanth is his full name as far as I know. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 15:34, 12 May 2007 (UTC)

Broken redirects

If you have a few moments, could you fix some broken redirects? —Zachary ^talk 10:52, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Ok, I have adopted the template here, and used it on the Wikinews:Stewards page. —Zachary ^talk 11:58, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Can I now make the following categories.

Category:Rajinikanth AND Category:Sivaji: The Boss.

The current Sivaji: The Boss articles can be found here: User:Vagish/Sivaji:_The_Boss, there are 4 right now. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 12:10, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

I have raised this on WN:AAA because neither of the categories you want to create strike me as sufficiently notable. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 14:57, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for taking a look at it. Maybe it will be accepted after the ceremonies begin in a week or two. Hopefully his film will go without any major political problems. But according to the director's interview he said the movie "Will change the economy of Tamil Nadu". Also can I add past news? Like the political movements against the films and also the down playing of the film by Sri Lankan Tamil broadcasters. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 17:21, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Argue your case on WN:AAA. Personally I think the movie should not have a category, and I'm not sure that the director should either. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:47, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

What is the policy . . .

on users applying for US government grants on behalf of Wikinews? Please see this. Thanks. --SVTCobra 17:16, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Speak to the board, you can't go asking for money to do an experiment here without them having some input. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:48, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

I'm not the one who wants to do this. I am just worried that Symode may have already initiated contact to raise money for "Wikinews Video 2.0" --SVTCobra 11:02, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

• Symode09 can't apply for a grant from the U.S. government, he isn't a U.S. citizen and he does not represent Wikinews. On the other hand, by sticking his humongous feet in his mouth he may put future grant opportunities at risk. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 11:15, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

from what he says, he has tried to "find out about the process". i've posted a message on his talk page about this. perhaps we can ask him to e-mail a copy of his communications with the <whoever> to someone who can look thro' it and <fingers crossed> check everything's ok. –Doldrums(talk) 11:25, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Provided all he has done is inquire about the process we're probably okay. Get the correspondence off him and take the issue up with User:Eloquence or someone else in a position to represent the foundation. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 11:30, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

RE: Disclosure

Hey brian, my relationship with microsoft is actually not with software but rather a deal regarding the implementation of their "Windows Live Search" and, possibly in the future "Windows Live Mail" thanks (oh, and IMHO - happy :p ) thanx, Symode09 14:12, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Its a Joke

It's just a joke man. It's just from Stephen Colbert's show. The 13th 4postle 13:57, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Around here we try and avoid being so centred on the U.S. I've never seen the show, so I - and other people - don't find it funny. It is bad taste and confrontational. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 14:26, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Impersonation

I believe the two accounts under my username on the sv. and de. wikinews are held by someone else. Until this situation is resolved please do not take comments from these accounts as representing me. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:17, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Ignore this... I'm being stupid because I typed in a password wrong a couple of times. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:23, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

I was told I should only make articles on this movie when it there were problems, likely political.

I think this article should be allowed. It is of importance in that this is due to the Cauvery river dispute. Can you please explain what you mean by: "Cut back to the minor news item this is for 90% of the world and include in the Briefs". ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 16:52, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Please seek a second opinion elsewhere, I think this movie has worn out its welcome on Wikinews. We never have this level of coverage for Hollywood's latest; you're giving this more prominence than the French presidential election and subsequent cabinet appointments. The word I'm probably looking for is disproportionate, as in that's what your coverage is in relation to the importance of the item. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:56, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Wikinews seems quite picky to me. I have had so many problems over here. I can't even write about what is something of huge importance and is covered massively by the media in Tamil Nadu. I guess Wikinews is a west-based news network. Well, it was ok being here. I am leaving, wikipedia is much more friendly. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 16:59, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

• We don't have what you seem to think is a normal level of coverage for other movies, we have next to nothing about movies. If you wanted to start an entertainment section that covered films that are released globally, you'd get help - and foreign language films would be welcome. But you're a one-trick pony. It's just this movie, which I've probably learned more about than Star Wars when it isn't even in a language I can speak. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 17:05, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

I am not a one-trick pony, I would do lots about other movies. But all other movies are on hold and are not even spoken about in most magazines. Sivaji: The Boss is the only movie spoken about. Magazines even just put his (Rajinikanth's) picture on the front and sell magazines with no content inside. As soon as Sivaji: The Boss is released I would have been on all the other films in Tamil Nadu cinema, I would also cover a bit of Bollywood as well and some on Hollywood too. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 18:49, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

If you can do other coverage, then do so, please. My comments should be taken as referencing your contributions and not you. My opinion is we've probably had enough stories on the movie until the release, my first comment was to suggest you ask someone else because I don't want to get into a fight over this, and I don't want to drive away a contributor. I was hoping someone else could say something diplomatic that would keep you but scale back your near-obsession with this one film. I've looked over on Wikipedia at what you've done there, and that has been subject to some question too. I'll reiterate a question I saw earlier, "Are you involved in any way with this movie?". --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:16, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

I wish I was. I am just one of the millions of Rajini's die hard fans. ~~ Vagish ^{[wp] [wn]} 21:24, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Wolfowitz

no sweat. i found a couple of paragraphs rather similar to the CNN article and fixed them. could u give it a once over as well. –Doldrums(talk) 22:00, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Re-skinning

Pfft, not that fancy! I was just thinking of making it look, well, a bit prettier. →MR 15:10, 18 May 2007 (UTC)

IRC cloak request

I am brianmc on freenode and I would like the cloak wikinews/brianmc. Thanks. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:48, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

Please note this is wikinews/brianmc, not wikipedia/brianmc. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 20:58, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

I'm curious

re: Your posting on M:MP:TSP, how does a tool template qualify as encyclopediac? Or a tagging utility providing links harm wikinews? Where is the cost to you attacking our man month long organizational effort? Where in fact is ANY UPSIDE for wikinews? Last I looked, we were funded by the same foundation. In fact, if anything, I'd think you'd be cheering us on. It gives you exposure when we have your logo on our templates whether it be on a category or template page. Think on the value of free advertising! // FrankB 07:11, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

The templates I saw were useful to an encyclopedia project, not to a news project - or a dictionary project (apparently). For example, we don't have stubs. That's just one of the many differences between our project and others. For promotion from wikipedia we have the {{wikinews|article name}} template which I recently added to w:De Lijn to give an example of where it is used. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 08:43, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

You missed the point, repetition and exposure is the heart of advertising and education. Until and unless you can get your name out there in any enterprise you are and will remain a marginal "curiousity". Even once you achieve name recognition, then you need even more to establish an aura of reliability and credibility. Then if that threshold is achieved, you need the extra push of something to generate some desire to use you instead of your competition and then having some success, enough extra attraction to keep the customers happy. Getting one and loosing him a week later is no road to success. I wish you well, but you've picked a hell of tall mountain to climb. It's not like there's not any news services so you have a free and empty market place. Quite the contrary, you've got loads of competition instead.

Should you discard even the few templates usage will be adopting, all you are doing is costing yourselves both that exposure, and the easy capacity to import a template you do want (or some of you may want) down the time stream. My crystal ball is no better than yours, but surely someone will one day take your category system and overall templates organization in hand (God knows, both need it!), and such tools as Template:Lts, and similar discussion enhancers like las, lcs, tlx, etc. come into play. Moreover, such as are compatible give you the ability to discuss and link to a template on another sister, so you can discuss such as a potential solution even before it's brought over. That's frankly, a silly handicap to suffer for what reason? Because you don't like making easy links and have excess free time? Some of us don't--I've got college expenses for two coming up on top of one of the most expensive areas wrt cost of living to deal with day to day.

I've still not heard a reason why those imported are bad for wikinews, tools are tools, and if they aren't in the toolbox, that's the problem, not having a few extras around. Now your thesis that the names as an old Cobol programmer are alien, is a bit more rational. As an old C and FORTRAN programmer, the limitations of the later made the former seem downright liberating--but what do you see in UNIX? 'grep', 'vi', 'ed', etc.— so much for 'better name lengths are now available'—those (and many C standard library macros) are still suffering from PDP-8 and 'C language' syndrom. So add a {{R from other template}} and redirect to the common name on the other sisters and use what's comfortable. If tlxwpd makes it easier to remember than tlxw links to wikipedia, Xpands to nn arguements, and unlike Tl can be better used in documentation because it expands for such tutorials, use whichever—but don't set up a private empire of incompatible names (like Wiktionary in it's provinciality--it just drives potential contributors else where).

Or are you a fan of the NIH syndrom and just bound an determined to ignore the rest of the foundation's assets and conventions? The shrinks have a name for that, I think. Is there some reason you don't want your editors to know other sisters are out there, so think tagging with Template:Lts or {{interwikitmp-grp}} cause some Machievellian harm? Or that you and your clique all think you have the God given right to make up their mind as to what tools they choose to use? Don't think so. (Sorry, but if I had my way, none of these piss-ant matters of policy would be decided without some reasonable quorum of active editors. Three or five like minded people can do a lot of damage when no one else is paying attention, and if you can't get a quorum, it's pretty clear it ought not be changed from the status quo ante. I see new "Guidelines" declared then repudiated like that all the time on wikipedia, and it's just a time waste. The board should set a minimum.)

Drop me an email when this closes out so we can adjust however needed on the other end. Thanks, // FrankB 22:42, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

I can't read this, it is just a rant. If you want a response be concise and to the point. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 22:48, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

I apologize (re: our spat on comments page today)

Dear Brian.

Please accept my apology for insuniating that you are fool. Just as I know that you didn't literally want Bush to be tarred and feathered, I hope that you also know that I do not consider you to be a fool. I think that I have previously expressed my appreciation for your opinions and general levelheadedness.

However, you should expect vitriolic comments, such as those you made, to elicit a response. If you had made the same comments about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I am sure you would have had people jumping down you throat for that as well.

Calling a head of state "a retard," "a cretin" and "a buffoon and an embarrassment to the species" is an insult not only to that person, but also an insult to the citizens of that country, no matter how easy it is to find others that will applaud you for it.

Please know, that I have not lost respect for you. I hope that you have not lowered your opinion of me, either.

Sincerely, --SVTCobra 22:46, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

No problem, I'm a w:Usenet veteran, so I've done my share of verbal sparring on the Internet. I'd like to see our comment namespace get going so I figured some "blunt" comments might provoke a response. Commentary on the news is a case of generating your own entertainment - you post to amuse those with similar views, or to inflame those with opposing views. Good posts do both.

As to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad... No, I'll leave commenting on that fruit-loop until there's an appropriate article. ;-)

Alright, then. I am glad we are clear. I had been worried that I had somehow violated WN:E, which was written before Comments existed. --SVTCobra 23:18, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

Monster Pig

Please make your request for changes on the talk page, so I know the issues you have with the article. 70.48.52.32 22:29, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

thanks for the suggestions, they have been made and the article republished. The image link is on the discussion page, I cannot add it. 70.48.52.32 22:57, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

Create an account and you can. With the current "issues" over images I'm reluctant to touch any. Even if you just create one called monsterpig for this upload that should be okay. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 23:14, 26 May 2007 (UTC)