Archive1 at User talk:Wikiwizzy/Archive1 up to October 2005.
I will answer requests here, if you post them here. I mostly concentrate on Africa based articles. Wizzy… ☎ 21:49, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you for my compliment regarding my re-worked Rainbow Nation article! Ssteedman 15:53, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
Hi, you removed a section on the Idi Amin article that I wrote, on the grounds it was POV. I added that to the "splendid rugby player" quote expressly because I thought that quote was misleading. It gave the impression that his officers judged him purely on his sports ability and were indifferent to any defects in his character they observed. Since the article as it now stands is misleading I will remove the Rugby quote. Leithp 09:02, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Hi Andy, Banes is interested in nominating me as an admin tomorrow evening, I would kindly appreciate your support. Thank you -- Jcw69 19:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I just wanted to say thank you for your support of my admin nomination. I look forward to the time when our Wikipedia paths, blended in amity, cross once again. — Wayward Talk 05:23, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
thanks for the comment... will try to add a bit more, would of course welcome additions. so much of what has been written about him is either very critical or describes him as a "man of mystery" that I think it is difficult to do a properly informative and neutral page. There are supposedly biographies being written now but I can't find either. Let me know if you do. Best regards Joewright 21:32, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Hi there Wikiwizzy. What's your editcount like? The reason I ask is that I am currently on a SA admin drive. As you know, I started with Jcw, now, I'm trying to decide whos next. (Kate's tool hardly works these days.) I would go over to Elf-Friend but he's been on a long break. Are you interested? Ban e s 15:57, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you Andy for your support in my recent request for adminship. It was successful thanks to you. I will strive to an open, approachable and transparent administrator. I will not let South Africa down. -- Jcw69 18:23, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
Thanks for the "welcome back" :-). Elf-friend 09:17, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Judicious, well-watched edit at http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Telkom&diff=26433044&oldid=26420567 I wrote most of the body text for that article, I hate to see it get vandalised.
Since the Collaboration of the Week folks are known for preferring Military Histories of countries, I nominated Military history of Sudan. It has been six days since then, and I have only received one more vote. Unless I get one more vote supporting this nomination, it will be closed tomorrow. Please add your support at WP:COTW/Military history of Sudan. Also see WP:COTW/Languages of Sudan. — BRIAN 0918 • 2005-11-7 14:56
Hi there. You left a note on my talk page about an edit I made to the RFC entry. Assuming you were referring to the para on the RFC's first victory, I found the information in the book The Royal Flying Corps in World War I by Ralph Barker ( ISBN 1-84119-470-0 ). I don't think there was any more info on either of the fliers than their names. I can have another look if you have any specific questions.
I guess I should add the book as a reference to the RFC page - I don't think I knew how to do that when I made the original edit.
Hope this helps, Cjrother 19:59, 7 November 2005 (UTC)
Please do not lift passages from copyrighted sources such as news wires. These additions must be reverted. lots of issues | leave me a message 15:40, 8 November 2005 (UTC)
Hi! I fixed the spelling mistakes in my Telkom edit. But I think a "public opinion" section is vital for reasons discussed on its Talk page. I also fixed problems with the links. Hardly informationless. -- Janto 16:48, 12 November 2005 (UTC)
CAPE ARGUS
I have referred the matter to the Cape Argus editorial staff ... if they decide they are not interested in doing anything about it, neither am I ... I choose not to edit the writer's poor English because he discredits himself by sounding less than erudite... I also believe that challenging someone is more productive than simply deleting what they have to say ... the government of South Africa under apartheid did that ... don't ask me to do the same thing ... Mike hayes
Hi Wiki,
Thanks for seconding my Barnstar of National Merit, it is nice to know that one's work is noticed and appreciated :-).
Kind Regards, Elf-friend 08:05, 29 November 2005 (UTC)
Sorry, i didnt see it there! also, thanks for the encouragement regarding my contribs on Africa. may i ask where in Kenya you were born? -- Gozar 17:35, 30 November 2005 (UTC)
I've gone over the Digital Courier site a bit and i have to say i'm very impressed. as my primary interest in wikipedia is its potential/capacity for educational use in africa and the third world, it looks like you've developed a pretty viable solution (even though most of the continent doesnt have nearly the access to computers that south africa does to begin with). i have a few questions though, how much does the service cost for the schools (although,im an american so obviously if you give me the Rand it wont tell me much)? it also doesnt seem like it would provide you with a lot of support financially, do you have another job to supplement (or account for most of) your income? also, im guessing you know that all texts (novels,etc) published before 1913 are for all intents and purposes, free over the internet. i dont know if it would be feasible due to the limited number of computers the schools you are dealing with have, but have you considered trying to load any full texts onto the schools' computers (a lot of 'required reading' can probably be had for free, based simply on what i've read in school)? thanks.-- Gozar 22:54, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
this happened today, i have an article up and running at East African earthquake, 2005. Considering renaming to Lake Tanganyika earthquake, or Great Lakes region earthquake, or some such title. Any advice and help would be appreciated.-- Gozar 18:25, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
I'm going to be back in South Africa from 26 December to 25 January. Would be great to meet up with all my fellow South African editors that I have been working with from afar. Want to try to arrange a meet-up of some sorts? User:PZFUN/signature 08:14, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
Thank you for your kind words. jucifer 00:11, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Nice to be appreciated! Rich Farmbrough 17:44, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
Wizzy. Thanks for the note of welcome and the link to that rather bizarre Rhodesia website. Bob
BScar23625 20:05, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
I note your comment on the deletions page. Could I just say that it is in my view quite wrong to regard all Europeans in (or who were in) Africa as some sort of Nazis. These were normal often quite ordinary people (farmers) who wished to protect their positions of control. That is surely normal, even here. All political parties will do anything to remain in power. I know people who lived in Rhodesia who were totally ruined after a century of work, and their only crime was to be European, and to have treated their black workers, often in the hundreds, extremely well. When they were leaving their farms their workers were in tears. There are two sides to every story.
All the organisations and people in this new victimisation category are pretty ordinary people, virtually all of them members of the Conservative Party at some time or other, or still. To me 'far right', means one belonging to some vicious group which engages if vitriolic hatred of others and violence, Nazi or fascist parties, or whatever. None of these people or groups fall even remotely into those categories.
I hope you don't mind me sharing my thoughts with you. Robert I 20:16, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
True. The act was so flagrant (see his rationalisation in Talk:Monday Club) that immediate action seemed called for, particularly given the fact he'd also made legal threats and earlier edited other people's contributions to Talk pages. I will lift the suspension and ask you to consider his behaviour, whether a tempban is warranted and the length of any tempban. Homey
I've asked User:Slim Virgin to examine the situation. Not biting the newbies is one thing, and I didn't tempban him over legal threats or editing other's talk page contributions - I just cautioned him - but malicious editing is quite different. If someone deliberately falsifies information it merits disciplinary action. If he hadn't been a newbie I would have taken him to ArbComm and suggested a one year ban. Homey 19:20, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
Hello, thanks for the award. -- Ezeu 21:27, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
Hi, It seemed even more appropriate for fr.wiki - and I'm bracing mysef for feedback on my grammar :-) Linking from other articles is a good idea and I'll see what seems appropriate. I have put in categories, so it will already have some limited visibility. Dlyons493 Talk 12:30, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
Leave the anon editor be and let him waste his time....I'm currently watching his edits and as soon as he's finished I'm going to revert to the last version by 220.139.251.7 (check the page history). Zunaid 14:41, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
Unajua kuongea Kiswahili? Nilikaa ya Kenya...
Could I garner some support from you in the Talk page of Gautrain regarding RSA Taxpayer's incessant removal of the POV tag? I have written in explaining the due course of POV tag discussion, but it would help if I could have a backup or second opinion on the talkpage, unless - of course - you feel the tag to be in error too.
Best regards, Ssteedman 20:32, 4 January 2006 (UTC)
Nice work on Gautrain. Much better... enough to remove the tag do you think, or keep it pending more balancing information?
Thanks - that's a lovely way to do it. Cheers, JackyR 23:48, 8 January 2006 (UTC)
I know, you are motorcylce-bound. Not to worry, I think I'll just get a car at the airport. Kulula has some good rates for car hire. I should be staying with a fried in Green Point, so I have accomodation as well, because trying to find a place to put your head at this time of the year in CT is moerse expensive!
How are you, otherwise? I just got through driving from Namibia back to PRetoria - all in one day. Ugh! Páll (Die pienk olifant) 16:17, 11 January 2006 (UTC)
Andy. Thanks for the appreciation, let me know if there is anything I can do to enhance the articles further. These things tend to recede into history and people get a very false view of events. A lot of these young guys get a view of Rhodesia based on what they read in Wilbur Smith novels. The reality was nothing like that. Bob BScar23625 10:27, 16 January 2006 (UTC)
Andy. Yes, I keep returning to the Rhodesia and associated articles. All very fascinating to me. One area that could use further attention is the nature of the big-business backing for ZANU and ZAPU during the war. The idea that China backed ZANU and USSR backed ZAPU is something of a fiction that suited everyone to maintain at the time. In fact, British business was channelling funds to the Nationalists and they wouldn't have done that without "a wink and a nod" from the British government. Not something I have given much thought to before. See external link 2 that I inserted yesterday. Bob BScar23625 08:43, 23 January 2006 (UTC)
Andy. Sure, I have monitored the comment and noted the three "Objections". The comments sound very much like reviews of academic dissertations - wherein great emphasis is placed on required structural elements. You have to (1) pose a Research Question, (2) undertake a Literature Review, (3) undertake Empirical Research, then (4) draw on (2) and (3) to answer the RQ posed in (1). In fact, many high-scoring dissertations are very silly/tedious - the reason they are high scoring is because they incorporate the required structural features in every detail. I do this kind of thing for a living, so I am not too inclined to hack the article around to match some standard structure. I will continue with enhancements to the Rhodesia/Ian Smith/Whites in Zimbabwe articles as and when I feel inclined. Have you noticed that the anonymous contributor with unusual knowledge of Ian Smith has now reported that Smith's son Alec died on 16/01/2006?. It would be such an odd thing to invent that I guess it is probably true. I suspect the contributor has picked the info up off some Rhodesian website, or he has some direct connection with Smith. best wishes. Bob BScar23625 08:42, 24 January 2006 (UTC)
Andy. Yes, the report about the death of Alec Smith actually appeared in the British Daily Telegraph yesterday (Monday). [2] Curious case. Alec deserted from the Rhodesian army (where he was a conscript) and fled to Europe, where he married a Norwegian girl. His Dad tried to attend the wedding, but the Norwegian government refused to admit him. Alec returned to Rhodesia after independence, and a lot of people wouldn't speak to him. But he never had any problem with his Dad. Make of that what you will. Leave the article with me and I will take a look at it some time. Bob BScar23625 16:51, 24 January 2006 (UTC)
ps : I think Smithy was a maverick type himself and had no difficulty in accepting the same quality in others. BScar23625 17:22, 24 January 2006 (UTC)
I have made the entry, but this may have been too late. Orphanbot has deleted it. It is a lovely picture. It shows Ian Smith at the Bulawayo Farmers' Fair about two days after he became Prime Minister of Rhodesia. There was a lot of grumbling about "lazy kaffir" waiters in the beer tent and Smith picked up a rifle and took aim at one of the waiters. This caused much amusement amongst the onlookers. The picture was taken by a middle-aged reporter from the Bulawayo Times. The latter paper went defunct in 1981 and the photographer must be dead by now. The picture has been used all around the world in numerous publications and web sites. There cannot be any copyright in it.
Any chance of restoring it?.
Bob
Hi, you removed the category Category:Living people from Nelson Mandela with the edit summary, "rv useless cat." It seems that the cat is needed for some administrative and legal purposes - please see Category_talk:Living_people with some expplanation by Jimbo Wales himself. Bottomline - do not rmv the cat unless it is wrongly inserted; if you have any objections or suggestions, voice them on that page just as I have done (I didn't object, but gave a suggestion). btw, I reverted your change to Nelson Mandela. -- Gurubrahma 16:38, 23 January 2006 (UTC)
The BBC mention Vice-President Moody Awori as named in the report aswell, in addition to the three that your source listed. I've checked a few other sources and they include him too, so I've edited the article to reflect this. If you know better feel free to switch it about. Also, do you think the Anglo Leasing Scandal deserves its own article? Ta. -- Cherry blossom tree 14:45, 27 January 2006 (UTC)
This is a heads-up on a WP:RM see Talk:Kafir (Islam). It is part of a general shuffle of related page names and I think some South African input would be useful. If you know where to place a heads-up about it for South Africans I think it woudl be useful. -- Philip Baird Shearer 17:51, 1 February 2006 (UTC)
Hi there! I see what you mean about some of that stuff belonging in the Congo War article but haven't yet thought of a good way to condense it. Of course we have no way of knowing these things but the original article on Kagame as I found it yesterday was SO inaccurate that I find it hard to believe that it hasn't been tampered with. There was no mention of RPF reprisal atrocities after the genocide, no mention of the 1996 invasion of Congo and the killings committed there, and while the section on the second invasion (1998) did at least mention the 4 million people who have died as a result, there was no mention of how they died, or of the detailed, consistent allegations made against Kagame by the UN, the Congolese government, and many other groups, that his government has been profiteering on a massive scale. The evidence really is overwhelming. While Kagame was rightly seen as a hero for his role in ending the 1994 genocide, the problem is that he has ruthlessly exploited this hero status to deflect all criticism of his corrupt and authoritarian government. Seems v. reminiscent of the way Mugabe has used his anti-colonial "liberation fighter" status.
I've spoken to Rwandan Tutsis who came in with the RPF from Uganda in 1994 (ie. not natural opponents of the new government) who tell me that Kagame is so feared in Rwanda that people don't dare to mention his name publicly, that the democratic process is a complete sham, that the RPF grouping are enriching themselves through corruption and that this is aggravating the unresolved tensions in Rwandan society. Others have pointed out that while Kagame continues to define his position in relation to the 1994 genocide, the survivors of that genocide remain a marginalised and excluded group. The people now in power in Rwanda, despite the supposedly non-ethnic basis of the new government, are almost all of them English-speaking Rwandan Tutsis who grew up in exile in Uganda. One of the saddest stories I've heard is of a young Tutsi soldier who fought under Kagame to overthrow Obote in Uganda in the 1980s, then helped liberate Rwanda with the RPF in the 1990s, only to be sent to Congo in 1998. He died there in 1999 fighting not against Hutu-extremists but against his own former comrades in the Ugandan army, after a squabble broke out between Kagame and Museveni over control of the Kisangani diamond mines... 194.247.252.108 10:57, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
Didn't mean to step on your edit, I'm still figuring out how the diffs work. OrangeMan 14:33, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
greetings wikiwizzy, i was curious as to whether you (and others from the wikipedia africa community) would be interested in helping to barnraise Petroleum in Nigeria, an article i started at the beginning of '06. I'm pretty much planning on camping out at the campus library all weekend working on it, and there is also a significant amount of information available online. that said i will be doing most of the work, but any help would be appreciated. this is a good place to start browsing info online (excuse me if im being presumptuous). thanks.-- Gozar 18:16, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
Re [3]. I'm such a map geek, those Google maps can keep me entertained for hours. I think I just found the Mexican kitchen: 33°55′31.4759″S 18°24′54.2160″E / 33.925409972°S 18.415060000°E. -- Jeandré, 2006-02-03 t20:39z
Hi, Thank you for discussing this with me. There is the warm Agulhas Current in the Indian Ocean heading south past Cape Agulhas swirling past and meeting with the cold Benguela Current in the Atlantic Ocean heading south too.
So I did try to change the meaning of the previous version. Regards, Greg Gregorydavid 11:32, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
Has been reverted. If he does it again, please let me know and I'll warn and block the naughty fellow. Cheers Ban e z 16:02, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
Ja, I was wondering why it wasnt added to the main rfa page. Thanks for fixing it, the nomination is now where it should be. Cheers Ban e z 08:25, 9 February 2006 (UTC)
Hey. Just wanted to say thanks for the award. Teasing out the facts in the complexity that is South African history and culture is very rewarding. Expect more edits in future (I'm busy expanding the history section of Zulu dramatically). - Kieran 08:45, 9 February 2006 (UTC)
I was autoblocked due to editting activity on wonderware. Thanks for helping. I am still keeping an eye out for a reference on the point of meeting of the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean at the tip of Africa. Regards, Greg Gregorydavid 12:27, 11 February 2006 (UTC)
Sorry for not replying promtly. Had to take some time off. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.-- Ezeu 02:53, 12 February 2006 (UTC)
Phaedriel, the wiki-markup princess. Thank you for including me in your valentine shower. Wizzy… ☎ 21:40, 15 February 2006 (UTC)
Hi, thank you for responding again. I agree that it is difficult to regulate everything on Wiki.. I do think that there is space for short articles that get to the point, that link to comprehensive ones and that are consitent with the short one.. I see the German article on Apartheid is structured along the lines Under the English, Under the Boer etc.. So there is no Wiki Government that merges all content correctly, it is Wiki People and Wiki Police.. I also think one can merge short articles, keep the short ones and state the fact that the short on has been merged.. Cheers, Greg Gregorydavid 10:27, 15 February 2006 (UTC)
i suppose someone needs to tell you (although i suppose this could be intentional), your national merit barnstar is taking up the entire top section of your page!-- gozar 18:55, 15 February 2006 (UTC)
Hey - we made the front page!! Wizzy… ☎ 17:27, 15 February 2006 (UTC)
Thank you very much for your support (and comment in defence of my edit count for minor articles) during my recent Admin election, I appreciate the trust that you have put in me. Please contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding my work as an admin.
By the way, why aren't you an admin yet? ;-) Would you be interested in being nominated?
Kind Regards, Elf-friend 09:18, 17 February 2006 (UTC)
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Hey, thanks so much for the barnstar! :) Feeling very chuffed now! Glad my contributions helped. Joziboy 27 Feb 2006, 10:54 UTC
Cheers for your comments - a long way to go yet though! Kcordina 17:05, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
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Thanks for weighing in at Talk:Lagos. I'm withdrawing from the conversation, don'lt like the atmosphere (see also this charming exchange on my talk page). I won't block them if they continue their behaviour because I'm too involved, but a block might be in order. Whatever, I'm logging out for a while. Very best wishes, — mark ✎ 19:58, 15 March 2006 (UTC)
In response to your note at WP:AFR. It's possibly worth merging over the info into a paragraph on "Heterodox movements" at Culture of South Africa, but it would be a nightmare to keep everything organized and well-sourced so the fringe theorists don't take over. If you're not up for maintaining it (and I doubt the creator will do so based on his short edit history), speedy it. - Banyan Tree 14:56, 20 March 2006 (UTC)
I don't entirely understand what you mean by "adding extra lines" to the Mugabe page; isn't this the point of Wikipedia, provided, of course, that they are accurate?
You know as well as I that Mugabe is both a dictator and a mass murderer, but he doesn't qualify as a "war criminal", so...
I will definitely add his name to the List of Dictators you referred to.
Thanks!!
Ciao!! 216.194.2.154 09:55, 23 March 2006 (UTC)
That was very nice. Thanks. WAS 4.250 10:38, 23 March 2006 (UTC)
Hey A
Nope, was not aware of that. I've just fired off an email to Tim Starling from that page:
Hi Tim (I'm coming from meta:XFF project) Could we have our South African transparent proxies listed as trusted, please? A number of good, regular editors have now been caught by autoblocking, and these transparent proxies are forced on probably the most South African internet users. I have started a list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dewet/SAIX_proxies for reference; it has been updated by other South African editors too. Thanks, en:User:Dewet
Hope we can get this fixed soon :-/
dewet| ™ 14:40, 23 March 2006 (UTC)
PS: Yeah, I'm the same dewet ;)
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