User talk:Mandarax/Archive 17

This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page.

This note is for Bgwhite, but I didn't want to clutter up your talk page with yet more about Breaking Bad, so I'm doing it here. If you get tired of me talking about the show, let me know. I wouldn't want you to get as sick of hearing about it as a certain person we know is of hearing about Dr. Who.

I decided to wait a bit before reporting on Better Call Saul. Before it premiered, I tried to keep my expectations low while still having high hopes. It was difficult to keep those expectations low when I read in the article that:

• Before any episodes had aired, it had already been renewed for a second season.
• It had a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.
• A critic declared the first few episodes to be better than Breaking Bad.

Let me start by emphatically stating that Better Call Saul is absolutely, definitely, unequivocally not better than Breaking Bad. This should not really be seen as a reflection on BCS. After all, at least one person has declared BB to be "the greatest work of entertainment ever produced". I found myself somewhat disappointed by the first episode. In contrast, mere moments into the BB pilot, I knew it was going to be something spectacularly special. Four of this season's ten episodes of BCS have aired so far. I do like the show, and it's wonderful to see new episodes with a beloved character. (Could there be even more than one returning character? No spoiler here.)

My prediction was slightly off. I thought the BCS premiere would be immediately following the end of the BB marathon. What actually happened was BCS premiered on Sunday, then the final episodes of the marathon aired on Monday, followed by an encore of the premiere and then the second episode.

As I watched the marathon, I kept thinking that the TV academy should have created a special cinematography category for BB.

I've gotten the CD of music from Breaking Bad. There's some great stuff on it, but it only scratches the surface of songs featured on the first two seasons. One song from the CD, "Out of Time Man", sounds just like another song (not featured on BB), from thirty years earlier. Judge for yourself:

• Mick Harvey's "Out of Time Man" (2007)
• Iggy Pop's "The Passenger" (1977)

Oh, a while ago, I heard a song ("

Actually, I just watched that clip I linked to a few more times, and I think I know how I "somehow missed this one". The music so exquisitely fits in with the scene that I may have assumed it was specifically composed for the show rather than being a pre-existing song. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:59, 28 February 2015 (UTC)

I've only seen the first episode. My parents forgot that it was on Monday, so they didn't record the next two. Guess we will watch when it comes on Netflix. Only time I've ever bought TV episodes was for BB. Lovely Comcast is slowing down Amazon in my area, so buying is not an option right now. Only show that I'm really looking for is Game of Thrones, season 5 starts in April. The one thing I missed about earlier episodes of BB that was lost after the first season was the humor. It was nice seeing humor in BCS.

I'm not really into music. It's very distracting to me. I have trouble concentrating on more than one thing at a time, so music is very rarely on.

I recently watched the movie Samsura. I was in awe. There are no words in the movie, just amazing photography and music. For a movie with no words, it sure does make you think. I didn't know what the word Saṃsāra meant, but after finding out, it was very appropriate. Here's the trailer. It's the best film I've seen since watching Nebraska. I can't wait to watch the filmmaker's previous film, Bakara. Bgwhite (talk) 01:53, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

Maybe your parents saw that it premiered on Sunday and thought that was its regular night. (Which would be logical programming since that was BB night.) So, you saw the first episode, and you know the surprise at the very end; someone I sure thought I'd never see again. I think the second episode was the most BB-ish one so far. I've never seen Game of Thrones, but I've heard good things about it. I've got a long list of movies I want to see, and Nebraska is at the top. Never heard of Samsara.

BTW, for anybody who hasn't seen the relevant Breaking Bad episodes, here's some background on that clip I linked to: Jesse has recently killed the sweetest, most gentle meth cook you could possibly imagine, and he does whatever he can to try to blot it out of his mind, including turning his home into something which reminds me of Hieronymus Bosch's Hell. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:09, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

Episode five of BCS was good. I'm glad you've seen the first episode, so I can mention Mike without it being a major spoiler. While it's interesting to see the early shenanigans of Jimmy/Saul, I think the most fascinating thing is seeing the evolution of Mike from a parking lot attendant into what we know him as in BB (as well as his earlier evolution from police officer to parking lot attendant). Did you see the premiere of Vince Gilligan's new CBS show Battle Creek? It didn't "grab" me, and I actually didn't pay much attention to it. Maybe it was great while I wasn't paying sufficient attention, and I'll give it another chance, but at this point I don't think it's a show which I'll continue to watch. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:17, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

The point was that the person doing the rew. was rewriting my text into something else that it was meant to be. I didn't liked it. So I put in those citations so he could read for himself what was all about. Still -I- am not happy if someone starts rewriting text they didn't understand, and thinks this or that is not worth mentionin and stuff like that. Because they have no idea about art. I dislike this kind of rews, and I really think that this is not the point of the DYK. And one is still around. Hafspajen (talk) 21:25, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

• Was this sentence that made me stop: Church was able to envisage the American natural environment as manifestly divine, described representative of the importance of religion in American culture.

This is plain bullshit. Hafspajen (talk) 21:39, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

He also just simply remove parts, that were plainly in in the references for no reson at all. He took this sentence and rewrote it: The canvas is painted in the Romantic style and captures the aesthetic principles of the sublime and the picturesque. and removed pituresque, for no reason at all.

The canvas is painted in the Romantic style and captures the aesthetic principles of the sublime.

So I put in the part of long ref where this was.

This part s/he removed entirely: Emotions like awe – especially that which is experienced in confronting the sublimity of untamed nature and its picturesque qualities – were now entirely new aesthetic categories, and very different from art styles of the same era – the unemotional Realism[12][13] and of the calm, balanced Classicism[14] – as a source of aesthetic experience and replaced it with the above plain bullshit, calling it *Dyk fixes*. What kind of = dyk fixing is this??

• What? WHY in the name of the *** did he remowe it? Is this a way of doing DYK chopping and rewriting articles, like I wouldn't know what I was writing about in the article? Than came the other one messing about the refs... Hafspajen (talk) 21:56, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

• None of this really sounds like it's specifically DYK-related to me. Even though the user said it was "dyk fixing" in the edit summaries, as far as I can tell, the changes had absolutely nothing to do with fixing it for DYK. It's the kind of stuff that can happen anywhere (not just DYK) on Wikipedia, the encyclopedia anybody can edit, even if they don't know what they're doing; it just happened to be erroneously attributed to DYK fixing. As with anywhere else here, if anybody makes edits which you feel are not improvements, you should revert or otherwise change to how you think it would be better. If they insist on pushing through their changes, it could be taken to the talk page or elsewhere if necessary. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:07, 4 March 2015 (UTC)

• Ha. And what about if they revert my additions to their talks? Hafspajen (talk) 20:48, 4 March 2015 (UTC)

• That's frustrating, because it seems to be implying "I don't care what you have to say", but they're allowed to do it. Now, if they remove your posts from any other talk page, such as article talk pages, that's disruptive and not allowed, and they should be reverted and issued a warning. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:06, 4 March 2015 (UTC)

• Well, go nominate it. But if somebody starts the same game again Withdraw. You may rework long citations. Go With Gods Blessing. Hafspajen (talk) 21:27, 5 March 2015 (UTC)

• Okay, I'll do it within the next few days. As for reworking those long footnotes, would it be okay to simply remove them entirely just until the DYK is complete? Then I'd add them back afterwards. I want this to go as smoothly as possible, and I don't want those footnotes to become an issue with the nomination again. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:59, 5 March 2015 (UTC)

Sure, until people really DO READ the sources, it doesn't have to be there. Hafspajen (talk) 22:12, 5 March 2015 (UTC)

Just to be clear, I wouldn't remove actual sources used as citations for material in the article. The footnotes I'm talking about are supplementary background material. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:31, 5 March 2015 (UTC)

• Template:Did you know nominations/Church. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 08:15, 6 March 2015 (UTC)

Hm, decidedly Phil has a lot of DYKs too - but no DYK 25... Hafspajen (talk) 22:25, 6 March 2015 (UTC)

I added the sagacious one to WP:List of Wikipedians by number of DYKs. Someone (maybe me, maybe you, maybe someone else) should be issuing the 25 medal shortly. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 05:39, 7 March 2015 (UTC)

Well, just did it, issuing the sagacious 25 medal. But I wouldn't know how to make the green tick on list... Hafspajen (talk) 22:02, 7 March 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for doing the medal. (I would've gotten around to it eventually, but I'm kind of in slow motion these days.) I took care of the tick. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 04:05, 8 March 2015 (UTC)

Thanks. Hafspajen (talk) 19:55, 10 March 2015 (UTC)

Yeah, shall I ask for a sockpuppet investigation? Hafspajen (talk) 06:15, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Probably not a bad idea. (I've never done one, so I wouldn't be of any help.) Too bad

UAA is backed up, so my report hasn't been acted on yet, but at least all of their edits have been reverted and they're not making any more. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

07:07, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

I noticed that both users think you're male. Certainly not conclusive evidence, especially in this male-centric place where everybody thinks everybody is male, but still.... MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 17:30, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Yeah, noticed, but I never said anything. I don't discuss gender. I said online androgynous, have useerbox too. I am tired of these gender discussions on Wiki. Hafspajen (talk) 23:35, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Dropping of some newly created articles, if you feel like nominating any:

here, possibly this too. Hafspajen (talk

) 17:53, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

This is the one that is created 9 March, most urgent. If Hafspajen (talk) 19:37, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

I haven't been around here for about eight or nine days, so hopefully you or someone else already nominated them, because if they haven't been nominated yet, they're no longer eligible (unless they've been further expanded or good-article-ized). The last three articles which I nominated for you were approved very easily, so there's no longer any reason for you to fear DYK. The paintings and whatnot that you write about deserve to be featured on the Main Page, and you should nominate them yourself. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:44, 26 March 2015 (UTC)

• No, nobody nominated them. In my opinion they passed so easily because you are well known at DYK, and you are a trusted editor over there. Hafspajen (talk) 03:03, 30 March 2015 (UTC)

• Oh, that's too bad. I disagree with your theory. They passed easily because the articles were good, and all of the DYK criteria were met. I don't know how well-known or trusted I am, but that obviously shouldn't be a factor in DYK approval. I still think you should nominate your own articles; maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised by easy approvals. BTW, thanks for agreeing to let me renominate the Church article. It looked like you would definitely be opposed, so I was pleasantly surprised when you said to go ahead with it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:27, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

Would feel more secure if you would nominate them. Hafspajen (talk) 00:28, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

Hi, I don't know if this makes a difference, but the article name is misspelled in the template title. Best, Yoninah (talk) 09:20, 4 March 2015 (UTC)

A misspelling is fine as long as the template handles it correctly, which is the case here. What often happens is someone moves the page to the "correct" title without making the corresponding changes to the template, and then there would be a problem. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:20, 4 March 2015 (UTC)

On 10 March 2015, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article La Nymphe surprise, which you recently nominated. The fact was ... that Manet considered La Nymphe surprise (pictured) one of his most important paintings? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/La Nymphe surprise. You are welcome to check how many page hits the article got while on the front page (here's how, live views, daily totals), and it may be added to the statistics page if the total is over 5,000. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

— Coffee // have a cup // beans // 01:06, 10 March 2015 (UTC)

Congratulations, Hafspajen! It got over 6000 hits. I added it to the DYK Statistics page. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:28, 27 March 2015 (UTC)

Cute girls are cute girls. And she is CUTE Hafspajen (talk) 21:35, 27 March 2015 (UTC)

On 28 March 2015, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Allegory of Fortune, which you recently nominated. The fact was ... that Allegory of Fortune (detail pictured) almost got its painter jailed and excommunicated? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Allegory of Fortune. You are welcome to check how many page hits the article got while on the front page (here's how, live views, daily totals), and it may be added to the statistics page if the total is over 5,000. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

— Coffee // have a cup // beans // 00:01, 28 March 2015 (UTC)

I figured that this one, with its more provocative hook, would get more hits. And it did: over 7,000. Yoninah added it to the Stats page. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:03, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Hi,

Thanks! Yoninah (talk) 00:32, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Could you explain to me why the line right above the edit box, that says "You may notify the nominator of problems with {{subst:DYKproblem|Article|header=yes|sig=yes}}" no longer includes the article title in question? It's a little tedious to have to type it in myself when I put this on the nominator's talk page. Thanks, Yoninah (talk) 22:40, 31 March 2015 (UTC)

I don't know why. It was changed in this edit, so maybe you can ask the Person who did it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:01, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for tracking that down! Yoninah (talk) 01:14, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

All's well that ends well. Yoninah (talk) 10:23, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Good! Thanks for prodding the user to restore it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:17, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

... that while editing Wikipedia, Mandarax changes his clothes frequently as they become covered in excrement?

I hope this little April Fools' DYK from last week achieved its goal of amusing/baffling/startling you. Nobody commented on it; maybe people didn't click on the link, and were embarrassed, thinking it was real. Well, like all DYKs, it was "real"; just not in the way it attempts to fool you into thinking it was. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:59, 8 April 2015 (UTC)

Hello, Mandarax. You have new messages at Hafspajen's talk page.
You can remove this notice at any time by removing the {{Talkback}} or {{Tb}} template.

On 1 April 2015, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Niagara Falls, from the American Side, which you recently nominated. The fact was ... that there is only one major public church in Europe? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Niagara Falls, from the American Side. You are welcome to check how many page hits the article got while on the front page (here's how, live views, daily totals), and it may be added to the statistics page if the total is over 5,000. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

— Coffee // have a cup // beans // 16:02, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

I've added this one to the Stats page. All three recent nominations made it there: first 6000, then 7000, and now 9800. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 00:11, 8 April 2015 (UTC)

Hi, the page was moved to Students' Building (Vassar College) during the course of the DYK review. Did I adjust the credit line correctly? Yoninah (talk) 22:44, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

Yes, you did it correctly. Good job. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:14, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

	Happy Easter
	Happy Easter....  ! Hafspajen (talk) 19:03, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! You too! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:31, 5 April 2015 (UTC)

I am not nominating, but wrote articles. Perseus and Andromeda (Leighton) - latest. Hafspajen (talk) 08:25, 9 April 2015 (UTC)

• This was created 1 April. Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach. Hafspajen (talk) 08:37, 9 April 2015 (UTC)

Head of Christ (Correggio) and one more. Hafspajen (talk) 17:36, 9 April 2015 (UTC)

I sort of nominated the Krøyer because of the time issue – it's technically late and not eligible, but I think most reviewers will allow it. I haven't transcluded it yet (and I'm sure a bot will "remind" me about it soon) because there's no hook, but at least the nomination has been saved to lock in the not-toooo-late time.

I have very little time and energy to devote to Wikipedia these days. Frankly, I don't want to do anything where I have to think. I do much, much, much less than I used to – all I do is some gnomy DYK fixes, and maybe some mindless AWB edits where all I have to do is push a button to save an edit while I'm actually off elsewhere doing something else. So, sorry, but I won't be doing any more nominations for you or anybody else. I hope you either nominate your articles yourself, or find somebody else who wants to do it. (There are probably people who like to collect nomination credits.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:27, 9 April 2015 (UTC)

Thank you for correcting my mistake at the Template:Did you know nominations/Nydala Abbey. I am new to this end of the DYK process. Your explanation was appreciated. Best, w.carter-Talk 10:25, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

You're welcome. Setting the "passed" parameter seems kind of logical when you approve a nomination, but doing so messes up the template. Welcome to "this end" of DYK. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:36, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

Yes, I saw that something strange was going on at the end of my comment, couldn't figure out what though and assumed it was only a glitch. Now I know better. I think I will enjoy "this end". Cheers, w.carter-Talk 10:46, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

Trimmed. Thanks for the heads up. I should have checked that before submitting.--Mark Miller (talk) 02:44, 25 April 2015 (UTC)

To be eligible for the 2x BLP exception, the article must start without sources of any kind.

So how exactly does that work when most BLP articles lacking sources end up deleted? I take it these must be obscure BLP articles, then. Viriditas (talk) 19:28, 30 April 2015 (UTC)

How does that work? It doesn't! That's why I've been intending for a long time to propose that the useless, obsolete exception be eliminated. I've been reluctant to do so because most discussions around here tend to get nasty no matter how reasonable the proposal. But I've been gathering data, and some day I'll get around to proposing its elimination. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:25, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

Mandarax, submit it while at Burning Man this year. For some reason I think you will be more, um, mellow and relaxed when you submit it. I don't the perfect data will be convincing. That area is a Wiki Black Hole. Bgwhite (talk) 05:55, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

I haven't seen anything to write about for awhile. First season of

Les Reveants. Straczynski's Sense8 is out on Netflix in June. Bgwhite (talk

) 05:55, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

I'll probably be skipping Burning Man again this year, but ya never know what might happen. As far as I know, Anna Gunn's next series after BB was one in which she played a detective. I watched it only because of her. It was so unmemorable that I can't even think of the title. Lemme go look it up..... Ah, it was

Secrets and Lies (although, according to their respective articles, critics apparently disagree with me). MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

08:29, 1 May 2015 (UTC)

At Template:Did you know nominations/Zolykha's Secret, I had moved }} above, because my message was not appearing, and now again after your edits it is not appearing. Check again? OccultZone (Talk • Contributions • Log) 02:13, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Fixed. As I mentioned in my edit summary on the template, it was broken in this edit. (Moving the "}}" just broke it in a different way.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 05:06, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for fixing my DYK submission. It was my first and this helps me know what to avoid in any future ones. I appreciate it. Carl Henderson (talk) 07:10, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Welcome to DYK! You're welcome for the fixes. (My edit summary about the ellipses should have said there were four dots, rather than five.) One thing remains to be done. When an image is used, an appropriate (pictured) should be included in the hook; something like (The Chapel Royal pictured). I wasn't sure how to do it so it would fit in naturally, so I'll leave that to you. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:37, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Why appease obnoxious jerks? [1] I'd just as soon tell him to get lost, frankly. Prioryman (talk) 07:24, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

I agree that we shouldn't have to appease people. But there's one user who always reports every "the" which they believe to be missing when the subject's from the UK, and one admin or another always adds it, so we might as well take care of it before it hits the Main Page.

However, the real reason I do it has to do with a certain admin. Hint: it's someone you suggested might need an RfC/U. Someone I refer to as "Saint Stephen" (the Grateful Dead lyrics from the song of the same name say "wherever he goes, the people all complain"). Someone about whom I've said, "I consider this abusive admin who rampaged through DYK on a reign of terror to be absolutely the single worst thing on Wikipedia." Anyways, he apparently sees every WP:ERRORS report about DYK as further evidence that DYK is full of errors, and I'm afraid of him returning in full force to DYK. The last time he terrorized everybody there during the Dark Days, he drove me away from Wikipedia for nine weeks. If he starts up again, I just might leave for good. So any possible step which might conceivably prevent him from returning must be taken. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 08:58, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Note: this horrible admin recently referred to the period which he turned into the Dark Days as a time during which he was "trying to help". I was tempted to reply "Yes, you were trying.... Very trying!" But I managed to suppress the impulse. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 18:59, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

It's good to know that even someone whose name suggests that he might be associated with the Beatles is a Deadhead. I've never seen Games of Thrones, but I should get around to it some day. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 16:51, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Hi, I was wondering why a good amount of credits repeat the template name (see [2]). I understand why the subpage name is different if the apostrophe is curly instead of straight, but a number of these credit lines don't seem to have any difference in the page names. Thanks for the explanation, Yoninah (talk) 23:14, 7 May 2015 (UTC)

Extraneous subpage parameters have been automatically added a lot lately after someone recently rewrote the template which creates nomination pages. It only happens some of the time, and I think it's unintended. Although such subpage parameters are not necessary, they do no harm, and they do potentially serve a useful purpose. If an article is moved, a DYK article credit template which was constructed with the parameter will still point to the correct nomination page; otherwise, it won't. (When adding subpages, I used to add only the ones necessary for the bot to correctly create a DYK credit template on an article's talk page; now, whenever a subpage is necessary for any DYKmake, I add it to all of them on the nomination.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 06:45, 8 May 2015 (UTC)

OK, thanks. Yoninah (talk) 19:28, 9 May 2015 (UTC)

On 12 May 2015, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach, which you recently nominated. The fact was ... that Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach (pictured) depicts the artist's wife and a painter on the beach during the blue hour? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach. You are welcome to check how many page hits the article got while on the front page (here's how, live views, daily totals), and it may be added to the statistics page if the total is over 5,000. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

Harrias ^talk 06:25, 12 May 2015 (UTC)

Hi, the DYK nominator changed the header on his nomination. Could you add whatever subpage template is called for here? Thanks, Yoninah (talk) 00:47, 1 June 2015 (UTC)

It looks like it was done correctly. Except for the image dimensions, of course. I had restored the correct dimensions twice, and in that edit they made it larger yet again. This time BlueMoonset fixed it. I also checked the two new split-off templates, and they seem fine. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:48, 1 June 2015 (UTC)

Great, thanks. I was editing too late last night to be able to think clearly about it. Yoninah (talk) 10:04, 1 June 2015 (UTC)

	Conspicuous attention to detail
	Thank for your work at Template:Did you know nominations/Hold Me While I'm Naked. 7&6=thirteen (☎) 16:01, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Thanks. Just doing my part to try to keep the hounds at bay. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 19:49, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

And there are many hounds with changing rules and agendas. It is good to have a backstop! 7&6=thirteen (☎) 19:51, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Hi, I was asked to split off 4 noms from a multi-nom hook. Does anything else need to be done to the original nom page? Thanks, Yoninah (talk) 00:14, 10 June 2015 (UTC)

Well, I wouldn't say anything needed to be done, but I removed some things for simplification, especially the unused DYKmake templates. They had been struck, but since they're in a comment, that doesn't show, and a careless set builder might have included some by mistake. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:29, 10 June 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! Yoninah (talk) 10:09, 10 June 2015 (UTC)

A Wikiversary? That's cute! Thanks for the nice wishes. Yoninah (talk) 22:33, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

You're welcome. Can you even believe you've been here so long?

Did you know ...

... that you reviewed my second DYK ever? MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 04:34, 17 July 2015 (UTC)

Wow! Yoninah (talk) 20:50, 23 July 2015 (UTC)

Hi, I notice that captions are now appearing on the main page. Is this something that you're in charge of doing, or does the prep builder have to do something? Yoninah (talk) 20:50, 23 July 2015 (UTC)

Well, let me start by emphatically saying that I'm not in charge of anything! Yes, prep builders should try to make sure that images are in the correct format and that (pictured) is removed as appropriate. But if they don't do it, I or someone else will be along to take care of it. Once it looks like captions are here to stay for sure, I plan to change the format on all current nominations (but that's not a promise, so don't hold me to it). MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:06, 23 July 2015 (UTC)

I'm still confused. When was this agreed? I cannot see it at DYK discussion. Could you post an answer there for anyone like me who missed it? Victuallers (talk) 17:49, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

Answered there. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:01, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

Just the attitude... enthusiasm, I'll catch that and fix that... and such. Hafspajen (talk) 12:13, 27 July 2015 (UTC)

You're masterful at leaving cryptic messages. I don't really know what this is about, but that's fine. If I had to guess, I'd say

Mound of Butter (Vollon), although Carlos was posted here before I chimed in on your butter thread, another thing I had no idea what it was about until about much later when an image was added in a later thread. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

01:07, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

^{"don't really know what this is about, but that's fine".} Gosh, it's you. Hafspajen (talk) 16:32, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

Awwww, thanks. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:47, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

Hi, there is a floating comment by

Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I fixed it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 00:13, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

Hi! I understand your edit on the image caption. However, I want to know why the (pictured) in the hook has been removed? It was following the words "taxidermied species". --CeeGee 06:05, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

Ever since captioned images went live, the (pictured) has been removed from all Main Page sections. Presumably it could still be included if really essential, but I don't think that's the case here.

As I write this, there is one on OTD, but that's obviously an accidental oversight; the current OTD was edited from last year's, which included the (pictured), by the same user who implemented the captions and has been adding accidentally omitted captions and removing accidentally included instances of (pictured). Someone reported it to

WP:ERRORS, and it will presumably be removed if anybody gets around to it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

07:02, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

• Does, what you say, mean that the image won't be excluded from the Main Page when the hook appears in the DYK section? --CeeGee 08:29, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

• If I understand your question correctly, the answer is no, it won't be excluded. Whether a hook has (pictured) or not will have absolutely nothing to do with the decision to use the image. I see that you restored it to the nom. Since captions are so new, there will be a period of adjusting. From the time they started, there was no (pictured) in any of the Main Page sections, but just today they're experimenting with including it. Whatever is finally decided, all picture hooks will either include it or not, to be consistent with the rest of the Main Page. And, again, either way, it won't matter when deciding whether to use an image. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:45, 28 July 2015 (UTC)

• I restored the the "(pictured)" after waiting for some time because I was in the belief that you were not interested anymore in replying. Sorry for that. Everything is clear now. Thanks. --CeeGee 05:44, 29 July 2015 (UTC)

• No problem. I wasn't around when you replied, not returning until about twelve hours later. BTW, it was odd removing that (pictured), since over the years, I've probably added hundreds of them to nominations where they had been accidentally omitted. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:51, 29 July 2015 (UTC)

Hi. Hope you're well. Could you please move this down to special occasions for August 16 (Actress's 45th birthday). The reviewer has agreed but is unsure how to. I can't as I'm the nominator. Cowlibob (talk) 19:33, 7 August 2015 (UTC)

Well, Cowlibob, the thing is ... I'm opposed to using the Special occasion holding area for occasions which are not special. I think it should only be used for holidays and occasions of international importance. I dislike using it for things such as birthdays, anniversaries, movie or TV premieres, product release dates, etc.

I won't object if someone else does it, but I'd prefer not to do it myself. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:22, 8 August 2015 (UTC)

Fair enough. Happy editing. Cowlibob (talk) 17:50, 11 August 2015 (UTC)

You amended my hook proposal to read "that the poet Malcolm Guite" instead of "that poet Malcolm Guite"...Out of curiosity, what is the WP:ERRORS concern you mentioned in the edit summary that requires adding the definite article so I know going forward? Thanks.

First, I'll mention that I personally dislike the "the" there. But every single time there is a hook without the "the" about a subject which is remotely British, someone always reports it to WP:ERRORS. It gets "fixed", and someone cites this as proof that DYK is full of errors (even though this is in no way an error). Although I disagree about the "the" being necessary or desirable, I always try to take care of it before a hook hits the Main Page in order to prevent yet another "error report". Here are a few of the recent "error" reports. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 05:37, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

• I guess they've never visited someone in hospital when they were at university. There's no essay that could be used to cluebat these complainers? I was always taught to eschew articles if possible. Seems to be one
  talk
  ) 10:18, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

• The "university"-type construction isn't really applicable here; it's more an issue related to the controversial concept of false title. Another user (who often takes care of the other user's reports) used to do it everywhere, no matter what the subject; I'm just grateful that the practice is now restricted to British subjects. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 11:05, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

• I might just be pointy when it gets on the mainpage to say the "the" doesn't belong just to get their goats and set a fire. You ought to be thanked more for the clean up work you do, as I saw earlier with nbsp and en-dashes.
  talk
  ) 02:39, 16 August 2015 (UTC)

• Oh, report the "the" as an error? That should be fun. (BTW, there was another "the" report today.) Thanks for the thanks. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:45, 16 August 2015 (UTC)

Hi, do you know why the July 2015 chart is too widely spaced under DYK views and not wide enough under Hooks? Yoninah (talk) 13:34, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

It was mostly due to a malformed link which elongated the views column. I fixed the link, and also added some spaces to further shrink the width. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 16:18, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! Yoninah (talk) 16:34, 9 August 2015 (UTC)

I screwed this up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Did_you_know_nominations/Howard_Weist Should be Howard Wiest. Please help. Thanks. 7&6=thirteen (☎) 17:44, 11 August 2015 (UTC)

The name of a nomination page doesn't matter. (To illustrate this, I named an April Fools' Day nomination page "Throatwobbler Mangrove".) I've patched it, so everything's fine now. Note that if you decide that you want to move it anyways, it'll have to patched again. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 19:49, 11 August 2015 (UTC)

Dear Mandarax. I am a regular contributor to the Dutch languagw Wikipedia. I've seen that you have cotributed to the article on the left brain interpreter. Now I need your help in fixing an error in the list of references for that article. the number 10 lists Michael Gazzaniga as one of the authors, which would be pretty nusual in a tribute to himself. I have that book here in front of me on my desk and I see that he is neither mentioned as a contributor nor as an ditor. Could you undo this error ( which must be pretty embarrassing for Gazzaniga) I have asked the same question to a user named Verstiegenheit who is the most recent editor of that article in the history list, but I was warned that there was a problem with my message to him. with greetings from Amsterdam----Dolph Kohnstamm (talk) 14:29, 13 August 2015 (UTC)

see ref 10. The cognitive neuroscience of mind: a tribute to Michael S. Gazzaniga by Michael S. Gazzaniga, Patricia Ann Reuter-Lore 2010 ISBN 0-262-01401-7 pages 34-35

Worldcat does list him as an author for some digital editions, but that may just be an error, and the reason for him being named in the ref. The book listing does not mention him as an author, and I confirmed this by checking Google books. I've changed it in both places in

the article where this book was referenced (although I'm not sure why you didn't do it yourself). MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

21:53, 13 August 2015 (UTC)

Dear Mandarax, thank you for making this correction. I tried to do it myself but could not find a way to edit these references.Best wihes--Dolph Kohnstamm (talk) 14:45, 14 August 2015 (UTC)

Hi. Hope you're well. I've recently come across a nominator with 4 DYK credits who currently has two DYKs approved but not yet promoted. When one of these DYKs is promoted to main page, will they have to do a QPQ for the other? Cowlibob (talk) 21:48, 20 August 2015 (UTC)

Yes. They could do one now and list it on both nom pages with an explanation that it applies to whichever one is promoted later. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:51, 21 August 2015 (UTC)

How long does it usually take for approval, or how would I get Template:Did you know nominations/Perovskia atriplicifolia approved? RO^(talk) 20:07, 22 August 2015 (UTC)

I haven't really been paying attention lately. For some lucky people, I've seen nominations approved within minutes, while some problematic or controversial ones could take a few months. I would guess that the average is about a week or two. All you can do is make sure your article and hook have no problems, and be patient. Good luck and welcome to DYK. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:38, 22 August 2015 (UTC)

Where's it stated that DYK can't have redlinks? I've reviewed the nomination/hook rules several times now and I can't see that being said anywhere.

WP:Did you know/Supplementary guidelines#Other supplementary rules for the hook. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

20:51, 30 August 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for helping edit Secrets of the Last Nazi. Can you contribute to the deletion debate, please?Cantelo (talk) 17:21, 9 September 2015 (UTC)

Sorry, but I almost never participate in such discussions. Good luck. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:29, 10 September 2015 (UTC)

Well, I was just gonna let this slide, but I decided I had to mention it.

There's an admin who, for a long time, was a harsh critic of DYK, while remaining civil in his criticism, pointing out and correcting errors without turning each comment into an indictment of all of DYK. That was a Good Thing. Constructive criticism and helpful corrections are always welcome. Then, during the Dark Days when DYK was in the clutches of St. Stephen, he seemed to get caught up in the mob mentality and became uncivil too. Then, to top things off, he recently wrote an essay with the headline "DYK, or proudly displaying incorrect information on the Main Page with alarming regularity". I don't know if he was even aware of the extreme irony of writing an essay critical of DYK inaccuracies, while using a blatantly false headline. (I challenge him to find just one DYKer who's proud to put incorrect info on the MP.) I used to have a lot of respect for this admin; now I have none. Even St. Stephen's snark and bile were, as far as I know, limited to venues less public than The Signpost.

As for St. Stephen, his pledge to reduce what he laughingly calls "snippiness" (a ludicrous understatement) has not gone as well as he claimed to intend, and he remains pretty "snippy", but still he's thankfully not a constant presence at DYK any more.

Ever since those darkest of Dark Days, my level of editing has been sharply reduced because my spirit has simply been broken. It's difficult to find a reason to continue editing, and when I saw that ridiculous headline, it was the last straw; I left for about three weeks. This would've been a gross overreaction if it was just about that moronic headline; but it's really about my general state of disenchantment with this place which tolerates intolerable behavior by the worst admins, at the expense of everyone else.

People are always seeking reasons to explain editor attrition. A major problem is a few horrible, abusive admins who feel a sense of entitlement and think they can do whatever they want as long as it's supposedly in the name of "improving the Encyclopedia".

Oh, and I wanted to update something else. When I previously wrote about how St. Stephen's unrelenting incivility had driven me away from Wikipedia, someone else brought up The Peacock. This was another user who seemed to get caught up in the mob dynamics. Fortunately, in his case, it was merely a temporary affliction, and he became a valued and constructive contributor, and even an outspoken critic of St. Stephen's reign of terror. Hey, even someone whom he had harshly attacked during the Dark Days later gave him two barnstars. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 23:22, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

Mandarax, I ran into User:Papernpencils2015/sandbox and have made an edit or two there. I added a list of the "backbone" of the group and wrote up the stub for one of them. There's five more: perhaps you and your 99 friend could have a look-see? Thanks very much. Drmies (talk) 16:22, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

William Wells Bomar. I suppose there should be a redirect from Bill Bomar. DYK that New Mexico regularly experienced a Bomar in the summer? Xanthomelanoussprog (talk

) 19:32, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

Xanthomelanoussprog, I've taken the liberty of moving your comment from the subsection below. Congratulations on creating an article per Drmies' request. As for me, I haven't felt motivated to write an article since the Dark Days; my last DYK was for International Women's Day in March 2014. There is already more than a lifetime supply of subjects in my list of articles I'd like to write or expand, and I'm unlikely to add any more until I've taken care of some of the existing ones. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:07, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

• And you hate Texas, I know. All the best, Mandarax--are we at a million intersections yet? Drmies (talk) 14:39, 16 October 2015 (UTC)

• I'm not sure where you got the idea that I hate Texas. Perhaps it's from my hatred of a certain mass-murderer from there. But one of my favorite articles that I wrote is about a guy who retired to Texas.
  Historical note: the article has been moved from the user's space to Fort Worth Circle. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:45, 26 October 2015 (UTC)
• As for the intersections, I have no idea where we are now. But I did just check WP:List of Wikipedians by number of edits/1–1000, which I hadn't looked at for a very long time. I see that you've been making steady progress up the list (except for the last few days, of course), while I've been plummeting. It won't be long before you pass me! And the last time I looked, Bgwhite was number 24, which was one higher than the highest I ever got; now he's 19! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:59, 26 October 2015 (UTC)

• Last time I looked, I was at 24. Lugnuts has been about 10,000 ahead of me for a long time now. How many edits do you have when you were 24th? I can't believe how the edit count has exploded. Koavf and Ser Amantio di Nicolao have found the joys of AWB and other automated tools to make their count go into hyperdrive. Ser Amantio di Nicolao appears to be running a bot under his account. It is impossible to make 36 AWB edit in one minute and he made 70 edits in one minute with another tool. Bgwhite (talk) 06:29, 28 October 2015 (UTC)

• I couldn't say, because if I reached 24th, it was in an alternate universe. In this universe, my reign as number 25 ended on August 3, 2011 with an edit count of about 180,000. Ha! Nowadays, that wouldn't even crack the top 100. (The diff was easy to find. One merely has to check my talk archives to find the date when you called me a liar because my user page was still saying I was 25.)
  Can AWB currently even prevent an admin such as SAdN from using it? He's certainly not the first admin to be accused of misusing it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:44, 28 October 2015 (UTC)

• Yea, there is a way to block him out. He's done 164,000 edits in October. He's done ~1,400 AWB edits in an hour. Real AWB users are constantly being harassed about their speed or how AWB users are irresponsible. It's getting frustrating... We've got ~40 bug report on VE and Content Transcrapulator (CX) and they are ignored. I'm spending an hour a day fixing what those two cause. I used to spend more, but I got tired of fixing every new CX article. Feels like I'm spinning my wheels. Bgwhite (talk) 06:08, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

• Aw, 1400 in an hour is nothing, considering that he did 57 in one minute; if he'd kept up that pace, it would've been 3420 per hour. One thing I must say... he seems to be unusually courteous and even-tempered. I think most people would have responded quite differently, given the tone of your note, and its heading. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:13, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

• He is nice because he was caught and knows people have been banned for doing the same thing. On a "better" note, my user page hasn't been vandalized in awhile, but I have gotten death threats and other niceties via email. If you are not on a throw away email account, don't answer anybody you don't know. Hafsjapen answered somebody she did know and its been misery since. Bgwhite (talk) 08:17, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

• Still, I think it's refreshing that he didn't respond belligerently or even really defensively. I also haven't been vandalized in a very long time, but that's to be expected, since most of that is prompted by vandalism reverts and warnings, and I'm doing very little vandalism patrolling outside of my watchlist. (And very little of anything else, for that matter....) Wow, emailed death threats! I hope that's not too scary or unnerving. Even at the peak of my anti-vandalism activities, when my user and talk pages were frequently retaliatorily vandalized, I never received a single email which was threatening or otherwise negative. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:23, 31 October 2015 (UTC)
• (Actually, now that I think about it, my email probably was not enabled for most that period.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:36, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

Also

I did have a look and then another. Template:Did you know nominations/Province of Pescara was extraordinarily weak, and so is Template:Did you know nominations/Province of Lodi. I won't attempt to defend the headline, though I think the "proudly" part was employed rhetorically and referenced the prominent position on the front page more than the intent. I have to say, though, that he has a point (about general fact control, and the ease with which some reviews are done--note that one of the ones whose DYKs were scrutinized just made a failed run for admin) and that some of the criticism in that thread is quite unfair. I mean, one of the critics thinks he should have written an proper five-paragraph essay--no doubt one of the most infantile remarks I've seen in such a discussion. I do not have the experience you do in DYK, so I don't know about the other aspects of behavior that you remark on, but I usually trust your judgment. Drmies (talk) 16:35, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

• That Lodi article is troubled. I've dealt with that editor's work before at DYK, years ago, and have avoided it since. Drmies (talk) 17:12, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

• I don't have an issue with the content of the essay. As I said, constructive criticism is always welcome. (I've always thought that the single most important cog in the DYK machine is the reviewer, and that reviewing standards must be high, and there should be consequences for shoddy reviews.) I considered the "rhetorical" angle, but I'm only interested in what it literally says. I must say that ever since the Dark Days, I've been teetering on the brink of retirement, and maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to push me over the edge.
  As an aside, I think people overestimate the prominence of DYK. I was around for over five years without even knowing of its existence, before I discovered it through you. I almost never went to the Main Page, and whenever I did, it was only to access the search box, and I never scrolled down to where DYK was lurking.
  I haven't looked at the Lodi article, but I checked the nom to see the names. I, too, had issues with the first editor years ago. They wrote really bad articles which were achingly repetitive and otherwise heavily padded to meet the minimum DYK size requirement. The other editor, though, seems to write fine articles, and is one of the few people who manages to write many articles on very similar subjects while still constructing hooks which are all different and interesting. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:07, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

With this ever dramatic world and winter coming, here's a cup of tea to alleviate your day! This e-tea's remains have been e- composted SwisterTwister talk 05:45, 22 October 2015 (UTC)

Thanks, SwisterTwister! Coincidentally, just today I told someone that, with winter coming, I might be drinking a lot of tea. (And I have a compost pile too.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 06:36, 22 October 2015 (UTC)

Hi M, the change is fine (but I think it was OK too before) I think you are inventing the idea of impregnation from what he said. According to Crowley it was "magic" and he was the source of the magic. He made her pregnant using magic. Obviously we might suspect? that more than magic was used, but from his view, it was his fault. (btw According to other sources her husband encouraged this until she became a celebrity.) Thanks for your input. Victuallers (talk) 09:32, 25 October 2015 (UTC)

With people so eager to find fault with DYK, I wanted to make sure that the hook said no more than the source did. The guy wrote that she "became pregnant as a result of an earlier sex magic operation." Now, I don't know how many people were performing these sex magic operations; I would hope that nobody else was, but just going by what he wrote, it's ambiguous whether he was responsible for this one. After my edit, the hook is true in either case. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:27, 25 October 2015 (UTC)

The Garden of Earthly Delights: The Earthly Paradise, Bosch

Mandarax, I've just updated the NewDYKnomination code to add the width parameter that's been added to the prep's /Clear page and that you just updated in Wikipedia:Did you know. Can you please double check to make sure I've done it the right way? I figured you were the ideal person to do so since you did the original update to the module when the "main page image" template was introduced. Many thanks. BlueMoonset (talk) 15:19, 27 October 2015 (UTC)

Yes, you did it right.

When I first noticed the new dimensions, I tried to find a discussion in which those dimensions were determined, but I couldn't find any. However, the admin who changed it was the same one who had been adjusting Main Page image dimensions ever since the captioned images first went live, so I figured it was okay.

As for my comment at Template:Did you know nominations/New City Hall (Prague), I've been surprised since {{main page image}} first appeared that it doesn't include a limit on image height. I've included a sample image which is displayed using the template with its default dimensions (no "width" parameter). (I "subst"ed it so it will display the same even if a limit is eventually added.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:13, 28 October 2015 (UTC)

Hi, this redlinked template title is floating around under the October 14 nominations on

 Done. I removed the deleted nom from the main nominations page, and also left a note on another nom, which claimed the deleted one as a QPQ. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 23:46, 4 November 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! Yoninah (talk) 01:25, 5 November 2015 (UTC)

I didn't know this. I didn't know Michael O'Hare died and what the real reason was for his leaving after season 1. Bgwhite (talk) 08:58, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

Looks like almost nobody knew about the illness. Thanks for telling me. Although Bruce Boxleitner did a fine job, I always preferred O'Hare and wondered why he was replaced. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:54, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

Drmies, I didn't want to put this scandalous info on your talk page during your election, but I had to mention how shocked I was to see your blatant plagiarism, claiming the work of another as your own.

Speaking of the kids, are they still going around singing "Look at me, look at me. I'm so good at yoga"? Personally, these days, whenever I have to use the bathroom, I find myself compelled to sing "Where's the Bathroom?" MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 00:09, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

Thank you for the laugh. That is clearly Drmies work as his kids are much better at drawing. What are the boobs over the cannon supposed to represent? Shame on you Madarax for saying that bad word, yoga. Bgwhite (talk) 00:36, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

Wow, I had no idea about the y-word. I'm reminded of another y-word: yogurt. Unless I'm hallucinating (that happens sometimes), yogurt used to be subject to ArbCom remedies, with its talk page emblazoned with the ArbCom Arab-Israeli enforcement banner (or maybe a similar one) outlining severe editing restrictions, with harsh penalties for violations. Maybe I have a case of massive cultural insensitivity, but we're talking about yogurt! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:29, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

Oh, the wit just oozes out of me without my even realizing it. I didn't consciously do the cultural/yogurt thing. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 04:19, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

• No, I think they have forgotten all about it, mercifully. On the not so bright side, tonight I had to decline explaining what "semen" was--that'll teach me to let my oldest read about the Scottsboro Boys on Wikipedia.

  You're right about the appropriation, but you know, she's my kid, I legally own her I think, though she owns me morally and financially. Can I get at least a drawing out of this arrangement? Bg, those are not boobs--she was trying to draw a butt but failed, and then I advised her to go with the metaphor--littterally. Drmies (talk) 02:16, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

  • Well, I can think of many things they could be singing which would be a lot worse. Of course, I haven't heard them sing, but if they're as talented at singing as they are at art, I'm sure it's beautiful.
    Hehe, you just had to outdo me, huh? That's some mighty bold spelling there! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:29, 3 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Thankfully, ownership is only for 18 years. The wife however, she owns you for life. Bgwhite (talk) 05:47, 3 December 2015 (UTC)
    • I'm late to the party as usual, Drmies, but I assumed that was the front of the Athens double-barreled fart cannon. LadyofShalott 01:02, 10 January 2016 (UTC)

• Hehe, an excellent interpretation! Good to see you, Lady. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:34, 10 January 2016 (UTC)

• No, Lady, I don't think she was going for that... Drmies (talk) 14:09, 10 January 2016 (UTC)

• An artist's intention is irrelevant; all that matters is what the critics think. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 19:59, 10 January 2016 (UTC)

"Kim Stanley Robinson's popular trilogy Red/Green/Blue Mars is going to see its first book turn into a TV series produced by Spike TV and is slated for release in 2017. The episodes will be an hour long, and their writing will be led by J. Michael Straczynski." I've read the Mars trilogy books because they either won or were nominated for the Nubula or Hugo awards. Bgwhite (talk) 21:47, 9 December 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for keeping me informed about Straczynski. I'm not familiar with the books or their author, but I'll keep an eye out for this. I think the only thing I've ever watched on Spike was The Joe Schmo Show. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 23:18, 9 December 2015 (UTC)

Hello I would just like to talk to you and ask you how you got all of that information on my great grandfather yes I am one of his descendent and I am just scared on how you got that information on us my dad is the president of the Robertson foundation and I am just concerns on how you got that info thx

Jack Hartford Linnartz Jack hartford robertson (talk) 19:54, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

I assume you mean George Huntington Hartford, but you've got the wrong person. I edited that article exactly one time, and all I did was format the title of a magazine. I did not add any information. To see where the information came from, see the References section at the bottom of the article, and possibly the Further reading and External links sections. To determine the users who actually added content, see the article's full history. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:53, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

To You and Yours!
FWiW Bzuk (talk) 17:55, 20 December 2015 (UTC)

Hi, I just moved

The Heresy one looked fine. I moved the Assassin one, and, other than some extra ellipses and a {{DYKnom}}, it was fine too. I'm not sure what to do regarding QPQs. Although the specific IP address may have no DYK credits, it seems obvious to me that it's the same person who has nominated many other wrestling-related articles, usually by creating the nom in Template talk. I think that QPQs should be required, but I also think that people will be suspicious of IP reviews. (Is someone reviewing their own nom?) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 19:15, 27 December 2015 (UTC)

Thank you. I also am a little suspicious about an IP creating this well-developed article. Yoninah (talk) 19:56, 27 December 2015 (UTC)

Just to clarify my comment: I was merely hypothesizing that various IPs who've created wrestling articles are all the same person. I wasn't suggesting that they were also a registered user or that they've done anything wrong (other than possibly not acknowledging ahead of time that they've had sufficient DYK credits to make them subject to the QPQ requirement). MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:39, 27 December 2015 (UTC)

Hello Mandarax: Enjoy the holiday season and winter solstice if it's occurring in your area of the world, and thanks for your work to maintain, improve and expand Wikipedia. Cheers, North America¹⁰⁰⁰ 10:19, 29 December 2015 (UTC)

Spread the WikiLove; use {{subst:Season's Greetings}} to send this message

• Thanks. Happy new year! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:33, 30 December 2015 (UTC)

It has been said that Breaking Bad is the greatest work of entertainment ever produced. Another opportunity to see the entire series from the beginning has arrived. Starting today, the Sundance channel will be showing four episodes every Wednesday. If you haven't seen the series on AMC (during the original run or any of the various marathons) or On Demand (yes, episodes still rotate through OD; currently near the end of Season 4) or Netflix or DVD or wherever, go for it! And if you have seen it already, watch it again! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:33, 30 December 2015 (UTC)

• We actually watched the first episode a couple of weeks ago. Drmies (talk) 05:16, 14 June 2016 (UTC)

• That's good to hear, Drmies.
  But I can't help reading between the lines. Since there was no "I loved it and I've already binge-watched the whole first season, and I can't wait to see every episode!", I've gotta wonder.... Is there a possibility that you didn't like it? I've seen the entire series countless times, and I am always in the process of watching it all over again (currently mid-season two).
  Hey, not only is it entertaining, but it's educational too. [Minor spoiler alert....] When a character tries to insist that Walt or Jesse perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as part of CPR, Walt says that that's no longer done. Well, I had no idea, but a few days ago, I was reading an article about CPR, and it said exactly what Walt had said. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:16, 2 July 2016 (UTC)

• We didn't get back to watching more. And I tell you why: it's too real. And I don't mean about CPR, I mean about the economics of middle-class life in America. Too depressing, too close to home. Look at inflation and all that, and consider that since 2009 state employees in Alabama haven't gotten a raise, but we did get an additional two kids. So yeah I'd cook some meth if I knew how to! (OK, I wouldn't, but it's not a crazy thought anymore.)

  Good to see you again Mandarax. Now it's time for exercises. Drmies (talk) 12:52, 2 July 2016 (UTC)

I always try to be fair, so I'd like to point out that St. Stephen seems to be much more mellow these days. I've never followed him around, and have really only seen comments made at venues I'm otherwise already watching. What I've seen lately are much more straightforward edits, without all of the snark. I commend him for reforming his ways. He recently called out another user for behavior which I, too, have found annoying for a long time. This user, whom I've never interacted with or mentioned, seems to feel compelled to jump into every conversation and inject his alleged humor. His irritating "contributions" consist of adding some short statement with a link piped to text in a way which he apparently thinks is witty. It isn't. Piped link humor can be very funny when appropriately done on occasion. His are not funny, not appropriate, and are done virtually litterally (what was I thinking?) every time I see a talk page comment from him. I no longer try to check out the links, because these attempts to be clever or amusing are never successful. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 23:22, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Hi, can you figure out why the bot is saying the nominator is not a valid username? Thanks, Yoninah (talk) 15:42, 31 January 2016 (UTC)

I think the problem was caused by the nominator entering their name in the nomination form as "[[User:username]]" rather than just "username". In any case, I see that someone else already fixed it before I arrived. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:41, 1 February 2016 (UTC)

Four years ago ...

knowledge and precision
... you were recipient no. 13 of Precious, a prize of QAI!

--Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:51, 14 February 2016 (UTC)

Thanks again, Gerda. You truly are a precious gem. When you originally awarded this to me, I said that I wouldn't be surprised if you turned all of the many red cantatas blue. Well, I see that they are all blue now. I'm sure you weren't responsible for every single one, but I'm also sure you did most of 'em. Thanks for all of your hard work around here. BTW, this is also my eleven-year Wikiversary. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:02, 14 February 2016 (UTC)

Another Valentine's Day, five years now! - Well the cantatas keep me busy, peace and joy up for FAC, and much more, - today it will be expanding a song about faith hope love, with a tradition of singing it at important days in the family. Don't look at it now, look later today, please, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:41, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

Thanks yet again, Gerda. And thanks for continuing to enhance the cultural profile of Wikipedia. I wish I were as productive around here as you are. (Or even as productive as I used to be.) Happy Valentine's Day! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:26, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

Another version of a bio on this artist was started and redirected to the article you created. I've redirected the page, so the old version is still visible via https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claire_Falkenstein_(Artist)&oldid=721598775. You may be able to use this content to help improve the existing article. Fences&Windows 20:42, 24 May 2016 (UTC)

Cheers Mandarax--a quick beer before bedtime. Drmies (talk) 05:14, 14 June 2016 (UTC)

Thanks! Aaaaaah, that hit the spot on this hot summer day. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 02:43, 2 July 2016 (UTC)

• I didn't see you today at Winn Dixie or at any time this week in Publix. Are you, by any chance, flying into NV88 as we speak? Drmies (talk) 01:19, 29 August 2016 (UTC)

• I must confess that I didn't know what NV88 was (and that's not because the official FAA identifier is
  88NV). It's nice to know that you stay informed about Burning Man even when I'm not droning on about it. No, I'm not there this year. I've listened to a tiny bit of BMIR and seen a picture or two, but that's about it. I don't even know this year's theme or the names of the streets. However, we are possibly going to have a fire in a burn barrel here as the Man burns. Thanks for thinking of me during Burn Week. I hope all's well with you these days. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM
  03:18, 2 September 2016 (UTC)

• Oh, I had them the wrong way around? I read the story on my phone earlier. Interesting stuff. Yeah, I suppose things are OK. I'm starting to get tired of this again. Dealing with timesinks doesn't help. I should be writing articles--or grading exams. I hope you have a delicious beer, and maybe a tasty spliff if that's your sort of thing, while lighting it up. All the best, Drmies (talk) 03:24, 2 September 2016 (UTC)

• I said two months ago that it was a "hot summer day"; it feels like it's been one continuous hot summer day the whole time, so, yeah, a beer sounds good. Believe it or not, a "tasty spliff" isn't my sort of thing, but alcohol in any form is a Good Thing. Oh, except a negroni. That seemed to be the drink during my first Burning Man. I just don't get it. Blech! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 03:52, 2 September 2016 (UTC)

Arbcom has ruled on Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/The Rambling Man Bgwhite (talk) 00:35, 14 October 2016 (UTC)

Well, strange that you should bring that up. I've never even mentioned that particular user's name or initials, but somehow you must've used some powerful deductive reasoning to figure out my interest. Thanks for the info, but I was actually aware of it. I'll leave it to your powerful deductive reasoning to determine the probability that there may be any causal relationship between the resolution of that case and the timing of this barnstar. Please note that that barnstar was well-deserved and long-overdue in any case. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 09:49, 14 October 2016 (UTC)

for your help. Regards--Buchbibliothek (talk) 19:47, 24 October 2016 (UTC)

You're welcome. (If anyone wonders what this is about, see User talk:Bgwhite#Question.) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:46, 24 October 2016 (UTC)

	thanks
	Mandarax, Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions. I cite myself mostly because that material is published and therefore has some legitimacy but I completely understand the suggestion to be very conservative doing so and to branch out and add different materials. The conflict of interest information was very useful. Thanks, again. SummerTigress 14:25, 20 December 2016 (UTC)

Thanks for your note. Happy holidays. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 19:11, 21 December 2016 (UTC)

From the icy Canajian north; to you and yours! FWiW Bzuk (talk) 18:45, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

Thanks. You too! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:43, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

	Season's greetings!
	I hope this holiday season is festive and fulfilling and filled with love and kindness, and that 2017 will be successful and rewarding...Modernist (talk) 22:01, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

Thanks, Modernist. I wish the same for you. Happy new year! MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 01:34, 28 December 2016 (UTC)

The Editor of the Week initiative has been recognizing editors since 2013 for their hard work and dedication. Editing Wikipedia can be disheartening and tedious at times; the weekly Editor of the Week award lets its recipients know that their positive behaviour and collaborative spirit is appreciated. The response from the honorees has been enthusiastic and thankful.

The list of nominees is running short, and so new nominations are needed for consideration. Have you come across someone in your editing circle who deserves a pat on the back for improving article prose regularly, making it easier to understand? Or perhaps someone has stepped in to mediate a contentious dispute, and did an excellent job. Do you know someone who hasn't received many accolades and is deserving of greater renown? Is there an editor who does lots of little tasks well, such as cleaning up citations?

Please help us thank editors who display sustained patterns of excellence, working tirelessly in the background out of the spotlight, by submitting your nomination for Editor of the Week today!

In addition, the WikiProject is seeking a new facilitator/coordinator to handle the logistics of the award. Please contact L235 if you are interested in helping with the logistics of running the award in any capacity. Remove your name from here to unsubscribe from further EotW-related messages. Thanks, Kevin (aka L235 · t · c) via MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 05:19, 30 December 2016 (UTC)

Is this [3] ok with you? Seems totally out of line, and waiting for

Hi,

ownership, and refrain from reverting edits even when I feel they make one of "my" articles worse. But maybe we should be able to "own" the articles we write.

I'm saying some pretty subversive things here!

I have somewhat of a sentimental attachment to that article. I had previously written a few short articles, but that was the first one I wrote which was more substantial, with references and everything. It was also my first DYK. I may go back when I'm feeling more like editing, and when I feel the user has lost interest and won't be reverting, and fix it up. Or, any time you may want to edit it, you're more than welcome to do anything you see fit. Thanks for looking out for the article. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

10:33, 19 January 2017 (UTC)

The plethora of petite colorful squares remind of paintings within a painting and as if the comets and stars light up and perish on their way out of the canvas. What further grabs the attention are the archaic symbols in some of Zhelev's paintings, which not only give the picture a dynamic rhythm but also serve as points of reference for the abstract and storytelling compositions. When you take a peak into his kaleidoscopic universe, you discover a colorful space, filled with magical influence. Said influence can be sensed in most of the artist's creations and is intertwined with the mystical and story-like essence of his work. From Iliya Zhelev. Bgwhite (talk) 09:13, 6 February 2017 (UTC)

Yes, that's pretty bad. But I'm afraid it's definitely not the worst I've seen around here. That's a sad reality. I like how he just gives up trying to write in English and presents the rest in German.

You're looking mighty red these days. Sorry to say, but ever since November, I hate the color red. Another sad reality. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:59, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

I live in a red state, so I'm red all the time. My mother loves a certain president. She's all for a ban and keeping illegals out. I reminded her that her great-great-grandfather's family was denied entry into the U.S. at New York because of their religion. They then entered illegally in New Orleans. They went up the Mississippi, but when the crew learned of their religion, they started a fire in their cabin that burnt the ship down. They lost everything. When they reached St. Louis, the great-great-grandfather, age 13, went west on a wagon train for money while the family stayed behind. He arrived in time for the grain harvest, cut timber in the winter and then went back east to redo it all over again. He did it for five years before seeing his family again. My mom says that is completely different. Her family weren't terrorists. Sigh... Bgwhite (talk) 22:31, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

Wow... that's an interesting family history. Sorry your ancestors experienced such hardship, and that your mother failed to learn the lesson from that hardship.

If you live where I think you live, at least you've got a couple of

blue states as neighbors. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM

07:53, 15 February 2017 (UTC)

I reverted, not the first one. No source. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 23:06, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

Oh, Gerda... I only suffered through the English portion of the article. I'm sorry you were exposed to the German part, which I assume was just as bad. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 07:53, 15 February 2017 (UTC)

I wasn't exposed, I ignored it, - only reverted. All these private galleries should also go, btw, - no art is needed to have an exhibition in a gallery. Public museums are better, but even they sometimes own a picture only because the artist donated it to them. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 11:04, 15 February 2017 (UTC)

I looked now that he brought it back. Action, please, - I always revert only once ;) --Gerda Arendt (talk) 17:30, 15 February 2017 (UTC)

• I deleted the section because it appears to be a copyright violation- maybe a direct cut-and-paste from a catalogue introduction in German. This is an article in the "Grauniad" about a massive slow-moving art scandal- Jonathan Jones says "Skilled painting is no longer valued by our culture in the way it used to be. Painters have a very hard job getting recognition." Xanthomelanoussprog (talk) 10:02, 16 February 2017 (UTC)

The warning (and revert) you'll see in your talk history was a Huggle blunder on my part. Home Lander (talk) 21:37, 12 February 2017 (UTC)

No problemo. Thanks for taking the time to explain. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 21:39, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

I would like to think that I'm above Schadenfreude, but I must admit that I was absolutely filled with joy today.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it's not really Schadenfreude. It's not that I'm happy about his misfortune, but that I'm thrilled for me not having to read his abusive snarkiness for a month. (Or hopefully longer. Do I dare dream of forever?) MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 00:37, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

Well, I always try to be fair. To my great surprise, after seeing his last statement, I would support an unblock. (Of course, I'm not gonna say so in any official venue.) I remain skeptical that he can overcome what appears to be his nature, but I think he should have the opportunity to prove that he can. As Katharine Hepburn said to Humphrey Bogart, "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above." MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:20, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

His next edit after making that statement, although shrouded in faux courtesy, demonstrates to me that he can't overcome his nature. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 22:43, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

It's funny. The appeal was closed in part because of his pledge to "refrain from discussing the suspected motives ... of other editors". But that is what he bizarrely did in his very first edit after making his plea. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 06:40, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

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