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Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Featured log/September 2009

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September 2009 edit

The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 18:24, 30 September 2009 [1].

Simon Bolivar Buckner edit

Nominator(s): Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 14:35, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I have recently expanded this article and believe it now meet the definition of an FA. I have asked that its WP:MILHIST peer review be closed so I can get at least some FA comments before I have to return Borderland Knight to the library. It's on interlibrary loan without any possible renewals. ‎Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 14:35, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

With such a noticeable name, shouldn't the reader be told why he was named after Simon Bolivar? I looked for it and didn't see it. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:23, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ya know, even after reading Borderland Knight, I still don't know why he was named that. I haven't found a single reference to it. Odd. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:25, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Can you scour the sources one more time? If there's no reference, there's no reference, but it's surprising that it's not mentioned. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 15:27, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It was split from page 5 onto page 6 in Stickles. BusterD (talk) 16:03, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks ! SandyGeorgia (Talk) 16:07, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, Buster. Not sure how I missed that. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 16:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support Went through this at its MilHist peer review and my few suggestions were quickly actioned, so happy to support here - this is detailed, balanced, and well-referenced. My only further suggestion is that it would be good to break up the text around the middle with another image; if there are no portraits available featuring the man then even something of an action he was involved in might be worthwhile - just a thought... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 23:56, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Guys, I just have one additional comment re-reading this. The section heading "Post-war career" following the Mexican War section seems a little misplaced to me. Obviously it describes his life after a significant war, but coming before a section on the Civil War it reads oddly to me, particularly since there's a "Post-war life" after the CW section. Wouldn't "Interbellum" or some such be more appropriate for the section between the Mexican War and the Civil War? Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 23:54, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good suggestion. I hadn't noticed this before. Plus, "interbellum" is a cool word, so I've taken your suggestion. :) Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 13:48, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If you do that, I'd suggest Postbellum instead of Post-War in a later heading. Postbellum is a word that has specific relevance for the ACW. Hal Jespersen (talk) 15:11, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good suggestion. Done. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 11:54, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 03:31, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:14, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks, Darolew. I didn't add that link and didn't know anything about it. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 13:27, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image check: All images seem OK. Stifle (talk) 09:16, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support: I have made a few minor tweaks (hopefully improvements), but I believe this article meets FA standard. Well done. — AustralianRupert (talk) 10:35, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SUPPRT A wonderfully done article. Very thorough examination of Bucker's interesting career. I enjoyed reading it. As far as content and focus go, this is in excellent shape, and I can support it for that element. In terms of the prose, I have a few minor quibbles that I will list below; if you could deal with some/all of them, I'd be happy to support this for FA. Auntieruth55 (talk) 02:15, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment relating to support. I've reread the article and support it. All my concerns were addressed. I've made a couple of minor tweaks, relating mostly to passive voice or some redundancy — VERY MINOR — which I hope the primary editor does not mind. This is a very interesting, well done article. My reservations about the sources are addressed. I appreciate reading an article about a Confederate general that does not dwell on the war, but rather on his political career. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:16, 29 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*he famously accepted Ulysses S. Grant's demand for an "unconditional surrender" at the Battle of Fort Donelson. ... the use of the word famously here stopped me short in reading this. Perhaps, he just accepted it?

  • third child and second son born to of ...
  • Just before leaving the army, Buckner helped an old friend from West Point a...
  • Fort Donelson section.....planned a breakout attempt, don't need the word attempt.
  • At this time, however, Floyd and Pillow combined to undo the day's work by ordering the troops back to their trench positions
  • was it defeatism, or was it pragmatism?
  • I'm not sure actually. I didn't author that line, nor do I have access to the source it is cited to. I left it because it was properly cited. User:Hlj would be the authority here.
  • At this time, however, Floyd and Pillow ...
  • was Bragg just incompetent? or was there a reason he divided his troops in all directions?
  • If there was a reason, I haven't found it. The sources I've seen on the subject seem to agree it was a bad decision, but hindsight is 20/20. For whatever reason, Jefferson Davis seems to have had supreme confidence in Bragg, so surely he wasn't totally incompetent.
  • At Fort Donelson, Buckner had become the first Confederate general of the war to surrender an army; at New Orleans, he became the last... At FD, Buckner had been the first...at New Orleans, he was the last.... Simplified?
  • I used the more complicated wording in an attempt to distinguish context. Buckner wasn't the last Confederate general to to surrender at New Orleans, he was the last Confederate general to surrender in the war. Not sure my version or yours makes that distinction sufficiently. What do you think?
  • After his army surrendered, Buckner was paroled in Shreveport, Louisiana, on June 9, 1865. The terms of his parole prevented his return to Kentucky for three years, so he lived in New Orleans and worked on the staff of the Daily Crescent newspaper.[8] Further, he engaged in business with a merchant firm and served on the board of directors of a fire insurance company...The terms of Buckner's parole in Shreveport LA, on June 9, 1865, prevented his return to Kentucky for three years. He remained in New Orleans, worked on the staff of the DC, engage din a business venture, and served of the board of directors of a fire insurance company, of which he became president in 1867.
  • restoration of his civil rights as was provided for under the terms of the 14th Amendment....restoration of his civil rights as stipulated by....

* On January 5, 1874, fter five years of suffering with tuberculosis, Buckner's wife died ... sentence variety.

  • widowed Buckner....is this the right word? How about Now a widower, Buckner...mention his daughter's name in here again to distinguish her from his sister. I thought, initially, it was his sister who married, not the daughter.
  • When he was inaugurated, a bloody feud known as the Rowan County War was ongoing. Residents of Rowan County formed a posse and on June 22, 1888, killed several of the leaders of the feud... Shortly after his inauguration, the Rowan County War escalated to vigilantism, when residents of the county organized a posse and killed ....
  • A major financial scandal erupted in 1888
  • During the 1888 session of the General Assembly, 1,571 bills were passed, During the 1888 session, the General Assembly passed....
  • Five (?) years later, he was one of four candidates nominated for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1895—the others bein...
  • Both Palmer and Buckner had ... developed (or acquired, or earned, or...)
  • newspapers, including
  • after a being ill for a week with uremic poisoni,,,after a week-long bout with uremic poisoning.

You've used a lot of passive voice in this. He became famous for, ya da ya da. Lots of becames, was active in, has been, etc. I'm not suggesting you fix these in this article, but it's something to watch out for in the future, because it weakens your text, and make it more cumbersome to read.Auntieruth55 (talk) 02:55, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think I've addressed all of these except where I have made comments above. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 21:28, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments Sources are fine. They are all encyclopedic quality, or academic presses, and some well done military history. Auntieruth55 (talk) 02:57, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. You should consider expanding your number of sources. I think more than 75% of your citations are from a single book written in 1940. There are literally dozens of good candidates for modern secondary sources about the major Civil War battles and campaigns that Buckner participated in. Using a source other than Stickles for the Battle of Chickamauga, for instance, would've allowed you to notice that the Confederates were not "attacked but emerged victorious" (since corrected). Hal Jespersen (talk) 15:52, 22 September 2009 (UTC) ::HJ, that is a good catch. I don't know where my head was at last night when I looked at the sources. Acdixon, the amount of research done on these various battles and campaigns since 1940 is monstrous, and this comment should be dealt with before you go much further. Even if many of your more recent sources can confirm what Stickles wrote, certain his assessment is not the so-called current state of knowledge about Buckner. If your sources disagree, this is an important element to introduce. Auntieruth55 (talk) 18:35, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

In that editor's defense, the Stickles work is as close to authoritative on the subject of Buckner, Sr. as anyone, author having direct access to Buckner, Jr. for commentary and assistance. I must agree with Hal and Auntieruth55 that more recent sources should be found in place many of these Stickles citations. BusterD (talk) 19:47, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I largely concur with this reviewer's opinion that: "This sound work will stand as a legitimate source until a more analytical book is published." Here we are seventy years later, and Stickles, while imperfect, is the best single source about the subject. The article is well-supplied with other worthy sources, but it shouldn't surprise anyone Stickles gets the lion's share of the cites on such pagespace. BusterD (talk) 14:27, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This is exactly the kind of comment I feared. My primary interest in Buckner is for his political career, and most of the sources I have used deal with that aspect of his life. I'm not a Civil War expert, and I don't play one on Wikipedia. I don't know enough about these battles, etc. to determine what constitutes "comprehensive" coverage of this aspect of Buckner's life, nor do I know enough to know what differences I should be looking for between a source written in the 1940s and a source written in the 2000s. I'd really appreciate some help here. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 21:28, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I could provide more CW details and cites for you, although it will add a number of Refs to the article and I would be reluctant to do that without asking; since you probably don't have them, it would be difficult for you to verify my work. Also, I use a different formatting style for Refs and you'd need to edit them to whatever style you prefer instead. Let me know if you want me to proceed under those conditions and I'll get to it in a day or so. Hal Jespersen (talk) 00:18, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Considering you were apparently the one that did the majority of the work on this article prior to my expansion, I trust you to make whatever changes you feel appropriate. I'm not worried about number of sources or anything like that; I'm only interested in producing an FA, as determined by the Wikipedia community. I don't mind to go back and put the refs in {{cite}} format. Please proceed at your convenience and let everyone know here when you are finished. Thanks so much for your help; this is one area I don't feel qualified to address. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 11:53, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Done. Hal Jespersen (talk) 23:46, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks so much, friend, for getting to this so quickly. I have put the references in a consistent format using the {{cite book}} template. I hope that the article can now be promoted to FA. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 13:48, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

You're welcome. Since you are in a cooperative mood, I have one final suggestion. Although Bolivar is technically "Senior" because of the presence of another article about his son Junior, his name is not known to history in that format and I would recommend renaming the article without Senior. (I think at one time it was named that and someone renamed it out of a sense of balance, I guess. However, using that as a standard we would have to rename Ulysses S. Grant to be Ulysses S. Grant I because of articles about his Roman-numeraled descendants.) Hal Jespersen (talk) 15:11, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Just tried this, and it requires an admin to do the move because the dab page already exists. I'm not one, but I know one I can ask. Please let me know if you have other suggestions before you can support the article's promotion to FA. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 11:54, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
User:Willking1979 has taken care of this. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 12:30, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support: concerns resolved. Fifelfoo (talk) 15:58, 30 September 2009 (UTC)Decline due to: [reply]
Reliant (to the point of making me feel single sourced) on a 1940s source. This isn't a problem, but I suspect it should be addressed in the article if you're planning on relying on the work. If you're that reliant, then the source is notable in itself, "Stickles 1940 biography is still the only biography...". Can I ask if there are any unlocated biographies? Can you explain this so I can strike my decline reason?
Prior to BusterD's locating Beyond the Southern Storm, I was unaware of any other biographical sources. FWIW, Google Books lists it as "Fiction" but I'm betting that's a mis-categorization. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sourcing issues,
"^ a b "Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner"" is not an adequate citation for verification purposes. Use corporate author as author. A self-published website by a suitably authorative organisation takes the corporate authorship of the organisation in the About section. Also, in the bibliography the web citation is inadequate. Need database & retrieval method (separate to web page, as its a web interface database). ie: National Governors Association "Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner" In [database of past governors] Online: National Governors Association, retrieved [date].
Not sure I follow what you want here. The NGA publishes biographies of every state governor; I've cited their bio on every governor article I've done, which includes every Kentucky governor from 1792 to 1939. Most of those are GAs or FAs, and I've never had this source's reliability questioned. There is no specific author's name listed, or I'd be happy to give it. The inline citation needs only to help the reader locate the source in the bibliography, so I contend that what is extant is sufficient. As far as what is given in the bibliography, I've given every piece of data I've been able to find about the source. The source supports only two facts, that of Buckner's charge to revise the state militia laws and that of his burial location. I would think NGA would be sufficiently reliable to back these claims. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Try replacing the footnote " ^ a b "Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner" " with " ^ a b "Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner" National Governors Association." to cue the reader to which item in the Bibliography is being cited. Its unclear without an author, or publisher, or page citation, that its anything other than a stubby note. As far as the bibliographic entry, given that National Governor's Association is the corporate author, and publisher, you can avoid giving both simultaneously, but you need to give the retrieval method as well as the direct link. "Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Bucker" in Governors> Past Governors [database]. National Governors Association. Retrieval date:. " The issue isn't just locating the source, but displaying if the source is authoritative. If the National Governors Association just had Bucker up as a blog page, that would be far less persuasive than Bucker being part of their comprehensive Governor's database. Fifelfoo (talk) 15:58, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've modified the inline citation and the bibliographic one. Not sure the NGA's database has an official name, but I've provided one that should get close. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 17:54, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"^ a b c d e f g h i Kleber, p. 136" // Kleber, John E., ed (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720. is not an adequate encyclopedic citation. Tertiary sources in history are esteemed if they are signed articles. You don't indicate the article title or the signing authority on the article.
The articles in this publication are signed. Beyond this, the editorial staff is a veritable "who's who" of Kentucky historians, including Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James Klotter. The lead editor, John Kleber, is presently the state historian. I've had to use two different articles by two different authors, so I've used the lead editor's name in the inline cites to avoid confusion, and per the WP:MILHIST peer review of this article. The bulk of the cites are to the article on Buckner, Sr., which is authored by Lowell H. Harrison, but one cite is to the article on Buckner, Jr., which is authored by Nicky Hughes. You can verify this by viewing the Google Books preview of the encyclopedia (I think these pages are available) or the online version of the encyclopedia, made available by Morehead State University. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If the article is signed, then you need to cite the author. Author, "Title" Eds, Publication information. Make the claim in the Bibliography. its fine to have two references to the containing work. Lowell H. Harrison, "Buckner, Sr." and Nicky Hughes, "Buckner, Jr." in Eds...
Done, although I think this is a little bit of overkill. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 17:54, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sometimes you indicate the place of publication, sometimes you don't. Make consistent (I prefer places of publication to be listed, very strongly).
Hadn't noticed this detail. I probably won't be able to add a location for the Beito source, since it's a journal, not a book. For the others, I can probably locate the information, but I wasn't the one who added all of them. I'll try to find it via Google Books or WorldCat, but I can't make any promises. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Journals tend not to need the place of publication, unless they're a periodical with a commonly shared name.
Locations added. Thanks, WorldCat! Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 17:54, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Broken link: Morris B. Belknap?
This is included per WP:REDLINK. Besides being Buckner's son-in-law, Belknap was a prominent businessman in Louisville, an early leader of the Kentucky Republican Party, and a gubernatorial candidate in 1903. I opine that an article about him could/should exist, but I haven't done the research to create it yet. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fifelfoo (talk) 01:08, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I discovered this: Simon Bolivar Buckner: Beyond the Southern Storm (2005) by Stephen Russell. I was unaware of this work, and have ordered the paperback. BusterD (talk) 03:17, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Glad to have suggested the work. As you can see, my concerns are not extensive. Please prod my talk page after you've had a chance to assess the impact of Russell's Beyond the Southern Storm on the article, so I can modify the Decline to Support. Fifelfoo (talk) 04:29, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think there's any way this FAC will remain open that long. It's been open over a month already, and is near the bottom of the list of open nominations. I predict an admin will want to close it in the next few days, hardly enough time to obtain the book and review its 450+ pages. I think you will have to support or oppose based on the sources currently used. I hope you can choose the former, with the promise that BusterD will make any appropriate corrections once he's had time to peruse Beyond the Southern Storm. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 15:27, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm happy with this kind of improvement drive continuing. Fifelfoo (talk) 15:58, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
(The editor below beat me to the punch of changing my position in relation to the responses I received, damn you edit conflicts, I do feel quite rightly the article should be featured, but I see Humanities and Social Sciences FACs falling into two categories: those that are receiving a pre-publication polish, and those that are returned to the editors with serious extensive issues. You can see from the fine detail of my concern, and how few concerns I had, which group this article fell into.)
Thanks for agreeing to support. I have full faith that BusterD will enlighten us if anything further emerges from reading Beyond the Southern Storm. Thanks also to BusterD. Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 17:54, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Reiterating support I've read the comments above, and hope to offer some sense of perspective on this. I still think the article should be passed. Additional material can be added later, and I see no reason to hold up this article's status pending review of a book that may or may not be fiction, just so it can be included in the article. Although I had some reservations about relying so heavily upon Stickles, it has been for 50 years or more the authoritative work on Buckner and it is reasonable for the editors to rely upon it. I see no reason why, in encyclopedia article, we have to refer to every single source out there. The editor(s) of this article can add material later if they feel its inclusion is warranted. The electronic age has made scholarship easier and harder, and if any of my university students had handed me this article for grading, I would have been overjoyed. Enough already. SUPPORT. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:48, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Appreciate this. This is one of the more challenging articles I've done, probably since William Goebel. I also plan to tackle John J. Crittenden over Christmas break. Another 400+ page biography! Acdixon (talk • contribs • count) 17:54, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't know about Stephen Russell, although I tried to google him, all I found a were links to Madonna's doctor and a few other people who obviously weren't the right man. Chicago Spectrum press is part of a house specializing in subsidized publishing—self-publishing, you might call it. They list the book as the South's Benedict Arnold, on one site (Evanston), and as historical Memoir on another. Just FYI/FWIW. Auntieruth55 (talk) 23:20, 30 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:50, 29 September 2009 [2].

Columbia River edit

Nominator(s): Pete (talk) 17:19, 31 August 2009 (UTC); Finetooth (talk) 18:16, 12 September 2009 (UTC); Pfly (talk · contribs) [reply]


This article has been the subject of a broad and sustained collaboration by over a dozen editors since at least 2007. The river is of central importance to America's Pacific Northwest region: cultural, economic, transportation, environmental, and international political interests have intersected along the river for centuries, and it played an important role in the area's geologic evolution and native culture as well. Editors from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests have worked diligently to assure that the article's structure and content fully and adequately reflect that diversity of topics, and the central the river has played in the region.

The article has been through two in-depth Good article reviews (passing the second). About a year ago we made a push toward FA, and received an in-depth peer review; though we acted on most of its points, we did not pursue FA at the time. In the year since, we have made progress on the article, but there have been no drastic changes, which should speak to the article's stability.

We have consulted numerous sources, and talked with experts on specific topics in the region. We've done extensive work on related articles, and developed a related navigation box to more fully expose related topics to the encyclopedia's readers. We've tracked down a variety of free media from various periods of history. A professional cartographer made two maps to our specifications. We feel that the article now represents some of the best work on Wikipedia, and is ready for consideration for Featured status. We also recognize that an article on such an extensive topic can never be considered truly complete, and welcome feedback and ideas. We hope the article will soon join the ranks of many related Featured articles: Hanford Site, Johnson Creek (Willamette River) and other Portland-area watersheds, Mount St. Helens, and the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

-Pete (talk) 17:19, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment. Alt text done; thanks. Images need alt text. Please see WP:ALT, and see the "alt text" button in the toolbox at the upper right of this review page. You might also want to check out the "external links" button, as there are apparently some problems with dead links too. Eubulides (talk) 22:38, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you. I wrote the first 14 alt texts today, and I'll do the remaining 10 tomorrow. Finetooth (talk) 03:11, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Urk! The alt viewer doesn't seem to show the ones I've done. Not sure why. Finetooth (talk) 03:19, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The syntax wasn't correct, so the alt text was ignored. Please use "|alt=Alt text", with no spaces around the "alt" or the "=". I fixed the occurrences of this problem that I found. Sometimes the Altviewer hiccups and uses an old (cached) version of the page; this is being investigated/fixed and I am not observing the problem now, but you can check if this is the problem by looking at the time stamp at the bottom of the Altviewer output. The alt text already added is first class. Some comments that may help: it's OK to make it a bit shorter than what you're doing (I like it a bit longer, like it is, and am not suggesting changing what's already written, but when you're writing the rest you may want to know that others prefer shorter and there is room for editorial judgment). One minor criticism: the alt text "A map shows the locations of many river dams..." spends too much time on irrelevant visual details such as colors and circles and how the labels are arranged, and too little time on the gist of what the map actually says, e.g., dams all the way up the Columbia and Snake (please see WP:ALT#Maps). Eubulides (talk) 17:41, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks much for the helpful advice and for fixing the first batch of syntax errors. I have finished the complete set of alt texts, repaired the remaining bad syntax, and revised the map descriptions. One remaining puzzle is that the alt reader is not seeing the two alt texts in the geobox. Finetooth (talk) 19:40, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
User:Niagara has kindly fixed the problem, which involved slightly different syntax errors. Finetooth (talk) 23:22, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for doing all that. I tried to fix the one remaining problem I saw, which was transcluded from Template:Columbia River; you might want to check my fix there. Eubulides (talk) 05:34, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ah, thanks. I couldn't see that image anywhere in the article and didn't think to look in the bottom template. The alt text seems fine. I tweaked it a bit by adding the waterfall dimensions in imperial units, roughly converted. Finetooth (talk) 17:05, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

done -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Some comments:

"(known as Wimahl or Big River to the Chinook-speaking natives who lived on its lowermost reaches)" is this really so important it should be the first thing?
  • We've been wondering about the name issue. Your feedback is helpful. I think moving that note into the "native inhabitants" section is probably the solution. What say you? -Pete (talk)

done -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"provided the core subsistence for natives, and in past centuries, traders from all over western North America would travel to the Columbia to trade for fish." wasn't the subsistence in past centuries too?
  • subsistence: good point, need to fix. -Pete (talk)

done -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"heavily developed to serve human purposes" do we need "to serve human purposes" or is it implicit?
  • Not sure. Anyone else, comments? -Pete (talk)

done -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"taming or harnessing of the river" of the?
  • You suggesting removing the word "of?" That could work, I think... -Pete (talk)
"The development, commonly referred to as taming or harnessing of the river, includes dredging for navigation by larger ships; the construction of dams for power generation, irrigation, navigation, and flood control; nuclear weapons research and production; and the generation of nuclear power." This sentence sounds a little funny.
It's got two "navigation"s.
"dredging for navigation by larger ships" dredging to aid?
"the construction of dams for power generation" maybe "the construction of power generating dams"?
"nuclear weapons research and production; and the generation of nuclear power" can this be condensed with more broad comment on nuclear stuff.
"come into conflict with ecological conservation numerous times" sounds kinda funny, or maybe it's fine. Not sure.
  • The dams serve multiple purposes, so rephrasing to "power generating dams" really doesn't work. But, I suppose it's actually locks, not dams, that aid navigation. The locks were separate from earlier canal and dredging projects, so saying it twice is not a mistake. You're right, this sentence needs some serious work. -Pete (talk)
Rewrote both sentences, not every one of your concerns is directly addressed, but on the whole I think it reads much better. Look good? -Pete (talk) 02:19, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

done -Pete (talk) 02:19, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That's it for now. It looks like a really fine article. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 23:28, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Kinbasket Lake" would it be better to call it "Kinbasket Reservoir"? I notice most of the lakes are reservoirs. Something to think about.
  • Whatever the name is, is what we should use. I'm not sure. -Pete (talk)
  • What happened was, I was reading and it seemed odd to me that the river would flow through natural lakes (at this stage of development). I think all of the lake articles I looked at have "X Lake (X Reservoir)" or "X Lake (X Lake Reservoir)" to lead their articles. I'll defer to what others think. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:37, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Is ref 10 dead?
All dead links are now fixed or replaced. Finetooth (talk) 01:41, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
To be clear, there's more than one "Big Bend"?
  • Yep. -Pete (talk)
  • Note: If needed, Egan names the Washington "Big Bend" on p. 239. -Pete (talk) 01:56, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in the mid-20th century backed the river up, forming Lake Roosevelt" maybe "Dam in the mid-20th century created Lake Roosevelt"? "backed the river up" sounds funny.
"Tri-Cities" is linked twice.
Is the The Gorge Amphitheatre not in the Columbia Gorge?
"river ranks 23rd in length" are there lists that can be linked for this and the other statments in that paragraph? Same with Discharge para.
  • I agree that the prose in general in the article is too data-heavy. Linking to lists is not a bad idea. Open to other suggestions. -Pete (talk)

Looking pretty good. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:03, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks Peregrine. I inlined some quick replies above. -Pete (talk) 00:22, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support If I have time, I'll make more comments, but this is definitely some of WP's best work. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 18:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for the kind words and support. I didn't notice this for two days, I think because it was right-shifted a bit and lost in the page clutter. I've shifted it to the left margin to make it more visible. We certainly don't want any supports to get lost. :-) Finetooth (talk) 01:48, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Detailed comments from Ealdgyth

  • Comments -
  • USGS or United States Geological Survey? Pick one or the other and be consistent in the references.
Good catch, will do. -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I found and fixed them all, I think. There were quite a bunch. All are now spelled out. Finetooth (talk) 03:40, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

done -Pete (talk) 01:47, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, this was noted and we're working on it (though I think it was on the talk page not here -- sorry not to mention it!)

-Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

All dead links are now restored or replaced. Finetooth (talk) 01:41, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Please spell out abbreviations in the references (I noted USDA but there are probably others).
I'll take a closer look at that, I think we have not reviewed for that in some time. -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Didn't see any others on a quick scan. I have to say, we're generally been very careful about that, so I think it's a fairly safe bet the one you found was an anomaly. Fixed that.

done -Pete (talk) 01:47, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • What makes the following reliable sources?
    • http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ohq/ (also, the title of the journal should be in italics)
      The OHQ has a clear editorial structure, a 100+ year history, and a commitment to quality and accuracy. On a contentious point, it would be inferior to, say, a scientific journal or a university-sponsored research project; but the two facts it's used to justify are uncontroversial points that are not likely to be challenged. The second point (the 1450 possibility on the date of the Bonneville Slide), it cites another work, which theoretically could be tracked down. Historycooperative.org simply re-publishes OHQ among other historical society publications. Italics added. -Pete (talk) 17:40, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      I've removed your strike through until I've had time to evaluate... generally at FAC, the practice is to let the person making the comments strike them when they feel they are resolved. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:45, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Leaving this out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:46, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      Makes perfect sense, sorry for the gaff. It's been a long time since I've worked closely on an FA nom. -Pete (talk) 17:58, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Some additional info about this: The historycooperative.org refs are to articles published by the Oregon Historical Society, as Pete mentioned. The Oregon Historical Society Press has published books and papers for about a century. Sadly, the OHS had to close down their press this year, but it is notable, I think, that the University of Washington Press has taken over the distribution of the OHS Press books not yet out of print. Our Columbia River article has two refs citing the OHS Quarterly via historycooperative.org. The first in the section about the Bonneville Landslide's blocking of the river and links to a paper by Jim E. O'Connor, one of the primary people researching and writing about this topic. His paper is footnoted and referenced in detail. He is a hydrologist with the USGS Portland office and a leading expert in the study of the Bonneville Slide. The second historycooperative.org ref, also an Oregon Historical Society paper, is in the section about Vancouver sending Broughton, his lieutenant, exploring up the Columbia in late 1792. The paper cited is by Jim Mockford and is footnoted and referenced in detail. Jim Mockford is a historian specializing in the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest. It seems like a RS to me, but if desired other sources can be used for the claims being made (how far Broughton got, that he saw and named Mt Hood, and that he formally claimed the river for Britain). Likewise for the O'Connor article: other sources could be used if desired. However, it seems to me that any reader wanting to learn more about the Bonneville Slide ought to be pointed to O'Connor, as he is one of the leading experts on the study of the slide. Pfly (talk) 17:27, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Seems like a RS to me - if it were just a cite to the print version, it owuld be a RS, so being on the web for easier access does not make it any less a RS. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:51, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I replaced the common-place.org citation with two others, one from Departments of Natural Resources of WA and OR, the other from the Oregon Historical Quarterly, on the basis that it is acceptable as a RS. Slight rewording was needed too. Pfly (talk) 08:19, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Actually, it was Pfly who found and added the triple-divide material. That said, I found a 1921 book, on-line as a Google Book, a climber's guide, that supports the claim. I added a citation to the book but left the peakfinder citation in place because it explains that a variant name for Snow Dome is Dome, which is what the 1921 book calls it. Finetooth (talk) 18:59, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have now removed the non-RS peakfinder citation, leaving the book citation in place and adding a citation to an Atlas of Canada map showing the major drainage basins of Canada and generally where three of them (Mackenzie, Nelson, and Columbia) meet at a point near the Columbia headwaters. Finetooth (talk) 19:56, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This one looks reliable to me. Anderson is a Ph.D. mathematician specializing partly in topology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His explanation of triple-divide points, replete with illustrations, examples, and equations looks expert rather than amateur. Finetooth (talk) 19:56, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I looked into it more closely, and agree with Finetooth. This part of WP:RS seems relevant: "Proper sourcing always depends on context; common sense and editorial judgment are an indispensable part of the process." There is no reason to think of the points Anderson makes as particularly controversial; in fact, his article provides context that helps one to interpret what little controversy there is (namely, whether Hudson Bay is properly considered an inlet to the Arctic or Atlantic ocean). For a more controversial point, the source would certainly fail WP:RS. But for this point, it has a great deal of utility for the curious reader, without much risk of misleading them. -Pete (talk) 22:55, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Further detail on that -- Andersen is published in academic journals on topology, see [3] and [4]. I think that explicitly satisfies the (admittedly unusual) circumstances described in WP:V under "self-published sources" section. -Pete (talk) 19:46, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Leaving this out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:46, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5332
      No, don't think that one qualifies. It seems all four of these issues could be resolved by finding a single high-quality RS on continental divides in North America. May have to head to the library for that. -Pete (talk) 17:40, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Pfly added two citations to support the claim that Three Waters Mountain is a triple-divide point. The non-RS peakbagger.com is one of the two, but the other one, Anderson, also supports the claim. If Anderson is expert, as his credentials suggest, we could just delete the peakbagger citation as redundant as well as non-RS. How say you all? Finetooth (talk) 20:07, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hearing no objections, I deleted the non-RS peakbagger citation since it serves no purpose unsatisifed by the Anderson citation. Finetooth (talk) 18:40, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll look through them again. -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
For future reference, this page is pretty useful for divide lines in North America, though it doesn't mention Dome (or, for that matter, the divide between the Arctic and Hudson Bay). -Pete (talk) 02:55, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Current ref 82 (The eagan quote) needs a page number
I have that book around somewhere, I'll find it. Good catch. -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Finally found it...the bugger was elusive!! -Pete (talk) 20:07, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Newspapers titles in the references should be in italics. If you're using {{cite news}}, use the work field for the title of the paper, and the publisher field for the name of the actual company that publishes the paper.
I have now fixed these. There were several that lacked italics. Finetooth (talk) 03:40, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ugh, so much work...but you're right :) -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:53, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the detailed feedback! -Pete (talk) 01:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support with some comments, from Ruhrfisch. I passed this as a Good Article and have kept an eye on it since. While I have made a few edits here, I applaud the main group of editors who worked so hard on this - to my thinking it is one of the best examples of collaborative editing I have seen. It is also one of the best articles the encyclopedia has on a large river. Here are a few comments, which do not detract from my support. Many of these are places where references are needed, but this is already pretty copiously referenced, so I am comfortable supporting (and that my comments will be addressed).

  • Since seven US states and one Canadian province are in the Columbia drainage basin, would it be worth mentioning this in some way in the lead? I would also link drainage basin there - perhaps something like ...(roughly the size of France, this includes parts of seven US States and one Canadian province).
  • In the Course section explain BC after the first mention, i.e. "British Columbia (BC)"
  • The size of the watershed is given four times in the article (lead, Geobox, and twice in the space of just two paragraphs in the text: last paragraph of Course and first paragraph of Discharge). I would move the sentence Its drainage basin covers 258,000 square miles (670,000 km2). from the Discharge section to the Watershed section
  • In the Course section the second phrase of this sentence seems wrong (as we know the Columbia also breaches the Cascades) - would adding "others" work? No other river completely breaches the Cascades—those [others?] that flow through the range also originate in or very near the mountains.
  • In the Geology section I would give a rough age for the Missoula Floods (15,000 to 13,000 years ago).
Thank you for the kind words and support. I've added an age range. Bishop suggests, via USGS geologists, a slightly wider range but in the same ballpark. Finetooth (talk) 18:25, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks! Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Same section The floods' periodic inundation of the lower Columbia River Plateau deposited rich sediments, establishing the fertility that supports extensive agriculture in the modern era. needs a ref
Added a ref. Bishop mentions especially the Willamette Valley. (Thank you Montana and Washington for all the topsoil.) Finetooth (talk) 18:25, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the Indigenous peoples section several places need refs: ...the Cayuse War, a number of violent battles were fought between American settlers and the regions natives, establishing the United States' dominance in the region and removing much land from native control. Similar conflicts occurred in British Columbia, such as the Fraser Canyon War. is one, The bridge permitted increased interaction and trade between tribes on the north and south sides of the river until it was finally washed away. is another, and the whole short paragraph Natives drew fish from the Columbia at several major sites ... Kettle Falls and Priest Rapids in eastern Washington, were also major fishing and trading sites. needs a ref.
If I can just step up on a soapbox for a brief moment…I disagree that (at least some of) these are problems. WP:V states that editors "…should provide a reliable source for quotations and for any material that is challenged or likely to be challenged" -- and I don't believe many of the items above are likely to be challenged. In this case, I think we're OK, because I can probably find sources (like [5]); however, I have a concern about this level of dedication for citing every fact, because on occasion, there is a fact or two that must be stated in order to preserve a good narrative flow and inform the reader, is entirely uncontroversial, and yet cannot be cited to any specific reliable source. Okay, stepping off soapbox and seeking citations now. -Pete (talk) 19:26, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I look at Wikipedia articles as a good starting place for people interested in learning more about a topic - providing a ref says to the reader "here is where this information comes from and where you can learn more about this topic, if so interested". Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As I'm sure you can see from my editing history, I thoroughly agree with that concept...my departure is entirely theoretical, and if I'm lucky, won't have any impact on this FA, where sources are fairly easy to find if you put in the time...I just added a couple more about the events surrounding Cayuse War. :) -Pete (talk) 04:35, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think I made a mistake when adding the mention of the Fraser Canyon War--that was along the Fraser River not the Columbia, I think. I'll remove the statement. The claim about the "bridge" permitting increased interaction across the river is perhaps something that should be removed too? It's hard to believe anyone could know whether the claim is true. If not removed perhaps reworded to indicate the source, like "according to oral tradition..." or "anthropologist So-and-so speculates that..."? (also, I hope I'm editing the right page/section--never commented on an FA candidate before!) Pfly (talk) 07:47, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think it's important to leave in the bit about increased interaction, as it seems to be an uncontroversial bit of oral history. But I have no objection to phrasing it how you did; transparently informing the reader that oral history is the source of this information seems like a very good idea. -Pete (talk) 18:09, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, I'm down off my soapbox, recognizing that your critique spurred us to do some good research that needed doing, and has led to a much stronger section. Still looking for a good source for the land bridge/increased interaction bit; it's alluded to all over the place, and I know I've seen it in strong sources in the past, but the darn library closed yesterday before I could get to that one. -Pete (talk) 23:14, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I am glad to help in a small way - thanks for everyone's hard work on this, Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:30, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have added a ref for the claim that the Bridge of the Gods permitted increased interaction across the river, according to native oral histories. Also, I took out the bit about "until it was finally washed away" because in most or all of the stories the bridge is deliberately destroyed by a god. Pfly (talk) 02:58, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I also wonder if the once sentence paragraph on modern tribal fishing rights could be combined with another paragraph here, perhaps the last one with a ref mentioned above or after the Kah-Nee-Tah resort sentence?
Looks like that's been done. -Pete (talk) 01:13, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It is the sentence Today, the Yakama, Nez Perce, Umatilla, and Warm Springs tribes all have treaty fishing rights along the Columbia and its tributaries.[37] but on rereading I think it is OK where it is and on its own. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I found some more related info, and moved/combined it. -Pete (talk) 02:18, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the New waves of explorers section, the sentences on British fur trader Captain John Meares need a ref.
Sourced to a National Park Service article on Cape Disappointment State Park. Finetooth (talk) 02:17, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Same section Northwest Passage is linked twice
I had introduced some general redundancies with a recent edit. I rewrote both parts of the text that mention the NWP, hopefully improving the general flow of the narrative, in addition to eliminating the redundant link. -Pete (talk) 19:39, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • First paragraph of Navigation needs a ref (although the Course section already had a ref that the Bar is most dangerous to navigate)
Added a ref to an Oregon Marine Board document to support claim that the Bar is still dangerous. Finetooth (talk) 18:40, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the Dams section, the end of the first paragraph needs a ref, as does the passage Canada agreed to build dams and provide reservoir storage, and the U.S. agreed ... the last of which was completed in 1973. as well as this passage Previously active fishing sites, most notably Celilo Falls ... Chief Joseph Dam has no fish ladders and completely blocks fish migration to the upper half of the Columbia River system.
I've added two refs, one to the treaty itself to support the claims about what the agreement said, and the second to support the claim that Canada built three dams, the last of which (Mica) was completed in 1973. Finetooth (talk) 17:52, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've added two more refs to support the Celilo Falls claim and the Chief Joseph Dam claim. I believe these four new refs address the unsourced claims issues in the Dams section. Finetooth (talk) 18:23, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Added one more, which supports the 600,000-acre claim for Grand Coulee. Finetooth (talk) 01:51, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The last parts of the first and third paragraphs in the Fish migration section need refs.
Added two refs supporting the sturgeon claims and one ref supporting the salmon and steelhead claims. Finetooth (talk) 03:11, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the Pollution section, could the one sentence paragraph on the guy swimming the rvier be combined with another paragraph?
I have struggled with that one. Although I strongly prefer not to have one-sentence paragraphs, I'd note that the WP:MOS doesn't prohibit them, just discourages them. In this case, it is truly a notion of its own, not directly relating to anything else; I think combining it into another paragraph simply to satisfy a guideline would lead to a less readable section, and I believe it should stay separate. Curious what you think of that. -Pete (talk) 19:09, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
One possibility might be to introduce a quote from Swain, or a photo, and incorporate that sentence as a caption instead of body copy. Can't say I love the idea, as I think it'd inflate the importance of what was essentially a media stunt more than might be appropriate, but I'm just tossing the idea out. -Pete (talk) 01:16, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Are there any other clean up efforts or environmental organizations focusing on the Columbia that have made the mainstream press that could be added to fill it out to a real paragraph? Kmusser (talk) 01:23, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I like the other clean up efforts / groups idea better. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Can I suggest that we simply archive the sentence to the talk page until we have additional information to add? In my opinion it's a detail worth mentioning, but not vital to the article. I'm not sure what additional information there might be to add, but it might take a while to do the kind of research we'd need to to dig it up. Archive to talk page in the meantime? -Pete (talk) 17:39, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think the sentence is fine to keep in the article, my question was just if it could be combined somehow with another paragraph. I would rather see it in as a one sentence paragraph than removed. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 03:35, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll keep my eyes open for appropriate facts to add to that. Thanks for clarifying. -Pete (talk) 16:04, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Picture captions - is it possible to say how long the Essayons has been dredging (since year) instead of just "currently in use"? Also the article says "The river flows past The Gorge Amphitheatre, a prominent concert venue" but the caption reads "Near the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington" (is the "The" capitalized or not?)
I will try on the Essayons. Basically, it's part of the current re-dredging efforts, making it this decade…just have to find a good way to state that concisely. I believe Kmusser fixed the capitalization issue (thanks!) -Pete (talk) 19:09, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I rewrote the Essayons caption, and am happier in general with it. See what you think. -Pete (talk) 01:16, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Much better , thanks Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Hope this helps and thanks for a very well done article, Ruhrfisch ><>°° 17:58, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm getting caught up in details, and forgetting my manners: as Finetooth said, thank you for your compliments and support, and for all these clearly thought-out suggestions. -Pete (talk)
Glad to help improve this in some small way. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
All issues I raised have been addressed and/or resolved. Thanks! Ruhrfisch ><>°° 03:04, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Can you have a look at the external link report? There's a few dead links and some strange ones too. Stifle (talk) 08:34, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for catching this. I repaired or replaced all of the dead links a few days ago, but another one, a link to a newspaper article, died on Sept. 5. I've converted it to an offline citation. I believe the strange ones are OK, not actionable as long as they work. Finetooth (talk) 17:51, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I just removed two EL's -- one was info data about the mouth of the river, which might be more appropriate on the Columbia Bar article. The other was a wiki for kayakers. Not sure if this is what you meant by "strange ones." -Pete (talk) 18:05, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • 130KB is a bit long, perhaps? Stifle (talk) 08:34, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
We've discussed summarizing and breaking out more articles, and I think it's a reasonable thing to consider in the future, but my view is that it's not necessary. The significance of the article's subject should be a major consideration of what length is appropriate (and I believe it is mentioned somewhere in the MOS, and the Columbia is a river of pretty major significance. The Encyclopedia Britannica has long had the "Micropedia" (with short articles) and the "Macropedia" (with long articles). In the Macropedia, article length has varied from two to 310 pages. With default settings, this article prints on about 15 pages (apart from references.) The references are an additional 9 pages – and surely we wouldn't want to reduce the amount of sourcing? I believe the length is generally appropriate, but would be interested in specific proposals for breaking off and summarizing articles from the sections. -Pete (talk) 18:05, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Maybe I am misunderstanding Wikipedia:Article size, but if my calculation is correct the size of the article's "readable prose" is only 54 KB. I roughly cut the article down to "readable prose" and put the results here. Pfly (talk) 03:03, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This tool shows the article has about 59 KB of readable prose. I do not think it needs to be trimmed. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 03:23, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Media review Not sure that File:Woody Guthrie, Roll On Columbia.ogg meets WP:NFCC#8. It would be significant and aid understanding of an article about the song, but in an article about the river and area, I think its omission would not be detrimental to readers' understanding of the article. Copyright status of all other images seems fine. Stifle (talk) 08:34, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    I think you're right. We should probably remove the OGG file. Do I understand correctly you have no objection to the Guthrie photo (public domain) and the quote from the song (surely a very appropriate fair use snippet, which helps the reader understand the marketing and cultural aspects of the dam development)? -Pete (talk) 18:05, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Yes, those are fine in my opinion. Stifle (talk) 09:51, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 22:43, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done - I think I accidentally introduced that in a rewrite during this FA. Whoops! Thanks, good catch! -Pete (talk) 23:08, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I will be reviewing and editing the geology section. I will then be out of town for several days, so I won't be in touch, but wanted to leave a heads-up here. Awickert (talk) 20:24, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for your interest in the article, for the heads-up, and for the additions to the geology section. Bishop doesn't mention the Farallon plate until later in her book, but otherwise the existing citation supports the additional claims, and perhaps the plate name doesn't need its own citation. I noticed one mistake, a kind of typo I've made myself more than once. The North American plate was moving westward, not eastward. I changed the article to say "westward". Finetooth (talk) 23:15, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support

I have to say that the article is very comprehensive and the post-lead sections very well written. My compliments to the authors. The article also has two superb maps; compliments to K. Musser for those. But what happened to the lead? It's as if the preface to a Dickens novel has been written by the printer's bored-to-death assistant. I have just left detailed comments on the lead on the article's talk page. A better lead would help in drawing the reader to the treasures within. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 21:30, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for the kind words and support, which are much appreciated, and for your thoughtful suggestions for improving the lead. We knew when User:UriahHeep insisted on writing the lead that we might regret it. The rest of us will try to get it right by tomorrow (Monday). Finetooth (talk) 02:20, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, thanks for the feedback and suggestions--all very good. Finetooth addressed a good number of your points and I just finished the rest. Leads are hard--the desire to balance relative terseness with that "drawing the reader in" thing. Then again, I think I have an over-tendency to go terse in leads. Hopefully the lead is now a little less awkward and a little more engaging. Thanks again for the feedback! Pfly (talk) 05:38, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:50, 29 September 2009 [6].

History of the Montreal Canadiens edit

Nominator(s): Resolute 17:35, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


With the Montreal Canadiens' centennial anniversary fast approaching, it was my hope to bring a related article up to featured status in the hopes that it can appear on the main page on December 4. The team article has already appeared in the past, so this article became my choice. It discusses the 100 year history of the franchise, and should be complete, has plenty of images, well cited, and yes, uses alt text.  ;). It has gone through a peer review, and I'd like to thank Steve Smith and Isaac Lin for their assistance in copyediting. I look forward to all comments. Thanks, Resolute 17:35, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support Well written, well researched. Will be perfect for the Main Page on December 4. Maxim(talk) 20:26, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review Image alt text and copyright status are all OK. Stifle (talk) 12:19, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments – My usual batch of prose nit-picks is below, but I also have a couple of possible additions that could be interesting. As a sports history buff, I must confess to knowing a few things about the Canadiens, even though my allegances lie with the New York Rangers. I am happy that you included the crucial penalties in 1979 and 1993, along with the Patrick Roy incident.

  • Please define NHA in the first paragraph.
  • "and is regarded as one of the first manifestations of the Quebec's Quiet Revolution." Remove second "the"?
  • Founding: "The Canadiens stocked their team with stars including Newsy Lalonde, Georges Poulin and Didier Pitre. Pitre...". Try moving Pitre's name to the middle of the group to eliminate some repetition.
  • Creamery Kings have two links in very short order. Perhaps chop the second.
  • One of these with+-ing sentences that the FAC prose crew always jumps on: "with the winner being the team with the highest (most?) total goals."
  • The Original Six: "70 people were arrested, 37 were injured, 50 stores were looted and $100,000 in property damage was reported as a result of the melee". Change the first figure to a word so a sentence doesn't start with a number.
  • Could a brief mention be made of what the Original Six means? I have a feeling non-hockey fans will have trouble understanding that.
  • Expansion era: "including Henri Richard. Richard...". Another sentence repetitive in structure, similar to the one above. This can just be one sentence, I believe.
  • Another one a couple sentences later involving Scotty Bowman.
  • One thing I remember from an article in the History of the NHL series is that Montreal received a special dispensation in the draft in the late 1960s, which allowed them to take French-Canadian players with the first selections. Is this worthy of a brief mention?
  • One of my numerous sports books makes the claim (paraphrased) that Canada's military bypassed numerous Canadiens players, including Rocket Richard, for WWII service, to provide entertainment to those in the country. If this is true, and in your sources, it should definitely be placed in the article. If nothing else, it provides a great explanation for why the team turned around so quickly (their roster wasn't decimated like other teams'). Giants2008 (17–14) 00:00, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Definitely not Richard -- he tried to enlist but was refused because he had previously broken an arm and it didn't properly heal. Maxim(talk) 00:02, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have made changes to address these comments, except for the one on Richard, and the one on the Creamery Kings. Usually I will link the first reference in a section. I can remove the second link if it seems too close to the first one, in spite of being in a separate section. Regarding Richard, there is a third-hand reference on the CBC web site saying that the Canadiens GM made sure his players got jobs in vital war industries to avoid being drafted. I would feel more comfortable if someone could check the quoted reference. Isaac Lin (talk) 00:38, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I would consider the CBC to be reliable in this case, even if the reference is third hand. Unfortunately, without knowing what book Hunter made that statement in, it is hard to tell. Jenish does say that in the summer of 1943, the Canadiens had lost only one key player (Ken Reardon) to the war, vs nine Red Wings and six Maple Leafs, but doesn't say why. MacFarlane says that the Rangers wanted to fold for the duration of the war, and that Phil Watson of the Rangers was stuck in Montreal in an essential war job, and ended up being traded to the Canadiens as a result. I will add a line or two about this. Resolute 01:13, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Or an entire paragraph, lol. Thanks for getting to Giants' other issues. Resolute 01:29, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Few more things from the rest of the article:
  • "Another rookie, Brian Skrudland scored the game-winning goal...". Comma after Skrudland.
  • The bit about the 1993 team being the last Canadian club to win the Stanley Cup is in the lead, but not the body. It should probably be added to the main text.
  • "before retiring 2003 with more wins than any goaltender NHL history." Missing two-letter word.
  • "with many of the franchise's greatest players step onto the ice." "step" is ungrammatical. Giants2008 (17–14) 00:19, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • All fixed. Thanks for the review! Resolute 04:22, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – This is a great read all the way through, with good prose quality, fine sourcing, plenty of images, and everything else to be expected from our best work. Giants2008 (17–14) 23:30, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:00, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have made changes to address these comments. Isaac Lin (talk) 18:53, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, 1a. But do me a favour and don't link both elements of such doubles as "Cleveland, Ohio"? It's a "chain" link: if the reader clicks on "Cleveland", they get a link to the much more general "Ohio" at the top. Same with "industrialist Ambrose O'Brien of Renfrew, Ontario". Better: "industrialist Ambrose O'Brien of Renfrew, Ontario.
  • "World War II" might be a link-target in a MilHist article. This is hockey.
  • Why is the lead pic so small, with so much detail? 300px the normal max. I've enlarged it. Group pics are tiny, too, compared with the generous size given to single portraits. Bowman pic could have done with sharpening before uploading. Please, the era of squint has passed.
  • "1996:–"? It would be "–present", which I believe is inferior to "Since 1996". And why does a colon force a subsequent upper-case letter in the titles? I've fixed. Tony (talk) 07:31, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Good suggestions. I will check for any other occurances and keep these in mind for future articles. Thanks, Resolute 18:55, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:50, 29 September 2009 [7].

Hurricane Grace (1991) edit

Nominator(s): –Juliancolton | Talk 16:47, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Another relatively short one, but like many of my previous noms, this has a degree of special significance. Hurricane Grace developed and dissipated uneventfully, but its remnants contributed to the formation of what was arguably the most meteorologically important storms in history—the 1991 Halloween Nor'easter, more commonly referred to as the Perfect Storm. I realize the FAC folks aren't too fond of stubby FACs, but I am confident this is the most comprehensive account of the storm currently available. Iridescent (talk · contribs) gave me a quick, yet extremely helpful, review, and while a bit of tweaking may yet be needed I think the article is ready to become featured. –Juliancolton | Talk 16:47, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Note, alt text added. –Juliancolton | Talk 18:05, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - On prose.
  • Reports from a nearby ship indicated that the low had become a surface feature by October 25. - cite please?
  • While situated 390 mi (630 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the cyclone attained its peak intensity with winds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h). - all distances need cites
  • ...combined with abnormally high tides, these waves reached at least 15 ft (4.6 m). - cite? ceranthor 21:10, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks for the support. These facts are all cited to the next subsequent references, even if a couple sentences away. Is that an issue? –Juliancolton | Talk 05:29, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Looks fine so far as the standard meteorological stuff goes, but I get the feeling that a certain dimension of comprehensiveness is lacking: the term "Perfect Storm" is bandied around, without true coverage of the cultural significance. The existence of the film, for one, is confined to the "See also" section. What do you think about expanding the information on this? —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:33, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This is tough, because Grace and the Perfect Storm were effectively two separate weather systems that happened to have a unique interaction. As such, I tried to avoid having too much info on the nor'easter, which is better suited in the 1991 Halloween Nor'easter page. Hope this answers your question satisfactorily. –Juliancolton | Talk 15:11, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If they had a unique interaction, wouldn't that require more coverage, not less? —Anonymous DissidentTalk 15:53, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Perhaps more coverage on the interaction, but I think it's best to avoid giving undue weight to the nor'easter. Still, I'm open to being persuaded. Any thoughts are appreciated. –Juliancolton | Talk 17:17, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, I know very little about the topic area, so I doubt I'll be able to do any persuading. But if there was some kind of unique interaction, that inherently necessitates coverage. I don't think anyone will accuse you of unduly weighting it; in fact, it may alleviate the opposer's concern about length/comprehensiveness. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 01:24, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review: No copyright issues. Stifle (talk) 18:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs One link needs disambiguating. Always check the toolbox, peeps. It's only a little click away.
  • Links All fine.
  • Sources All fine, but:
    • Pick a dating convention and stick to it. This has a mixture of two.
    • Consider linking some publications in the reflist to improve readership.
    • "Staff writer" as author is a bit redundant. Consider removal.

RB88 (T) 20:16, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose

Whether it is the most comprehensive article on Hurricane Grace or not, I don't know, but the article is simply not comprehensive enough for an FA. The sources are mostly the preliminary NOAA reports from 1991 which aren't exactly secondary sources. It is hard for me to believe that other sources aren't out there. The map is extremely poor: it has no lat/long information, no date information, no pressure information, no position relative to the Halloween Storm brewing farther north. There are no wave reports or charts. I will look for sources next, but my advice is to withdraw the article from FAC, expand it to twice its length and resubmit in a month. No point worrying about prose at this stage. Sorry. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 22:13, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Here are some references:

  • Bromirski, Peter D. (2001), "Vibrations from the 'Perfect Storm'" (PDF), Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2 (Good source for microseismic vibrations and what role Hurrican Grace played in their formation. Good map.)
  • Maa, Jerome P. Y.; Wang, David W. C. (1995), "Wave Transformation Near Virginia Coast: the "Halloween" Northeaster" (PDF), Journal of Coastal Research, 11 (4): 1258–1271 (Has a nice map with lat/long, dates, and wave stations.)
  • Davis, Robert E.; Dolan, Robert (1992), "The 'All Hallows' Eve' Coastal Storm: October 1991", Journal of Coastal Research, 8 (4): 978–983, JSTOR 4298051 If you don't have JSTOR access, please leave a post on my talk page and I'll email you the paper. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 22:23, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Again, you seem to be Hurricane Grace and the 1991 Halloween Nor'easter. Two entirely different storms. The sources you have provided are excellent and will certainly be of use for other articles, but are all irrelevant to this page. I ask you to reconsider your oppose, since it is currently non-actionable. Thank you. –Juliancolton | Talk 22:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

No, the references all have material on Hurricane Grace. Davis and Dolan have maps on the evolution of Hurricane Grace and of the low pressure system that together led to the Halloween Storm. I also found a conference talk link:

This link only has an abstract, but at the bottom of the abstract, there is a link to his recorded presentation. There he talks for about five minutes on the recurvature and extra tropical transition of Hurricane Grace. He also has some nice diagrams. While the conference abstract is not RS, he might have a paper in the press. I think your best bet is to email Jason M. Cordiera at SUNY Albany and ask him for references suitable for Wikipedia. He might even give you maps and diagrams, and you'll then have a great article. He is a graduate student who received his MS last year. You simply don't have enough material. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 22:32, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I've seen those journals, and the info focuses on the nor'easter while mentioning Grace. No substantial info whatsoever regarding the hurricane. "Simply doesn't have enough material" is not a valid reason to oppose unless you can point out where the info is currently lacking. –Juliancolton | Talk 22:35, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Please don't mis-characterize the papers. At a minimum, you need to do the following things. (Please don't break up my post below with responses; reply at the end, if you must. This, however, is my last comment here.)

  1. Remove references 4 and 6. You are synthesizing from primary sources (NOAA discussions conducted during the hurricane).
  2. Minimize references to Rappaport. That is a preliminary report written less than 2 weeks after the hurricane. You can summarize some factual information (dates and times) from it, as some papers do, but not the interpretative content. It has not been peer-reviewed.
  3. Replace (or improve) your map by incorporating the information in the maps in Bromirski and Maa and Wang.
  4. Add a discussion of Bermuda subtropical storms, what are their characteristics and which of these are shared by Hurricane Grace. Here is another paper for that: Guishard, M. P.; Nelson, E. A.; Evans, J. L.; et al. (2007), "Bermuda subtropical storms", Meteoroloy and Atmospheric Physics, 97: 239–253. The paper discusses Hurricane Grace as an example of BSS (Quote: "The number of subtropical cyclones found in this survey are too numerous to provide complete synoptic histories in this paper. Thus, as indicated above, the synoptic evolutions of two representative storms are provided: one represents a typical named storm that had subtropical characteristics in the Cyclone Phase Space (Grace, October 1991). The other is unnamed ..." (p. 243))
  5. Remove or reduce references to the USA today article; not clear if it constitutes a reliable secondary source.
  6. Incorporate the information in Bromirski (first 8 pages) and say more about the wave characteristics of Hurricane Grace and how much they contributed to the big waves of the subsequent noreaster. Bromirski has maps and diagrams for Oct 27, 28 and 29 as well.
  7. (It will help the article if you) Get in touch with Jason Cordeira to get the best sources.
  8. Withdraw the article from FAC, work on it for a few weeks, and resubmit; otherwise, you do nothing but slow down an already slow FAC process and tax the patience of helpful reviewers. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 15:11, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You're coming across with an awful dismissive tone, and if you don't plan to respond further I see no need to continue working to alleviate your concerns. I also see no need to withdraw this just for the sake of it. I'll nonetheless reply to your points: 1) Why? The sources aren't primary—the hurricane can't write. 2) Again, this is the official report on the storm, and is arguably the most reliable source available on this topic. 3) I can't do much about the map, unfortunately; if you happen to be good with some kind of program, please be my guest. 4) That's irrelevant to this article and seems an attempt to fill it with fluff. 5) Huh? How is USA Today not a reliable source? 6) Again; the nor'easter and the hurricane were two separate storms. Once Grace dissipated, the non-tropical low took over and any subsequent effects are not suitable for documentation within this article. 6) I personally don't see a need as I've explained above. –Juliancolton | Talk 20:38, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. My concerns were all previously addressed here. It's not an interesting topic, but it says all that needs to be said on the topic and there's no obvious omission or overspecialization that I can see. – iridescent 21:02, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I believe that the article is comprehensive as is. The writing seems good, and I spot-checked a couple sources to make sure they matched the text. Dabomb87 (talk) 00:53, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support on use of sources - everything checks out fine. Common phrases and usage is common to -all- weather related terms, and the phrasing are standard, so any similarities are not in any violation. There is quite a bit of rephrasing and use of alternatives that help achieve this. The sources are also summarized in a way that multiple sentences are condensed, which helps keep away from any problems. I did not find any concerns, and I read through all of the sources. In regards to other concerns - the prose is technical, straight forward, and accurate. I have no problems with this page. Ottava Rima (talk) 01:06, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. This is nicely written, compact, and interesting. The only things I would suggest are (a) saying a little more about the loss of life, as it's tucked away at the end as an after-thought with no details, and (b) wherever possible explaining the meaning of technical terms. Just one example, "An area of clouds near Bermuda became increasingly convective in nature, and gradually became entrained into the expanding and developing circulation of the subtropical storm." If there's an easy way to explain "convective" and "entrained," and similar terms in other sentences, without bogging the writing down too much, that would be good. But these are not objections, just suggestions. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 23:32, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks all, for the supports and suggestions. I've tried to make the storm's demise a bit more prominent within the article, as searching for further info proved fruitless for the most part. I'll also work on cutting down on the jargon. Regards, –Juliancolton | Talk 17:15, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support very interesting and informative article on a storm that contributed to one of the most well-known cyclones. Cyclonebiskit (talk) 20:18, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support well written --Anhamirak 21:18, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Very reluctant support. Knowing nothing about the WikiProject's organisations and planning, I'm curious as to whether all of the low-hanging fruit have been picked and put to FAC, leaving only shorties like this one. If not, I wonder whether the more individual, notable, lengthy events (or groups of events?) might be emphasised in planning. I find it on the borderline in terms of the substance, the size required to fulfil a basic FA requirement, to exemplify "our very best work". It gets to a stage where I want more peripheral information to fill it out. Will the FA list eventually be dominated by short pieces on each individual storm? Will other nominators get the idea that breaking their articles into little bits can generate a bunch of bronze stars rather than a single one?

  • On a positive note, your writing has really improved: it's great to see. I would be delighted if it were applied to larger pieces. The other issue is that I feel the formula that has evolved for these articles is sometimes just too easy, obscuring possibilities for providing more detail that would be of interest and relevance to the readers. I feel as though I've read some of the sentences 100 times already, with slots filled in.
  • "that caused extremely high waves and resultant severe coastal damage along the U.S. East Coast." To be fussy, "caused" and "resultant" (the latter a pretty ugly English word, like "ulitize"), are rather uncomfortably parallel and repetitious. What about "that caused extremely high waves and resulted in severe coastal damage along the U.S. East Coast." It was wind as well as those high waves that caused the damage, I'm presuming. At the moment, it's unclear.
  • "The origins of Grace are traced back to a mid-level area"—who's tracing? Is it regularly traced? Let's get rid of these uncomfortable possibilities: "The origins of Grace go back to a mid-level area" (plain and simple).
  • If the name of the ship appears in Ref. 2, that's fine. Otherwise, it's not.
  • "An area of clouds near Bermuda became increasingly convective in nature, and gradually became entrained into the expanding and developing circulation of the subtropical storm." Oh ... can "in nature" go? As a non-meteorologist, I'd love to have it explained—what does convectivity mean in this context, and what is its role in storm formation. It's a bad sign, is it? Lovely second part of sentence, but again, is this a typical phenomenon, or is it mentioned here because it's unusual?
  • I haven't a clue, technically, what is going on here: "Hurricane Grace turned northeast later that day, as the rapidly approaching frontal boundary destroyed the storm's lower-level center." There's a chance to let us into some of the science of it all. Little additions here and there would make me happier about giving this a bronze star. Why did it become known as "the Perfect Storm"? More please ...
  • This sentence could be more effective in reverse: "While situated 390 miles (630 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the cyclone attained its peak intensity with winds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h)." -> "The cyclone attained its peak intensity 390 miles (630 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with winds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h)." What bristled was that old chestnut "situated", which is often redundant.
  • Does "ft" (and "m") really have to be linked on first occurrence? Why? No one else does it.
  • Punch us to the floor right at the end: "A ship known as the Andrea Gail was lost, along with her crew members, during the storm." Oh, how many lives were lost? Could you import just a little of the narrative from Ref. 9? Sounds like a good story. Tony (talk) 09:38, 29 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:30, 27 September 2009 [8].

Ghosts I–IV edit

Nominator(s): Drewcifer (talk) 09:58, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


This is the second attempt with this article here at FAC. If I may summarize the previous FAC's comments on the article, the concerns that doomed its previous nom seemed to focus on the quality of the prose and the relative proximity of the nomination to the album's release not allowing sufficient time for proper perspective. I believe both of these problems have since been addressed; the article was copyedited shortly after the previous FAC failed and has since been re-copyedited and cleaned up by myself more recently, and the extended time has allowed for additions of some additional content that would not have been possible so closely after its release. All comments are welcome and appreciated. Thanks! Drewcifer (talk) 09:58, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Done; thanks. Images need alt text as per WP:ALT. Eubulides (talk) 16:30, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Good call, added alt text to all four images. Drewcifer (talk) 19:46, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I tweaked the syntax to get it to work; you can check this sort of thing by clicking "alt text" in the toolbox at the upper right of this review page. Eubulides (talk) 16:17, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support/Comment-The article is in very good condition, and I support the FA nominee, but I would like to ask a question, is the image seen on the left really needed? It doesn't really add any more info to the article that isn't already there. And I think people reading it, would be fine without it KMFDM FAN (talk!) 20:58, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
 
I agree that it's not majorly ultra-important, but I would argue it helps verify and illustrate the numbering system of the LE edition, as well as fill some empty space to the right of the list of release versions. And it's a free-use, Creative Commons image, so it's on good terms legally and all that. Drewcifer (talk) 21:45, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, I think it's like having a picture of an Elephant just ot show that they're gray, but okay. I was just thinking it takes up space, and could have been repleaced with a better image. (i was thinking an image of the Ultra-Deluxe editio)KMFDM FAN (talk!) 18:37, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I concur with KFKDM FAN. I feel having that picture is of interest to NIN fans, but isn't very enlightening to the general reader. WesleyDodds (talk) 10:05, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Removed the offending image. Sigh. Drewcifer (talk) 07:41, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • NPR has cited it (link), and they've released an album for charity, which as been covered by PopMatters link.
  • I'm sure you can find a more notable music press reviewer than that. It's a notable website, but certainly not the top echelon of music reviews, especially given such a major act as this has probably been reviewed by every major music publication. WesleyDodds (talk) 11:03, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Not sure what to say about this one. It's Creative Commons. Besides, all of the times it's cited is about CC-type stuff, so I'd assume Creative Commons would be the expert on Creative Commons.
Well, it is a primary source, which we generally should avoid due to POV concerns. The post cited is pretty self-congratulatory. Can you find a secondary source that covers the information? Also, I'm not too keen on Amazon.com listing (this is one retailer out of many; why not list rankings for other retailers?) and feel you definitely should take out the Last.fm rankings (these are not notable in of themselves; if you can find a secondary source that covers this, then I would be more inclined to keep it). WesleyDodds (talk) 10:02, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've swapped two of the three. The last one is the one pointing out the fact that it's the only CC-licensed music to be nominated for a Grammy. That info isn't available anywhere else as far as I can tell, so there's no way around that one. Drewcifer (talk) 07:57, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • All About Jazz was named the best Web-Site Concentrating On Jazz by the Jazz Journalist Association. It's also been cited by Examiner.com (link). And it's being used to cite an interview, not investigative reporting or anything like that, so I'm sourcing the interviewee, Adrian Belew, not All About Jazz. Drewcifer (talk) 23:11, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:34, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll leave these out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 18:51, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment I'm generally not a fan of "Release history" sections (mainly because they are generally unnecessary and uncited) but in this case it might be a good place to move the "Release versions" section so you don't have a bulleted list smack dab in the middle of prose sections. Alternatively, you might want to convert the section into prose. Pick which of those solutions works best for you. WesleyDodds (talk) 10:10, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Also, don't use "#" signs and write out all numbers below ten. Thus "#2" should be written out as "number two". WesleyDodds (talk) 10:12, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed the pound sign thing. Working on the releases. Drewcifer (talk) 19:47, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Redid the release section section a bit. Let me know what you think. Drewcifer (talk) 07:41, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 15:31, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Link to disambiguation Fixed. KMFDM FAN (talk!) 15:42, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments It's looking pretty good. I made some changes to address easy problems, but some other issues follow:
    • Lead: "licensed under a ... license" Gotta do some about this, but unsure what.
    • "The music arose improvisationally" This statement lacks clarity. How precisely does music "arise", and what do we mean by "music"? The written music? The recorded music?
    • "Viglione, who contributed percussions" ?
    • "National Public Radio and Rolling Stone's reviews also compared the album to Brian Eno" Requires clarity—I'm sure they didn't compare the album to Eno himself?
    • "The album is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license, in effect allowing anyone to use or rework the material for any non-profit purpose, as long as credit is provided and the resulting work is released under an identical license." You've sourced this to a press release of some kind, but we really also need a secondary source for your interpretation of this particular license type.
      • Added another source, explaining what the license means, which pretty much echo what is described in the article. Drewcifer (talk) 07:20, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Ghosts material was performed in this manner most notably during the "Lights in the Sky" tour in 2008, immediately after the album's release." Why "most notably"? Which of the two sources given backs up that statement?
    • "During these segments, the music was largely acoustic" When is music not acoustic? If you're trying to express that the instruments used were acoustic rather than electric, revision is needed. Also, the "among others" is kind of hanging out there, not doing much. You've already said "included", indicating there would be more.
    • "Subsequently, on the NINJA and Wave Goodbye Tours, the Ghosts section has since been scrapped" The "subsequently" is redundant to the "since"; pick one.
    • "charted on ... charts"
    • Please check for MoS issues, per WP:LQ. If I found a complete sentence quoted with the period on the outside, I moved it in. For partial quotations that seem to end in a period, you are handling it inconsistently. Either always put them inside or always put them outside.
--Andy Walsh (talk) 19:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Checked every quotation, fixed more than I care to admit. Drewcifer (talk) 21:13, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, I think it is ready. I've checked several of the sources and verified that they support what they're attached to. Everything in the lead is represented and cited in the text. On an image note - I see that you have a CC-licensed promo photo, and it looks like there are others on Flickr with appropriate licenses. Is there anything else we can grab that would add anything to the article? I see there are several production photos but unfortunately they are non-commercial. --Andy Walsh (talk) 18:45, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Awesome, thanks for your help and your support. I've scoured the NIN Flickr account as well, and there's not much there that isn't non-commercial, unfortunately. And non-NIN-created content is pretty scarce too; the above image which I removed was the only one I could find that fit. So I guess it is what it is. Drewcifer (talk) 03:13, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment I'm going to tackle the prose later today. I was going to do it sooner, but then my internet cut out for two days. Ahem. Anyway, hopefully when I'm done I can register a support. WesleyDodds (talk) 23:45, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support A great read. One issue though: would the artwork image not look better on the left side of the page so the images in the "Production" section went left-right-left? Is there a way to position it so it doesn't break the next line down at the top of the "Release" section? -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 13:38, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'd agree with the first part of your statement if it wasn't for the second part of your statement. It would be nice to have it go left right left, but then that would mean that the 3rd image would make the section header immediately after it float into the middle of the page. I could create a line break type thing with {{clr}}, but given the size of the artwork section, it would create alot of empty space. So I don't think it's an option unfortunately. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS DIFF Drewcifer (talk) 10:34, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You're right. It looks far better as it is. -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 00:14, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Just started reviewing the prose. Can you include something about the sound of the album in the lead? WesleyDodds (talk) 11:01, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. Drewcifer (talk) 11:28, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Also, cut down on the sheer number of inline cites in the lead. Per WP:LEAD, you are summarizing the entire article, and shouldn't need footnotes. WesleyDodds (talk) 11:39, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Also also, I see a lot of passive voice in the prose. WesleyDodds (talk) 11:40, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I finished my basic prose review. Looks pretty good so far. However, there are some strucural issues in some spots, and there are a few items where it's not quite clear why they are important or relevant. Also, the "music" section seems piddling. It's too reliant on reviews instead of behind-the-scenes info (you should be using investigative journalism, not critical commentary for reference here), and doesn't say much about composition or musical techniques, as such a section should. If it can't be expanded, I suggest outright merging it with the "Recording" section. I will expand on my concerns later, after I take care of some off-wiki business. WesleyDodds (talk) 02:21, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Doing my best to address these issues, but running out of time in the real world. U-passived about 5 or 6 sentences, I'll take another sweep through soon. As for the music section: I'd be happy to merge it into a larger section, but I'm not sure there's much room for expansion. Though many other FAs have a substantially larger music section, but alot of the the more common content in those sections just doesn't apply here. Lyrics are usually discussed, but obviously that does not apply here. I've also noticed alot of FAs with a plot-summary of sorts ("Track X is like this, then track Y is kinda like this.") But in this case there are just too many tracks to cover the over all ebb and flow of the album. And I'd argue as well that since most of the album is improvisational, there's not alot of structural design beyond each track. Drewcifer (talk) 11:50, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Combined the music and recording sections into one. Removed all citations from the lead. Also did a little more tweaking about the passive voice thing. Drewcifer (talk) 12:33, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments - (Note: I did not review the sources.) In general, this article reads well and covers what I would expect for an album. However, I was wondering whether the "Music" section could be expanded. The article seemed to be a little thin on the explanation of the actual music. I look forward to supporting once this question is answered and the media issue is cleared up. Awadewit (talk) 04:51, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose on criterion 3: File:33 Ghosts IV.ogg - This clip needs a better purpose of use - what specific musical element is it demonstrating? Awadewit (talk) 04:51, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The clip is demonstrating Cortini's contributions; in this track he was credited with "electronics". Does this need to be made clearer? Drewcifer (talk) 11:50, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Could you add a sentence about Cortini's contributions specifically? Thanks! Awadewit (talk) 01:24, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hopefully fixed this. Didn't add a sentence, just adjusted what was already there. Drewcifer (talk) 12:33, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, I wasn't clearer - the fair use rationale on the clip itself needs a better description than "It is used to demonstrate musical characteristics of the album where no other source other than the music itself would adequately provide similar commentary." Awadewit (talk) 15:11, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, I see. Well my adjustments in-article didn't hurt any. I've redone the FUR on the audio clip's page, so check it out and let me know if you think it's satisfactory. Drewcifer (talk) 00:19, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I guess I'm just not seeing a real purpose for this clip, unfortunately. This particular track is not discussed in the article, as far as I can tell, nor is anything said in particular about Cortini's style that would necessitate hearing it. There is no specific discussion of Cortini's electronic style, for example, in the article. Awadewit (talk) 00:24, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I see. Well, I've removed the offending audio sample for now, until I figure out something better. Drewcifer (talk) 20:56, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [9].

Adelaide Anne Procter edit

Nominator(s): Ricardiana (talk) 07:03, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Adelaide Anne Procter was one of the most respected and best-selling poets of the 19th-century, though she is now all but forgotten: she was the favorite poet of Queen Victoria, and her death was described in the press as a national calamity. Material on her is scant, but I've pulled together everything I could find (many sources duplicate info from primary sources, so I've leaned on primary sources here). Though the article is short because of the lack of sources, I believe it fulfills the FA criteria and if not, I would still like to hear suggestions on how to improve the article. Many thanks to Awadewit for a very thorough GA review and to S Marshall for a helpful peer review. Best, Ricardiana (talk) 07:03, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment Support - I have a few comments.
  • "She suffered from ill health due to her charity work" - This isn't supported by the text in the main body: "Dickens and others have suggested that her illness was due to her extensive charity work".
What do you suggest - perhaps "she suffered from ill health, possibly due..."? Ricardiana (talk) 21:19, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It might work. I tend to think that the Dickens et al. statement says more about Dickens than about Procter, with Dickens basically arguing that Procter, as a woman, was too frail to work outside the house. Something I guess was not uncommon at that time.--Harthacnut (talk) 18:33, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It does indeed say more about Dickens than Procter, but unfortunately Dickens is nearly the only primary source on Procter. As such his opinion must be included in the body of the article, and once included it must be summarized in the lead. I don't think expressing editorial doubts regarding the sources is appropriate, unless some other source does so, which is not the case here. (Also, have you ever worn a corset? Working vigorously while your kidney and liver are being shifted out of place to give you a 20-inch waist can indeed take a severe toll, and often did.) Ricardiana (talk) 20:25, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've gone ahead and added possibly. (I'm pretty sure I would look ridiculous in a corset, being male and all....) --Harthacnut (talk) 22:00, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The few critics who have examined Procter's poetry generally find it important for the way that Procter overtly expresses conventional sentiments while covertly undermining them." - Is this supported by Armstrong? If not it needs a source.
Yes, it is supported by Armstrong. Ricardiana (talk) 21:19, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Procter converted to Roman Catholicism" - Why?
No reason is given in any source I've found. Ricardiana (talk) 21:19, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

--Harthacnut (talk) 20:01, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Done; thanks. Alt text is present (thanks), but it repeats the caption (see WP:ALT#Repetition) and doesn't convey enough information about what the picture tells us that Procter looked like (see WP:ALT#Portraits). Eubulides (talk) 08:24, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, I'm still getting the hang of this. I've worked on the alt text; I hope it's better now. Thanks, Ricardiana (talk) 18:03, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Much better, thanks. I needed another example for WP:ALT#Portraits so I tweaked it as best I could and copied it into WP:ALT. Hope this helps. Someone should write a treatise on how to describe hairstyles concisely. Eubulides (talk) 22:27, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for your help, Eubulides - I appreciate it. Ricardiana (talk) 03:48, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, but some comments:
  • Several links are repeated in both lead and body text. I wondered whether this was overdoing it in a relatively short article (the relevant ones include Charles Dickens, Household Words, feminist, lesbian, Roman Catholicism, Queen Victoria, Coventry Patmore and Alfred, Lord Tennyson).
  • I also thought providing the following links was overlinking things, though this is a judgement call, not a policy or guideline issue: feminist, lesbian, Bedford Square, Harley Street. In the case of the first two, I thought these would be likely to be understood by a lay reader; in the case of the latter two, the locations are inconsequential and the links are therefore distracting.
  • I take it "fulness" is a spelling in the original?

Otherwise, very well put together. Thank you. hamiltonstone (talk) 04:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your support and comments.
  • It's true, but I thought links were supposed to be given in the lead and then repeated at first appearance later on. I just looked at WP:LEAD and WP:Linking - I didn't see any firm answer. What do you suggest - saving the links for the body of the article, or linking the first appearance of a term?
  • I think linking "feminist" and "lesbian" is useful because, although a lay reader will have a mental definition of those terms, they are terms that are used differently by different people. I agree about the place names, though, so I've removed those links.
  • Fulness is the spelling in the original, yes.
Best, Ricardiana (talk) 15:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sorry, should have replied earlier. Thanks for those tweaks. I think whether to repeat links is a judgement call - hence my comment about "in a relatively short article". But unless anyone else raises this subject, leave them as they are. Regards. hamiltonstone (talk) 00:06, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No problem; thanks! Ricardiana (talk) 00:26, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
See Wikipedia_talk:Featured_article_candidates/archive39#NPG_images. --Harthacnut (talk) 15:22, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments –
  • Life: "An attempt to improve her health by taking a cure at Malvern failed." I wasn't familiar with the phrase "taking a cure", so I clicked on the link to find out more, only to discover that the linked article was about a type of torture. The article intended to be linked is at Water cure (therapy).
  • Reputation: "Readers valued Proctor's poems were valued for their plainness of expression". Two words need to be chopped for grammar purposes. Giants2008 (17–14) 20:32, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, Giants2008 - thanks for your comments and sharp eye. I've fixed both of the problems you pointed out. Ricardiana (talk) 23:34, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support – Not the longest article FAC has ever seen, but seems comprehensive for the subject and says everything it has to. Prose is top-notch, as I've come to expect from the primary contributer. Giants2008 (17–14) 21:16, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support A well-written and thoroughly researched article on a poet who embodies an important Victorian sensibility. I really enjoy little articles like these that bring together all that is known about an author - thanks Ricardiana! Awadewit (talk) 02:39, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose

As someone who in his childhood memorized Casabianca by the other neglected (almost) Victorian poet Felicia Hemans, I'm delighted that an article on Procter has made an FAC appearance. However, I'm not convinced that you've scoured the sources, indeed even your own sources. For example, you use only the life sketch in O'Gorman, but not the two introductions to "Philip and Mildred" and "A Legend of Provence," where O'Gorman talks both about affective rhetoric (or "sentimentality") and cautious boundary testing. I feel that we as readers don't get enough of a sense of what Procter's poetry felt like to read for Victorian readers. There is only one example. I feel you should have more, in order that a Wikipedia reader can better understand what the commentary means. O'Gorman, for example, has done a good job in her introductions to the two poems. Later today, when I have some time, I'll leave a list of other sources that you should be including, as well as a more detailed critique of the prose.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm delighted that such an article is here (indeed I would even suggest that Felicia Hemans be your next FAC target), but I feel that Procter needs more work to be a great article. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 15:32, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Here are two papers and a book. The first paper requires JSTOR subscription. If don't have it, please let me know, I'm happy to email it to you. The second paper appears in a book of critical essays. (It is accessible on amazon.com (up to a point)). The third is a book, which you'll have to look for in a library.

  • Stafanie, Markovits (2005), "North and South, East and West: Elizabeth Gaskell, the Crimean War, and the Condition of England", Nineteenth-Century Literature, 59 (4): 463–493, JSTOR 4494346 On pages 472–474 Markovits talks about how during the Crimean war, Procter's poems, "Waiting" and "Lesson of War," published in Household Words might have influenced (or had thematic similarities) with Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, which was being serialized in the same journal at that time. Says Markovits, "Many of the war poems in Household Words were written by Gaskell's acquaintance (and Queen Victoria's favorite poet) Adelaide Anne Procter.27 Procter's poem "Waiting" comes before the seventh installment of North and South. A typical tale of female patience (the basic premise can be compared to that in Tennyson's "Mariana" [1830o]), the poem records a working- class woman's conversation with a "Lady" in which she explains why she dwells at the seashore instead of passing a life of "rest and ease" ... As we shall see, the dangerous temptations of ease in a time of war were registered by Gaskell as well, and would culminate in Margaret's reflections during her seaside holiday."
  • Hoeckley, Cheri Larsen, "'Must Her Own Words Do All?': Domesticity, Catholicism, and Activism in Adelaide Anne Procter's Poems", in DelRosso, Jeana; Eicke, Leigh; Kothe, Ana (eds.), The Catholic Church and Unruly Women Writers: Critical Essays, Palgrave Macmillan, Pp. 272, pp. 123–138, ISBN 0230600255 Here is a quote: "Perhaps part of the cause for this occluded memory of Procter can be found in Charles Dickens's cultural biases, since his biography of Procter remained influential through the twentieth century. Until the 1990s, most work on Procter (including the Dictionary of National Biography—which might be seen as the authoritative reference for English biography) all but ignored other sources in favor of referring to—or quoting at length or simply plagiarizing—Dickens's idiosyncratic essay. From his literary pulpit, Dickens roused his readers through playing high priest for a secular religion that worshiped women as domestic angels, and of all of that religion's resulting misogyny. ..."
  • Mason, Emma (2006), Women Poets of the Nineteenth Century, Horndon: Northcote House, Pp. 148 From the review in Literature and Theology 2008 22(3):376-378; doi:10.1093/litthe/frn033 Quote: "This book, in the British Council's 'Writers and their Works' series, focuses on the work of three women poets who are not well known now, though they were widely read in their own time. Felicia Hemans (1793–1835) was said to be the most widely read woman poet of the 19th century ..., the theological preoccupations of Dora Greenwell (1821–1882) were popular until the early 20th century, and Adelaide Anne Procter (1825–1863) was Queen Victoria's favourite poet...."

Sorry, I had time only for these. Will add more later on the article's talk page. I'll leave my comments on the prose on the article's talk page (or a subpage of the talk page) later as well. I think with these sources you have material for a really great article and it is worth attempting it. However, it will take time. My best advice is to take it off the FAC, work on it for a few weeks, then resubmit and knock it out of the park! Fowler&fowler«Talk» 19:51, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

      1. I will add a brief ref. to O'Gorman's views on the nature of Procter's poetry. (O'Gorman, by the way, is a man, not a woman.)
      2. The Markovits article mentions that Procter was Queen Victoria's favourite poet, which is already mentioned in the article. I have added some discussion of Procter's war poetry, from the article.
      3. The second source is more about Dickens than Procter, and its implication that discussions of Procter lean too heavily on Dickens is beside the point, as Dickens is in fact the primary source on Procter and there are few other primary sources to lean on, and those slight. I will add a brief mention of this text to the "Reputation" section.
      4. The final source mentions that Procter was Queen Victoria's favourite poet, which is already mentioned in the article. I'm not going to add it.
I'm afraid, the sources have a great deal more than what I have quoted! For example, Hoeckley's 16-page article, which has very little to do with Dickens, goes one to say

"While one might expect that Dickens's familiar relationship with Procter's parents and his professional role as her editor would prompt an appreciation of the nuances of her poetry and her charitable work, he chooses instead to focus on three stock incidents in her life: her childhood education, one continental journey marked by her attendance at a peasant's wedding, and her death scene. Rather than drawing on Procter's various experiences in women's rights, philanthropy, and professional writing, he relies on his skills as a novelist and represents her as one more in his catalogue of self-sacrificing, dutiful, female heroines: Little Nell, Florence Dombey, Esther Sommerson, Agnes Wakefield. To look beyond the myopic representation of Procter as a model middle-class domestic angel that Dicken's brief biographical sketch left to literary history, one only need turn to the less-remembered memoirs published by her friends in the Langham Place circle. Procter's letters provide even richer context to reveal the pointed, and sometimes comic, irony that gives political edge to her pious images and language."

The paper then spends 15 pages examining these other representations. Dickens doesn't make an appearance. Similarly, a third of Emma Mason's book is devoted to Procter. And these are just three modern sources, and there are likely more. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 22:55, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

PS For example, here is another:
  • Tyler-Bennet, Deborah (1998), "Suffrage and poetry: radical women's voices", in Joannou, Maroula; Purvis, June (eds.), The Women's Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives, Manchester University Press. Pp. 227, pp. 117–125, ISBN 0719048605 References to Procter: pages 117–119, and 121. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 23:08, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
PS Anyway, this is all the time I have. I wish you good luck. Regardless of how the FAC turns out, if you need any help either in accessing the sources or in discussing them, I'd be delighted to help. Regards, Fowler&fowler«Talk» 23:10, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I responded to you on my talk page. Ricardiana (talk) 00:36, 26 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I will look at Mason tomorrow. For the moment, here's how things stand. You have mentioned a number of sources, adding that others exist; however, if you wish the others to be added, you will have to name them, as neither I nor Awadewit nor other reviewers have found the material you say exists. As for what you have mentioned:
  • Markovits - brief mention added, in keeping with the brief nature of the discussion of Procter in an article that focuses on Elizabeth Gaskell.
  • Bennet's book is on Google Books; Procter's name appears only 4 times, mostly in passing in the introduction or as part of a list. One of Procter's poems is briefly discussed; I think that discussion of specific poems is appropriate for an article on said poem, rather than this one, as the discussion is a close reading and does not make generalizations about Procter, save that Bennet mentions in passing that Procter writes about women and economics, which is already in the article. I'm not, therefore, going to add this source unless someone else weighs in on the matter.
  • The Hoeckley article is mostly a discussion of Dickens (as both your quotations demonstrate) and a plea to use other sources, which Hoeckley does; however, you should notice that the primary source Hoeckley uses and recommends is Bessie Raynor Parkes Belloc's book, which is already extensively used in this nom. I will add, as I said before, some mention of Hoeckley, but only a brief one.
  • I have added some more references to Mr. O'Gorman, although, again, O'Gorman's headnotes on specific poems are, of course, focused mainly on those poems. I will therefore only add his generalizing statements.
I don't wish to get into an argument about this article, and I don't wish, either, to convince you to change your oppose vote. I have stated my plans; your oppose is in effect. I will only be changing my mind if a third opinion weighs in (and perhaps, of course, not then - I am not willing to kowtow for pixelstars). Ricardiana (talk) 03:53, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Kowtowing? To whom? Certainly not to me, since I didn't write those books or papers. I merely noticed that they showed up in my search, then examined them, and passed them on to you. I thought we were collectively trying to make the article as comprehensive as possible .... As for your rest of your reply, your characterization of the sources' content is not one I agree with. Readers, for example, can easily check Hoeckley's content for themselves, by searching for "Procter" at the book's web site. But, in the light of what you've said, I agree that further discussion here will probablyh not constructive. I wish you the best and am now taking this page off my watchlist. Regards, Fowler&fowler«Talk» 14:19, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I see by the edit you made to your post that I've annoyed you, and for that I'm sorry. Sometimes I'm too blunt/cranky. At any rate, below is a summary of the texts you've suggested and what I've done with them.
  1. Mason. Added some refs, although many of them duplicate info already in the article (e.g., Mason discusses Procter's relationship with Hays; talks about influence of Catholicism on P's work, following (and frequently quoting) Gill Gregory. Have refs also to a few things not already in the article. I've left out the parts of Mason that give bio. background, as those sections repeat what's already here and I've used the same primary sources as M. anyway. I've also left out her readings of particular poems, e.g., A tomb in Ghent, as more appropriate for an article on said poem/s.
  2. Tyler-Bennet. The 4 measly refs to P. have nothing to add, so didn't add.
  3. Hoeckley. I read her chapter in entirety just now, rather than relying on snippets from Amazon. Again, mostly repeats stuff already in article. Have doubled up some refs anyway, and added the bits that weren't already in the article. Have left out H's bio stuff, for the same reason as with Mason; readings of particular poems, ditto. The rest of the article is just set-up, arguing that Procter's Catholicism hasn't been taken into account in readings of her poetry but that it should be (which isn't true, as Gregory spends plenty of time reading P's work in light of her religion - but that's neither here nor there).
  4. O'Gorman. Added a few refs.
  5. Markovits. Added brief para.
  6. You didn't mention this, but I also added a ref or two from the Encyclopedia of British Women Writers on my own steam - although they add little and the authors mostly just hash up Gregory's chapter on P's bio (although they do manage to get Procter's age at death wrong, which I don't think Gregory did, as they can't do subtraction).
Have searched:
  1. Jstor (two articles that perform close readings of spec. poems, rather than discussing Procter's life and work more generally)
  2. MLA index
  3. Project Muse
  4. Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals + Curran supplement
  5. Google; Google Scholar; Google Books
  6. Library databases
  7. Bibiographies of all sources
If there are any other sources out there, I haven't found them. You mentioned that there are other sources, but you haven't added to your original list except to mention Bennet, who, again, barely talks about P. at all and says nothing new. You have argued that Hoeckley should be included, and she is; ditto Mason, O'Gorman, and Markovits. I think the article is about as complete as it can be; some day it would be nice to add pages on specific poems such as "A legend of Provence," but for now I think this is complete. Ricardiana (talk) 20:02, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [10].

Sam Loxton with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948 edit

Nominator(s): YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:42, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


{{Invincibles Advert}} An Allrounder who played in the last three Tests of the Invincibles tour. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:42, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment You have two or more supports in your two other FACs, but isn't three running nominations a bit much? Dabomb87 (talk) 03:24, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

One of them's winding down and should be closed in the next two days. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:43, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Resolved now, the other two were promoted. Dabomb87 (talk) 22:20, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment: Whether you think the others are winding down or not, three on the go is unreasonable. It is also presumptuous. Why couldn't you just wait a few days? Brianboulton (talk) 08:36, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 03:33, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:39, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose right off, this article seems to be confused as to whether it's a biography of Sam Loxton or an article about his presence on that team. Compare infoboxes between the two articles for example. I haven't read the entire article, in part because I know nothing of cricket and get lost in the terms. However, I'm very concerned that an article such as this counts as original research, and will lead to articles such as Andy Pettitte with the New York Yankees in 2007. Ick. --Hammersoft (talk) 14:29, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The infoboxes aren't identical, check the numbers YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 01:11, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
There is no OR, everything is cited YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 05:14, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment – The article, along with the rest in the series, has been nominated for deletion. Anyone have any thoughts on whether that causes a 1e (stability) violation? I've never seen anything like this in any article I've wanted to review for FAC. Giants2008 (17–14) 00:18, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I didn't mean to cause a temporal paradox :) I'm aware of at least on featured article that later was deleted via AfD. It's not unprecedented. Having that knowledge, I thought about whether these articles should exist in the first place. It seems patently absurd to me that we need to have an article about every player on the tour. There's no place to draw the line other than at all players at X sporting event/tour/series. We're going to end up with Vaughn Taylor at the 2007 Masters Tournament, in addition to Vaughn Taylor, and in addition to 2007 Masters Tournament. I fail to see the point. That's what caused me to go the route of AfD. A grant this particular article is at least good. That an article is good and well referenced does not automatically mean it is notable and worthy of inclusion. That's a point being lost on a great many people in the AfD. --Hammersoft (talk) 15:03, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, the content hasn't changed so it isn't unstable YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 01:10, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support a well written article Gnangarra 02:11, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - Another well written addition. Aaroncrick (talk) 01:17, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – Most interesting start to an FAC I've seen in my time here. With the AfD closed, I'm ready to fully review the article. Quite a few little issues, but nothing that should be too much to handle.
  • Background and early matches: There's a red link caused by a typo.
  • Don't need two all rounder links in a paragraph.
  • he managed only four before being trapped leg before wicket by Australian expatriate left arm orthodox spiner...". Is spelling of last word okay?
  • "It was a chance for al players...". Another little typo.
  • Second Test: "and Loxton and Harvey were promoted to open after the latter offered to open." The "to open" bit is a redundancy.
    • "to" was removed from here, when I would have rather seen one of the "open"s changed. Giants2008 (17–14) 21:11, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • There are a few World War II links scattered throughout. That seems like a link that wouldn't be of much value, seeing as virtually everyone knows about WWII.
  • Fourth Test: Not sure about the quotation marks around Wisden. I'm thinking this was meant to be in italics but the shift button was held by accident. Happens to me more often than I care to think about.
  • "Loxton began to settle inas the ball came...". Spacing.
  • Sentence fragment: "Loxton not required to bat." Check to see if the punctuation at the end of the previous sentence is what was intended.
  • Several of those noun and -ing sentences that I keep annoying everybody about. The two in the lead should be dealt with in particular.
  • Role: However, Loxton was productive when given an chance". "an" → "a". Giants2008 (17–14) 23:33, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done I htink YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:26, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support – Meets FA standard, even if the subject isn't the most popular FAC has ever seen. Giants2008 (17–14) 23:13, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Jappalang says only pre-1946 images are allowed, and he started in late 1946, so no. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 22:53, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is this a notable subject? In other words, are there reliable sources which talk about "Sam Loxton with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948"? If not, this article is original research. Stifle (talk) 15:46, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • At the risk of appearing argumentative, there was a wide ranging discussion (that you participated in) where among other things, the notability of the subject and the claim that the articles were original research were considered by the community. As it turned out, the consensus was that the articles should be kept. Your comments here substantially mirror your comments there. It is hardly fair to rerun the AfD discussion here at FAC. If you are unhappy with the result of the AfD, other avenues such as DRV would be more appropriate. -- Mattinbgn\talk 21:06, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yes there are sources YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 22:53, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose
I'm afraid it is time to pull the plug on this repetitive series. I, for one, am tired of the repetition. The same set of sentences, "X was a member of Donald Bradman's famous Australian cricket team, which toured England in 1948. Bradman’s men went undefeated in their 34 matches; this unprecedented feat by a visiting side earned them the sobriquet The Invincibles." seem to have become like a ritual incantation to enter the sacred realm. Not only do you have articles on each of the tests played during the 48 tour, you also have an article for each X that played in it, and in addition, articles "X and the Australian cricket team in England in 1948." All the articles have sections with the same parent pages. I'm afraid I'm not convinced that content forks are not being created and content not being duplicated. Even if this is not the case, I'm not convinced that this level of specialization is encyclopedic. I feel it is time for someone with your exceptional abilities to concentrate on other pages, for example, W.G. Grace , Victor Trumper, Ranjitsinhji, Jack Hobbs, and a host of early cricketers whose Wikipedia pages are little more than stubs. You could, of course, take the standard tack and say all this is not actionable, but in my opinion the articles have gone long beyond the point of diminishing returns, both for you and for us. All the best. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 15:37, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fowler, this oppose is not actionable. These articles were debated at AfD and were kept. Karanacs (talk) 01:37, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
to Karanacs: Yes, I do understand that, as I say myself at the end. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 11:54, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
To YellowMonkey: please feel free to ignore my oppose. It is really meant to encourage you at a higher level. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 11:54, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [11].

Badnjak edit

Nominator(s): VVVladimir (talk) 16:38, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I think that it is well-written, comprehensive, and well-researched regarding its subject. It went successfully through GA review, after which it was significantly expanded and extensively copy-edited. It is neutral, duly cited throughout, and illustrated. I also hope that this nomination will receive a constructive criticism, through which the article could be even more improved. Thanks, VVVladimir (talk) 16:38, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - I copydited the article a little before Malleus got stuck into it. Buffed up nicely and fulfils prose and comprehensivness criteria. Can't think what else needs doing. Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:45, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review: The alt texts could do with being beefed up a bit. Copyright status of images is fine. Stifle (talk) 08:19, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Beefed up. VVVladimir (talk) 14:39, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Refs check: the links to rastko.org.rs are dead. Stifle (talk) 08:20, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have as yet no information on what has happened with the Project Rastko site. It worked normal a couple of days ago, and now none of its pages can be accessed. Still I would not call those links dead, in the sense of 'permanently unavailable'. I'm sure the problem will be soon fixed, as Project Rastko is a huge and respectable site. VVVladimir (talk) 14:39, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The problem is fixed, and the site is working. VVVladimir (talk) 13:37, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Note that I only reviewed the English language sources Ealdgyth - [[User talk:|Talk]] 16:56, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. In the interests of full disclosure I was asked to look at this article pre-FAC, and I subseqently did quite a bit of copyediting on it. I believe that it now meets the FA criteria and deserves to be promoted. --Malleus Fatuorum 17:19, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Ealdgyth, is there any concern about the non-English language sources that I should address? I provided information in the trans_title fields of the book and journal templates, but I'd be glad to give any other information on the sources, as well as to respond to any question regarding the article itself (though this nomination hasn't received much attention as yet). VVVladimir (talk) 14:21, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think Ealdgyth is highlighting any problems with the foreign-language sources, she is just noting to the FA delegates and other reviewers that she has not checked those sources for reliability. Dabomb87 (talk) 19:15, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Nicely written, interesting, seems very comprehensive. One little nitpick: in the Interpretation section, the first paragraph says, "The origin of the badnjak is explained by the events surrounding the Nativity of Jesus Christ. ... By folk tradition, the shepherds brought firewood to the cave and built a fire to warm the newborn Christ ..."

    But then the next paragraph starts, "There is also a more symbolic interpretation," followed by words from a prayer about Jesus. I'm wondering how the second is more symbolic than the first. I would either remove the sentence, "There is also a more symbolic interpretation," or explain why it's more symbolic. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 19:22, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your support and comment :)
Besides the commemoration of the fire built by the Bethlehem shepherds (as in the 1st paragraph), the prayer also includes the Tree of Life, the cross upon which Christ was crucified, and the warmth of the fire as a symbol or prefigurement of the salvation made possible by the crucifixion of Christ. On the other hand, that sentence is just a supplementary remark that can be removed without harm, which I did. VVVladimir (talk) 15:47, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Also, I agree that "more symbolic" might not be the best term here. VVVladimir (talk) 15:53, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [12].

Buildings of Jesus College, Oxford edit

Nominator(s): BencherliteTalk 09:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because those who have been kind enough to read or review the article have said that it's nearly there. Thanks to Malleus Fatuorum for extensive prose work above and beyond the call (any remaining infelicitations are my fault, of course), Joopercoopers for creating the fantastic plan used as the (update) a lead image, Giano for looking at the architectural details discussion, Rodw for his extensive comments on the article, Pyrotec for the GA review, Ruhrfisch for the peer review, Jonathan A Jones for visiting the college to take some requested photos and various Flickr contributors who relicensed some images for Commons when I asked. I'd like to thank my agent, my wife, my fellow actors... I've had a go at improving my earlier ALT text (and added it to {{Jesus College, Oxford}}, but that change hasn't come through in the alt text tool yet - have I done it right?) Further help on this, and anything else, is welcome. If nothing else, readers of the article will know far more than they ever realised that they didn't want to know about the physical appearance of a college that produced such distinguished alumni as Lawrence of Arabia, Harold Wilson and me (shome mistake, shurely?) BencherliteTalk 09:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

One of the references is generating a "Invalid type (application/unknown) for .pdf file" error in the external links checker, but the file opens without difficulty for me.
Full disclosure - notified Giano of this FAC as he requested me to do. BencherliteTalk 09:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment based on quick read. Clearly a very full account of the buildings, but rather short on architectural description or comment. I found several pithy comments in: John Julius Norwich, The Architecture of Southern England, Macmillan, London, 1985, ISBN 03333220374, some of which could usefully be worked in, and no doubt there are other sources. More talk of/links to Crenellation, Dutch gables, mullions and hood moulds etc is needed. A description of how Oxbridge staircases work is needed I think, and details of how many there are, and how many sets of rooms etc are in the various parts. The only thing I could find is a brief description at Mob Quad - perhaps a section should be added at quadrangle. The first photo of the buildings comes rather late, & the photos, as opposed to the prints, generally are of sections rather than panoramas. If it was me I'd add a gallery, or a couple of 4 pic mini-galleries in the text - but then I always do that. There's room in the lead section for a nice photo before the plan, which is very useful but not the most inviting lead pic. There are several photos already on Commons which would be useful if added. Where the dates of construction &/or rebuilding are clear these should be added to photo captions. The college seems a prime example of Gothic survival (I'm fairly sure I've seen it - the chapel in particular? - mentioned as such, but who knows where), but I don't think this is linked. There's no caption on the photo of the doorway or whatever in the "principal's lodging" section. I'll give it a fuller read-through later. Johnbod (talk) 12:48, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Bencherlite, you cheeky blighter, I told you to tell me when this was going through. So, as revenge, please find the start (and now the end) of some comments on the talk page... The Rambling Man (talk) 17:25, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks to both for your comments, to which I'll respond in detail / act upon next week, after a weekend of family duties! I've ordered the JJN book from abebooks.co.uk, so should have that early next week as well. BencherliteTalk 07:26, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Replied to, and attempted to implement the majority of, TRM's comments on the talk page. Hoping that JJN book arrives tomorrow (a bargain £5.84 + postage), or I'll miss it for a week on my travels. I'll then try to tackle Johnbod's comments, with the caveat that I have little knowledge of architecture, and barely know the difference between a mullion and a Skullion, so may need some hand-holding on terminology. I've left another request with someone on Flickr for a wider-shot image, so fingers crossed. BencherliteTalk 23:37, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Let me know anything you need. Johnbod (talk) 23:56, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • SupportIt's a great page and I will suport it, but why are the images of the buildings so tiny and lost in great blocks of text? They need to be bigger and bolder - this page is about them - so let's see them properly. I'm not sure that the lead image should be the plan (brilliant as it is) perhaps a nice pretty picture of an historic building would be more enticing to the general reader. Apart from these (probably non-actionable) comments I support the page. Giano (talk)
    • Thank you. The images are all at default sizes, apart from the plan which a reader suggested was too small at default size. My understanding is that using default sizes is the preferred method at FAC. Johnbod has already suggested having another image in the lead, as well as the plan, so I'm sure that a prettier picture will be back there soon (after I get some sleep, perhaps...) BencherliteTalk 23:37, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No, they don't have to be all default sizes, then can be as large as is relevant or necessary toi see them properly. This ridiculous small sizing of images is not mandatory nor should it be. Giano (talk) 10:44, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've never thought the lead image should be a plan. The article seems to have so many better image candidates with which to draw the reader into the article, than that rather utilitarian plan of mine. --Joopercoopers (talk) 00:01, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Update:

  • new additional lead image File:Second quad, Jesus College Oxford.jpg, which a kind Flickr user has just relicensed for me (a panoramic shot of the second quad). BencherliteTalk 12:48, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Added a short section on overall layout and staircases (haven't been able to find how many rooms in each staircase); used {{double image}} for a better comparison of the chapel interior pre- and post-refurbishment; used {{wide image}} for a panoramic shot of first quad; added dates to captions; added a bit about Gothic revival vs Gothic survival to the chapel section; added a few more architectural links. Am still awaiting JJN's book, as it didn't arrive at work before I headed off for a few days, and have ordered a couple of other books that might have snippets to use, based on snippet views at Google Books. Anything else for the moment? BencherliteTalk 15:14, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 16:52, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - I raised a heap of concerns on the talkpage (so as not to clutter this FAC up) and Bencherlite has resolved them. It's a quality article, something which can justifiably be called Wikipedia's finest work. Really good work. The Rambling Man (talk) 17:32, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Further update: I have now got hold of the book recommended by Johnbod, and sprinkled John Julius Norwich's words of wisdom over the article. A few more images from Flickr have been relicensed upon my request, showing details (a staircase entrance, the chapel doorway, the shell-hood of the principal's lodgings), and I have added in some further architectural descriptions of elements of the buildings. I've asked Johnbod to pop back to update his views. In the meantime, would someone like to carry out an image review, please? (Hint: it should be easy, as most are verified Flickr photographs or snaps I took). Would anyone like to comment on the alt text? BencherliteTalk 17:39, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Alt text looks good to me. Just one comment: I noticed for one image you use "A bird's-eye view of the college". Those unable to see the file don't know what the college looks like, so it would be good to describe the structure a bit (and switch "the" to "a"). –Juliancolton | Talk 20:07, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I was using "the college", and not giving a further description of the buildings, on the basis of WP:ALT#Context, but on reflection, prompted by you, it's probably best to give some better description as the appearance changes over the years... Done. BencherliteTalk 20:38, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Second look comments.
  • Generally my points above are covered & article and pictures much better now. I've edited a bit, with links etc. Please change anything you don't like.
  • I think the lead has too much detail - much of para 2 should be summarized/spread around below. Para 1 is rather long?
  • Pevsner on 2nd quad. "Dutch gables have ogee sides and semi-circular pediments" would be better, but what did he actually say?
  • Introduce "Lascelles": "Rowley Lascelles, the 18th century antiquarian...". Also Arkell - at least give initials. I have improved Lascelles architectural vocab, maybe too much. I don't think it's a battlement unless a sentry would feel comfortable behind it, but maybe he disagreed.
  • The text seems a bit congested at places. The sentence "As is often the case in Oxford colleges, the rooms in the older buildings are connected to the quadrangles by a series of staircases, rather than horizontally to each other by internal corridors." might be better as "As is often the case in Oxford colleges, the rooms in the older buildings are reached directly off a series of staircases, with no internal corridors running along the ranges." or something - just "reached from the quadranges" - it's "connected to" that jars.

That's all I can see at the moment. Nearly there, I think. Johnbod (talk) 03:33, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Johnbod (talk) 03:09, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Your changes/links are fine.
  • Lead - gah! There was me trying to make sure it was sufficiently long! I've trimmed paras 1 and 2 slightly, but I don't think that there's much that can be left out particularly in para 2: I wanted to mention something about each of the main components (chapel, hall, lodgings, old library, etc) at least somewhere in the lead.
  • Pevsner's wording: "Inner quad is a uniform composition. [dates] Three storeys, regular fenestration by windows with round-arched lights, their hood-moulds forming a continuous frieze. Small top gablets with ogee sides and semi-circular tops (cf. University College)." I've used your wording for now, unless seeing this makes you think of making any alterations.
  • Reworded the second mention of Lascelles along your lines, though called him a 19th-century antiquarian (1771–1841) on the basis that his main working life was after 1800. His wording was in fact "But how dismal are these ogee battlements. They should be cut down into the form of an embrasured parapet, of the same pattern as that which crowns the pentagonal bay window of its inner court." I'm happy with your neat paraphrase. Similarly relinked WJ Arkell on second mention.
  • I like your turn of phrase re staircases, and have used that.
  • Diff of my changes. Is that a light at the end of the tunnel that I can see now?! BencherliteTalk 07:27, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, I thought both Lascelles & Arkell were first mentions, indeed I thought I'd searched to check. Maybe full names/initials but not links needed on 2nd mention. I've tweaked Lascelles to "cut down into "battlements" (crenellations)...". Lead is better, imo. I've added a sentence on what classical building there was pre-Civil War, with a comment in the ref. It's an interesting question, of some importance for college architecture. Johnbod (talk) 12:40, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, based on my 2 sets of comments above. I think the article looks great now, & sets a new standard for our coverage of Oxbridge college buildings compared to any I've seen. Jesus must be ready to be a featured topic now? Johnbod (talk) 12:40, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Lascelles and Arkell delinked on second mention. Thanks for your assistance in improving the article. It's already a featured topic, but I need to get the main article back up to GA standards now after the recent GA sweeps... BencherliteTalk 14:00, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Excellent article. --Joopercoopers (talk) 13:06, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support: beautiful article.

  • I've made a few tweaks in the lead. Will try to return soon to look at the rest.
  • Image sizes: the default of 180px is now widely regarded as a mistake (far too small). Editors are quite able (indeed I would expect them) to shape image size according to detail, composition, placement, etc. We couldn't have, for example, "Staircase VI Jesus College" more generously sized, could we? The detail is important. Tony (talk) 15:50, 17 September 2009 (UTC) PS and the two adjacent chapel interiors: could they be "centered" and a bit larger, with no text wrapping? Yumm. Tony (talk) 15:52, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I've increased the size of most of the landscape images to 300px (which helps makes the engravings / shots of building details clearer); I've centered and enlarged (350px) the side-by-side of the chapel interiors. , although can't work out why they don't quite line up at top and bottom... any solutions? How's it looking now? BencherliteTalk 19:41, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Well done. ResMar 23:08, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review - Unfortunately for me, you have a hundred thousand images in this article. :) Luckily, these images were in very nice shape; I found no copyright issues with any of them. Just a few minor issues:
  • Well, that should be it. They aren't major issues at all, so I look forward to supporting on criterion 3 after they are resolved. NW (Talk) 19:29, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • All three done, hopefully to your satisfaction. Thanks for stopping by. BencherliteTalk 21:36, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Support on criterion 3. Good work! NW (Talk) 21:43, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [13].

ToeJam & Earl edit

Nominator(s): bridies (talk) 12:11, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I feel it meets the criteria. Failed the first time, largely because of prose issues. The article has now had a thorough copy edit/peer review here, so I am now renominating. bridies (talk) 12:11, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Conditional Support - A very enjoyable article to read! I have a few minor comments though. In "Development", why is "former collaborators of Johnson's" in quotation marks? According to the reference, that's a fact and doesn't need quotation marks. Under "Legacy", when you say that ToeJam & Earl became a mascot alonside Sonic, do you mean the characters alongside the character Sonic or the game alongside the game Sonic? You might include some negative quotations from Eurogamer to balance the many positive quotations from reviewers in the section. My only real issue is that the article is only 19K. -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 14:10, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Paraphrased "former collaborators of Johnson's". The mascot thing refers to the actual characters: I removed the italics to clarify this. bridies (talk) 23:26, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 17:51, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done: clarified "action adventure" to "action adventure game". bridies (talk) 10:17, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. I can think of no way in which it does not meet the FA criteria. While I did work on the article as a copyeditor, I do not believe that voids my support. JimmyBlackwing (talk) 20:45, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review No copyright issues with the images, but the image of the box lacks alt text. Stifle (talk) 12:26, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. Done; thanks. The two images need alt text as per WP:ALT. Eubulides (talk) 01:28, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Images now have alt text. bridies (talk) 23:27, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for doing that. I fixed one minor typo. Eubulides (talk) 06:17, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:11, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support — The flow of this article is really good. The lead is very well written. I appreciate how the reception section is chronological. I really like the legacy section. Many articles end abruptly but this section is basically serving as a conclusion which helps to brings closure. It's the follow rather than the lead. References look good, images are fair use... my only qualm is this sentence -->"Identification of presents' contents is a central gameplay mechanic." The word play in this sentence is grammatically correct but it's loaded. I had to read it a couple of times. Maybe it's just me but I think it this could somehow be stated in simpler terms. Still, this sentence alone doesn't make me change my mind about the quality of this article. Again, support. Gbern3 (talk) 17:34, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Very well written article. --Carioca (talk) 00:52, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [14].

SMS Hindenburg edit

Nominator(s): Parsecboy (talk) 21:55, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


The last German battlecruiser ever built, Hindenburg was only in commission for little more than a year and a half before she was interned at Scapa Flow and scuttled. This article passed GA and MILHIST A-class review over the past two months, and is part of a Good Topic. I feel the article is close to FA criteria, and the reviews that will occur here will help me iron out the last few details. I know this article may run into some opposition because it's fairly short (only 14kb, including the infobox et al.), but remember that size is not a requirement to FAC, comprehensiveness, and this article is pretty solid in that regard. Thanks in advance to all reviewers. Parsecboy (talk) 21:55, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment. This is a very good article. I reviewed it at the Good Article stage, and it has improved in the intervening weeks. There are a couple of issues that weren't worth bringing up at Good article review but should be brought up here.

First: I've been told that the nbsp syntax needs to be inserted after all "loose" numbers (numbers without something after them). If this is the case, you'll need to add it with your dates. *Second: It doesn't look like the alt text on the schematics is showing up. Is there alt text on the schematics? or is there simply not a caption of the schematics? *Third: in section advance of 23 April... you have this text: "... and made good their escape." This seems jargonish to me, or at least in the realm of colloquial wording. they escaped? or simply and escaped? In another part of the same section: "Temporary repairs were conducted that allowed the ship to steam at 4 knots, but it was decided to take the ship under tow, by the battleship Oldenburg." VERY passive. Possibly: "Although temporary repairs allowed the ship to steam at 4 knots, the Oldenburg took the ship under tow."? In the next section: " The plan consisted of two simultaneous ..." "The plan called for..." In two simultaneous attacks, the fleet would..."  ??? I wonder if "Later operations" might better be called something else. Perhaps Proposed death ride, or ...? Just idle wondering here. You realize, of course, that these are minuscule suggestions, well, perhaps the first one is part of the MOS requirements and therefore not minuscule...

  • dabs no disambiguous links using the link checker checks out.
  • external links these also check out using the link checker.

Another example of some fine work. Very nice. A pleasure to read, even for someone not particularly versed in the finer points of nautical warfare. Auntieruth55 (talk) 22:31, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

    • Thanks, Auntieruth. I've never heard of using non-breaking spaces for dates before, so I asked here for advice. There is alt text for the schematics image, so I don't know why it isn't showing up for you. I fixed the two prose issues you pointed out in the third comment. As to the "Later operations" part, I think "Proposed death ride" is a bit dramatic :) I'd be open to other suggestions though (from anyone). Parsecboy (talk) 00:30, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • ah, yes, proposed death ride is a bit dramatic, but those were dramatic times. However, Later operations is a bit mundane, so I'm thinking we might come up with something more in the central--that's me, the middle of the road, with all the road kill. As to the dates, Tony posted that it was "consider" but not "required"... I was suggesting that it only go between the loose numbers and the next word (the month, usually). Someone made me do that for Unification of Germany, which was a REAL pain (that is a long article) so now I'm doing it on everything. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:52, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SUPPORT Although this is a short article, it is line with the requirements of the featured articles. It is well written, interesting, informative, and represents a neutral point of view. It covers the "state-of-knowledge" as we know it about this type of warship and this particular ship. It is part of a larger series of ship articles the editor is working on, each of which also demonstrate care to quality, prose, research, authentication, and all around good scholarship. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:54, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:47, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments

  • You need convert templates on knots (mph and kph) and the 25000 tons of coal.
  • Would it be better to eliminate the "Service" section making WWI a second level and change the others to third level?
  • You need to complete the OCLC numbers on your reference books. Some are missing. --Brad (talk) 21:24, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks, I fixed the first two things you pointed out, but I don't know much about OCLCs, so I asked someone who does. Parsecboy (talk) 00:31, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Doing... —Ed (Talk • Contribs) 00:47, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • ok support. OCLC numbers aren't difficult to find. Go to World Cat and look up your book title. Make sure you find the same edition that you used in the article; and scroll down to the detail section. The number is listed there. If you put in your zip code it will show what libraries nearest you have a copy. --Brad (talk) 18:13, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments

  • Construction
    • Formatting of "Drh.L C/1912" and "DrhLC/1913" is inconsistent. It's also presented as "DrhLC/1912" in Note 2.
      • Fixed.
    • Perhaps explain why the higher angle of inclination of the later turrets gave greater range.
      • I added a note explaining that angle of fire and range are directly proportional.
    • To save looking at the infobox, suggest you state how many of the SK L/45 guns she had rather than just "two more" than Derfflinger
      • Fixed.
    • Why was she slightly larger than the earlier ships and by how much?
      • I haven't seen anything about why the design was altered, but I have added the specific measurements for length and displacement.
    • Why was she faster than the earlier ships and by how much? Was the steaming speed, a sustained speed or a maximum, short sprint?
      • I added specific speeds for Hindenburg and Derfflinger - the steaming speed was a sustainable rate (remember, the ship could steam at 26.6 knots, which would be the "sprint")
  • World War I
    • There's a degree of repetition with the previous section on dates here.
      • Fixed.
    • "albeit too late to see any major action" [my emphasis]. From the following sections it does not sound as if she saw any action.
      • I meant "action" as in any activity, not just combat. Should I change that?
        • I think most readers would think "action" to be synonymous with "combat", so it might be worth modifying - perhaps to "operation"
          • Fair enough. I've substituted that for "action"
    • "were acting as distant support for German minesweepers off the German coast when they were attacked by British battlecruisers" is ambiguous. Clarify that it was the minesweepers which were attacked. Is it known which British battlecruisers were involved?
      • Repulse, Courageous, and Glorious were the BCs involved.
    • "Six days later," suggests that this sentence and the previous one are causally linked in some way although there appears to none.
      • Fixed.
    • Could link to Moltke and Seydlitz on first use.
      • Fixed.
  • Advance of 23 April 1918
    • Is this action by Hindenburg really notable at all? Apart from Moltke losing a propeller and suffering damage nothing much happened!
      • I'd say it's notable in that it was the only offensive operation in which the ship took part.
    • Do we know which British destroyers were sunk in the October action?
      • Yes, they've been added.
    • Do we know which German and British Destroyers were involved in December 1917 action?
      • Nope, Massie doesn't say.
    • "December 12" should be "12 December" for consistency.
      • Fixed.
    • Explain why the Germany navy had been waiting for this opportunity.
      • I added "numerically superior" to qualify the Grand Fleet; is that sufficient?
    • Explain dreadnought.
    • "kilometers" should be "kilometres" for consistency with metres in infobox.
      • The article uses American English, the infobox has been corrected.
    • "It was later discovered that the convoy had sailed the following day" seems awkward how about "It was later discovered that the convoy had left port a day later than expected by the German planning staff".
      • Fixed.
  • Later operations
    • Section would be more appropriately title later planned operations.
      • Fixed.
    • "On 11 August" is presumably 11 August 1918.
      • Fixed.
    • Link to Wilhelmshaven.
      • Fixed.
    • Does not mention if there was any mutiny or sabotage on Hindenburg. Did she stay in Wilhelmshaven when the fleet was dispersed or go elsewhere.
      • Herwig's book mentions disruption on all four BCs except Hindenburg, and Massie doesn't say which ships went where.
  • Fate
    • Suggest you provide a {{main article|Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow}} link
      • Missed this one last night, but I've added it now.
    • "The massive flotilla consisted of some 370 British, American, and French warships." What about the German ones? How many of those were there?
      • Fixed.
    • Link to scuttling.
      • Fixed.
    • "maneuvers" should be "manoeuvres" for consistency with other British spellings and European setting of article.
      • See above re: "kilometers/kilometres."
    • When were the raising attempts made?
      • Groner's doesn't give dates, he just states "Several unsuccessful attempts were made to raiser her, and a successful..."
    • Link Admiral Fremantle in note 5 to Sydney Fremantle.
      • Fixed.
    • Link to German Federal Navy.
  • Footnotes
    • 13 and 16 reference the same page in Massie and should be combined.
      • Fixed.
  • General
    • Did she actually participate in any engagements?
      • The ship saw no actual combat.
    • There seems to be a shortage of technical detail in the prose. Perhaps précis some of the more important information from the Derfflinger class battlecruiser article.
      • I added a "for further information" link at the top of the section; I don't want to duplicate too much in this article, besides what set her apart from her sisterships.
    • Were any of the officers or crew notable? Do we know who the captain was?
      • Not that I know of.

--DavidCane (talk) 23:18, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support after very minor copyedits. It may look short to the casual reader, but in my opinion it is extremely long—Hindenburg only served for two years. The only possible problem I see is in the lead; do you have/need a citation for "named in honor of Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, the victor of the Battle of Tannenberg and the Battle of the Masurian Lakes, as well as Supreme Commander of the German armies from 1916."? —Ed (talk • contribs) 01:27, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I hadn't thought of that, but I'm sure there are plenty of biographies of Hindenburg around, so I can track down a citation for that. It'll have to wait until tomorrow though. Thanks for copyediting the article, Ed. Parsecboy (talk) 01:35, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support, 1a. Very nice work again by Legolas. The prose is excellent, the stories engaging and the linking skilfully handled.

  • First section opens: "Built ... Built." Maybe the second one could simply be removed? Or a replacement word such as "Designed" or "Conceived" or "Planned"?
    • Changed to "Designed."
  • "British naval intelligence believed"—were they correct or incorrect in that belief? I guess we find out later.
    • Turns out it was due to labor shortages; I've added this to the article.
  • I inserted "the standard" on a hunch; please check.
    • That's fine.
  • "On 12 December, four German destroyers ambushed a second convoy consisting of five cargo vessels and two British destroyers." Unsure, but can this be "On 12 December, four German destroyers ambushed a second British convoy of five cargo vessels and two British destroyers."? (Two changes.)
    • Substituted your version.
  • I guess "the fleet" and the "Grand Fleet" are clear in the reader's mind throughout.
  • "roadstead": I had to look it up. Consider a Wiktionary link or a wikilink if there's an article?
    • Roadstead is linked in the "Advance of 23 April 1918" section
  • Check my "strike", to avoid the close repetition of "attack".
    • Looks fine to me.
  • Should this be in US English? "harbor". Just checking.
    • I'd say it's a bit of a stretch to say a German warship has "strong national ties" to British English, on the basis that the ship fought the Royal Navy. For instance, should Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi use American spellings because it participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor or should it use British spellings because it took part in the raid into the Indian ocean in 1942, during which it sank several Commonwealth ships? That and trying to remember all the variations is a hassle I can do without :)
  • "which was the deadline"?
    • Fixed.
  • We couldn't have a larger pic of the scuttling, could we? It's widely felt that WP's thumbnail default is outrageously tiny. Please see Beginners'_guide_to_the_Manual_of_Style#Size. Tony (talk) 09:40, 26 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Hmm...I usually prefer to keep images at the default size. There are many editors (such as myself) who have set preference sizes, and I'd rather not force someone with a 13" monitor to see everything at 300px. The way I see it, if someone feels the image is too small, can't they just click the thumbnail to see the larger version? This isn't print, after all. Parsecboy (talk) 14:02, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Tony, I think you meant "Parsecboy"... Dabomb87 (talk) 18:02, 26 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [15].

Hermann Detzner edit

Nominator(s): Auntieruth55 (talk) 18:22, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because...the article meets the requirement for Featured Article status: it is well written and well researched, meets style guides, generally and specifically covers the subject, is properly cited and documented, etc. Although it is relatively short, Hermann Detzner has not been the subject of a specific biography; rather, he is a shadowy and enigmatic figure on the edges of other peoples' biographies and research in Papua New Guinea. This article started as a translated stub from the German wiki, and I expanded it over time. After the article received "Good Article" promotion, it had a peer review from the Military History project, and then passed the A class review with few comments or changes. Thanks for reading! Also, using the tool box, I have checked alt-text (there is alt text for every image), there are no dabs, the external links all work. I am the primary editor. Auntieruth55 (talk) 18:22, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Alt text is present (thanks), but has a couple of problems:

okay, I wasn't sure what to do about that. I've left in the section that says "simple outline map of the island" and added the note bout the caption.
  • For File:Canibal cover.jpg the alt text says "book cover showing 'the skirted ones'" but the book cover doesn't say "the skirted ones". Please just transcribe the German text as per WP:ALT#Text.
translated title of book, and described the man better, clarified why he is the skirted one. Auntieruth55 (talk) 20:16, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Eubulides (talk) 19:27, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, I tweaked it a bit more as per WP:ALT. That should do it. Eubulides (talk) 23:50, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image check:
    • File:Hermann Detzner.jpg does not have a proper source ("book cover" is a description; we need to know where the image was found).
  • I posted a url on the image page.
  • I posted a url on the image page. Again, Spiegel online, and it is marked as PD by the German websitge.

it is a version of [File:Papua Neuguinea.jpg this] in Wikicommons.

  • first, anything that is colonial German for Papua New Guinea must be pre 1923, because the protectorate ended in 1914/1918 (de facto in 1914, officially in 1918). The url is from German post card of Papua New Guinea It is marked as PD (public domain) in the spiegel online website.
  • That's all I can see for now. Stifle (talk) 20:57, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I hope that answers all the questions. I took out the relief map until that problem is cleared up. I thought it was freely available, since it was in wiki commons. Auntieruth55 (talk) 01:38, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
OK, that seems fine to me. I have no further objections to the images — image check OK. Stifle (talk) 09:10, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
great! thanks for helping me sort those out (or directing me to do so). I've added the relief map back in. Someone might want to make sure the alt text is okay!. Auntieruth55 (talk) 16:56, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
btw, does this mean you have no objections to the article itself? so you support it? Auntieruth55 (talk) 16:57, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I am only saying that FA criterion 3 is passed, no more and no less. Stifle (talk) 20:03, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments -
  • Current ref 23 (Report of the swiss official...) lacks a publisher.
What's the status on this one? Ealdgyth - Talk 12:49, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
this was simply an index of mountain elevations. The Source is US National Imagery and Mapping Agency
I'll leave this one out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 19:06, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
this document probably has no print publisher, but is in an archive, it is certainly in a digital archive (which is where I got it), so it is published digitally, and I gave the link where it is located. The Swiss Consul wrote a letter reporting on the state of the German POWs in the camp in Holdsworthy. Basically it is included because some of the Aussies who reviewed this earlier kept telling me it was HOLSWORTHY, not Holdsworthy. with the D is is an older spelling. it is an online index of transcribed documents relating to world war one, on the Brigham Young University server. It is simply a transcribed document, it is not an article, so I'm not relying on it being a decent article, just a decent transcription.

"This World War I Primary Document Archive is affiliated with the Great War Primary Document Archive, Inc. (GWPDA), relying on GWPDA for the hosting of categories VI and VII, and on the WWW Virtual Library for category VIII. However, the remaining files comprising this archive on the BYU Server are under the aegis of Brigham Young University and Richard Hacken."

"The Medical Front WWI is maintained by George Laughead Jr., manager of the United States History Index and Kansas History. Thanks to Dr.Lynn H. Nelson, Professor of History Emeritus, University of Kansas. Hosted at wwwVirtual Libraries @ www.vlib.us."

I'll leave this one out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 19:06, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've changed the citation to a less (possibly?) controversial source. In the Australian national archives catalog, there is a reference to a book that identifies the prison as "HOldsworthy" and gives a brief history of it. I've added that source, and removed the other one. Again, this is simply for the Aussies who want to insist that the town is called Holsworthy, which it is, but in 1919, it was called HolDsworthy. Auntieruth55 (talk) 20:02, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Also in the same archive is this, the report of the Swiss consul in charge of German interests in Australia, a digital copy of the original document. Auntieruth55 (talk) 20:05, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
done on the one you mentioned. I thought I had them all. Should I use the de icon when the citation repeats? or just the first time?
I'd do them every time you mention it, don't need to for the short Author, page number stuff though. Ealdgyth - Talk 19:06, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
oksy, the icon is there for all sources the first time they are mentioned as citations and again in bib, but not on the shortened citations.
some strangeness is going on with the info box template.
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Note that I only reviewed the English language sources. Ealdgyth - Talk 18:22, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments by MisterBee1966
  • Please check Praktisch der Zahnersatzkunde, (Practice of the Dental Arts,): Zahnersatz means dentures and the grammatically the German title seems wrong.
  • Hmm, shouldn't the German title now be something like Praktische Anwendungen der Zahnersatzkunde. Note: I have no clue what book he published but the German title doesn't make sense to me. MisterBee1966 (talk) 21:45, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
thanks, I found a different citation for it that has the full and correct name, AND is in English. :) see the article. Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:10, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good now it makes sense to me, shouldn't it be listed in the section "Detzner's works"? MisterBee1966 (talk) 13:53, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • except his father wrote it, not Hermann Detzner.
  • I feel that the reader could get more guidance on who wrote the book.
  • It seems to be common practice to only list his last rank in the info box of the article. Also common practice is to put German rank names in italics. MisterBee1966 (talk) 13:56, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • will do.
  • Schmargendorf: Schmargendorf can be a district of Berlin or a district of Angermünde, which is also fairly close to Berlin. Which one is correct? MisterBee1966 (talk) 14:03, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • the address book says Schmargendorf. The archive was in Berlin or Potsdam (depending on which part) (in the 20s). Auguste Viktoria Strasse runs straight through Schmargendorf (it did in 1908 and it does today) (near the football stadium today), and I didn't find a street by that name (today, at least) in Angermuende. Auntieruth55 (talk) 16:40, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Schmargendorf of Berlin was absorbed into Berlin in 1920s. So we probably can assume that he lived in what is now part of greater Berlin MisterBee1966 (talk) 05:56, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • that seems reasonable to me. I removed "near" and wikilinked Berlin. Auntieruth55 (talk) 14:18, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Question: I assume the section "Family" is all we know about potential brothers, sisters, wife, children and his mother?
  • I have some additional information, and it was apparently a largish family, but this is not found in any published sources, and it's probably in the category of unverifiable. I've included what is verifiable. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:15, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Question regarding the inaccuracies in the 1909 joint survey: where these inaccuracies favoring the British or the German claim on the land?

Otherwise I support this article MisterBee1966 (talk) 02:40, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Giving a yes vote in support of article which I read twice; however, because of the busy-ness in my life right now, I cannot leave a lengthy comment. Hope this suffices, mit viel Glück, Frania W. (talk) 20:51, 18 September 2009 (UTC) P.S. Auntie Ruth, if I am voting at the wrong place, please put right link at my talk page. FW[reply]

Comments Support I have read the article, and while I cannot support yet, the problems are not so bad that I oppose. I have attached comments below for your consideration.

  • "could be expected to understand the ins and outs of the previous commission" - firstly, I'm not certain which "previous commission" you are referring to, and secondly "ins and outs" is a bit colloquial. Is there a clearer way to phrase this?
  • I clarified it.
  • "in a setting filled with flowers, he later wrote" - I know what is meant, but this is a bit awkward, can you rephrase, preferably with a quote?
  • no quote...but I paraphrased it better.
  • "Detzner and his men would scurry into the mountainous Saruwaged" - scurry is a slightly odd way to put this (almost POV). Perhaps "retreat" instead?
  • sure, retreat works, but the Australians said he scurried. They were not happy with him.
  • "one thing he had learned on this journey was the Australians had orders to shoot him on sight" - I'd like to see a citation specifically for this sentence that isn't referenced to Detzner himself, as this sounds a bit of an exaggeration.
  • It is in Robert Link's study.
  • "To satisfy the curious," - an unusual turn of phrase, and a bit redundant. Can this be removed?
  • yes, but I think it adds to the controversy later. In part, it appears that the insatiable public appetite (the unusual circumstances in Germany to which he refers in his resignation) encouraged him to write the book.
In that case if you wish to keep it in, can you phrase it a little more clearly?--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I took it out.
  • done
  • "many of his notebooks and journals had been destroyed by the Australians" - is this true, or was it a claim he himself made that cannot be substantiated?
  • this was a claim made in Science Digest, a newsletter that described his speech in Berlin.
  • Can you briefly explain in the text where this claim comes from?--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • actually it's probably true. There are some suggestions, for example, in the 1919 letter to the Argus newspaper that he had been forced to jettison various articles in his flight from the Australians. I've clarified that text a little more. See if this helps.
  • I don't think the Japanese "See also" adds to the article and it can probably be removed if it can't be incorporated into the text.
  • not sure it will stay removed. It was added by someone working on the Japanese holdouts. I will try, however.
  • Basically the way I see it is that if reliable sources have made a comparison then it can stay (although I'd prefer it in the text rather than a see also). However if they haven't then its sort of original research (and in any case the situations are quite different - the Japanese holdouts remained in hiding long after the war out of contact with the rest of the world, Detzner was in regular contact and surrendered once the war came to an end).--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I didn't think it was much of a similarity, except the guy working on the other project seemed to think so. It seems obvious, at least by implication, that Detzner was the last to surrender, since it took him until late November to find out about the end of the war, and then it took another 6 weeks or so for the communications to go back and forth. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:51, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is is possible to get translations in the list of works so non-German speakers can understand the titles?
  • do you really want me to translate them? I don't think I should. I've moved the ones that are 4 Years under the Cannibals, under the original so it's clearer what they are.
  • Its clearer now. I would still prefer translations (alongside the original title, not instead of it), but I leave it entirely up to you.--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've checked in other encyclopedias, and in some of the scholarly books I have, and these titles under these circumstances are not translated.
  • Is there really nothing on his later life? Was he married? had children? What did he do during the Second World War?
  • that is what it means, he withdrew entirely from public life. Short of doing original research, there is nothing. Germans have a very strict privacy policy. He apparently moved from Berlin to Heidelberg, probably when the archive was moved during or after the war. It is not clear if he had children, or was married. As I said, Germans have a very strict privacy policy, 70 or 80 years blackout on info. They want to make sure someone is properly dead before anything comes out about them, I guess. Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:15, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • well, my notes say he was an oberstleutnant in Wehrwirtschaftstab of the OKW, 6, from 1.4.1945. Auswärtiges Amt, Akten zur deutschen auswärtigen Politik, 1918-1945, vol. 8, p. 677. I don't really think it's particularly relevant, nor am I positive it is the right Hermann Detzner (there was a different one who was a botanist).Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:36, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Fair enough, that makes sense.--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I wouldn't want to say it was in the OKW, if it happens to be the other Hermann Detzner, so I'd prefer to leave it out. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:51, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Other than the above, I think it is an excellent article, and I will be happy to support it once the above have been addressed.--Jackyd101 (talk) 23:43, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Although there are still one or two minor points outstanding above, you've done more than enough to satisfy my queries and I am willing to support. Regards.--Jackyd101 (talk) 11:24, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • see if this addresses your issues; I think it should. Auntieruth55 (talk) 15:51, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments This reads very well and is an engaging article that seems worthy of FA status. I'll list text queries here as I find them:

  • "He led his party, consisting of four other European officers, and about 20 well-armed natives—a formidable jungle force—south toward the Sattelberg on the Huon peninsula, escaping Madang just ahead of an Australian patrol." Madang is a city – could we clarify its geographical relation to the mountain and peninsula mentioned? And should we say "fleeing" Madang or "escaping from" Madang rather than "escaping" Madang? JN466 00:02, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • done
  • "This pre-war German card from New Guinea depicts the fantastic space of the German colonies": the phrase "fantastic space" doesn't work for me; could we rephrase that? Also, do we know what kind of card it was (postcard, cigarette card)? JN466 00:18, 19 September 2009 (UTC) Just noticed the body text says it was a postcard; I'll add that to the caption. --JN466 00:20, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • done
  • "and was a reliable expert on Guinean dialects, and their overlap with German": what sort of overlap do we mean here? --JN466 00:31, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • it would be called pidgeon German, an admix of German words, and some structure, with the local dialect. Apparently it was particularly prevalent among people who grew up in the orphanages in Kokopo, but also who lived near the Lutheran missions; in order to describe something, esp. something "foreign" (i.e., European), they would use the German word, because it was the only word available to them. Their own language didn't have a word for it, so they used the missionary word. Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:43, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The linguistic terminus technicus then is German-based creoles. --JN466 00:49, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • it would be the language not the people. are you telling me to change something? Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:53, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • A "creole" is also a shorthand for a "creole language"; it does not refer to people of mixed race here. But you're right, we should say creole language to make that clearer. I'd suggest "and was a reliable expert on Guinean dialects, and the German-based creole languages that had arisen in New Guinea." --JN466 01:00, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "He led at least one expedition to the South Sea coast" I know it is daft, but when I read this I imagined he was heading South. In this case, he was actually at the northern coast of New Guinea; can we reword this in such a way that dunces like me aren't confused? --JN466 01:00, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • sure....will do.
  • Some further information on his life post-1930s, if available, would be useful. Perhaps obituaries? (I'll be happy to help you uncipher any German sources, if you're ever flummoxed by an uncommon word or odd sentence.) --JN466 01:00, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I would love an obit, but I can't get one from here. Do you have access to one? I do have his mention in the Verordnungsblatt, when he went into the service. What do you think of the above request to translate all the titles of his works...? Auntieruth55 (talk) 01:07, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Where no English translation has been published, we should not make up an English title. But we could add a hint in brackets as to what topic the book is about. I'd suggest ranging the translations of Vier Jahre ... directly under the German title, indented. As for obits, drawing a blank here as well. --JN466 01:17, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I moved the translations as you've suggested. If you can think of how to get an obit, I'll add anything new to the article later. Auntieruth55 (talk) 01:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I found that later in his life he became the director of a publishing firm in Heidelberg, and have added that info (sourced to Ritter). JN466 18:10, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This is a charming, engaging and exceptionally well-written article. --JN466 01:00, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments: Overall, a nice article about a very interesting subject, but just a few minor niggles before I can support. Support: deserves to be promoted.

  • "A practical treatise on Mechanical Dentistry, what we would today call Prosthorthodontia". I'd avoid first person if possible. Maybe "what is today called Prosthorthodontia". Perhaps link to Prosthodontics as well.
  • fixed
  • With Nugent, Konrad and Klink, I'm assuming you don't know their full names. Would there be any way of finding this out?
    Nugent, probably not. Konrad and Klink-I know their names are in the book, but I don't have access to it anymore. You might, because it's in a lot of libraries in Australia.
  • I believe it's Hans Klink, who was transported on the SS Morinda, August 25, 1915 from Rabaul to Sydney (Source: Hans Klink, SS Morinda, August 25, 1915, Rabaul to Sydney, NSW-- New South Wales Government. Reports of vessels arrived (or Shipping reports). Series 1291, Reels 1263-1285, 2851. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia.)
  • I can have a look tommorrow (Wednesday) at the book and get back to you. My German is not great, but I'll have a shot. Do you know what page it would be on? Apterygial 23:40, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
no don't know the page number off hand. Not sure it's that important, either. What about the rest of the article? Auntieruth55 (talk) 02:01, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'd be happy to support once my last comment (down below) is dealt with. Apterygial 02:25, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
done. If you get hold of the book, let me know about the names...Auntieruth55 (talk) 03:04, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The second sentence in the Adventures in New Guinea section: I would split this off after "on the island of New Guinea", as it seems quite long at the moment.
  • fixed.
  • "Eventually, Detzner found his way to the Lutheran mission (estab. 1892) on the Sattelberg, at 800 metres (2,625 ft)." What is the relevance of "(estab. 1892)"? It seems it adds little to the article. If I am wrong and it is important, let me know!
  • before I wrote the articles on Keyser and Flierl, it was important. Now, with the other articles, not so much. removed.
  • "one thing he had learned on this journey was the Australians had orders to shoot him on sight." Perhaps "he knew the Australians had orders to shoot him on sight." Seems a little less colloquial.
  • fixed
  • Flora and fauna are common enough terms and don't need to be linked.
  • done
  • "The German Geological Society of Berlin honored him in 1919 with the Nachtigal medal, named for the German explorer Gustav Nachtigal, and the Geographic Society of Hamburg awarded him their gold medal in 1921; the University of Bonn granted him an honorary degree; and the military awarded him the Iron Cross (1st Class)." I would punctuate this slightly differently. After "Gustav Nachtigal", I would replace the comma with a semicolon and remove the "and".
  • fixed
  • You should limit the link in "Iron Cross (1st Class)" to just "Iron Cross", and limit the size of the blue. (There's something somewhere in the MoS about this).
  • done
  • "The scenes he described brought to life the images they had seen on postcards (such as the one to left), newspapers, and in school books." Perhaps it is personal preference, but I wouldn't refer to images in text. The image is there and has its own caption, so the reference in text is probably not needed.
  • I prefer to leave the reference to the image in this case.
  • "Detzner was a civilian [emphasis in the original] surveyor..." Seems a little strange you would avoid a direct quote and yet retain the emphasis. Any particular reason?
  • I've already directly quoted from the original, plus have an additional quote from that source later in the paragraph. I didn't want to litter the paragraph with citations, and nothing else he said in that particular sentence, except claiming that Detzner was a civilian (which he was not), was of particular note.
  • "some of his notebooks and journals had been destroyed by the Australians". When they took him into custody?
  • yes, and also while they were chasing him. He claimed.
sure or something close to it. Auntieruth55 (talk) 02:01, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
done Auntieruth55 (talk) 03:04, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I also made a minor change which shouldn't be controversial. But, nothing serious, and they shouldn't be too hard to fix. Cheers, Apterygial 04:11, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support Fascinating article, particularly for an Australian reviewer. Expanded significantly since I first encountered at MilHist Peer Review, while retaining all its original qualities - well done! Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 12:45, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Provisional support Support
I like the rhythms of your prose. However, I felt that throughout the article many names (of places and people) were unexplained, even unlinked. This makes it hard on the reader. A typical example is

"Eventually, Detzner found his way to the Lutheran mission on the Sattelberg, at 800 metres (2,625 ft). The Sattelberg mission was one of the Neuendettelsau Mission enterprise established by Johann Flierl after 1885, and included stations in Heldbach, Simbang, Tami Islands, and Simbu; these were an important evangelical presence in the Morobe Province and the missionaries had signed oaths of neutrality for the Australians."

Was the Sattelberg a mountain? The book, Klaus Neumann, Not the way it really was: constructing the Tolai past, seems to think of it as a town or station (uses "at Sattelberg"). In any case, it should be linked or clarified. Similarly, what is the Neuendettelsau Mission and who is Johann Flierl? Need to be described or removed. Even providing a link is not enough if the context is unfamiliar to most people. I have just left in Talk:Hermann_Detzner#Prose_comments_by_F.26f detailed comments on the text up to the end of the lead subsection of "Adventures in New Guinea." I will leave comments on the remaining sections soon, but, perhaps, in the meantime you clarify/link some of the lesser known names. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 11:43, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Was the Sattelberg a mountain, a town, or a mission station? yes to all. thanks for reading, I'll address your comments on the talk page. And I will clarify what the Sattelberg was.
I have now read the entire article and added more comments to the article's talk page. Please feel free to collapse them. Changing to support. Congrats! Fowler&fowler«Talk» 23:08, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [16].

Alice Ayres edit

Nominator(s):  – iridescent 18:34, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Ayres is almost forgotten today, but was once a major news story. This is an unusual article in that it's almost entirely an "... in popular culture" section, but it's the extraordinary public reaction to her death, and the snapshot it provides of changing social attitudes in the period, that makes her noteworthy. – iridescent 18:34, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments Wow, really interesting article! I was taken aback by the "unassessed article" status, but pleasantly surprised at its lack of "issues"... if you know what I mean. I ran the tools test, and one of the links has a problem. The hounslow.gov website has cookie issues. I don't know if that is going to be an issue later or not, nor do I know how you might want to address it. Just fyi. Second, I didn't fully understand this element of the alt t "Stylised black and white engraving in the style of Edward Burne-Jones." I think that if a vision impaired person were reading that, s/he might not understand what the style of Edward Burne-Jones is. Exaggerated, sentimental black and white engraving? overly sentimental? don't know. Probably it needs attention. That's all for now. I'll be interesting to see what others make of this. Auntieruth55 (talk) 19:35, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The Hounslow website shouldn't really cause an issue; although it requests cookies, it's a legitimate local government website and the link certainly works. It's only used as a citation for the location of her grave, which isn't (or shouldn't be) contentious (especially given that the reference in question is immediately next to a photograph, taken less than a month ago, of a large red gravestone with "Alice Ayres" carved on it). I used the local authority because – as the responsible body (sic) for the cemetery – they're the most reliable source for who they have buried there. It's easily replaced if it causes problems.
I considered alternative wordings for the alt-text, but in the end went with "the style of Edward Burne-Jones". It's such a distinctive style, and doesn't really have an alternative name as it's so associated with him. I think it's possible for alt-text to get patronising; yes, it's useful to describe images for the benefit of the visually impaired or those using screen readers, but our blind readers are able to look up Edward Burne-Jones if they want more of an explanation. I'll wait and see what the "alt text regulars" say on the matter. – iridescent 19:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
When I first reviewed this article I thought the alt text was OK and so was silent. I was just now asked to give an opinion here and so here it is. I agree that visually-impaired readers can look up Burne-Jones to interpret the alt text, and that the article should not patronize readers in alt text any more than it should patronize them in article text. On the other hand, WP:ALT #Phrases to avoid suggests to avoid details such as whether an image is a photograph, or whether it's black-and-white. In this particular image the style is striking; still, since the article focuses on the image's content rather than its style, the alt text should too, and I suggest that the alt text should lead with the content and put the stylistic issues toward the end. Eubulides (talk) 16:54, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The reason I included that "black and white engraving" is because the accompanying text talks about a painting, but the image used is an drawing of the painting, rather than the painting itself. It can certainly be taken out if you don't think it's useful including it. – iridescent 15:53, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It's no big deal and it's fine either way. But now that you've drawn my attention to the adjacent article text (which I hadn't read before) doesn't WP:ALT#Repetition apply here? The alt text need not repeat description that already appears in adjacent text. Eubulides (talk) 04:35, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good point - that's an artifact of me copying the alt-text from another article which didn't give the wording in the text. Removed. – iridescent 18:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC) Actually, I think it makes sense leaving it here even though it means repetition. It needs (I think) to be described in the text—I assume many readers would have no reason to recognise a 19th century British naval or London Fire Brigade uniform and thus would miss the significance were it not explained—but removing the description from the alt-text would leave a confusing "why isn't this being described?" gap to those using screen readers. – iridescent 19:34, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
There nothing wrong with cookies. Checklinks only posts a message since it could confirm that the link was not dead. — Dispenser 04:12, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sources, dabs, links All fine. RB88 (T) 01:49, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support. Great article; fascinating; places the subject in broader descriptive and analytical frameworks. This is impressive work. hamiltonstone (talk) 04:31, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review: No issues. Stifle (talk) 15:28, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I read this article the other day, while reviewing the related Postman's Park FA, and thought then that it was very well put together. JN466 20:54, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment This isn't anything that would keep this article from qualifying to be a FA, but I noticed that the two articles Postman's_Park and Alice_Ayres use two different pictures of the same tiles (File:AliceAyres.jpg and File:Alice_Ayres.jpg) and the picture used in the Alice Ayers article is the one of lower quality. Caleb Jontalk 06:56, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Don't agree with this one at all, quite aside from "quality" being entirely subjective. The image used in this article shows the memorial tile front-on, and is used to make the text as visible as possible as it's the wording of the memorial that's being illustrated; the image used in Postman's Park is photographed from an angle, encompasses a broader swathe of the surrounding area, and is used to illustrate William De Morgan's tiling designs. – iridescent 15:48, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support with a few comments (finally remembered to look at this):
    • "A secular canonisation"
      • Might want to link "mechanisation in agriculture" to threshing machine, which has a brief section on its impact, or to Swing Riots which expands on the theme.
      • Whilst some of the traditional relationships between the labouring rural poor and the Lord of the Manor might have endured up to the start of the industrial revolution, feudalism, with all its connotations of serfs, villiens and droit de seigneur, had effectively died out by the end of the Tudor period.
      • Clarify that the Albert medal was the first civilian bravery award rather than first civilian honour.
    • Depiction in literature and art
      • "Ayres was coming to be seen..." needs to have some sort of time related anchor to indicate when this was happening. The following paragraph starts "In 1890" so presumably this paragraph relates to the late 1880s.
      • "F. J. Cross's influential Beneath the Banner, who remarked..." should probably be "F. J. Cross's influential Beneath the Banner, in which he remarked..."
    • Changing attitudes and differing perceptions
      • Is it clear that the misrepresentation of her relationship to the Chandlers was deliberate? Could it have simply been that, as none of the adults survived, it was not realised at the time of her death that she was the children's aunt and some of the later retellers of her story did not know?

--DavidCane (talk) 22:06, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • I don't link "mechanisation of agriculture" just because there are so many things to which it could be linked - everything from threshing machine to cotton gin to superphosphate. If it were linked to anything, it ought to be British Agricultural Revolution, but that article is such a mess I don't really want to direct people towards it. Frankly, if someone doesn't know what "mechanisation" or "agriculture" means, they probably haven't worked out how to turn their computer on yet.
  • I'm carefully using the phrase "feudal economy", not feudalism. It can be sourced to pretty much any economic history of Europe that the British feudal economy—as opposed to the feudal society—ends with the Inclosure Acts of the 18th & 19th centuries.
  • As far as I'm aware, the Albert Medal was the first British official honour open to civilians of all classes (unless you count the Sea Gallantry Medal) not just the first bravery award; earlier official honours given to civilians, such as Freedom of the City of London, were only awarded to landowners or members of particular companies or guilds which weren't open to the peasantry. The Victoria Cross was the first British honour awarded to all classes, but was explicitly for military personnel.
  • Added a date for "was coming to be seen"
  • Reworded.
  • It's impossible to speculate on motives, unless someone were find "Note to self: must fabricate sources" in a diary. While some of those later covering the story (including Watts) were presumably relying on secondary sources and thus didn't know that Ayres and the Chandlers were related, it's stretching things beyond reasonable doubt to believe that those writing at the time weren't aware. The adults died in the fire, true, but most of the eyewitnesses to the fire would have been neighbours who would have known what Ayres's relationship to the family was; Ayres survived for two days after the fire and gave a full testimony of what happened; the award from the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire was given to Alice's father who (one would hope) would have been aware that two of his daughters, his son-in-law and two of his grandchildren were dead and would have had no reason to hide the fact. – iridescent 20:01, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Not sure if you've seen these as there are no references to The Times in the article:
      • The Times report of the inquest into the fire (28 April 1885 edition) records that Charles Chandler, Henry's brother and manager of the shop, made it clear that Alice was not a domestic servant but Mary's sister; so the relationship was public knowledge at the time.
      • At the inquest on Alice Ayres' death (The Times 30 April), her relationship was repeated by Frederick Ayres (described as a Butler). Her father's address is given as 33 Magdala Streeet, Isleworth. Alice's statement is reported by her father that she raised the alarm with Henry and Mary then returned to the children. An eyewitness account from a police Sergeant Hazel states that she landed head first on the "bed" rather than missing it.--DavidCane (talk) 22:24, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • It was definitely known and reported from the start that she was related to the Chandlers, which is the point I was trying to make above and in the article (that history was retrospectively rewritten to hide the relationship, rather than just good-faith misreporting).
        • Hadn't seen the second Times source you mention. Local papers (the South London Press, Southwark Recorder and South London Observer) say she hit the pavement, and I'm marginally more inclined to believe those as they're more likely to have been based on eyewitness accounts. Given that the "bed" was being held up, I'd have thought that even landing on it head-first wouldn't have caused fatal spinal injuries (OR, I know). Beneath the Banner - which admittedly is a decidedly unreliable source - says "She jumped—but, to the horror of that anxious admiring throng below, her body struck against the projecting shop-sign, and rebounded, falling with terrific force on to the hard pavement below", which does seem to be the version of events given by most accounts at the time. (Assuming this drawing is accurate, and I've no reason to doubt it, that seems to make sense as well.) – iridescent 22:39, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Suggestion: this should be renamed to Death of Alice Ayres – it's almost entirely about her death. Her actual life is described in one paragraph. It's not so much Alice Ayre's life, but more for her death. As you say in the nomination, the reaction to her death is what makes her notable. She was just an ordinary servant. Majorly talk 16:13, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I'd oppose that. Articles on people who are only famous due to the manner of their deaths aren't particularly unusual on Wikipedia, and Johnny Micheal Spann, William George Hawtry Bankes, Rachel Corrie, 'H'. Jones, Mary Jo Kopechne etc are all at their name rather than "Death of...". Murder victims are an exception because in their case, it's been decided that the crime is what's notable; plus, in these cases the murderer is sometimes more notable than the victim, and it avoids messy problems with naming. In Ayres's case, it's her death that made her notable, but it's the very fact that so little of her life was documented that allowed movements from the suffragettes to the white supremacists, to project their own ideas that she'd led whatever they happened to consider a perfect life; that's why that long quote from Beneath the Banner ("She had tried to do her best always. Her loving tenderness to the children committed to her care and her pure gentle life were remarked by those around her before there was any thought of her dying a heroic death. So, when the great trial came, she was prepared; and what seems to us Divine unselfishness appeared to her but simple duty.") is included. I didn't want this article to become a quotefarm, and intentionally limited the art-and-literature to a representative sample illustrating the development of descriptions of her life and death, the way she fit into the whole peculiarly Victorian "die a good death" cult, and how those promoting the then-modern concept of secular heroism were appropriating the iconography of the disintegrating Church of England. Go through inspirational books and poetry collections from the late 19th century and you'll find reams of the stuff. – iridescent 19:29, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I think the current title works and conforms better to the principle of least surprise. --JN466 19:19, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Generally support, 1a. I say "generally" because I haven't been through the whole article. Please note User:Tony1/Beginners'_guide_to_the_Manual_of_Style#Hyphens.2A: not normally after -ly. The relationship between some of the clauses needed slight repairs—just something to watch in the future. Tony (talk) 09:56, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • With the exception of "present-day", "well-received" and so on (where I think the hyphens make it flow more naturally) I'm not seeing any hyphens even potentially out of place, other than in direct quotations (where I've preserved the original syntax, even though Victorian Southern English punctuation, spelling and capitalisation can look strange to modern eyes) - definitely not saying you're wrong, but can you point out the sort of thing you mean? – iridescent 17:58, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support on sourcing. I was asked to check something on the page a while ago and performed a spot source check. Iridescent is normally very good with sources and the article reflected this. I don't think the page has really changed since that time, and I didn't find any problems. In terms of the rest of the page, the story was always a strong one, so, I'm a little biased towards it. The power of the story carries over into the Wikipedia version, which is good. Ottava Rima (talk) 02:21, 26 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [17].

Crown Fountain edit

Nominator(s): TonyTheTiger (talk · contribs), Torsodog (talk · contribs)


I am nominating this for featured article because we have attempted to address the concerns of prior WP:FACs and hope to make progress toward WP:CHIFTD. Namely, Torsodog has provided a video which eliminated the need for a series of FU images. We are willing to discuss any further image removals and address other concerns that arise. TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 02:03, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I just noticed that this would be the first WP:FA for WP:GLASS.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 05:29, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Last month both Ruhrfisch and Giants2008 reviewed this at WP:PR.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Alt text done; thanks. Most images have alt text as per WP:ALT (thanks) but some work is needed. The lead (infobox) image lacks alt text, as does File:Crown fountain spouting.ogg. The following proper names are not obvious to a non-expert who is looking only at the image and need to be reworded or removed as per WP:ALT: "Chicago Picasso", "Buckingham Fountain", "Fountain of the Great Lakes", "Fountain of Time". Also, a minor thing: I suggest rewording "Crown Fountain" to "The fountain" in most of the alt text entries (e.g., "Crown Fountain spouting water on frolicking children" should be "The fountain spouts water on frolicking children") to avoid needless repetition. Eubulides (talk) 14:38, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think I have fixed what you wanted. How is it now?--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:08, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Looks good, except that the wrong syntax was used for the lead image so its alt text didn't work. You can check this sort of thing by clicking on the image's properties with your browser after making your edits. Also, since it's the lead image for a weird-looking object, there's a special obligation to describe the visual appearance to the visually impaired, so I added more detail as I was fixing it. Eubulides (talk) 16:44, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment I supported last time< & still think it meets FA standards. Looking at it again, the "video production" section could be made clearer as to the total time time taken per face, and what the water does when. Johnbod (talk) 10:54, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I have revised the text based on my interpretation of conflicting information in the source, which at one point suggests that most of the video is at one-third playback and another saying that the entire 5-minute videos are alterations of an original 80-second video. If you feel I have misinterpreted the source let me know.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 12:59, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have no idea about the source, & I don't necessarily see "conflicting information" there. It just isn't clear. Is 5 minutes in the section? Johnbod (talk) 14:11, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The source says the following things:
  • And with the unique treatment Plensa was after -- vividly alive, yet slowed down to one-third normal speed
  • And time had to be stretched too. "Jaume's original idea was that each person would be on the screen for 13 minutes -- thank God we were able to talk him out of it," says Manning. "It's five minutes now." So Manning devised a scheme in which his team could shoot each person for only 80 seconds, then turn that it into five minutes. Each chunk, or sequence, was synchronized to match the mechanism of the fountain, for a total of five minutes for each face. "The period leading up to the mouth opening gets stretched in order to make it last four minutes, then there's another section that gets stretched to make it last 15 seconds, and then when the mouth is actually opened that gets stretched to make it last exactly 30 seconds. And then, finally, there's a smile at the end that gets stretched to make it last 15."
Now the text says the following: The basic 80-second videos are played at one-third speed, running for a total of 4 minutes. Then there is another subsequent segment where the mouth is puckering that gets stretched to 15 seconds. This is followed by a section with the mouth open and the water appears to spout out of it that is stretched to last for 30 seconds while the water is spouting. Finally, there is a smile after the completion of the water spouting that gets stretched to last for 15 seconds.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:21, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, I see you have just added the "4 minutes" bit. But don't expect the reader to do maths; say it's a 5 minute sequence somewhere. And how does the water running down the face fit in? Is that all the time? Johnbod (talk) 14:29, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I found another quote that helps me make sense of the time totals.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 16:40, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, thanks, that's much clearer, & I see the "fountain" sub-section too. Move to
  • Support per above (unless anything drastic comes up below). Johnbod (talk) 02:18, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 23:57, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – Gave it a partial look at the peer review, and am picking up where I left off. Found a few picky things, but the article is in fairly good shape overall.
  • "The process used sand and soda ash heated to a temperaure of 2,600 F and "gathered" with large clay ball resembling a honey dipper." Should it be "a large clay ball"?
  • "The structure was a challenge. At first, they had considered switching to plastic blocks". Is "they" supposed to refer to the design team? If so, the first part of this could be changed to say so for clarity.
  • Operation: "A Barco show controller selects the sequence of faces one at a time and also determines a random tower lighting selection...". Redundant word that can safely be chopped.
  • Controversies: "The city claimed the cameras, similar to those used throughout city...". Add "the" before second "city".
  • Critical reception: Double-check the spelling of jumbotron. I think there are a couple of capital letters in it.
  • Is "juxtapposed" a typo? Giants2008 (17–14) 21:46, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Provisional support pending media review. Article seems to be pretty well-written and well-sourced. There are a few non-free media files included, so I want to see a completed image review before fully supporting. Giants2008 (17–14) 02:23, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comments on copyedit by Unschool (talk · contribs)
Hmmm. Does this work like a regular discussion page? Am I to respond with my justifications, or am I to make corrections? I shall presume that I should reply to each point. Unschool
Typically, you would place comments for me the nominator. However, since you jumped in and edited without commentary, I am just noting contentious actions here because discussion might evolve and it should be recorded here as part of the summary of discussions for the promotion consideration.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 04:55, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You have removed the detail of the specific dates that the fountain is open from the article (May 1 to approximately October 31).
I suppose the detail should not have been removed from the article. If it hasn't yet been restored, I will do so. However, I do not believe it belongs in the lead; it's simply unnecessary detail. I'll find an appropriate place for it in the body.Unschool
It looks good now.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 04:53, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You have removed the following from the main body of the article (Crown Fountain was the most controversial of all the Millennium Park features.)--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 02:15, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, yes, I did, and I think the article is better for it. I placed the sentence in the lead, where it fit beautifully, and the paragraph whence it came is literally undamaged by the removal. That sentence was a major point of the article, and as such it belonged in the lead. Unschool 04:40, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
O.K. I guess.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 04:53, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, everyone, I didn't (and still don't, really) understand the process around here. Yes, I am done with the article; I just touched it up a bit and then moved on. Didn't realize I was gumming up the works around here. Unschool 01:04, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Am I supposed to strike out some lines? Do I strike out everything I wrote, and/or the replies to what I wrote, or what? Unschool 01:05, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Strike any line that you think has been resolved. Actually, those are my comments and questions to you, so I strike.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 01:57, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Question (if it's okay to put a question here)

No, it doesn't seem any higher resolution that the one now on there.Unschool
This one is pretty good, probably gives the best image of the glass brick towers themselves. Unschool
I really like the crowds around the fountain in this one; the only thing that keeps this from being my only choice is the (really picky point here) fact that the fountain isn't lined up so well with the lips. Unschool
No way. Unschool
This one is pretty good, too. Unschool
I'd be okay with any of the three of which I spoke positively: wildcat dunny, sergemelki, or albany tim. Unschool 02:48, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This article is going to be reviewed by an image specialist. If I recall, there may be some limitations regarding the resolution of fair use images. So the one above that you ruled out for lack of resolution might need to be reconsidered for its clarity and vibrance. We might have to scale back any selection to a modest resolution to keep in line with WP:NFCC.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:06, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Unfortunately, Tony is right. Since these images are used under fair use, we cannot use the highest resolutions available to us. If you still want to change out the image, we can, but I would not use any image higher than the "medium" setting on flickr. I personally don't have a problem with the infobox image, but if everyone agrees that another one is better, I can switch it out. --TorsodogTalk 03:24, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Okay, well, I've got a lot to learn about that stuff. Thanks for trying. Unschool 04:31, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

←I have obtained consent and have swapped out the offending image.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 18:57, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • "Opposing towers that are 50 feet (15 m) tall represent Plensa's theme dualism at night facing north with water cascading|alt=Night view of the fountain shows water cascading, ground lighting and face video" This caption is a bit of a run-on. If it's a sentence, it should have a period at the end. Dabomb87 (talk) 03:24, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support This is a beautifully done article. I enjoyed reading it, found it informative and interesting. I had a few comments on the section on video photography, mainly related to prose. It was the only part that I found confusing. I've included my suggestions in bold.

About Approximately 75 ethnic, social, and religious Chicago organizations were asked to provide candidates whose faces would be to be photographed for integration into the fountain.'[29] The subjects for the faces were chosen from local schools, churches and community groups, and filming began in 2001 at the downtown campus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). The SAIC students filmed their subjects with a $100,000 high-definition HDW-F900 video camera, the same model as those used in the production of the three Star Wars prequels.[18][30] About 20 SAIC students took part in what became an informal master's level course in public art for the project.[29] ...
Each face appears on the sculpture for a total of 5 minutes using various parts of 80-second videos.[18](???) A 40-second section is played at one-third speed forward and backward, running for a total of 4 minutes.[10] Then, there is a subsequent 15 second segment where in which the mouth is puckering that gets stretched to 15 seconds. This is followed by a 30 second section in which the water appears to spout from the open mouth with the mouth open and the water appears to spout out of it that is stretched to last for 30 seconds while the water is spouting. Finally, there is a 15 second smile. after the completion of the water spouting that gets stretched to last for 15 seconds.[18] Of the original 1,051 subjects filmed, 960 videos were determined to be usable for the project.[10] Originally, the set of images was presumed to be the beginning of a work in progress, but now no additional videos are planned.[29 ]

In the 2nd paragraph, I don't understand the first sentence. I've suggested some other tweaks to help the text. Auntieruth55 (talk) 23:16, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

This sentence means that the SAIC students shot each subject for 80 seconds. These 80 seconds are used to produce five minutes of video as the remainder of the paragraph details. I am not exactly sure where you are confused and where I have been unclear. I think we have the first paragraph down. Please reconsider the second paragraph given this explanation. I had trouble with the prior instructions because your wishes for the 2nd paragraph were not as clear as the first.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 04:19, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Tony, I added some commas and a couple of words to help the clarity. See if that works for you. Plus changed "now" to as of 2009. Auntieruth55 (talk) 13:26, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I made one revision to clarify that the last segment is also extended. Everything else is fine.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 13:53, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Tony, nice work! Auntieruth55 (talk) 14:20, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • A non-free video is really not a good thing. I advise replacing it with a single image in the infobox. I strongly oppose promotion while the video remains. J Milburn (talk) 14:10, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • The image reviewer just approved this by clipping this down from 50 seconds to what he/she determined to be an acceptable amount of non-free content. The understanding of this article is somewhat dependent on this two second video clip. Note that this has replaced four images (a main image and a sequence of three images) that were in the article at FAC3. Is it possible that you could talk to the very conservative image reviewer Elcobbola (talk · contribs) and come to an agreement on some sort of compromise. I am willing to put an image as the main image and move the video down to the body of the article, but am not sure what is best since the image reviewer opposed the redundancy of the image and the video and asked us to remove the image. In short your opposition is asking us to undo what has been done by and for the image reviewer.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:19, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I'm asking you to remove the non-free video. This is a horrible slippery slope that we don't want to get ourselves involved with. Why is a single image not acceptable? A single frame from that video surely illustrates the work of art in a satisfactory way? Why do we need a video at all? J Milburn (talk) 14:24, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • The video replaces a sequence of exemplifying detail shown in the Crown_Fountain#Video_production and Crown_Fountain#Video_sculpture sections so that the reader could see the face, the puckering and the spouting. I am not an expert on image policy. Could you talk to Elcobbola (talk · contribs). I will do whatever the two of you agree to as a solution since I would revert to the sequence of non-free images. This is a rare video sculpture and Ruhrfisch (talk · contribs) thought a short video clip would help the reader. I guess the thinking was that a video of a video sculpture might be a rare exception for non-free video content.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:32, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Elcobbola seems to concede on his own talk page that your request is reasonable. I have reverted to the still image.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:39, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • I think that lead image would have to be considered a derivative work, and therefore non-free. There is no freedom of panorama for works of art of this sort in the United States. A quick look at the other images makes me think that they are not derivative works, but further review of the "other fountains" may be needed. J Milburn (talk) 14:45, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • O.K. so you still have the strong oppose stated and no clear directive. I await your further comments.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:50, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • If you are deliberating on the inclusion of the other fountains. You may remove them if you feel that is necessary and then hopefully you can strike your oppose.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 14:51, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                • I said that I "strongly oppose promotion while the video remains", and the video has now been removed. So no, I no longer strongly oppose. I will take a deeper look at the images now. J Milburn (talk) 15:33, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                  • File:20070621 Crown Fountain Water.JPG needs fixing up- it cannot be both freely licensed and non-free. In this case, it seems it is non-free, although details about the author of the photo itself is, naturally, useful. File:20080728 Crown Fountain at night (flank view) of south tower.jpg has an in-image caption that needs to be cropped. I am a little concerned about the copyright of the other fountains, but I don't want to look into that right now. J Milburn (talk) 15:49, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                    • I have cropped and replaced File:20080728 Crown Fountain at night (flank view) of south tower.jpg.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 16:17, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                    • Feel free to correct any misunderstanding that I have about licensing, but wrt File:20070621 Crown Fountain Water.JPG, I believe that there are two licenses. The photographer may freely release his photographic copyright of a non-free image giving rise to both a free and a non-free license.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 16:20, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                      • Yes, but for Wikipedia's purposes, this image is non-free. Mention that you are the photographer and that you release the image under (whatever), but the only tag on the image page should be the non-free one. J Milburn (talk) 09:49, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                        • I have been through this debate on many modern sculptures with many image reviewers and have been told by many people that I must release my photographic copyright. I have reworded and rearranged significantly. Is this change palatable?--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 13:54, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                          • No. Quite simply, this image is non-free. Yes, mention in the sourcing that you took the image and you are releasing it under whatever, but the free license templates should not be there. No image should be tagged as both free and non-free. They are mutually exclusive. J Milburn (talk) 17:51, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support (from Ruhrfisch) In the interest of full disclosure, I made the map and have made some edits here (mostly during a previous FAC, plus some now). My previous concern at FAC was with the number of non-free images and that has clearly been addressed here. I have a few questions / quibbles (that do not detract from my support):

  • This sentence After several dozen glass manufacuturing firms were interviewed, L. E. Smith Glass Company emerged as the company to produce 22,500 glass blocks near the upward bound for the size of press glass formed from hand poured molten glass and cast iron molds.[36] would "upper limit" or perhaps "upper boundary" make more sense than "upward bound"? Also shouldn't it be "hand-poured" (with a hyphen)?
  • Confusing - I think the second "and" should be "or" and a word seems to be missing The individual grids are 5 feet (1.5 m) tall and either 16 feet (4.9 m) and [or?] 23 feet (7.0 m) [wide? - missing word] with cell capacity of an average of 250 blocks.[38]
    • Yes either goes along with or. I presume the missing word is wide. I do not have the source with me. I will put in wide for now. Next time I am at my local library, I will check.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 01:44, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Apparent contradiction: In the Selection of artist section it reads The installation is a video sculpture, commissioned to operate thirty years.[21] but in the Construction and engineering section it says The electronics were designed to be adaptable to the time of day, weather and season and to meet the desired century-long longevity and dependability objectives.[3] Which is it (30 years or 100)?
    • These are actually complimentary and not contradictory. As I understand it the commission means that Plensa was chosen to design something that would last 30 years. Plensa and the designers then set a 100 year design objective and the electronics were designed to meet that specification.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 02:13, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should have both English and metric units The water in the reflecting pool has a depth of about 1/3 of a centimeter.[55]
  • Would this Traditional fountains such as these other Chicago fountains discourage viewer touching;... be clearer as something like These other Chicago fountains are traditional in that they discourage viewer touching;...?

I have to go now, may have a few more quibbles, but this is much improved and worthy of FA status. Well done! Ruhrfisch ><>°° 21:31, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I am done with quibbles and have made a few more copyedits - please revert if I have made things worse or introduced any errors. Ruhrfisch ><>°° 22:11, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose for now Support

The article is almost there, but some deficiencies remain, and these need to be removed. There seems to be too much Wikilinking, too much jargon, and too many peacock terms than befits a featured article. I think this can be fixed in short order, a day or two max. Here are some examples:

You get the idea. Please simplify, remove excessive Wikilinks, jargon, and peacocky terms. I will then be delighted to support the article. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 02:42, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

If you don't want to repeat "fountain," that is fine, but you do need to give some sense in the lead sentence that water is an essential feature of this interactivity. As for the Loop, I doubt if a new reader is going to gain much essential knowledge by being distracted in the very first sentence and sent off on a wild goose chase for the "Loop" in the Community areas of Chicago page. The Chicago Loop page is enough; it has a map which shows where it sits in relation to the city. The reader doesn't need to be saddled with additional info that the Loop is community area number 32 etc. etc. or even that Chicago has "community areas." Perhaps, something along the lines of,

"Crown Fountain in Chicago is a work of public art that combines interactive aquatic play and video sculpture. The park is located in the city's new Millennium Park, between Lake Michigan and the Loop central business district."

In any case, since your article is almost there, and since I'm strapped for time, I'm changing my vote to a support. Although I am not entirely happy with the lead and the first subsection after that, I have to say the rest of the article is very well written and packed with a lot of details. Congrats! Fowler&fowler«Talk» 15:32, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [20].

Henry Wells (general) edit

Nominator(s): Abraham, B.S. (talk) 05:03, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I believe it satisfies the criteria. Biographical article on an Australian lieutenant general, who served as a senior officer in the Second World War, was the administrative head of all Commonwealth forces in the Korean War, and whose career culminated with his appointment as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee; the professional head of the Australian Military. Article has been passed as both a Good Article and a WP:MILHIST A-Class article. Any and all comments welcome! Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 05:03, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Alt text is present and is of good quality (thanks). One thing, though: the alt text for the lead image should help the visually-impaired reader get the gist of what Wells looked like. What enormously bushy eyebrows the man had! At least that should be mentioned. Please see WP:ALT#Portraits. Eubulides (talk) 06:44, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Lol. Have added a little about his short, thinning hair and large bushy eyebrows. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 06:48, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, it looks good. Eubulides (talk) 07:12, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 19:50, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the review, mate. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 02:48, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This unfortunately appears to be true, the source page is http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/HOB/56/0630/MC (the template used on the image page doesn't seem to be working quite right), and the image still has copyright claimed by the AWM, and is dated after the 1955 cut-off for PD_AUS. David Underdown (talk) 15:35, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
After a quick poke around on teh AWM website, there are quite a few photogrpahs from the Korean War period which should be OK copyright-wise, and would fit equally well in the relevant section of hte article. This may take you to search results, but may be session dependent, otherwise go to http://www.awm.gov.au/database/cas.asp enter henry wells as the search terms, and pick Korean War, 1950-1953 from the dropdown - I got 22 image hits. David Underdown (talk) 15:41, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No, this is not exactly the case. Australian Government photographs (criterion E on the template) states that Government held or owned photographs, such as this one, are copyright free after 50 years; this was taken 53 years ago. Additionally, this photo was tagged as copyright free on the AWM website when I uploaded it. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 22:21, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Can we verify that it is definitely a government-owned image? Stifle (talk) 14:53, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As I stated on the image's listing, it was taken by an employee of the Australian Government in a capacity of his duties and is owned/held by the Australian War Memorial, meaning that it is government owned. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 14:58, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This excellent article easily meets the FA criteria; great work. Nick-D (talk) 23:46, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the review, Nick. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 02:18, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support: very well done in my opinion although I was disappointed that there was no mention of the street that is named after him in the residential area at Duntroon...I jest, of course, but it does exist (I used to live there). — AustralianRupert (talk) 13:29, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Lol. Thanks for the review, mate. I'll see if I can find a ref for the street. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 13:43, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You can confirm that here Nick-D (talk) 11:03, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, Nick! I had a look around and couldn't find anything. Will add this in now. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 11:32, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the review, YellowMonkey. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 03:28, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [21].

The Dark Side of the Moon edit

Nominator(s): Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:10, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


The last time this was nominated, most of the discussion centred around the use of NFCC content. I'm renominating now because the other issues within that FAC have been addressed, and all that now remains is discussion of the NFCC images used (and for some users, perhaps the audio clips also). One of the NFCC cover images has since been deleted. All NFCC content is referenced and discussed within the article, and I believe its presence is more than justified in an article about one of the most famous and biggest-selling rock albums in history. Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:10, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Though I will not be reviewing, I'd just like to see the description for the mobile fidelity CD changed to fair use. It will undoubtedly be brought up if not. - ʄɭoʏɗiaɲ τ ¢ 16:40, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I agree it should be fair use, as the point of that image seems to be the copyrighted material (and perhaps the gold-plated-ness, which is a bit hard to make out there with the disc art anyway). If I knew how I'd quick-move it out of Commons and to en.wikipedia for shrinking and FUR-ing and whatever. Parrot of Doom is very much not "the copyright holder of this work", as much as this free content fan would like him to be. :) --an odd name 04:12, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm no expert on copyright or images. Can anyone help fix whatever is wrong with this? Parrot of Doom (talk) 20:44, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. The commons image must be deleted (No fair use at commons), so I had to upload the image to wikipedia under a new name. The article has been updated to the new image. You may wish to check it out to make sure I got the information correct, as I don't own this version of the cd. - ʄɭoʏɗiaɲ τ ¢ 16:22, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Looks good to me. The resolution on the FUI one is just right; any smaller and the gold-ness and general design would be tough to discern. --an odd name 00:28, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Source comments: What makes these reliable?

Dabs and links All fine. RB88 (T) 20:02, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Further comments:

  • http://www.everyhit.com is not considered reliable. Use http://www.acharts.us instead.
    • Well if I did that, I'd have to explain why acharts.us is reliable considering it isn't included in the list of review sites at WP:ALBUM. Actually though I don't mind deleting those table entries that use this reference, as they add little to the article. I've moved them to the talk page until they can be more reliably referenced. Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:13, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • acharts.us is reliable per WP:CHARTS. You can use it without fear. RB88 (T) 19:31, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • For refs 130-132 and for chart placings in general, use this [22].
    • Ditto the above really. Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:13, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Ultratop is the Belgian chart body. The website is the most comprehensive available for EU/AUS charts. Again see WP:CHARTS. RB88 (T) 19:31, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've also written a detailed rundown on referencing on the talk page here. RB88 (T) 18:33, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I've replied to that rundown on that page. Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:13, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I've replied to your comments there. RB88 (T) 19:31, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - with regard to criteria 1a-e, 2a-c, 3 and 4. There are no facts that are likely to be contested. The nominator has bent over backwards to reach a consensus, both here and at previous nominations. This is the best article about this ground-breaking album on the internet. A few choices of prose style remain, which I would not use—such as "The Dark Side of the Moon builds upon previous experiments Pink Floyd had attempted in their live shows"—but I fully support this candidate. Graham Colm Talk 20:49, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support (1a). Looks well-written.

  • "Mental illness" linked at the top? Which one was it? I think that link-target is dangerously general! Consider no link. Linking technique otherwise looks good, but not London, please (WP:LINKING).
    • Nobody really knows. Its impossible therefore to be specific especially as Barrett's unstable condition may or may not have been a result of his drug use. The album is similarly ambiguous, and therefore I think its best the article is also so. Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "It would subsequently remain on the charts for 741 weeks (fourteen years)": Oh .. my .. god. Language: please consider "It remained on the ...". And see "Comparable quantities" at MOS?
    • This wouldn't really be appropriate, since the album has dropped out of the chart on a few occasions. In fact the precise chart history of the album is difficult to fathom as the chart qualifications have changed over time. A joe-public version would be "It stayed in the charts for ages, longer than anything else, although sometimes it dropped out for a bit". Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Melody Maker was however less enthusiastic—"Musically, there were some great ideas, but the sound effects often left me wondering if I was in a bird-cage at London zoo." Perhaps a colon rather than an em dash?
    • Good point, since the quote is an entire sentence. I've changed it. Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "upon"—consider plain English nowadays: "on".
    • I understand your point, however I am a fan of typically British words, and Pink Floyd are a very British band. Either usage is correct. Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "turning point" – I think better hyphenated in that sentence. See what you think.
  • "there are five tracks on each side, each one linked to reflect the various stages of human life"—not sure about "linked" ("each reflecting the various"?). Just after that, comma before "according".
    • With the exception of The Great Gig in the Sky and Money (split because of the limitations of the Vinyl format), each track segues into the other. Linked may be a poor choice of words, but they're all very much linked together. Can you suggest a better word? Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • It could be reworded to say that "the album is one continuous piece of music that is split into two halves (Due to the technical limitations of vinyl records). Each half is further split(divided) into 5 tracks, each of which reflects various stages of human life." It's lengthy (and knowing me, a grammatical nightmare), but you can't fit so much information into a single sentence without it reading strangely - ʄɭoʏɗiaɲ τ ¢ 15:59, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image sizes: can we have them a bit bigger? Try 230px for Abbey, and especially the detail in the synthesiser significantly larger. And that great b/w pic of the concert at Earl's Court: what a waste to shrink it to almost nothing. More generous sizes? I'd boost that one to see the detail: it's superb.
    • I'm not a fan of specifying image sizes, unless there's a particular reason. My preference is to use the default size, logged-in users can change default image sizes in the options. While the images may appear small on a regular screen (say 1650px), on a laptop at anything below 1280px larger images take up a huge amount of space and lead to inconsistencies in the layout. Parrot of Doom (talk) 15:49, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Torry. Torry"
  • —"I've been mad for fucking years—absolutely years". Again, please rethink the incoming dash.
  • Please don't link "United States", "UK", "Australia", etc.

Haven't looked at the bottom half, but I trust it already. You might arrange a sift-through by someone else, but it would be a quick job. Tony (talk) 15:20, 17 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - As per the last FAC. Excellent work. ceranthor 21:12, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments Looks good. I was watching this during the previous FAC but it was undergoing constant significant change which made it difficult to review. Seems to have settled down nicely now. Comprehensive with good prose.

  • "the album built on the ideas Pink Floyd had explored in their live shows and previous recordings, but it lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure of founding member, principal composer and lyricist, Syd Barrett." Currently this allows for Barrett having departed either before or after this album; suggest making it explicit (perhaps "that had characterised their work since 1968 following the departure...").
  • "The Dark Side of the Moon was an immediate success, topping the Billboard 200 for one week. It would subsequently remain on the charts for 741 weeks (fourteen years)" - surely straight past tense is preferable in this case ("It subsequently remained...")
  • "Dates in North America followed before the band flew to London to begin recording the album, from 24 May–25 June." - is "24 May–25 June" the dates in North America or the beginning recording? (Also could do with "to" instead of dash.)
  • "And if the band you're in starts playing a diff'rent tune" - should be "playing different tunes".
  • "The studio was capable of sixteen track mixes which offered a greater degree of flexibility" - greater than?
  • "For several years Nick Mason had become increasingly responsible for the band's sound effects" - perhaps it's just me, but did he become it for several years?
  • "The album is a continuous piece of music split into two (because of the technical limitations of vinyl)." - I'm not sure about that. Would "Great Gig In the Sky" have segued into "Money" but for vinyl? Is there a source for this?
    • The sources don't say that the album would have been continuous but for vinyl, as there was no format at the time which could have catered for the full album (except perhaps long play tape), it wouldn't even have entered discussion. The sources I have do however mention the split. Its probably stating the obvious, but its designed to reinforce the continuity of the music - it was rare at the time for tracks to be joined so, their previous album (Meddle) still splits each track, whereas DSotM sets the trend for every album they recorded thereafter. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • Then I think the statement is WP:OR. (Also, I don't personally imagine "Great Gig" would have been segued with "Money", but that's my own WP:OR.) Given what you say above though, the point is that in contrast with Meddle etc, each side consists of segued tracks, so that's what should be stated rather than the (imo dubious) conjecture that it would have been continuous but for vinyl. PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Several tracks, including "Us and Them" and "Time", are notable for demonstrating Richard Wright and David Gilmour's ability to harmonise their voices. In The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon, a 2003 DVD documentary on the production of the album, Roger Waters attributes this to the fact that along with their talent, their voices both sound extremely similar." - "ability" doesn't really convey what is notable; "along with their talent" seems superfluous.
    • I'll lose "along with their talent", but the 'ability' and 'voices sound extremely similar' are what is notable. They're just about pitch-perfect singing together. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "She declined the first offer as she was watching Chuck Berry perform at the Hammersmith Odeon, but arranged to return on the following Sunday." - a bit colloquial and perhaps inconsequential - possibly remove?
    • I don't agree - her performance is one of the most notable features of the album, I think its worth reinforcing that she didn't really think it was all that important. She didn't even like Pink Floyd much. Its a nice progression from 'don't really care about recording it' to 'sued the band for royalties' (not that I'm casting aspersions on her character!) Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • Point taken; it's just that the tone seems colloquial and could be made more encyclopedic. When was she watching Berry? At the time the offer was made? (Unlikely; not many mobile phones in 1972, but the person who made the offer could have been sitting next to her, interrupting the concert—no wonder she declined!) Is it significant that is was a Sunday she arranged to return? We aren't told what day of the week the original offer pertained to. Was it in fact a "return"? Who instigated the return? If it was her, was "the first offer" really "the offer"? Anyway, none of this is a show-stopper for me but if that sentence can be improved, great. PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Ok, how does this read? I like the 'Sunday night', its the early 70s remember and working on a Sunday was still frowned upon. It lends a little occasion to the session. Parrot of Doom (talk) 11:30, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "In 2003 VH1 named the album's cover as their 4th-greatest album cover of all time" - should this be "the" rather than "their"?
  • "Founding member Syd Barrett had left the band in 1968, and the burden of lyrical composition had since then fallen mostly on Waters' shoulders" - can this reflect that we already know about Barrett and his departure.
  • "The Dark Side of the Moon was released first in the US on 10 March 1973, and then in the UK on 23/24 March." - does this need a footnote explaining why the date is not certain?
    • There was a discussion about this - the sources vary on the release dates, chart history seems to suggest they're wrong. I can't find which source said 23 March though, so I've stuck it at 24. If needs be we can just say "about a fortnight later". Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • Perhaps the article can say "later in March", explaining about (and citing examples of) the varying release dates? PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • ...except I can't find whatever it was that made me think it might have been the 23 March :) I'll leave it at 24 March for now (btw you can see the discussion on the 3rd talk archive page). Mason's book is probably the one I'd trust the most. Parrot of Doom (talk) 11:32, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Unusually, "Money" was released as a single on 7 May,[73] with "Any Colour You Like" on the B-side (in some countries—notably the UK—Pink Floyd had not released a single since 1968's "Point Me at the Sky")." - consider splitting sentence into two, so that it's clear what's unusual.
  • "It was something of a phenomena" - if Mason really said that, it needs sic
    • Google Books has decided I've looked long enough at Povey's book, so I'm unable to check if this is a spelling mistake or not. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • I checked for you: the book does say that, so I'll leave it with you whether you prefer to sic up the quote or substitute [...] for those 6 words etc. PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • Would you be able to do that for me? It'd be better done by someone who can still read the quote. Parrot of Doom (talk) 11:32, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "He praised the mix for other songs, particularly for "The Great Gig in the Sky"—"I tip my hat [...]" - perhaps -> particularly "The Great Gig in the Sky", saying, "I tip my hat [...]"
  • "Some of the profits were invested in the production of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The members of Pink Floyd were reportedly fans of Monty Python, to the point of interrupting recording sessions to watch Monty Python's Flying Circus." Second sentence we already know and does not need to be restated in Legacy (where it currently breaks the flow anyway).
  • "a common comparison is one made between Pink Floyd and Radiohead, specifically their 1997 album OK Computer. Although Robert Christgau commented that the album lacked "soul", calling it "arid" and "ridiculous" and comparing it unfavourably to Pink Floyd,[108] the two albums do however share a common theme: the loss of a creative individual's ability to function in the modern world.[109] Mungolian Jetset's Knut Sævik has mentioned drawing inspiration from the album" - needs reworking to be clear which of the two albums "the album" refers to each time, and whether two groups or two albums are unfavourably compared. Also "however" is superfluous.
  • "In addition to its commercial success, The Dark Side of the Moon is arguably Pink Floyd's most popular album among fans and critics" - Are we looking for arguability, or WP:Verifiability? Perhaps this assertion doesn't really add value in the Lead.
  • Blockquote used several times for short quotes (only one, two or three lines in length) - WP:MOSQUOTE) states it is for quotes of more than four lines.
    • The MOS is however a guideline, and not policy. I quite like the quotes where they are, I think they add value and shouldn't be changed - WP:IGNORE Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Not a huge deal for me personally. PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The light band emanating from the prism on the album cover is actually missing one color, Indigo. A normal prism would display a band of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet." Perhaps too much spelt out? Judicious placement of the sentence nearer the preceding wikilinked word prism might be preferable.
    • I moved the link, and corrected the US spelling. I do think its worth pointing out though, its a curious anomoly not immediately obvious. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Not convinced about the References/Notes/Footnotes/Bibliography structure. Is there a precedent for this? My thoughts are, (a) a footnote is a note at the foot of the page, and hence the Notes are footnotes too; (b) do the Notes really need separating out from the other footnotes?
    • I don't know, it isn't (IIRC) how I originally laid things out, but I do want to keep the written notes separate from the citations, if that makes sense. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:46, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Not sure what the value of keeping them separate is, but not a huge deal for me either way. PL290 (talk) 10:57, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

PL290 (talk) 23:04, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - all my concerns have been met. It's good to see an engaging and comprehensive article on this album—great work. PL290 (talk) 12:27, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support igordebraga ≠ 03:20, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SUPPORT The two principle reasons I believe that this should be a Featured Article are that it is well written (excellent grammar, not long-winded, but concise) and that it is extremely thorough and comprehensive. After reading the article, one comes away from the article clearly understanding the inspiration for the album, how the album was made, how incredibly popular the album became. The article offers all this and more. V Schauf (talk) 09:29, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support The Dark Side of the Moon is not only my favorite album of all time, but also one of my favorite Wikipedia pages to read. I cannot think of another album article that can match how much information this one gives, or how well written this one is. I learned a lot from this one, and I hope that many other albums can have articles that reach this calibur of writing. The time for it to become a featured article is long overdue. Krobertj (talk) 17:16, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [23].

Leopold Report edit

Nominator(s): María (habla conmigo) 23:35, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


And now for something completely different (for me, at least): I present the Leopold Report, a highly influential work in the field of wildlife management in US National Parks. Although it's not particularly lengthy, I've scoured the reliable sources to provide the most comprehensive article possible. It was promoted to GA-status in July and recently went through a Peer Review. Thanks, María (habla conmigo) 23:35, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support I just peer reviewed this and all of my nitpicks have already been addressed. I thought it was ready for FA when I reviewed it and the few tweaks since have only made it better. Well done, Ruhrfisch ><>°° 02:33, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - Arguably the most concise article I have ever read. ceranthor 15:22, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments A very different type of article from the ones I normally read but this was really interesting. A few tweaks though: please explain who Phillip Burnham is. You've written critic but that doesn't tell a reader anything about why he is qualified to criticise the Report. Is he an ecologist? Also, why are all the images down the right-hand side of the page? Isn't it standard to alternate them, right-left-right? -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 17:47, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Hi, EA Swyer, thanks for the great suggestions. I've added a brief intro to Burnham's qualifications, as you're quite right that he was given very little context; the sentence now reads: "Historian and author Philip Burnham in particular stated in his 2000 book, Indian Country, God's Country: Native Americans and the National Parks, that although..." I've also alternated the images, although I tend to prefer them in a neat little row. :) María (habla conmigo) 18:52, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • No, it's not "standard to alternate images left-right"; don't know where that came from. Multiple images can be staggered left-right-left – generally to avoid having a portrait looking out of the page without stranding a lone image on the left of the page – but there's certainly no requirement to. – iridescent 20:03, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support. Burnham bit looks good now. I didn't know it wasn't standard to alternate images; ignore the comment. Do what thou wilt with the images. -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 17:42, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments
  • I appreciate the "background" section is only a brief summary, but the jump between the creation of Yellowstone in 1872, and Wilson's creation of the National Park Service in 1916, seems misleading to me. It (to me) has the clear implication that national parks pre-1916 were isolated oddities, and that Wilson created the modern preservation-and-leisure driven park service. In reality, this is a major distortion; Wilson may have given the service its current name, but it was Teddy Roosevelt, years before Wilson, who de facto created the National Park Service (more federal land was set aside as national parks and nature reserves by Roosevelt than by all previous presidents combined, and prior to becoming president it was Roosevelt who pushed through the creation of Yellowstone) – they just weren't administered by a central agency.
  • Brief summary is key, yes. ;) I believe that pre-NPS history is less important to the understanding of this topic than the point of your last sentence, which is currently intimated in the article: parks like Yellowstone weren't administered by a central agency until the official creation of the NPS in 1916. If there's a clearer way to say this, however, let me know. María (habla conmigo) 21:35, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "An estimated 4,309 elk" may be what the source says, but it looks very odd. A number as precise as "4,309" implies precision; if the number isn't known, then "around 4,300" is probably less misleading.
  • "The controversy [...] shed a negative light upon the NPS" to me reads quite oddly; what does "shed a negative light upon" mean? There's a big difference between "brought poor or dangerous practices to notice that had previously not been recognized" and "caused some people who didn't understand the issues to think that the NPS were doing something wrong", and this wording could cover either extreme or any point in between. Since this was and is the main binary divide on the popular perception of environmental science, it's something that needs to be clarified as much as possible on an environmental article; was the Special Advisory Board on Wildlife Management convened to address what Udall (and presumably Kennedy) saw as an environmental mismanagement issue, or what he saw as a public relations issue?
  • I've tried to clarify this somewhat; one source in particular notes that it was considered a "crisis in public relations", but nowhere does anyone mention that Kennedy had anything to do with the formation of the board. The controversy also obviously stems from the public outlash, which was mentioned in the previous section. María (habla conmigo) 21:35, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Again, I appreciate it's cited, but "The Leopold Report was the first concrete plan for managing park visitors and ecosystems under unified principles" seems an extremely dubious claim for something written in the 1960s. The claim surely applies to, for example, England & Wales's National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, or the USA's Multiple Use - Sustained Yield Act of 1960, and I very strongly suspect that with some digging one could find similar proposals in the US at least as far back as Gifford Pinchot. (Consider the creation of the Grand Canyon Game Preserve in 1906, for example, or even the original creation of Yellowstone, which was explicitly pushed through by the Northern Pacific Railroad as an effort to create a tourist attraction on an under-used section of their route.)
  • The source specifically states that the report "represented the first serious attempt to develop a coherent plan for management of visitors and communities of plants and animals under unified principles". Emphasis mine. So, the implication may be that while there were previous systems in place, they weren't as concrete or as "serious". Several other sources say as much, although not as succinctly. María (habla conmigo) 21:35, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
All minor and certainly nothing to oppose over, and I explicitly request Sandy/Karanacs/Raul not to treat this as an oppose when closing this, but there are enough "niggling nitpicks" not to support at this stage. – iridescent 20:52, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 15:24, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 21:07, 27 September 2009 [24].

Cartman Gets an Anal Probe edit

Nominator(s): Awadewit (talk) 00:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


And now for something completely new from me. :) I agreed to help out with the South Park featured topic drive, so here I am! I've heard tell of an article that discusses this episode in terms of Cartman's homophobia, but I haven't been able to get my hands on it or even get a solid reference for it. If anyone can get me this article, I would be most grateful. Otherwise, I think I have covered the sources and I believe it meets the FA criteria. Awadewit (talk) 00:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - Nice little article (my comments are below).

The lead looks a little small. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:40, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Could you suggest some topics for addition? I thought it adequately summarized the article, but perhaps I was wrong. Awadewit (talk) 02:52, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I haven't read the article for this FAC, it just jumps out at me as small compared to the size of the article. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:59, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, size isn't everything...:) Awadewit (talk) 03:12, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

LOL.

"developed a concept based on the town of South Park and the four children." They are mentioned in the lead, but not in the body before this. Feels a little abrupt.

"Parker and Stone brought up the idea of a Mr. Hankey episode" it mentions talking poo soon after, but I don't think someone who doesn't know SP would understand.

"which Parker said was one of the main reasons he and Stone decided to sign on with the channel." ref?

I will say that I enjoy your prose. Usually at this point in a FAC, I'm commenting on words that should be changed, instead of ideas that should be explained. Nice work. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 04:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! Awadewit (talk) 07:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"South Park was part of a reaction to the culture wars" - I don't understand this. Was it part of the wars, or did Trey and Stone decide to make it in response to the wars, or ???

  • It is part of a general reaction to the culture wars - "part of a reaction to the culture wars". I'm not sure I know how to make this clearer - could you make a suggestion? Awadewit (talk) 20:26, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"when suddenly he is hit by a beam" - What kind of beam?

  • It is not entirely clear - it is alien tech, after all. Laser beam? I'm not sure. Awadewit (talk) 20:26, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"an 80-foot satellite dish" - How do you the exact height?

  • This has been in the article since I started editing it. I don't remember whether it is in the episode or not. Do you want me to rewatch the episode? Awadewit (talk) 20:37, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"wrote "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" themselves" - Is "themselves" needed?

There are two "originally"s and an "original" close together in the last paragraph of the "Production and release" section. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 18:54, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"a phrase he learns from Chef." - Should it be "learned"?

"television to indulge in such humor with The Ren and Stimpy Show" - Should the "with" be an "in"?

The para that begins "The episode employs what literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin" uses the same ref four times. That might be too many.

Is the info mentioned on the File:CartmanAnalProbeSinga.ogg page in the article? - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:48, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Yes - last paragraph of "Style and themes". Awadewit (talk) 02:39, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do you have that ref? I love the video, and I'd like to see it supported by as much prose as possible. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:42, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I recommend grabbing more info from that source, since we're kinda starting a precedent for non-free video. There may be more out there[25], and I'd like this articles use be ironclad because people will be looking to it as the only (or one of the few) FAs with NF video. With the current text, I'd have a hard time OKing the video's use, if I was doing the image check. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:05, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't really see any info that can be added. The only other source that mentions this connection doesn't say anything else than the article already has. Awadewit (talk) 03:10, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Looking to support Support

I've written a sentence by sentence critique of the lead in the subpage: Talk:Cartman_Gets_an_Anal_Probe/F&f's_rehash. Generally speaking, I'd say, you need more material about the episode itself in the lead, either of its background, or of its writing and reception. Reads well. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 13:50, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Adopted most of your suggestions. Could you let me know what details you think are missing from the lead? I'm worried about putting too much detail in the lead. Awadewit (talk) 20:52, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm a little strapped for time this morning, but I feel that the second paragraph of the lead could easily belong to a South Park (series) article. Lead content devoted more to the first episode would do a better job of drawing the reader in. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 14:53, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Added a little. Awadewit (talk) 02:33, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Looks good. I've now read the article. Very well written, especially the plot summary (which was funny). I've left two more comments (about the Background section) on the subpage. I thought the ending was slightly abrupt. Perhaps a sentence or two about Parker and Stone's response to the criticism might round it out. Changing to support. Congrats on a fine article! Fowler&fowler«Talk» 15:22, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've adopted your other suggestions. Parker and Stone haven't said much about the criticism. I tried to round out the article by having it end on an "up" note. Awadewit (talk) 19:00, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Media review: No issues. Stifle (talk) 18:25, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments—

  • Consider basing the infobox on the recently promoted FA Starvin' Marvin (South Park)—i.e., remove that long list of episodes, and replace by just next and previous episodes. Also remove the citations from the infobox, as that stuff is cited elsewhere in the article.
  • The 'Jesus vs.' shorts should be in quotes rather than italics.
  • I think more context is needed for certain items in the article. For eg: I had to click on Murphy Brown to find out what that was, and you probably should mention that Tinky Winky relates to the children's show Teletubbies. In the lead sentence, it is a little confusing as to what exactly Comedy Central is (again, compare with "Starvin' Marvin", where it is more clear).
  • The source does not provide more context. If I added the context, it would be OR. I think it is clear what Comedy Central is. Awadewit (talk) 18:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is the background section even needed for this article? It doesn't directly relate to this episode, which is understandable as it is a "background" section, but most of the info is reproduced almost verbatim in the parent article, South Park (season 1).
  • Since this is the first episode, I think it is particularly important to put it in some cultural context. Also, in my opinion, articles should be able to stand on their own - readers should not have to read the "Season 1" article to get a summary of that crucial info. Awadewit (talk) 18:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is there scope for a "Legacy" section, ie a section where the episode is retrospectively analysed? We know that "CGAAP" was received poorly by contemporary reviewers, but how does it hold when you look back? Has anybody compared this episode's ctout animation with the CGI of subsequent episodes? And finally, what is the creators' opinions of it; I know that they are rather dismissive of the initial seasons, have they said anything the pilot in particular?
  • I haven't seen anything along this line except the commentary by the creators. They talk about the huge effort they put into it and the difference between it and "Weight Gain 4000" (comments which are in the article). Awadewit (talk) 18:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Production and release" seems odd to me; how about shifting release info to the reception section and renaming it to "Release and reception"? Looking at other television articles I believe this would be standard format.
  • Considering the clip seems to only be used for discussing the song, I doubt the video is required. So to necessitate its keeping, how about also using it to discuss the animation?
  • Good idea! Added to the fair use rationale and the caption. Awadewit (talk) 18:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Err, the word "Jew" "challeng[es] the boundaries of appropriate language"?! I know what you are trying to say here, but having the word "Jew" alongside "dildo" and "fat ass", you are leaving the sentence open to gross misinterpretation! :P
  • "'Jew' (used as an insult)" - How would you do this? It is all so awkward! Awadewit (talk) 18:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

indopug (talk) 13:41, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Conditional commentSupport: My issues were resolved at the GA review, but I've noticed almost everything in "style and themes" is about the series itself - pardon if I misinterpreted it, but are they all for South Park at the point of its pilot? If so, it would be better to not say "South Park" constantly throughout the section as it leads you off from the episode and onto the series itself in a hole. The Flash {talk} 19:35, 21 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Many of the reviews for the first episode actually reviewed the first five shows together, so the comments were about all five episodes - hence South Park. Awadewit (talk) 03:02, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hm...thanks for clearing that up. The Flash {talk} 01:31, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Source comments:
  • All links and sources are fine. Kudos on using good quality for a popcult article. No dab problems in main text. The only nitpick is The Gazette link in the reflist. Have you found the accurate source? It might be wise to search AP's archives to see if they've got it since they were the ones who published it. Or an alternative publication who also used the wire news. Preferably not a Gazzette this time. ;) RB88 (T) 01:14, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, just dropped by and read the reception section. Nice work; a few comments though.

  • You jump from past to present tense in the part where the reviewer's comments are stated. The bit about the San Fransisco Chronicle, for instance, is in present tense, while the Houston Chronicle bit is in past tense. As most of the article is written in past tense, it would be better if you'd change it to that tense.
  • Quick comment; wouldn't it be better to use the background section as a sub section in the production section, because the layout you use is very strange compared to other television episode FAs.
  • The material isn't really suited to the production of this episode though - it makes much more sense as a general background section. Not all episode articles have to be exactly the same! :) Awadewit (talk) 00:56, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'll be back later to review the rest of the article, in the meantime, please consider reviewing one of my FACs, "The Ex-Girlfriend" or "The Revenge". Thank you and good luck.--Music26/11 15:00, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment - I'd just like to make the observation that the body text have dates formatted mmm dd yyyy, while the references are all dd mmm yyyy. I don't think it's a serious issue as it's WP:MOSNUM compliant in that formats within those two sections are consistent. Ohconfucius (talk) 06:36, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I enlarged one image and had a tinker at the top. Looks well-written. "80-foot" needs a metric conversion. I haven't looked properly at it. Tony (talk) 16:05, 24 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I added the conversion template, but now the grammar is broken. Before it appropriately read "80-foot" and now it reads "80 feet". Any idea how to fix this? Awadewit (talk) 03:22, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, I read the whole article and couldn't find any more flaws than what I found in the reception section. I still feel the background section would work better as a production sub section, but that's up to you. One more thing, ref 7 still has a dd mmm yyyy date format.--Music26/11 16:14, 25 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 17:18, 15 September 2009 [26].

Werner Mölders edit

Nominator(s): MisterBee1966 (talk) 08:44, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I feel that it is well researched. I am interested in anything that helps me improve the article. MisterBee1966 (talk) 08:44, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose (1a):Comment I am sorry to say that article's prose is a long way short of Featured Article standard. It looks as though a great deal of excellent research has taken place, and there is no reason why this article should not develop to the required standard. It is not there yet, however. I wonder whether, before nominating this, the nominator checked the FA criteria to see whether the article conformed to these? The following is a sample of points taken from the lead alone:-

  • The explanation of the term "flying ace" is inappropriate, given that the term is explained in the immediately previous link.
    Well I don't mind changing it here, but putting in the way it stands now was the outcome of a previous review. MisterBee1966 (talk) 11:32, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Third sentence needs reconstruction, and splitting. I suggest: "Initially rejected by the Luftwaffe because of air-sickness, he became the leading German flying ace of the Spanish Civil War with 14 confirmed aerial victories. He later became the first pilot in aviation history to claim 100 aerial victories."
  • It is a little confusing to read that two different organisations honoured him in a number of different ways, and that "the decision" was revoked in 2005. What exactly does "the decision" refer to?
  • There are various problems in the second paragraph.
    • Non sequitur: "As a successor to Adolf Galland and squadron leader of the 3. Staffel (fighter squadron) of Jagdgruppe 88 (fighter group), he flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109."
    • Tortuous sentence: "During World War II he became the first pilot to claim 20 aerial victories earning him the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), the first fighter pilot to earn the award, only to be shot down and taken prisoner of war one week later."
  • Third paragraph
    • Odd phraseology. e.g. "shortly later"
    • Wrong grammar: "Flying as a passenger in a Heinkel He 111 the return flight to Berlin got into a heavy thunderstorm and one of the engines of the aircraft failed."

These are examples. Someone needs to go through the whole article to refine and polish the prose. I am frankly a little surprised that the article has apparently gone through GA, peer review and a MilHist A-class review, and yet these problems are still evident. Brianboulton (talk) 18:42, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Later:I see that the lead section has been more or less completely rewritten, so my earlier points are superseded. However, I found quite a few prose problems with the revised lead:-

  • I suggest that the first two sentences are combined, and the language tweaked, to give: "Werner Mölders (18 March 1913 – 22 November 1941) was a German Luftwaffe pilot who became the leading German fighter ace of the Spanish Civil War, and the first pilot in aviation history to claim 100 aerial victories."
  • Second paragraph reads as though the Battle of Britain was part of the Spanish Civil War. Needs to say something like: "After the outbreak of the Second World War, Mölders fought in the Battle of Britain and was the first pilot to claim 40 victories." The jump in the next paragraph to 68 victories in the next sentence is confusing, so perhaps you should say he was the first pilot to claim "in excess of 40 victories."
  • "Mölders and the JG 51..." You need to explain what the JG 51 was, thus: "Mölders and his unit, the JG 51,..." done
  • My understanding is that Operation Barbarossa began on 22nd June, so "By 22 June 1941, he had 72 aerial victories" is a bit confusing. Does this mean; "By the end of the first day of this operation he had increased his aerial victories total to 72;"? fixed
  • Is "banned" the right word to use here? It carries the connotation of punishment. Perhaps "prevented"? Also, the "although" at the beginning of the sentence is redundant and should be removed. fixed
  • Suggest you say "...from flying further combat missions...", and delete "as" before Inspector General.fixed
  • "He was only 28", especially as a discrete short sentence, carries a strong POV. If you want to mention his age, omit the "only", and weave it in to the previous sentence: "Prevented from flying further combat missions for propaganda reasons, at the age of 28 he was promoted to Oberst, and appointed Inspector General of Fighters." fixed, good suggestion!
  • Bring the 22 November date forward, and avoid over-short sentence, thus: "On 22 November 1941, on the flight to Berlin, the Heinkel He 111 in which he was travelling as a passenger encountered a heavy thunderstorm, during which of the aircraft's engines failed. While attempting to land, the Henkel crashed at Breslau, killing Mölders and two others." fixed
  • Suggest "each honoured him" fixed
  • Not a prose point, but I see you have not used no-break spaces, as recommended by MOS. See WP:NBSP thanks....in progress....

I don't think I will have the time to go through the rest of the prose with the attention I have given to the lead. What a pity the article didn't come to Peer Review. However I'll do my best to check it out and suggest further improvements. Brianboulton (talk) 18:19, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for looking again. The article was peer reviewed please check Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Peer review/Werner Mölders. MisterBee1966 (talk) 19:10, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I see you have fixed most of my new list of lead points. I still think the phrasing at the beginning could be improved, and it still not clear that the Battles of Britain and France were Second World War affairs. I have now read through the "Early life and education" section, and was quite disappointed to find many problems, in a section which I undertand has been subject to "stringent copy editing". Below is a list of these points. I don't like sounding negative, but I can't agree that the prose is yet up to FA standard. I believe it needs a full copyedit from an uninvolved, competent editor who can devote considerable time to getting the prose right. I'd do it myself, but I simply don't have the time.
  • Early life and education section
    • The section title is inappropriate, since most of the text is concerned with his early military career. I suggest you retitle it "Childhood, education and early career". done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • There are numerous untranslated German terms, some linked, others not. This makes reading tedious. In the latter part of the section you start adding English translations, which is helpful. However, I think that some of the German formulations are unnecessary and should be dropped. For example, "Mölders joined the II./Infanterie-Regiment 2..." could become "Molders joined the Second Infantry Regiment..." There are many instances in the section where this could be done; this is, after all, English Wikipedia. Otherwise I sugest you show English translations/equivalents. being done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "a Leutnant of the Reserves " - Why not "A Reserve Leutnant? done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Same sentence: the formation is clumsy, with the semicolon. The sentence should begin "After his father", and the semcolon replaced with a comma. done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "From 1919 to 1931, Mölders attended the Grundschule (Elementary school) and "Saldria-Gymnasium" in Brandenburg an der Havel." This reads as though he was attending two schools at the same time. Why are there quotes around "Saldria-Gymnasium"? I also think the repetition of Brandenburg an der Havel is unnecessary. done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "...and expressed a desire to become an officer." Specify "an officer in tha armed forces" done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Date range (6 February 1934–31 December 1934) at end of sentence, should be incorporated into the text. It should be made clear what these dates refer to. done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "...he suffered continuously from nausea and vomiting" "Continuously" means without interruption or interval. I think you probably mean "continually" ( repeated at regular intervals) done, well spotted JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Overlong, tortuous sentence: "After completing the next phase of his military pilot's training, from 1 January 1935 to 30 June 1935 at the Kampffliegerschule (combat flying school) in Tutow and at the Jagdfliegerschule (fighter pilot school) at Schleißheim near Munich, he received the newly created Pilot's Badge of the Luftwaffe on 21 May 1935." Suggest this is reorganised, and split into two shorter sentences. done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Remilitarisation" does not require capitalising. The sentence would read better with the date at the start, thus: "On 7 March 1936, during the remilitarisation of the Rhineland, Mölders...." done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Mölders met Luise Baldauf, whom he eventually married..." In this case, it is "who", not "whom" you are mistaken: it would be "who married him", but "whom he married"; "he" is the subject, "whom" is the object JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Avoid repetition: "...numerous promotions were handed out, including Mölders' promotion..." done JN466 01:11, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Brianboulton (talk) 22:12, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Note: I have struck the oppose, in view of the good work in response to my comments, above, and as I probably won't be able to get round to a detailed study of the rest. The article will make it eventually, I'm sure. Brianboulton (talk) 14:45, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment: I'll go through the article and do a copyedit. JN466 10:39, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Thanks MisterBee1966 (talk) 11:32, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment The timeline in the third paragraph of the Early Life section needs attention. We have him beginning training at two different schools on 6 February 1934. Could you have a look? JN466 12:48, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    fixed, good spot! MisterBee1966 (talk) 13:04, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment: the content of this article is superb, and well documented. I agree that the English is "sluggish" but it is easily fixed. When JN is done with a copy edit, I'll do a second one, this weekend probably, and that should take care of most of the language issues. I hope we could encourage people whose native language is not English to offer their knowledge to the english encyclopedia. Auntieruth55 (talk) 20:24, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Update I've completed one round of copyedits, and worked on a few minor content queries with MisterBee1966. The language should be adequate now; Auntieruth is doing further work on it to polish it further. JN466 22:53, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. Alt text is done; thanks. Alt text is present, but has some problems:
  • Several images lack alt text; see the "alt text" button at the upper right of this review page. I expect that the two instances of Image:Balkenkreuz.svg should be marked with "|link=|" as per WP:ALT #When to specify.
  • Several phrases in the alt text cannot be verified by a non-expert who is looking only at the images, and need to be reworded or moved to the caption or whatever, as per WP:ALT #What not to specify. These include "Schwarm formation and cross-over turn", "Major Dr. Wenzel (Mölders' aide), Adolf Galland, Werner Mölders and Theo Osterkamp", "Arthur Laumann", "Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves", the "victory" in "victory marks", and "Werner Mölders wearing his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves".
  • Some phrases duplicate the caption and should be removed, as per WP:ALT #What not to specify. These include "Werner Mölders Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2, Stab/JG 51, in June 1941" and some of the phrases noted in the previous bullet.
Eubulides (talk) 05:04, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I am in the process of revising the alt texts to make them descriptive of the images. JN466 12:39, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Alt texts revised/added, pls review. JN466 14:50, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Wow, that was a very good job. I particularly liked the clear expression of the aerial maneuver. I consider the job done, but if you'd like to improve it further you might consider making some of the descriptions shorter, removing phrases that provide relatively little useful info about the topic of the article; phrases such as "Black-and-white photograph of", or the detailed description of the birthday party table. You can move the full-length detailed description to the image page itself. Eubulides (talk) 21:50, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks. I noted that WP:ALT says not to put "drawing of", "photograph of" and so on. In this case I thought it might be helpful to convey the feeling that these are contemporary photographs taken 70 or 75 years ago, but I'm still in two minds about it. I'll shorten the descriptions a little further and see if the longer versions can come in useful on the image description page. Thanks for the feedback and ideas. --JN466 22:57, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:16, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Links checked with link checker tool. All are in good, working order.
pictures checked with alt text tool. All have the required alt text
No dabs here. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, with the caveat that I've now been up and down the article multiple times and have made well over a hundred edits to it: I am no longer an uninvolved party. (I wasn't involved or aware of this article before it came to FAC though.) From Friday, I'll be without regular Internet access for a week. I'll check back in tomorrow and will check in at the end of next week to see if the nomination is still open and anything else needs to be done. Good luck with the nomination in the meantime. JN466 22:28, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This is an informed, and interesting article. Like JN, I make the caveat (for the sake of transparency) that I have been through the article several times, made significant copy edits (primarily focused on fixing "Germanisms") and made 86 edits. The editor of this article is not a native speaker of English, consequently there were initially some issues with the English. As far as I am concerned, these are resolved. There may be other commentators who quibble with minor points here and there; these can be easily dealt with. I encourage the promotion of this article. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:37, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I can confirm no copyright issues with any of the images on this page. Stifle (talk) 20:55, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Made a few tweaks to prose but overall I think this reads extremely well, is detailed and objective, well-sourced and -illustrated, and deserves the bronze star - well done. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 22:03, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Well done. — AustralianRupert (talk) 10:52, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Just had a first sweep, will have another detailed one later today. This stood out at me: In 1998, the German Parliament, made on the occasion of the 61st Anniversary of the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica, during the Spanish Civil War. It doesn't make sense. What did they made? In general, the article looks good. Woody (talk) 11:33, 15 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 17:18, 15 September 2009 [27].

Stanley Green edit

Nominator(s): SlimVirgin talk|contribs 02:30, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A self-nom, a short article about a London eccentric that people who visited Oxford Street in London a lot during the last 20-30 years are likely to have seen at some point. The article exhausts the reliable sources, so far as I know. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 02:30, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Green became one of London's much-loved eccentrics, though his campaign to suppress desire, as one commentator put it, was not invariably popular, leading as it did to two arrests for obstruction and the need to wear green overalls to protect himself from spit." Is that the passive voice, or something? Seems odd. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs)

It's a particular writing style. :) SlimVirgin talk|contribs 02:41, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good enough. LOL. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:44, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm thinking there are too many commas. The "He walked up and down Oxford Street six days a week, reduced to four days from 1985 onwards, campaigning until 6:30 pm among the shoppers, usually around Oxford Circus, then spent Saturday evenings with the cinema crowds in Leicester Square." paragraph, for instance. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:15, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Young women in particular attracted his advice, including that they would find it impossible to deceive their grooms that they were virgins on their wedding night." is awkward. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:16, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Although I wouldn't necessarily change the "Green became one of London's much-loved eccentrics..." sentence, I'd recommend looking again at any sentence that has 2+ commas, and see if just putting in a period would improve it. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:18, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I fixed the two sentences you mentioned, [28] and I'll look for any other obvious ones. I have a liking for long sentences that I know not everyone shares. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 05:05, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've tweaked the virgin sentence again. It now reads: "His advice that young women should eat a low-protein diet—because "You cannot deceive your groom that you are a virgin on your wedding night!"—was not always appreciated, and led to his being arrested twice for public obstruction, in 1980 and again in 1985." SlimVirgin talk|contribs 05:38, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Looking pretty good. There's one single sentence paragraph left in the "Posthumous recognition" section. It should probably be merged into the other paragraph. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 21:13, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The second reference is a dead link. Please fix it. Warrior4321 04:43, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 05:05, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Cquotes? I've always thought they were gaudy; I like my articles to look like articles. Are you calling these quotes pull quotes? Ling.Nut (talk) 06:05, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, they are pull quotes. I like to use them, partly to break up the text, partly to highlight material that there's no clear place for in the article. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 06:18, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
And here I am thinking that a Pull quote is a quote from the article itself... that is, it occurs twice on the page; once in the body text and once in the pull... Ling.Nut (talk) 09:15, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments
  • "described by Susan Pearce of the University of Leicester as worthy of the cartoonist Heath Robinson". Actually, I think this description should be attributed to W. Januszczak... unless I'm mistaken, it seems that a Januszczak article was reprinted in its entirety in Pearce & Martin (2003)...
  • "Winston Churchill's last cigar" or "Winston Churchill's last cigar before the Italians sued for peace"...? Ling.Nut (talk) 09:45, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Both fixed. [29] [30] And thank you! I hadn't looked at the top of the Pearce chapter to see that she was actually reproducing a S/Times article. Well spotted. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 10:01, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Tks. But I'm still antsy about the pull quote thing (see my def above). Ling.Nut (talk) 10:05, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I call them pull quotes whether they cite something in the article or an external text; perhaps blockquote is the better term. If you really dislike them, feel free to remove them. I like to keep them in longer texts to break up the narrative, but in a short article they matter a lot less. Though I do like the quotes. The first is both funny and sad: "it might be very hard to be well behaved with a sexual friend, and to be headstrong in one's lonely bed: HARD to follow a responsible moral-code, in the unmarried years," and the second is heartbreaking, given his situation (given any situation): "Protein wisdom changes your whole life, makes it easier. Passion can be a great torment." SlimVirgin talk|contribs 10:15, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think some of the alt images need to be improved. For example the alt text for Image:Protein.jpg says :

Green near the corner of Dean Street, Soho, circa 1983.

It should rather describe the image and say something like

Green walking through a crowd on Oxford Street holding his sign

All of the alt texts for the images are the captions from the image. Warrior4321 17:12, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Those are the caption/cutlines. There is no alt text, but if someone wants to add it, that's fine by me. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 22:28, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I added alt text. It took me six minutes, including the time it took to remove duplication between a caption and the text in its image. (Plus another three minutes to make this comment. :-) Eubulides (talk) 14:23, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Nice   The ALT text looks awesome.   Thanks
Thanks for doing that, E. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 23:58, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

When I view the article the line under the "Posthumous recognition" heading cuts through the quote to the left of it, is there anyway to avoid this? Guest9999 (talk) 16:19, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Was it the pull quote that was causing a problem, and is it better without it? [31] SlimVirgin talk|contribs 19:08, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
 
I've marked out the line I meant in this image, I don't think it's really a big deal but a lot of FAC seems to be about little details so thought it might be worth bringing up. Guest9999 (talk) 21:54, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for doing that. It was the pull quote that was the problem, and given that another reviewer has already said she doesn't like them, I've just removed it. It's too short an article for them, what with the images too. Let me know if it still looks odd, though, please. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 22:00, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Charming and well-written article about a London eccentric. Jayjg (talk) 00:04, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 23:49, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I fixed your first and second points. [32] The reason I added "accessed" to the ONDB ref was that I was sent a temporary link by the publisher that I could use to access it, but not one that would work for everyone, or for anyone beyond a certain date. I've removed it.
Bookworks is the publisher of the book I cite, and a registered charity, [33] plus it's not really a contentious point, just an opinion of what Green was, in effect, doing. I just need a citation for that quote. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 00:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Or do you mean why is Alun Rowlands a reliable source? He's an artist; see information here from the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and it seemed quite interesting that he would focus on Green. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 00:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll leave that out for other reviewers to decide for themselves, but I lean reliable for the information (I was mainly looking to see why the person commenting was important enough to note their opinion...) Ealdgyth - Talk 01:07, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Questions and nitpicks:
    • In "Early life":
      • Should Wood Green school be Wood Green School?
      • Is there any particular reason why year of birth and death categories are not used? (Seriously, have these been deprecated or something? I haven't been in the loop lately.)
      • [...] and from 1961 as a self-employed gardener. From 1961 to his death?
    • "In writing":
      • Perhaps you could provide a bit more context here. [...] described by Waldemar Januszczak could be described by art critic Waldemar Januszczak; readers will from outside the UK will almost invariably not know why Heath Robinson is famous (and, consequently, why Green's press would be worthy of a Heath Robinson drawing), and you really shouldn't presume they'll follow the link.
      • I've changed font, size, and weight to typeface, size, and weight, as a font is properly the combination of typeface, point size, and weight.
      • You'd do well to move File:Protein.jpg (WP:ACCESS again), especially since having the image "look" out of the text is not an issue here.
    • In "Posthumous recognition":
      • Over a decade later, he is still remembered by writers and bloggers, fondly for the most part, though not invariably; shouldn't this be [...] not invariably so?
    • The punctuation-free footnotes are a bit jarring. Is this an established style I'm embarrassingly unfamiliar with?
    • London, The Biography could use an ISBN.
  • Let me just say this is a lovely article. I liked the rather atypical writing style, the fascinating subject, and the fact this man was notable enough to merit a Wikipedia article—and enough high-quality sources to avoid its veering into original research. Awesome work. Fvasconcellos (t·c) 22:30, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you, much appreciated, and thanks for reviewing it. :) Your comments were very helpful, and I think I've fixed the issues, [34] except for the ISBN, which I forgot, but I'll do it now. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 23:11, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Excellent, thank you. Why is there no further mention of (or reference for) his appearances in fiction in the "Posthumous recognition" section? Fvasconcellos (t·c) 23:28, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I didn't want to simply repeat it, but I can't expand on it, because no source does. And I don't have a copy of Ben Elton's novel, so I don't know how he appears in it. I could take another look around, but I'm not overly keen on buying it to track down that one sentence. :) SlimVirgin talk|contribs 23:34, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No problem, although I seem to have missed the reference? Apparently the book is out of print as well, so that would be way too much bother :) Fvasconcellos (t·c) 01:21, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've made it invisible for now, as the reference was a website that probably doesn't count as an RS, and it didn't say what the novel said about Green. I'll wait until I have a better source that elaborates, or until I've seen it for myself. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 01:30, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ah, I see. Enough reticence—I'll Support. Fvasconcellos (t·c) 01:37, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support on language and text based MoS concerns. I will be performing a source review later in order to verify if there are no problems. Ottava Rima (talk) 14:00, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - the lead is four paragraphs for a 13k article. I would suggest merging the top two and merging the bottom two and perhaps condensing a little (but not necessary). The language is compelling. You might want to say in the article where the quote "I was astonished when..." comes from (the pamphlet, I assume). "and while there, in March 1946," You might want to move that first comma to before "while", as the phrase "while there" operates in the same manner as "in March 1946" and it is better to have one compound phrase like that instead of two possibly conflicting phrases (conflicting for the same position and not for meaning). "and from 1961 until" You'll want to add a comma after "and" in order to make sure that the "and" connects to the second job that is currently disconnected by only one comma preceding it. There is sandwiching of two images in "On the streets", which isn't good. Since the image on the left is similar to the one at the top right, it might be able to go without any major problems. "Saturday evenings he would spend" Could be switched to "He would spend Saturday evenings" to sound more straight forward. "and led to his being arrested twice for public obstruction" - haha, any reason why telling girls they shouldn't be too sexually excited is "public obstruction" or do I not want to know? :) "Rowlands 2007." This doesn't have a page number - is there one? Likewise, you might want to add page numbers after "cited in Carter 2006" for ease. Over all, it is a strong article and I can support once the sandwiching is fixed (it is an MoS violation). Ottava Rima (talk) 02:38, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I've fixed a few things:
  • "Astonished" quote already has in-text attribution to Sunday Times: "I was astonished when things were said quite openly—what a husband would say to his wife when home on leave", he told The Sunday Times."
  • Lead is now three paras.
  • The "while there" comma: if I move it, it changes the meaning from "he failed the exam in March 1946" to "he failed the exam when he worked for Fine Art Society, which was in March 1946.
  • Oxford Street image removed, so the sandwiching is gone.
  • "Saturday evening" sentence: I don't want two sentences in a row starting with "He."
  • Rowland 2007 is a book blurb, and Carter 2006 an article, so no page numbers.
SlimVirgin talk|contribs 12:35, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Everything is looking good text wise. I see no textual MoS violations and, as I said before, it is strongly written. I will perform a sourcing check later. Ottava Rima (talk) 14:00, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Conditional Support — I agree with Ottava. Perhaps the 2007 photograph of Oxford Street can go, it adds very little and the text sandwiching is a problem. The article is, on the whole, beautifully written. Graham Colm Talk 10:52, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. Oxford Street image is gone. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 12:35, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for checking, NW. I tried removing the black border but something odd happened to the image when I reuploaded (it narrowed in an odd way). I now have a borderless one that was sent by the person who took it, so I'll upload that. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 13:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

An interesting article on an interesting character. I was engaged by his story, and I think the article is just the right length..enough detail to attract my interest, but not an overwhelming amount. Kudos for finding so many references on the guy, I imagine that took some doing.

I have a few comments. Some of these are judgment calls; I believe they would improve the article, but if you see it differently I would defer to your opinion. Others are more significant. I'll check back and see what you think of each:

  • Is "sandwich man" a common phrase? I'd never heard it…I'll take your word for it if it is :)
  • Is the fact that his obituary was published worthy of noting in the article text? …in the lead section? Seems just about everyone gets an obit published. It seems to detract from the significance of his placards etc. going to a museum. If there's something significant about the obit, it should be drawn out wherever it's mentioned.
  • It was published by The Daily Telegraph, a high-quality, conservative, mainstream newspaper, the daily reading of the country's upper classes. That they published it is interesting, and provides a little bathos. I'm not keen on drawing it out for fear of overegging it. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 13:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll take a look. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 16:26, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I see Peregrine also commented on this. The green overalls thing is odd in a couple ways -- for one thing, it's hard to understand how overalls would protect him from spit found on his hat (?) For another, the way it's phrased (both in the lead and in the body), it sounds as though the color is part of what protected him. It seems there are two separate points here, maybe worthy of separate sentences: one is that he wore the overalls for protection, the other is that the green overalls became a distinctive element of his identity.
  • The only vehicles allowed onto Oxford Street are buses and tourist coaches, mostly doubledecker. So if someone is spitting on you, it's likely to be from the upper deck, and is therefore likely to land on your head or hat. That's my understanding of that point. The overalls were to make sure it didn't affect him elsewhere. I'll take a look at the green issue. :) SlimVirgin talk|contribs 13:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is placardeer a word? I find definitions for placarder, but not for placardeEr. (I rather like the word, but WP isn't the place to be coining new ones ;)
  • I found this sentence difficult to parse (technically correct, but I stumbled and had to reread a couple times). The trouble's with the last two phrases and the comma: "He later worked for Selfridges, the civil service, as a storeman for Ealing Borough Council, and from 1961 until he became a sandwich man, as a self-employed gardener."
I've fixed this. [36] SlimVirgin talk|contribs 13:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I would suggest removing the borders on the images in the galleries. I don't believe they serve any purpose, and they introduce a bit of graphic inconsistency in the article overall.

Good job on the article! -Pete (talk) 03:58, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. :) I'll fix the borders. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 13:54, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good job on all. Please see my "Telegraph" suggestion above; otherwise, all looking good. I'd be happy to do the borders, if you'd like the assistance. -Pete (talk) 16:20, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The person who took the images has sent me non-border versions. I've just not had time to re-upload them. I've been having some trouble uploading images, and I don't know why. When I upload the first version, it's fine. But if I need to change something -- a border, or more cropping, whatever -- and I reupload another version, the image ends up squashed. I can't work out why. It doesn't always happen -- only started a few months ago -- but often enough for re-uploading to have become a bit of a nuisance. SlimVirgin talk|contribs 16:26, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If this is the issue I think it is, it's only a very temporary thing that happens on your own computer immediately after upload. I believe purging the page (e.g. by adding the &purge argument in the URL, or using one of the options in user preferences) gets rid of the issue. It's possible you're speaking of something different, but that issue is one I've run into a number of times. -Pete (talk) 16:43, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Interesting. So you mean it looks to me as though the image on WP is squashed, but in fact it's only on my computer that it looks that way? Heh. I've spent ages struggling with it sometimes. :) SlimVirgin talk|contribs 16:53, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Image borders removed. [37] SlimVirgin talk|contribs 17:56, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support. I think the two issues un-struck above are worth a little more consideration, but by no means should they prevent FA. -Pete (talk) 18:01, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 17:18, 15 September 2009 [38].

MissingNo. edit

Nominator(s): Kung Fu Man (talk) 02:37, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


This article is a thorough, full and well rounded look at MissingNo., a controversial character in Pokémon Red and Blue used as an error handler that many people became quickly acquainted with, and one with a lasting impact. With the i's dotted, a thorough peer review, and an even more thorough copyedit, this should be a pleasure to read for you.Kung Fu Man (talk) 02:37, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support. While certain reviewers might take issue with the length, it passes all FA criteria and appears to fully cover the topic. I heavily copyedited the article prior to its nomination, but as far as I know, that does not void my support. JimmyBlackwing (talk) 03:47, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment the article is very short. Could you give details of MissingNo.'s abilities? Also, could you extend the background re: capturing, battling pokemon? If I hadn't had friends who played the games, I wouldn't understand the article without fishing through the bluelinks. -- EA Swyer Talk Contributions 14:23, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Going more in-depth than it is currently runs risk of violating WP:GAMEGUIDE, per previous editor's comments during the Peer Review and A-class assessment processes. As it stands all applicable information is already in the article despite its length.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 14:33, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:22, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It's being cited solely for the Hall of Fame corruption information, however that info is actually repeated in another source in the article so replacing it to save hassle.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 03:15, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Images check out—article has one non-free image, but its use is justified. I'm not sure I'm satisfied, though, with the writing style or depth of coverage in the "Reaction and reception" section (particularly the second paragraph). First of all, the style is a bit clunky; I think it over-attributes the author (saying "the book talks about how," "the author believes", etc.) where it could be more active (for example, instead of saying "the book talks about how players compare notes...", the article could just describe players taking notes, and then have a footnote). This makes the prose feel a bit dry, IMO. Also, things are left unexplained or just glossed over. For example, "The author believed MissingNo.'s popularity to be an unusual case, with unique circumstances"—why does he think this, what does he think is unusual/unique, etc.? This is a very short article, and I think this section needs to be where the bulk of the content is (since the reaction to MissingNo. is what makes it notable), but right now it just doesn't feel complete to me. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 02:57, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "why does he think this, what does he think is unusual/unique, etc." I'm sorry but the author never actually explained that in the detail you seem to want. He gave three pages worth of discussion to how players reacted to the character and the study of such: the text is a straight up summary, so I don't see how it over-attributes said author. Adding more would require reading into his statements and walking into original research territory.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 03:06, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • For now, then, I will have to stay Neutral. This article is certainly a good article and also meets most of the FA criteria, but without more to offer I'm not sure it can be considered to be among Wikipedia's "very best work"—it does an excellent job creating a good article out of what little information is available, but unless more stuff becomes available this might just be too obscure a topic to write an FA about. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:20, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • No FA criterion states, "Articles that present a complete summary of a notable topic should be at least 30kb in size", or something like that. Wikipedia's "best work" is that which adheres to all FA criteria, not that which follows unwritten guidelines. If you have a problem with the length, when the subject clearly has enough coverage for a complete and notable summary, then I suggest that you make a push to update the FA criteria on related talk pages. As to the "over-attribution" of that author, I disagree. Ideally, Wikipedia articles should mention the writer in the prose every time they are used as a source. Not doing so necessitates synthesis and other forms of OR, such as "Several reviewers found fault with..." constructions. Properly, it should be "*source* said that several reviewers found fault with...", or simply the presentation of the reviews without a summary. Citing the former construction with those several reviews is synthesis, and therefore OR. Similarly, to state that author's comments without attribution is to give them "undue weight". How do we know that any of his statements are true? They could all be lies or fabrications. But that doesn't matter, because they are verifiable against reliable sources. So why confuse the reader by pretending that Wikipedia tells the truth, when all we're supposed to do is compile statements from reliable - not factual - sources? Better to attribute them and avoid the whole mess.
        • All of the above policy violations may be accepted practices at FAC (and believe me, they are; I've used them myself), but you can't openly suggest that it should be done this way without a backlash. JimmyBlackwing (talk) 20:29, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • I never said the article should be 30k or any other arbitrary length, that's something you completely made up; I said I don't think it gives enough information, and it leaves me with unanswered questions (if you want this put in terms of FA criteria, that's 1b). So stop putting words in my mouth. As for "over-attribution", you seem to be misinterpreting what I'm saying; I wasn't talking about citation issues, I was talking about writing style. Having "he says," "he believes", etc., on every single sentence is clunky (that's your criterion 1a, since you seem to be so hung up on wording things in terms of FA criteria and nothing else).
          • I looked carefully at the article and, if you haven't noticed, I didn't "oppose"; I'm not sure what I've done to warrant this snarky response from you. For Kung Fu Man's sake especially, I suggest you refrain from leaving any more snarky respones to comments people make here; the behavior of supporters often reflects on the FAC/RFA/AFD/whatever itself, and other people shouldn't have to pay for your silly remarks. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 23:12, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • (Outdent) Rjanag, I was not being snarky. If it came off that way, I apologize. I realize that you did not oppose, but I also know that opposition and support do not necessarily cause the FA director(s) to pass or fail an article. They judge consensus; when you leave a comment that questions the article's completeness—even if it's a neutral comment—they take note. These things are often what cause an article to fail, and so they must be attended to. As for your complaints about the article, you must present something "actionable", as they say. As in, it has to be something that can be fixed. If the article leaves you with questions, then what questions are they? Thus far, you have complained that the Reaction section is too brief. But if there is no other information to include, that isn't an actionable complaint. It also does not fall under 1b, as no "major facts or details" are neglected. What other major facts or details about MissingNo. exist? If you state these, or if you know of "relevant literature on the topic" not covered in the article, then complaints about completeness are justified. Your other complaint, regarding the attribution of the book source, was what I was arguing against; I was not talking about citations. Analyses should be attributed to their source in the prose—not just with a footnote. My previous comment digressed to explain that this is how policy would have it for all sourced material, despite its lack of enforcement at FAC. This does not fall under 1a, but rather 1d. An article that cites someone's analysis as fact is not neutral. "The book states that, in their attempts to canonize MissingNo. through fan art and fiction, Pokémon communities celebrated the game's imperfections and tried to imprint themselves on series' canon." - this becomes, "In their attempts to canonize MissingNo. through fan art and fiction, Pokémon communities celebrated the game's imperfections and tried to imprint themselves on series' canon." I can think of no way to reword this and keep the original meaning. The same goes for all the other prose-attributed statements. "MissingNo.'s popularity was an unusual case, with unique circumstances"? It just doesn't work. JimmyBlackwing (talk) 00:16, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I have no further comment about the "1b" thing because I've already said my piece and don't want to hijack this FAC by going around in circles. As for the "1a" bit... if you think every sentence in an article should say "___ says" or "according to ___", that's all well and good, but you can spend weeks searching around and you will not find an FA, or any other article, that does that. Such a writing style would be impossible to sit down and read. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 00:37, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I'm changing to oppose because of the last sentence of the article, "The author believed MissingNo.'s popularity to be an unusual case, with unique circumstances.[9]" This sentence seems uninformative and a bit inane (just saying it's "unique" without saying why is bordering on peacock); if the author really didn't give any further information than that and we can't give any more clarification, I think the sentence is better off just being removed. If that sentence is removed I'll be back to neutral. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 00:19, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • copying Kung Fu Man's message from [39]—sorry, but I prefer to keep the discussion in one place:
        • But the exact line being paraphrase is:
        • "However, this is an unusal case and, for the most part, there is no equivalent attempt to ameliorate the situation through explanatory or compensatory textual production."
        • That sums up what the text is given without trying to embelish: he stated it as an unusal case and the circumstances were unique. I don't understand why you feel the need to come across as antagonistic over it, but no use of peacock words or other hubbub is being done here. Saying "remove something or I'll keep opposing" is a bit offkilter for a FAC of all things don't you think?--Kung Fu Man (talk) 00:29, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • My above message wasn't meant as a threat, which is how you seem to be interpreting it; it was the same as any substantive comments people make at FAC: "here is a problem with the article; I can't support an article that I think has a big problem; if you fix the problem, then it'll be better". You can choose to interpret my comments as "antagonistic" threats, but that's not my fault. As for the sentence itself: it's simply not informative. It's not your fault, it's the author's fault—although, for what it's worth, he seems to be saying a little more than your summary says (he's saying that what makes it "unique" is that no textual error message is given along with Missingno.).
          • Judging by this message you got from Jimmyblackwing, it seems that he and perhaps you think that there were "no actionable comments" in my message above. I don't know what you guys are missing; I specifically said that I think the article doesn't have enough information (1b) and has problems with writing style (1a). That's plenty constructive; you haven't taken any action on those comments in 5 days. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 00:36, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • I'm sorry that you felt ignored in any way, but I seriously felt the matter with your statements was done: I felt fine with how you felt, knew there was little I could do about it without feeling the article would be compromised and left it at neutral. In actuality what the text is referring to is the earlier bit of people attempting to rationalize MissingNo. amongst each other through text or other forms (that precedes that line if you notice from the page numbers in the references) and any other approach to the line would come across as wordy. He stated it was an unusual case, and that those circumstances were unique to it. If you can think of a better way to spell that out then we can come to an agreement, but I can't squeeze more content into the article where there is none to squeeze.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 00:48, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                • Like I said above, if there is "nothing more to squeeze" out of that sentence then it should be removed. If he said nothing more than that, it's simply not an informative or useless sentence, and Wikipedia doesn't need to parrot everything written by this guy. The fact of the matter is, as a reader, I got to that sentence and it didn't do anything for me; as an editor, I wanted to (and would have, if this weren't in the middle of a FAC) just taken it out, because in any context it's just bad writing. Regardless of content, I can't consider this "among Wikipedia's best work" if it ends on a silly sentence that sounds like it came out of a high school book report. Again, I'm not saying this is your fault—I'm simply saying that if there is no information in the source itself, it doesn't need to be repeated here. You are free to disagree and not remove the sentence, but I'm afraid my opposition will also have to stand, because (like I said above) I can't consider this some of Wikipedia's best work if it has that kind of fluff in it. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 00:52, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                    • Gah, so many walls of text. Compromise works nicely too no? "The author described these circumstances as unique to MissingNo., and called its popularity an unusual case." <- Is this better? It's rewritten to flow in mind with the previous statement and tie into them, thus better informing the reader while retaining the same information.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 00:57, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                      • Since this sentence is right after the bit about fans' attempts to "imprint themselves on the game's canon", so why not a rewording to "this treatment makes MissingNo. unique among video game glitches" or something like that? That's more expressive than the current wording—the key is being specific about what "circumstances" he sees as unique. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs
                        • But the text isn't saying "it's an unusual case amongst glitches", it's saying "it's an unusual case" as in "case to study". Going with the form you suggested isn't supported by the text, Rjanag. I'm going to go ahead with what I have: if you wish to continue to oppose from there there isn't anything I can do for the matter but feel your suggestions and policy don't agree on this matter.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 02:09, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • A bit on the short side, but I do think this fully covers a narrow topic. Stifle (talk) 09:14, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'd personally rather see it merged into Pokémon Red and Blue, but if it has to stand as its own article, it should be comprehensive enough to be promoted. TTN (talk) 20:16, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - the article is as comprehensive as it can be, and the prose is very good. I did a small copyedit, but I still do have one concern. Throughout the article, Pokémon Red and Blue are always referred to as singular: (e.g. "the player uses a Pokémon with the Fly ability to reach the game's Cinnabar Island location") In the same vein as the Pokémon Red and Blue article, shouldn't it be plural (games')? Artichoker[talk] 22:43, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support-I performed a slight copyedit. Most of the changes are trivial in nature, but I did take a stab at rewording the description of how the event is triggered—it was confusing before and hopefully it's clearer now, but you should check and make sure it's still correct and I haven't mishandled the source. As comprehensive as it's going to get, image is well justified, sources check out and I think the prose reaches the necessary quality. Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 02:27, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Reluctant support. I almost think the fact that this article meets the FA criteria is a sign they need to be improved somehow. I'm not talking about length or importance, but... quality of external coverage? This article just feels weak. But it does meet the FA criteria. Noisalt (talk) 02:42, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 17:18, 15 September 2009 [40].

Starvin' Marvin (South Park) edit

Nominator(s): — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've nominated this one before but at the time, the consensus appeared to be the information and sources were fine, but there were some grammatical issues. Through a peer review and some copy edits from myself and other editors, I think those problems have now been addressed, so I'm nominating it again. Thanks! — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 23:14, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Done; thanks. Images need alt text as per WP:ALT. Please see Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/South Park (season 1)/archive1 for some ideas (perhaps including some ideas about what not to do...). Eubulides (talk) 07:25, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • I gave it a shot, but as you know, alt text isn't my forte. Please let me know if it needs further improvement... — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:55, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • No actually the alt text you added is quite good. I found and fixed just one technical typo. Thanks again. Eubulides (talk) 03:42, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment—Why is Sally Struthers discussed in 3 different sections of the article? (apart from the plot and the lead) I think some restructuring may be needed in order to cut down on the repetition. For starters, I think the stuff from Reception should be removed wholesale from there, and merged into another section.

  • I've removed the bit about Struthers in the Cultural references section since you are right, most of that information is repeated from Production and it is a bit repetitive. However, I think the rest of the structuring is appropriate. The part in "Production" deals with their writing and implementation of the parody into the episode. "Themes" only mentions her briefly with regard to the episode's theme of gluttony. And the part in "Reception" deals with Struthers' reaction to the episode upon its release, which strikes me as a natural for that section. That being said, do you have any more specific suggestions for further restructuring? — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Also, assuming this is the commentary you are referencing, I feel you are skirting the boundaries of original research in interpreting the creators' comments. For example, I'm not sure you can interpret Parker and Stone as "remorseful" unless secondary sources say so.

  • You may be aware of this already, but that YouTube link is in fact only a three minute sample of a 22 minute commentary track (the entirety of which can be downloaded here). Right around 12:45 is the bit where they do in fact say they were remorseful. The exact quote: "We did feel bad for how we treated Sally Struthers here, and we felt bad when she found out that she cried and everything." — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Struthers was particularly upset with the fact that her character steals food from the same starving children she had been working to help"—not mentioned in the commentary.
    • Right around the 18 minute mark, they address this. At this point they are discussing the specific part in the movie where she is eating their food. Parker says, "This is what she got really upset about. She was basically saying, the fact that we were saying she was collecting all this money just so she could have food." A little afterward, Stone addresses it a bit further. — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "although in typical South Park fashion they have not apologized"—there is nothing about what constitutes "typical South Park fashion" in the commentary.
    • Yeah, I guess you're right. Removed. — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Struthers was portrayed in an even less flattering way in the third season episode "Starvin' Marvin in Space" as a Jabba the Hutt-like creature"—and neither is this. indopug (talk) 17:37, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Yes it is. Right after the above 12:45 quote (about them being remorseful), they say "We had her in another episode a couple years later where we made her even fatter and she became Jabba the Hutt. She was so fat that she just was Jabba the Hutt. It was so sweet." They also identify the episode by title ("Starvin' Marvin in Space") right around 13:25. — Hunter Kahn (c) 02:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - On the prose, which looks solid.
  • Mephisto is ignored and ridiculed by McDaniels. - is instead
  • All the quotations need citations directly after them. ceranthor 15:50, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I think I got them all, but if I missed one please let me know. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:36, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Another SP article. How fun

"Ethiopian child whom they dub Starvin' Marvin. Cartman is accidentally sent to Ethiopia" can you add a "later" or a "then" or something to start the second sentence?
"residents to fight back, in a parody of the film Braveheart." is the comma needed? Not sure.
  • I don't think so, but if you feel it's really necessary, please feel free to add it or let me know and I'll do it. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"The episode received generally positive reviews and is considered a classic South Park episode. " switch order? Not sure.
  • I'd rather not, if only because other episode articles use this kind of wording and I'd rather maintain consistency. But again, if it's a big deal, let me know or feel free to change it yourself. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"viewed by about" maybe "roughly" instead of "about", since "about" is used twice in the sentence.
"included only because they felt obligated to include a B story." two includes
  • Changed first one to "wrote". — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"The episode reportedly deeply offended Sally Struthers." sounds funny. How about "Sally Struthers..."
  • I used this wording to avoid the passive voice with "was offended", but since it doesn't flow well, I've changed it.

Otherwise, lead looks good. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 01:45, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"do not particularly care about the cause" is "particularly" needed, or do they kinda care?
  • Nah, they don't. :D Changed it. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"genetically engineers"?
  • Should be engineered. Fixed. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"show and tell" do we have a wikilink?
"During a prayer" "While praying"?
"Chef dons war paint like William Wallace in the film Braveheart" can you add a secondary source for this?
  • Is this really necessary? If so, I'll add it, but my understanding is inline citations are to be avoided in the plot summary section, and this information is cited elsewhere in the article... — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is this culture reference needed at all in the plot section? It doesn't really describe the plot better. indopug (talk) 18:37, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The first five sentences of the "Production" section are a bit choppy.
  • I've reworked those sentences. Let me know what you think. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"although celebrities would be killed off in future episodes" maybe "although celebrities have been killed off in subsequent episodes"

More later. Looks really close, though. If you don't feel a suggestion is an improvement, don't do it. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:13, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Oppose There were several less than adequite sections in this article. Notably the Seinfeld section fits terribly in its current position, and several sentances seem to drone on and on. Try commas. They help, really, it's true. Also, I despise South Park, which makes it easy for me to oppose this. I personally think South Park has zero EV. Nezzadar (talk) 01:41, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Frankly, I doubt this objection will be even be seriously considered in the end, since you are blatantly and overtly violating WP:IDONTLIKEIT. That being said, I've reworked some sentences, and would certainly be open to any other specific suggestions you might have. As for the Seinfeld thing, I've reworded it a bit, but since the information has to do with casting, it seems to me the production section is exactly where it belongs... — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Reply—I had no idea the YouTube clip was just a preview. I had listened to a number of the later season commentaries and those are all only 2-3 minutes long (correct me if I'm wrong). So I assumed that the commentary for this episode was only that long too. Further comments—
    • Not a problem at all. In fact, you are correct; in later seasons, Parker and Stone limited their commentaries to only two or three minutes long, but in the first season (and possibly a bit in the second, I'm not sure) they did full length episode commentaries, so I can certainly see where you would draw that conclusion... — Hunter Kahn (c) 22:06, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • According to its own article, the use of Third World to describe the poorer nations of the world "is widely disparaged since the term no longer holds any verifiable meaning after the fall of the Soviet Union deprecated the terms First World and Second World." So we should replace the term.
    • I replaced it with "poorer countries". Do you think this is sufficient? — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:36, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • How about "impoverished countries"? Or is that too strong a term, and correspondingly in need of a stronger reference? Poorer countries seems a little ambiguous to me here as every country of the world is "poorer" than the United States :). indopug (talk) 02:34, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I think that wording is perfect. Thanks for working with me on that! — Hunter Kahn (c) 14:21, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "the African nation Ethiopia, which is famous for its two famines from the mid-1980s."—it seems very dismissive and rather offensive to suggest that an entire country is only famous for its famines. The source you need to cite for such a claim would be a scholarly Ethiopian history/politics book, rather than just a news report.
    • I absolutely did not mean to be dismissing or offensive, and apologize if I did. I changed the wording to "experienced two famines", rather than to say it is famous for them. I would think this wording is less problematic and should be sufficient with the current source. Is this better? — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:36, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Better. (but how odd it is that we are being so politically correct when discussing South Park!) indopug (talk) 02:34, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Cite Error: Invalid ref tag; no text was provided for refs named Englund."
    • I fixed that one. Will try to address the other items a bit later tonight. — Hunter Kahn (c) 22:06, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Parker and Stone said the character is not named after the Starvin' Marvin's brand of American gas stations, and that the similarity between the two names is just a coincidence." The source you cite just says "I live in Pensacola, FL. We have a Starvin' Marvin's gas station here. Did Trey and Matt know this and name Marvin after that or is it just a cow-inky-dink? That's one hell of a cowinkydink!" There's no indication that this was said by Parker and Stone. Also, considering that you are citing an often tongue-in-cheek primary source (and I have no idea what's a cow-inky-dink), it might be best to leave out this tidbit of information.
    • I can (and did) change it to reflect that this did not come from Parker and Stone necessarily, although I think they do screen those answers, if not write them. I suppose I could remove it if you think it doesn't belong though. Take a look at the new wording, and if you still think it should go, I'll cut it. — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:36, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • How is the DVD release info related to the production of the episode? I suggest renaming Reception to Release and reception, and moving the DVD paragraph there.
  • "is considered a classic South Park episode" not sure this is exactly established in the rest of the article. Further, considering that it is presently agreed—even by the creators—that South Park's earliest episodes aren't anywhere as good as the later ones, I doubt this statement has much merit. It sure as hell ain't "Scott Tenorman Must Die". indopug (talk) 18:50, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I think this can be addressed by changing the wording in the lead from "is considered a classic episode" to "several reviewers have described it as a classic episode", which is what the wording is in the body of the article anyway. As far as what you are saying about the classification, I understand your logic and I don't necessarily think it's one of the best episodes either. But we do have multiple sources here characterizing it as a classic episode, so I think it warrants inclusion even if you and I don't necessarily agree... — Hunter Kahn (c) 03:36, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Not sure the changed wording is an improvement, to be honest. (For one, the words 'review' and 'reviewers' in the same sentence makes for bad reading.) And that doesn't really solve the problem I had in the first place. By calling it a classic in the lead, we imply that it is commonly considered a masterpiece episode, which is not true as many series overviews of South Park (i.e. lists like "Best Episodes/Moments Ever") don't really mention this episode at all. The two references you use to cite this (#17 and #18) are both from 1999. To validate it as a classic you would need a consensus of sources from much later, when it can be compared to more of the show's canon. I suggest just describing it as a highlight of the first season in the lead; if you disagree, you can revert to the previous version of the sentence. indopug (talk) 02:34, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I changed it to "commentators" to be less redundant. As far as the classic versus non-classic issue, I still feel like it should be in the story, or at the very least in the reception section even if not the lead. First of all, I think there is a difference between a "classic" and the best episodes; I would never argue this episode is better than "Scott Tenorman Must Die", but you could argue it's more widely known (especially among non SP-fans) and had an important early impact on the show. But putting that aside, more importantly, I think we're getting into our own opinions here. Whether you or I think of it as a classic, the fact is there are legitimate sources that describe it this way; and I have at least two other sources from more recent (2004 and 2008) that also describe it this way, which I've now added to the article. I'd rather it stay, but all that being said, is this an issue that would prevent you from supporting the article if it did? — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Further— I believe this is getting close, so allow me to be pedantic and nitpicky.

  • (I think you missed my comment above in between Peregrine Fisher's) Is the mention of Braveheart in the plot section necessary? It doesn't improve the reader's understanding of the plot, especially if they haven't seen the film.
    • I suppose you are right. I had added it because it was such a big part of the episode, but since it's thoroughly covered in the Cultural references section and mentioned in the lead, I suppose I can drop it from the Plot summary. Done. — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • South Park Studios (official site) shouldn't be italicised or linked. (Since the South Park article to which it redirects carries no information about it.) If you are citing any other websites, they shouldn't be italicised either.
    • I dropped the wikilink, but it's italicized only because that's what the Template:Cite web does to it. I'm not sure how to fix this if it's wrong? — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "after which she was very upset and reportedly ... was particularly upset" Reword "upset".
    • How is "unhappy and saddened"? — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "although they have not apologized"—how do you know they haven't apologized? If its just by the fact that they didn't "we are really sorry for what we did" in the 22-minute commentary, you are inferring things. Also, although they probably didn't, how do you know they haven't apologised to her elsewhere? If you can't find a secondary source to back this up, I suggest rewording to: "did not have anything against Struthers personally. However, they portrayed Struthers in an even less-flattering fashion in the third season episode "Starvin' Marvin in Space" as a Jabba the Hutt-like creature."
    • Well, they said in the commentary that they didn't apologize. They also made a joke to the effect that her portrayal in "Starvin' Marvin in Space" was the closest they've come to an apology. But I suppose they could have apologized and just not said it, or maybe they've apologized since it was recorded, so I dropped it as per your suggestion. (I used "Nevertheless" instead of "However". If you don't like it, feel free to change it.) — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • When you use quotes within quoted material, it should be in 'single quotes'. For eg: "4-disc "Rings" could take up a whole weekend" → "4-disc 'Rings' could take up a whole weekend".
    • Right you are. I fixed that one. — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • References are inconsistently formatted. Ref 5 has date at the end, while the others have it in brackets next to the author. Also, while I don't think it absolutely necessary that newspaper refs contain refs page numbers, when you cite books it's kinda mandatory (refs 4 and 15). Refs 10 and 18 are duplicates. indopug (talk) 02:34, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I fixed the duplicating ref. Regarding the books, I assume you are talking about page numbers? I'll get those, hopefully tonight or tomorrow. As far as the inconsistent formatting, I'm using Template:Cite news and other appropriate templates, so I think they are as consistent as possible. I think the reason Ref 5 has the date different than the others is because the others have author names, but this one does not... — Hunter Kahn (c) 20:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Citation templates piss me off. Anyway, I fixed the SouthParkStudios italics thing by changing 'work' to 'publisher'. No idea about the date thing without the author. indopug (talk) 13:17, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support—This article was very good when it got here, and I think it became FA-worthy once it was slightly restructured to remove redundancies. I still have one concern though—the use of the term "poorer countries", which I have expressed in a reply above. I am sure you will be able to come up with something regarding this too. Good luck for the FAC! indopug (talk) 13:17, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thanks for your patience in working through the article with me! Also, I've made the change regarding poorer countries. Thanks again! — Hunter Kahn (c) 14:21, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Note to all: I will be away until Sunday at my sister-in-law's wedding. I'll promptly respond to any new inquiries as soon as I get back. Thanks! — Hunter Kahn (c) 00:52, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 17:18, 15 September 2009 [41].

Loihi Seamount edit

Nominator(s): ResMar 14:12, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Well, this is this article's third nomination. After the most recent unsuccesful nomination I went on a long break from Wikipedia, well now I'm back and ready to try again. This has been my project" since the first of March, so I've officially been "working on it" for 6, going into 7, months. ResMar 14:12, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Alt text???? Well that's new. How old is this guidline, a couple of weeks??? Never seen it before...are al images now required to have an alt text? ResMar 18:08, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Welcome back to Wikipedia. Support for alt text was added to the MediaWiki software last October, the WP:ALT guideline was updated a couple of months later, and it has been required for FAs since July 1. If you'd like help or suggestions please drop a line at WT:ALT. Eubulides (talk) 18:27, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Dammit. Knowing my shoddy word work it's going to be discussed a thousand times over before I get it right. ResMar 18:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. ResMar 18:47, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, maybe not a thousand times, but at least once. Thanks for adding the alt text, but it has a couple of problems:
  • Some Much of the alt text duplicates the caption. For example, the alt text "Bathymetric mapping of Lōʻihi, with an arrow pointing to Pele's Pit in the center." nearly duplicates the caption "Bathymetric mapping of Lōʻihi; the arrow points to Pele's Pit." Alt text should not repeat the caption; see WP:ALT#Repetition. This is because the alt text and the caption are both read aloud to visually impaired readers who use a screen reader.
  • One image still lacks alt text, namely File:Loihiflank.jpg (please use the "Photo alt" parameter of {{Infobox Seamount}}).
Eubulides (talk) 19:05, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. ResMar 19:45, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, that edit added alt text for the image that lacked it, so I struck that comment. However, its changes to the other alt text entries did not address the repetition problem. For example, for Image:LoihiBathemetric.jpg a screen reader will read the alt text and caption aloud, resulting in unwanted repetition something like "Link Bathymetric mapping of Lōʻihi, with an arrow pointing to Pele's Pit in the center. Link Bathymetric mapping of Lōʻihi; the arrow points to Pele's Pit." (alt text italicized); the repetition obviously is not helping the visually impaired. (Please see WP:ALT#Repetition for more details about this.) To fix this, please edit the alt text for that image to something that gives useful info about visual appearance but does not repeat the caption, e.g., "A north-south ridge, trending slightly east of south. Pele's Pit, at its peak, is about 1000 meters below sea level; further south the ridge gradually descends about 3500 meters to the sea floor." Similarly for the other images. Eubulides (talk) 22:32, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't get it. is this alt thing supposed to describe the image or elaborate on the caption? I can't do both. ResMar 23:35, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. ResMar 13:22, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, that's much better. It's pretty close to being done. There are a few remaining points.
  • The alt text "See caption." for File:LoihiBacteria.jpg doesn't communicate the striking visual aspects of that image, namely, the green slimy growths on the rocks in the main image, or the entwined spirals in the inset. Please put those details into the alt text (there's little point putting them in the caption, as they're obvious to sighted readers).
  • The phrase "found on the flank of Lōʻihi" can't be verified by a non-expert simply by looking at that image; please remove or rephrase it as per WP:ALT#Verifiability.
  • The alt text for the two maps File:LoihiBathemetric.jpg and File:Loihi 3d.gif concentrates too much on irrelevant details such as "blue" and "orange" and too little on the gist of what the maps say. Please see WP:ALT#Maps for more on this. I suggest replacing the 1st map's alt text with the "north-south ridge..." suggestion above, and the 2nd map's alt text with a simple "3D rendering of the same map as before". By the way, why have two maps of the same thing? Wouldn't it be better to have just one map?
Eubulides (talk) 20:26, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. However I am not going to remove the second image because it is in fact different from the first one (I REALLY don't feel like removing any images because then the page will start to look bare). ResMar 23:46, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for doing that. I don't have a strong opinion on the two-map issue. I tweaked the remaining alt text problems that I saw, and the result looks good to me. Thanks again. Eubulides (talk) 02:28, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - Well Res, I owe you a lot so I'll help with the review. Each possibly "challengable" sentence requires a citation.
  • Volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands arise from the Hawaiʻi hotspot, and, as the youngest volcano in the chain, Lōʻihi is the only Hawaiian volcano in the deep submarine preshield stage of development. - rm the comma after and, not needed
Done. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • At its summit, Lōʻihi Seamount stands more than 3,000 m (10,000 ft) above the seafloor, making it taller than Mount St. Helens was before its catastrophic 1980 eruption.- This is an American article, so the figures should be ft then mtrs, throughout the article. I know this is one tedious task to complete, but please be sure to convert all the figures to proper format.
Um, Cer, a whiles ago we were told to convert it to meters, and now I have convent everything back into feet? It's not really an issue as long as both are shown. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ceranthor, this is not an "American article" with a focus on all things "American". This is a scientific article about a seamount, and such articles use SI first and foremost, even the American scientists quoted in the sources. Viriditas (talk) 01:26, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Lōʻihi's north and south trending rift zones create a distinctive elongated shape, - better with an WP:ENDASH between north and south, rm the and
  • Lōʻihi's north and south trending rift zones create a distinctive elongated shape, from which the volcano's Hawaiian name, meaning "long," derives. - cite?
Done. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The seafloor under Hawaiʻi is 80-100 million years old and was created at the East Pacific Rise, an oceanic spreading center where new sea floor is created from magma erupting from the mantle. - cite?
Entire paragraph falls under one citation, at the end. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • When scientists investigated a series of earthquakes off Hawaiʻi in 1970, they discovered that Lōʻihi was an active member of the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain. - cite?
Again, at the end of the paragraph. We had a problem with overcitation before similar to what you want me to do and simplified it. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Most of the samples were found to be of ancient origin; the oldest dated rock is approximately 300,000 years old. - cite?
Again, citation at the end of the paragraph. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Most earthquake swarms at Lōʻihi have lasted less than two days; the two exceptions are the 1991–92 earthquake, lasting several months, and the 1996 event, which was shorter but much more pronounced. - cite?
Already cited. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The majority of the earthquakes are not distributed close to the summit, though they follow a north-south trend. - cite?
End of paragraph. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Lōʻihi Seamount's first depiction on a map was on Survey Chart 4115, a bathymetric rendering of part of Hawaiʻi compiled by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1940. - cite?
Already cited to Garcia at end of paragraph. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • At the time, the seamount was non-notable, being one of many in the region. - cite?
Already cited. We can't cite very single fact in the article directly, when it's far more feasible to give a ref at the end of a paragraph of text related to it instead of notching 3-4 of these refs inside of the paragraph.

More later.

I think the prose needs work too in general. It is somewhat choppy, I'd suggest asking one of the copyeditors I previously recommended. ceranthor 12:08, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. Choppy? If this FAC fails on vauge intangible ideas I will knock myself in the head. Anyway Ark already copyedited the article as did Vid (multiple times), me, Avenue, JKBrooks, Mattisse, and Micheal Devore. Truth to tell you I REALLY think that further copyediting wouldn't be feasible, it's already had multiple going-overs. ResMar 13:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - Alright, maybe I was being picky. But I'm willing to support this article. ceranthor 10:21, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Nicely written comprehensive article. I've tweaked a couple of things, and if your sources include a prediction as to whether the island it creates will ultimately merge with Hawaii (and if so when) it would be nice to mention that. ϢereSpielChequers 02:15, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Scientists speculate that Loihi may create its own island, but due to its proximity to the main landmass it's more likely to merge with the rest of the island as the newest "section." Considering its going to be quite a while before this happens no one knows for sure. (Thanks for the support, I really appreciate any sort of votes because this tends to stagnate) ResMar 03:12, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I would have thought that would merit a line such as "ultimately the island formed by Loihi may merge with the neighbouring island of Hawaii'i". ϢereSpielChequers 12:14, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Comment massaging the prose as I go, please revert any changes to meaning I inadvertently make. My initial impression is that it is on target to pass this time round..queries below. Casliber (talk · contribs) 08:52, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
(although before that, due to lack of study, scientists did not know it was actually active) - I think this is redundant (?)
Removed. ResMar 13:50, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
..and photographed Lōʻihi's summit with the goal of studying whether Lōʻihi is active. - know what you mean but sounds odd.
changed it to potographs to be less akward; if you have any suggestions please give them because I'm not quite sure how to change it. ResMar 13:50, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, I am thinking about it. Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:01, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The researchers were continually met by clouds of sulfide and sulfate. The sudden collapse of Pele's Vents caused a large discharge of hydrothermal material and sulfide. - is the second 'sulfide' here redundant as it is included in the descriptor of 'hydrothermal material'?
Removed the redundant part. I'm really thankful for your extensive copyedit, I'm hoping that it will finally resolve the issues with "choppy" text. Big thanks! ResMar 00:29, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
There aren't any standout deal-breaker prose-glitches left for me, but others might find a few tweaks. Casliber (talk · contribs) 03:28, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 16:55, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I sure do hope three votes isn't failable... ResMar 00:43, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I believe the only thing that is lacking is an image review. Dabomb87 (talk) 03:06, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Unless some new images that have been added that I'm unaware of, the images check out. Of course, I'm a secondary contributor so perhaps I'm biased. However, I have had to remove images from this article in the past, and I believe a few were deleted due to my efforts. I also politely requested the removal of the black smoker image, and ResidentMario eventually complied. So I'm fairly certain the images check out. Viriditas (talk) 03:46, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Requested image check results:
    • File:Loihi 3d.gif was created during NOAA-funded work, but are we sure it was created by an NOAA employee?
      • All NOAA images are in the public domain. We know that the image was created by the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL), and we know that HURL was created by NOAA and the University of Hawaii, in partnership, to support the University and NOAA. The people involved have to be approved by NOAA and the equipment needed to capture the image was probably purchased with federal funds. The bottom line is that University doesn't pay anything because the entire program is federally funded.[42] Now, to answer your question. The image was apparently captured by scientist John Smith of the Marine Geology and Geochemistry Division (MGGD) with support from graphic designer Brooks Bays. Both of these people appear to be employees of the University of Hawaii, but their work was funded by NOAA. For more details on these things, see this site. Viriditas (talk) 11:44, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • No other copyright issues. Stifle (talk) 10:04, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sorry for coming to the article so late. From what I can see (totally non-expert), it has a historical scope and an encyclopedic prose style. The references and images and technical things all seem to check out. The red-links are viable future articles. It is succinct with room for expansion (but not lacking perse). I give my support.~ZytheTalk to me! 14:17, 16 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [43].

Battle of Grand Port edit

Nominator(s): Jackyd101 (talk) 00:16, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

This article covers a battle fought between British and French frigate squadrons in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. Due to catastrophically poor decision making on the part of the British commodore, the British squadron was completely destroyed in the worst defeat the Royal Navy suffered during the entire war. The article has passed a GA review, a MilitHist A-class review and recently had a MiltHist peer review. It is also part of the Mauritius campaign of 1809-1811 good topic. One slightly unusual aspect of the article is the appearance of a large, high-resolution portrait of the battle - I have canvassed other editors as to the appropriateness of this image (which I rather like), and have received a mixed response, so I'm interested in what people have to say here. Jackyd101 (talk) 00:16, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Alt text is done; thanks. The alt text needs work. Please see the "alt text" button at the upper right of this review page.
  • The alt text is mostly just a duplicate of the caption. It needs to be rewritten so that it (a) does not duplicate the caption and (b) describes useful visual appearance that can be verified by a non-expert who is looking only at the image. Please see WP:ALT #Difference from captions (though that example alt text is a bit long).
  • Many flag icons have no alt text. Most of these can simply add something like "alt=France" since they are icons for their countries. A few should instead add "|link=" because they are next to text that already identifies their countries and are therefore purely decorative. See WP:ALT #When to specify.
Eubulides (talk) 06:51, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't really understand this new requirement, but I've had a go. How is it now?--Jackyd101 (talk) 23:15, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Still needs a bit of improvement (it's frustrating, I know!). Basically, alt text is like describing what a picture looks like to a friend over the phone. Take the "Scuttling of Sirius" image. Most readers would not know what the Sirius looks like if you told them "HMS Sirius in flames"; you would just tell them "ship in flames". In short, pretend as if you have never seen the images before and you had describe them. I hope that clears it up a little bit. Dabomb87 (talk) 02:33, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
OK, I'll work on this over the weekend.--Jackyd101 (talk) 22:23, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Any better?--Jackyd101 (talk) 14:59, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Better, but still needs work. "Map of Île de France" merely repeats the caption (which is not recommended; WP:ALT #What not to specify) and doesn't convey any useful information to the visually impaired reader. "French ships are in blue, the British in red." is fairly-useless irrelevant detail and should be removed; likewise for "High resolution painting". (See WP:ALT #Flawed and better examples.) Several phrases cannot be verified by a non-expert reader who looks only at the images, and should be reworded or removed; these include "of the Battle of Grand Port", "A photograph of Grand Port in 2007," "the memorial to the battle", "on the Arc de Triomphe". The flags are all purely decorative, and should use "|link=" as per WP:ALT#When to specify. There is no need to repeat the alt text of the battle painting; the detail's alt text should list just details that are obvious there but not in the main painting, to avoid repetition. Generally speaking, alt text should not repeat anything's that in the caption, and proper names in particular shouldn't be in alt text (unless the image itself verifies them). Eubulides (talk) 06:47, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I originally wrote out a list of about 25 seperate things that I don't understand from what you wrote above, but I felt that might seem a bit obtuse just to stick down here. Can you link to a page which explains this for people with a low tolerance for technical stuff? I've tried looking at some of the other articles here at FAC, but I don't really see the difference between them and this, so I'm still confused. As an example: could "Map of Île de France" be better written as "Map of large brown island in a light blue sea" or is this wrong? I'm really not trying to be difficult, I just can't make head or tail of this requirement (When did it come in?)--Jackyd101 (talk) 22:41, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
OK, after some digging I found Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates/archive39, which explained it much better than WP:ALT. I'll have another go this week but its probably going to be a long process.--Jackyd101 (talk) 22:48, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
OK, I sat down and had a real go at this - let me know what still needs changing.--Jackyd101 (talk) 22:13, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, it looks pretty good now. The map was the biggest problem; its alt text focused too much on irrelevant detail (e.g., the color of the ocean) and not enough on the gist of what the map tells the sighted reader. I tweaked it to fix the remaining problems I saw. Eubulides (talk) 19:15, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for your help - I was wondering though, why is it irrelevant to tell a blind reader about the medium of the image (i.e. drawing, painting, engraving, photograph etc.). This information is rarely in the caption, and yet it can help a knowledgeable reader determine the era, context and even in some case the style of the image (for example, knowing that an image is an engraving tells me quite a lot about its origin and context, as indeed does a photograph)?--Jackyd101 (talk) 20:31, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It's not always irrelevant, and admittedly different editors' opinions differ on this but I'll tell you my opinion. It's a question of cost (adding extra words to the alt text) versus benefit (the useful info the reader can extract from the extra words). We've had feedback multiple times that brief alt text is better for screen readers, so the cost is real. Usually the reader wants to know about the topic in question, not about how the illustration was made. That is, the illustration is a means to the end of understanding the topic, not the end itself. Similarly, the style of the image is often irrelevant to the topic. Obviously if the article is about art, then medium and style are typically the focus of the image and should be mentioned in the alt text; but if the article is about military history, the alt text should be focused on the visual aspects of the image that are relevant to military history. In this particular case, the fact that an image is an engraving may help to date it somewhat, but much more-precise info about the event is already available in the text of the article, so saying that the image is an engraving isn't that useful in this context. (End of personal opinion.) It's not a big deal, and if you feel that this detail is important in the alt text, please feel free to put it back in. Eubulides (talk) 02:27, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No I'll stick with your version, thanks for the well-reasoned answer.--Jackyd101 (talk) 10:43, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:07, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support: Despite a strong interest in history this is not an area I am overly familiar with. However, this article is well written and the story well developed that it makes a very interesting read. While I scoured the article looking for something that could be fixed, I could find nothing. Deserves to be an FA. Apterygial 11:07, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thankyou very much for you comments and support.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Once again, you have written a masterful article on a little known "incident" of the Napoleonic wars. This is an area in which I am familiar, and I can add these additional comments. First, Neatly done contextualizing of the battle. You've nicely set the larger scope of the Indian Ocean campaigns in perspective which, as you know from some of the GA reviews I've worked on, is a top priority. Having set the larger context, you narrow the focus down gradually, which I especially like: while many people have considerable interest and some expertise in the Napoleonic land wars, fewer have some knowledge of the war in the Indian and Pacific ocean theaters. Third, your use of images is entirely appropriate, and yes, you are indeed fortunate to have some high quality images to select from; they enhance the text, and tell the story in their own way, not with all they details, of course, but well enough so that a non-reader, or non English reader, could sort out the general idea.

That said, I have a couple of suggestions and one question:

Question What happened to Lieutenant Morice? How was the message delivered?
Morice broke his leg in several places when he fell from the horse and never fully recovered use of the limb. Although the source does not explicitly state it, the message would certainly have been passed to another despatch rider almost immediately. I have not added this information into the article as a) it seemed an unnecessary diversion and b) there are too many holes in the sourcing to put it as simply as I have done here.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I wasn't suggesting you add it, just curious. Auntieruth55 (talk) 18:55, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

: in "Background"  : "The British response to the French deployment was led by Commodore Josias Rowley, ..." Josias Rowley led the British response to French deployment...?

I've changed this, although the new version is somewhat different than your suggestion.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
in "lead": "...French squadron under Captain Guy-Victor Duperré approached the bay nine days later the British commander, Captain Samuel Pym, decided to lure them into coastal waters where his superior numbers could be brought to bear against the French ships... to lure it (squadron).... or is the plural the British version?
I'll have to think about this one and establish which is correct.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Here in the US, it would be squadrons=plural verb, squadron = single verb. I don't know where you are in the world. Auntieruth55 (talk) 18:55, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
in "Attempted withdrawal:"...At 07:00, Lambert notified Pym that he had cleared the reef that separated Iphigenia from the..." The redundancy of "that" is confusing: how about that he had cleared the reef separating
Good point, I will make this change in the article.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
in "aftermath": ".....their courts martial inquiring into the loss of their ships..." inquiry?
In this case and this era, there was (specifically) a court martial held for all of the ship's commissioned officers whenever a Royal Navy ship was lost through whatever means (beyond use as a fireship or blockship or other deliberate destruction). It was standard, and in cases of ships lost in battle was usually unanimously closed in favour of the ship's officers. That Willoughby was criticised at all was a major (although not fatal) blow to his career. I'm not sure how much of this detail needs to go into the article.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

These suggestions are incredibly minor, and even if you do nothing about them, my response is still
Strongly Support. Very Nice Job! Auntieruth55 (talk) 01:48, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thankyou very much for your well thought out response. I have given answers to your questions above.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:09, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support, but some suggestions:

  • The linking of "harbour" in the lead may be a case of overlinking
  • The term "prize officer" needs explanation.
  • The term "spiking the guns" needs explanation.
  • Although the term "warping the ship" has a wikilink, given its obscurity to lay people and its importance to the run of battle, I would actually explain it in the article text. hamiltonstone (talk) 23:51, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thankyou for your support and comments. I have removed harbour and briefly explained the other terms.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:14, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Two things to fix

  • WP:LINK—why "harbour", "cannon", "United Kingdom", "blockade", "lagoon", etc? Please audit throughout.
  • Image sizes: TINY. Can we have them enlarged, please, especially the last one, the map, the Grand-Port, and the Sirius – in fact, most of them (detailed). Tony (talk) 03:51, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have delinked harbour and lagoon. In my naval articles, I always try to provide links for technical naval terms: thus cannon is linked to distinguish it from carronade, which were also widely used at the time and other less common forms of artillery that sometimes appear (like the bizarre cannonade gun found on East Indiamen, or swivel guns used on smaller vessels). blockade is actually quite a technical strategic term in this instance and I have had requests for it to be linked on other articles and I try to remain consistent with this. As for United Kingdom, I have no objection to delinking it in the article text, but I thought it was standard to link combatants the first time they appear, no matter who they are (and its also worth noting when looking at this that the official name of the country actually changed during the war from "Great Britain" to "United Kingdom").
As for the images, I know that in the past I have been told numerous times at FAC that adding px numbers to images in the article is actually forbidden because it can cause problems for some people at some screen resolutions: is this no longer the case (the rules on images seem to keep changing all the time)?
Thankyou for your comments--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:14, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comment. I have always felt that discouraging set pixel sizes has been interpreted too strongly in the past - it's a suggestion, not a rule - but I think the current guideline is that if a size is set, then the size should be 300 pixels (or more). From Wikipedia:Picture tutorial: "Typically if you specify a width in pixels, it should be at least 300px, so that it's no smaller than the user's preferred width." And I fully support making the pictures larger as well, especially the map which requires a large size to discern detail. SnowFire (talk) 21:27, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think I have addressed the image problem now, thanks for your comments both.--Jackyd101 (talk) 10:58, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Image review
  • File:Grand_Port_mg6971.jpg needs the copyright info for the original painter, not just the photographer (in particular b/death dates, as there's no link to the artist on en.wiki.)
OK, had ago with this and the other Gilbert works, let me know if there are any additional problems.
Replaced with better image.
Dealt with as above.
I will check with the uploader.
Uploader has provided details and I have added these to the image file.--Jackyd101 (talk) 18:19, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • File:GrandPort2.jpg invalid license if you don't have the date of publication or know the author.
I know who the painter is, and the style is clearly nineteenth century, but I will contact the uploader for more information.
Between us the uploader and I have been unable to discern any clearer information on the date of death of the artist in this instance and so I have removed the image until this has been established.--Jackyd101 (talk) 18:19, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done as above.

--Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 17:59, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Answered as above, still checking one or two details.--Jackyd101 (talk) 17:02, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I believe these have all now been addressed.--Jackyd101 (talk) 18:19, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sourcing concerns - I was able to check few of the books, but the sourcing I could check has problems.
1. "Willoughby's raiding was interrupted at 10:00 on 20 August when five ships were sighted..." Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
1. This source starts the discussion on p. 29. "rapidly approaching from the southeast" was not in the source. The article claims "returning from the Comoros Islands." but the source says "they were both proceeding at that time from the Cape to Madras". "Île de France" does not appear on either page of the source, and you cannot sail to it as it is in the center of France. The "Isle of France", i.e. Mauritius in French, is mentioned. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
2. "Willoughby brought Nereide close to Île de la Passe to combine their fire and hastily recalled his boats, which were carrying 160 men back to Nereide from a raid near Grand Port that morning" Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
2. The above is quite different from the depiction in the source and I do not know where to start. The events as written above, with the "hasty recall", etc, do not seem to appear that way in the source. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
3. "Three men were killed and 12 badly burned, six cannons were dismounted and one discharged unexpectedly..." Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
3. The source says six were destroyed, not "dismounted". I see nothing about a canon discharging unexpectedly in the source. I don't see anything that is close to the last part of the sentence. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
4. "French losses were more severe, Minerve suffering 23 casualties and Ceylon eight" Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
4. The source merely says "disabled" without any further explanation. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
5. "The French crew drove the captured East Indiaman on shore, joined shortly afterwards by Minerve, Bellone and later by Victor, so that by 18:30 the entire French force was grounded and all but Bellone prevented from firing their main broadsides by beached ships blocking their arc of fire" Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
5. The source says that the Siri "threw herself onto a coral reef", and Magicienne and Iphigenia then altered their course to avoid the same mishap; but this did not prevent the forme" I see nothing besides these two ships grounding themselves in any way. On p. 32, it says "At 2 p.m. they moored besides the Sirius and Nereid." "moored" is far different than "grounded". Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I stopped there as this source seems to have the same problems in every instance. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:19, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm sorry, but I don't think you have phrased your objection very clearly and as a result I'm a little unsure what you are asking me to do. As far as I can make out you are asking:
1) Are you asking for that specific sentence to be given a source (its totally non-controversial, and I believe off-hand that I can attribute it to both James and Clowes at least)? the Macmillan reference is for Duperre's intention to enter the harbour via Ile de la Passe (which it immediately follows), which does appear on the page. In addition please note that Duperre's stay in the Comoros Islands is already mentioned and sourced above that and so doesn't need to be again (and the Madras voyage you refer to was a British squadron captured by Duperre - this is covered above in Background). Also, obviously I am not referring to the "Ile de France" in Northern France but to Mauritius. However that name is anachronistic for this time period. (Note that when I link to the island, the link is piped to Mauritius).
2) Are you asking for a source regarding specifically the "hasty recall" (again, I think James and Clowes cover this)? The Macmillan reference does however clearly mention the return of 160 men from a raiding operation, so is actually very close to the text.
3) The "dismounted" word comes from either James or Clowes and is a far more accurate description than the rather dramatic "destroyed" (imagine the forces required to actually destroy an iron cannon). Although perhaps the exact wording of the second half of the sentance is not replicated in the source, the implication is definately there. However if this is insufficient for you I'm sure several additional sources can be found.
4) I see absolutely no problem here - what do you think "disabled" means in this context?
5) There is also no problem here: firstly you seem to have confused some of the French ships with some of the British ones, and secondly the source quite clearly backs up the article in the final two paragraphs of that page.
So in summary, there doesn't really seem to be a lot wrong with this source on the evidence you have raised. For an action of this complexity several sources are required to describe each stage, and it would be obviously impractical to reference each word or even each sentance as it appears in the source texts. If you have any further questions please feel free to ask however.--Jackyd101 (talk) 23:47, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
1. A citation is supposed to cover everything before it. The article should be fully cited. 2. The textual difference is in the way it is described, as there is no mention of a "recall" order given. If it is in another source, please cite that source on the page. 3. If that comes from another source then please cite that source for the sentence. 4. Disabled could mean anything from wounded, stunned, or just knocked unconscious. Casualties normally implies severe wounding or death. 5. I checked the final two paragraphs and I see nothing of the sort. There is mention of a mudbank and a shoal, but neither are shore. At most, there are two ships that could be seen as stuck on anything. There is no way to say the source accurate depicts what the article says. I have now officially read page 33 and 32 for the 6th time and can see no possible way to justify what is said in the article by what is found in the source. Furthermore, I did not "object". I provided a source to article analysis for reviewers to see in regards to how the sources were used in the article. If others wish to, they can object over it. Ottava Rima (talk) 01:15, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, I will provide additional sources for the first three points. With four, I'm afraid you are incorrect: a Casualty (person) is somebody rendered unable to continue fighting by whatever means, be it death, injury, capture or even simple absence. Thus disabled (which is in fact a rather odd term for the source to use in this context) and casualty mean the same thing here (i.e. killed or wounded, since no one was captured or went missing during the engagement). As for 5, I can see now where you are confused: look at Shoal, specifically the term harbour bar which is what we are looking at here (although none of the source use that specific terminology) - it is a sandbar, mudbank or similar natural structure that gathers at the mouth of a river or in this case a number of small rivers. In this case, the shoals at Grand Port are indeed part of the shoreline, as opposed to a coral reef that lies slightly offshore. The British ships grounded on coral reefs, which did terrible damage to their hulls, resulting in their eventual destruction. The French ships grounded on sand or mud and thus could be safely brought off after the battle. If you wish I can clarify this a little more in the text, although I don't have sources that specifically back up what I just said (its implicit - naval histories tend to assume a fairly high level of knowledge about such things among their readers from the start). I'm not sure what to do about your penultimate point: I've read it again, and page 33 quite clearly states that Ceylon, Victor, Minerve and Bellone had all grounded (i.e. stuck) on a shoal/mudbank/shore while Sirius and 'Magicienne had grounded on coral reefs. Finally I apologise regarding the word objection - I merely meant it to be descriptive and did not seek to cast aspersions against you.--Jackyd101 (talk) 06:44, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
From what I know of military history, casualties must be long term. Disabled could merely mean at that moment. The term is too vague. Please find a different source. "are indeed part of the shoreline" Please find another source for this part then (and move the citation forward and have grounded on the shoreline cited to this ref explaining the shoreline), as the source used does not seem to verify this as it is too vague. Regardless, I believe your final point is from this passage: "in so doing, and whilst she was slipping her front cable, her stern ropes were severed by a shot, with the result that the south-eastern breeze drove her right behind the Ceylon, against a shoal on which she touched. The Ceylon, unequaled to the combined volleys of two frigates, cut her cables and hoisted top sails to follow the Minerve, came in contact with the poop of that vessel and gently pushed her forward... The three French vessels now got jammed together." From what I can see, one ship can be demonstrated to be on the shoal. The others can only be declared to touch that other ship or be near it. At no point does it say that the others were grounded or were anything but touching each other with one that was grounded. Does that make sense? The source is way too vague. If you have a clearer source, please use it. Ottava Rima (talk) 15:13, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

(deindent) First of all, casualties do not have to be long term: indeed the British Army definition of "casualty" was traditionally any man who failed to be counted at roll call following a battle for any reason (obviously this is only one specific interpretation and not the one being used here, which I have described above). Secondly, I am confused about what you are asking for: do you want to see a source explaining what a shoreline is? Finally, I have now sourced the first two of your points and rephrased the last as I cannot now locate the text describing the recall order (although obviously one must have been given and I'm sure I've seen it somewhere). Please note that James p. 286 quite comfortably covers both of your final two points with the quote given in the Attempted withdrawal section. I really do not see any problem with using this source in conjunction with the others presented - when writing an article it is by combining several sources that the most accurate and neutral account can be produced.--Jackyd101 (talk) 16:48, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

No, I do not want a source defining shoreline. I want a source that says that the above is part of the shoreline. Otherwise, making such claims would fall under original research (so, add a citation so it wont be). You seem to have plenty of sources to chose from, and I am sure googlebooks can help you find more if you aren't able to find it now. If, as you state, the James source covers it, then adding it should cover the problems, no? :) Ottava Rima (talk) 14:55, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm sorry, this is still not clear to me: are you asking for a source that definatively states that at Grand Port the sand and mud banks form part of the shoreline? I would be astonished if one exisited in the format you are asking for - any naval history worth quoting would automatically assume its readers understood that (see shore). What do you think shoreline means? The James quote given in the article that you mention above is typical of this attitude in histories - do you want me to reference it twice?--Jackyd101 (talk) 22:38, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No, I was asking for another source that says they were all "grounded". As I quoted, it seems to vague from the above to see them all as grounded, as some appear to simply be against another but not quite grounded. I am sure another source would have it in a clearer manner. Ottava Rima (talk) 18:59, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
In the interests of bringing this discussion to a close, I have used James to supplement Macmillan in this instance. I maintain that Macmillan is quite clear on this point and that no additional reference is necessary, but have added another in the spirit of compromise.--Jackyd101 (talk) 18:19, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [44].

The Covent-Garden Journal edit

Nominator(s): —Anonymous DissidentTalk 05:39, 16 August 2009 (UTC) and Ottava Rima (talk) 14:15, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I feel it's of appropriate length, provides necessary and concise information on the topic, is well-researched and -referenced, and is of a generally high quality. Thanks. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 05:39, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Added my name per AD's comments on my talk page. If there are any concerns about sources or if someone wants access to the sources, I will try and process that quickly. Ottava Rima (talk) 14:15, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment Support: An engrossing, comprehensive article on an interesting corner of literary history. The prose is not quite there, yet, but I believe it can quite quickly be brought up to standard. Sources look good. Here are my detailed comments:-

  • Lead
    • "...under the pseudonym of" – "of" is unnecessary
      • Fixed.
    • Questionable use of quote marks: ..."war" on the "armies" of Grub Street. In the main text "the armies of Grub Street" is all within quotes; I suggest you use the same form here, and probably drop the quotes round "war".
      • Fixed.
    • "...the letter, initially attributed to a 'Humphrey Meanwell', was in fact written by Fielding operating under a pseudonym." The last four words are intuitive and could be omitted.
      • Fixed.
  • Background
    • Opening phrase jars: "a" followed immediately by "the". I know "The" is part of the journal's title, but I don't think the "a" is necessary.
      • Fixed.
    • "Published pseudonymously..." Again, we can infer pseudonymous from the previous text, and the word can be omitted.
      • Fixed.
    • Third paragraph: some work needed here.
      • You say Fielding began "plotting his next course of literary work". That reads as rather stilted - is "course of" necessary?
        • Fixed,
      • To link with what follows in the paragraph, you need to say somewhere that he decided that this next literary work would take the form of a journal. Otherwise, when you say "he gave it the title The Covent-Garden Journal", it is not clear what "it" refers to.
        • Fixed.
      • It also says: "In alluding to his past publication...". The sentence should not start with "In". Also, from what has been said, it wasn't "his" publication, merely something he gave a hand to. I suggest "the earlier" replaces "his past". Thus: "Alluding to the earlier publication,..." etc
        • Fixed.
      • Could you be a bit more precise than "...because of Amelia."?
        • My sources don't really specify, I think. I assume it would have been stock standard production affairs. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Maybe say "because of work related to the publication of Amelia? Brianboulton (talk) 09:56, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Given the Duke's journal of the same name, did Fielding's journal begin at No. 2, or did he begin again at No 1?
        • Remember that Fielding never admitted to participating in the hoax (as far as I know), so I don't think he would have regarded it in issuing the Journal. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Content
    • "Fielding injected a certain degree of wit or "liveliness" not seen in his previous publications" - does the source say the "not seen..." bit?
      • I don't have access to that source. Perhaps Ottava Rima will know. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Thankfully, google has a copy of this one also (I have physical copies of all of them, but this is convenient for others to check) - p. 47 says "More aggressively than he had done in his earlier periodicals, Fielding here makes wit (or liveliness, or urbanity) a distinguishing, thus unifying...". The "not seen" is connected to "a certain degree" and a paraphrase of "more aggressively than he had done..." to the end of the sentence. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:23, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • The structure of the sentence beginning "Exceptions included..." is far too complicated, with long subclauses and an immense quotation. And while I think of it..."Exceptions included" sounds a bit like something Sam Goldwyn might have said. So I suggest "Exceptions were...", then reconstruct the material in a slightly more digestible form.
      • Still pondering that. Would it be remiss to remove the quotation? It would be a shame... —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • How about this?

Exceptions were those in numbers 42, 50 and 58. No. 42 mocked the Country Tories by imagining how an Ancient Greek or Roman would react to party politics: "...convey [him] to a Hunting-Match, or Horse Race, or any other Meeting of Patriots. Will he not immediately conclude from all the Roaring and Ranting, the Hallowing and the Hazzaing, the Gaming and Drinking, [...] that he is actually present at the Orgia of Bacchus, or the Celebration of some such Festival?". Number 50 blamed the growth of the London mob on poverty laws, while number 58 targeted the "Independent Electors of Westminster"

That would retain the whole quote, but I believe the quote would be equally forceful if it began at "Will he not...". Brianboulton (talk) 08:49, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That reads well. Thanks. I've inserted it, but changed "while" to "and"; the link between the two clauses seems additive, not contrastive. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 09:13, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "In his literary reviews, Fielding often wrote with a biased hand." This, and similar judgements such as "Fielding's reviews were not always partisan", and "Fielding had a noted tendency to be prejudiced toward certain authors", need to be attributed, otherwise they read as POV.
        • No access to that source either.
          • The source. It covers multiple pages, so you will have to look around. Saying that a work is opinion based is not controversial, and they are already attributed. This wasn't a newspaper but series of editorials that were printed as a satirical journal. Ottava Rima (talk) 15:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • I'm sure the source says what you say it says. However, when you say that Fielding often wrote with a biased hand, gave immoderate praise, or had noted tendencies to be prejudiced in certain directions, whose opinions are these? Although the comments are cited, we need to be told specifically whose opinions/judgements these are. Thus the paragraph should be introduced: "According to the Battestins' analysis..." or some such. Brianboulton (talk) 16:12, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • They aren't POV or controversial. They do not need to be directly quoted. Based on your rational, saying someone wrote an opinion column would need to be attributed directly to a critic. It is not an "According to Battestins" as there is no critical involvement of opinion. It is a -fact-. The journals were not news, they were not objective, nor is there any possibility of claiming they were anything but parody and opinion pieces. Thus, there is no way to claim that the above characterization is even close to being controversial enough to warrant such statements. Find -one- source that claims the journal is objective and neutral. Unless you do, you have no grounds to claim it needs to be directly attributed, especially when it is a common statement in -all- works on Fielding dealing with the matter. Ottava Rima (talk) 16:33, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                • Sorry for the delay on picking this up. OK, I think you are arguing that Fielding's unquestioned status as a polemicist means that his writing was naturally biased, immoderate and prejudiced, and that these terms do not require attribution as they are self-evident, not a matter of opinion. I am half-convinced. If no other reviewer picks up on this I won't press the point, but part of me is uncomfortable with not knowing whose words these descriptive phrases are. Brianboulton (talk) 13:33, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                  • If you want, the language can be toned down. The term "prejudice" tends to have a negative connotation in the US with racial undertones, so that word could easily be swapped for another (prejudice just means choosy or selective, or in favour of something). Immoderate shouldn't have such a connotation, as it means that he went out of his way to support his friends, i.e. he wrote puff pieces and rather admittedly (most journals and reviews of the day contained puff pieces and little objectivity). Here are some other sources: this says that there was no political bias, but also "he was not always polite in his wit, or restrained in his observations... assumed, also, the right of censorship over his contemporaries-a right to ridicule and criticise them.." This source has quite a bit about his views - "he endorses Richardson by way of censoring Rabelais and Aristophanes". This is Fielding's attack on Smollett. As you can see, it is an attack piece (quite literally, as it has a lot about military and conflict in it). Another describing the opinionated aspect - "Much like Steele, Fielding had declared himself a moral censor and regularly held forth on the reigning vices and follies in his periodical writing." There are more, but it is hard to find the info available on google books for others to verify. Ottava Rima (talk) 14:18, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                      • I've done some more rewording for the flow. It might be more toned-down. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 14:51, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                        • As no one else has picked up on this, I'm not pressing it. Brianboulton (talk) 14:52, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Paper war
    • Delete article from section title
    • "The first four numbers of The Journal are of particular note because they featured an account of the "Paper War." The words "are of particular note because they" should be deleted as editorial comment and therefore POV
      • Fixed.
    • "with writers" better than "with the writers"
      • Fixed.
    • "...for the sake of generating sales" is wordy. Why not "to generate sales"?
      • Fixed.
    • "Fielding challenged the armies of Grub Street". Was this a challenge on a specific issue? Otherwise the word "confront" might be a better choice.
      • Fixed.
    • (Second paragraph) The words "In this way" are redundant
      • Fixed.
    • "especial" in this usage is OK but archaic; "special" is preferable.
    • The last sentence of the section requires a citation.
  • Meanwell controversy: isn't "controversy" rather over-egging it? (controversy: dispute, argument or debate, esp. one concerning a matter about which there is strong disagreement. Collins English Dictionary) Whats a good word for a "storm in a teacup"?
  • End of publication
    • Unnecessarily wordy: "Fielding himself had fallen into poor health" Perhaps "Fielding's health was poor,..."
      • Fixed.
    • Several references to The Journal. I believe this should be "the Journal". For instance, if a paper was called The London Advertiser you might refer to it as the Advertiser, but not as The Advertiser.
      • Fixed.
  • General
    • I think the whole text could do with a punctuation audit. I spotted a few cases of possible over-use of commas.
      • ...Where? —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I'd have to go back and look for specific examples - it was more an impression I got, but punctuation styles can vary. Let's leave it, unless another reviewer picks up on it. Brianboulton (talk) 09:56, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Images need alt text.

Altogether, engaging and good. - User:Brianboulton (talk) 17:54, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the review. I'll try to work on the few outstanding issues over the next days. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 07:37, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Note: I am happy with the responses to my queries, and have upgraded my comments to "support". Brianboulton (talk) 14:52, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your support. The attention to detail definitely helped (even when we argued over some of it :) ). Ottava Rima (talk) 02:02, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Alt text is done; thanks. For more on the why images need alt text, please see WP:ALT and the "alt text" entry in the toolbox at the upper right of this review page. Eubulides (talk) 07:28, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:30, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 15:31, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. —Anonymous DissidentTalk 06:28, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support—'tis very good. I've taken the liberty of enlarging the images. MoS advice on this is now clearer—they tend to be rather detailed. Please adjust if you don't like them. Tony (talk) 08:06, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks for your support. To be frank, all the images now seem quite overbearing. Could you direct me to the MoS advice? —Anonymous DissidentTalk 08:53, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I tend to agree - the images (apart from Smollett) overwhelm the text. They could be increased a little from their original sizes, but not I think to this extent. Brianboulton (talk) 10:46, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • (Later) The enlarged images cause squeezing of text, which breaches MOS Brianboulton (talk) 23:48, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • We could simply list a "click to enlarge" as a compromise between sizing if people would like. Ottava Rima (talk) 00:34, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I can confirm no copyright issues with any of the images on this page. Stifle (talk) 20:56, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Question: Does File:Fielding and Hill.jpg have a source? Dabomb87 (talk) 20:59, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Added in the sourcing for the version found in Battestin and Battestin, even though the quality is different (his version is much more crisp and glossy than my copy was). It is enough to verify PD Old. If someone wants to get a better version, the Battestin and Battestin version seems to be a good source. Ottava Rima (talk) 00:38, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, providing you can inline cite "Though the true author of the pamphlet remains uncertain, it was believed at the time to be Fielding's work". Ironholds (talk) 23:36, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I turned the period into a semi-colon to make it more apparent that the two sentences are connected and part of the same source. It is better than having a redundant citation or beating the reviewer over the head until he admits defeat. :P Ottava Rima (talk) 23:40, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
But beating is such fun! Support, then :). Ironholds (talk) 23:41, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [45].

Postman's Park edit

Nominator(s):  – iridescent 20:26, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Postmen, Anglo-Saxon kings, shredded corpses, Natalie Portman, bishops, decorative porcelain, German air-raids – there should be something for everyone here. A frozen-in-time snapshot of the social and aesthetic values of the England of the 1900s, and an unusual collaboration between four leading figures in very different artistic disciplines (George Frederic Watts, Ernest George, William De Morgan and Mary Fraser Tytler), with cameo appearances from a broad gallery of Eminent Victorians. – iridescent 20:26, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. (Sorry I didn't get to this earlier.. been a wacky week here!) Ealdgyth - Talk 20:24, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments

  • I don't know why this nomination has received so little attention thus far. Perhaps it's because the opening paragraph is rather uninspiring. Basically, it informs us that the park is a park, and tells us where it is. It defines the subject, but doesn't explain why it is notable. The most historical and culturally interesting feature of the park, it would seem, is the Watts memorial, and this should definitely be mentioned in the introductory paragraph.
  • More generally, I think the lead is overdetailed, especially in the final paragraph which lists the actors in the film made in the park. This is not lead stuff; the lead should be a summary of the article's major points. There is probably too much detail in paragraphs two and three as well.
  • So, as a start, I would redraft the lead, with a punchier beginning, and trim the contents of the other paragraphs. I also think that the infobox image caption should identify the memorial more clearly. Personally, I would ditch the infobox and use a larger version of the photograph so that the details were clearer, but then I am averse to infoboxes on principle.
I will continue reading the article, and will make further comments. Brianboulton (talk) 10:08, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Agree regarding the lead. I was trying to keep it in a strict chronological order (graveyard → park → memorial → film), and thus wasn't mentioning the memorial and Closer until later, but I've restructured it.
  • I've taken the actors' names out of the lead - I agree they weren't necessary there. Regarding paragraphs two or three, I can't see a way to trim them without losing significant information; I don't think the lead needs to give the whole story, but IMO it should provide enough context that a reader who doesn't go on to read the rest of the article would still understand what it was about, and the complicated history (and need to explain the name) makes it hard to summarize more succinctly.
  • I generally dislike infoboxes, but I added one to this article; in this particular case I think it corrals key facts (size, date, location) which could otherwise quite easily get lost. The image isn't particularly inspiring, but it's a "least worst"; we have almost a hundred images of the park, but they're almost all of particular architectural details. This one I think works best of them at conveying the cramped nature of the park (despite being arguably the biggest park in the entire City, it's smaller than a lot of American houses' backyards), and is one of the few to include enough people to give a good sense of scale. – iridescent 20:15, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support:Leaning to supportOppose: (see below): You've done a pretty good job dealing with my and other editors' points, but I am still troubled by a possible lack of clarity in defining "City of London", despite the link. One of your opening statements says: "...it is one of the City of London's largest parks." Will American (or for that matter, any non-Brit) readers realise that "City of London" and "London" mean two entirely different things? Or will they have the impression that this tiny park is one of the biggest in the whole of London? I suggest amending the start of the article to read something like: "Postman's Park is a park in the historical "City of London", the square-mile district which comprises the capital's main business quarter." - or something similar. You would then have to amend the subsequent text slightly, but the situation would be clarified. My only other real concern is possible over-imaging. The pics are generally well-chosen and apposite, but 19 of them plus a gallery is a bit overwhelming, perhaps? Brianboulton (talk) 09:31, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • I'm very reluctant to have "explanatory text" regarding City of London, particularly in somewhere as prominent as the lead (I'd have no issue with a footnote, but people would be unlikely to notice that). As per other comments below, most of the readers of this will be speakers of British English, by the nature of the topic, and the "City of Foo"/"Greater Foo" distinction between "original place from which a larger area draws its name"/"larger area" is absolutely standard British English usage (City of London/Greater London, City of Sydney/Greater Sydney, City of Manchester/Greater Manchester, City of Toronto/Greater Toronto, City of Glasgow/Greater Glasgow...). To include an explanation of "City of London" in the lead would IMO be as obtrusive as "The Empire State Building is an Art Deco skyscraper in New York City, the center of the New York metropolitan area on the eastern coast of the state of New York". I'd absolutely oppose "the historical City of London which comprises the capital's main business quarter"; "historical" makes it sound either like it doesn't exist any more, or that it has a significantly higher concentration of historic sites than other areas, neither of which is the case, while "main business quarter" is meaningless in a polycentric city like London. London has 48 official "centres"; the City is the business centre for the Stock Exchange and business linked to it, but Canary Wharf is the centre for the banking industry, the West End is the centre for commercial offices and tourism, South Kensington is the cultural centre, Southwark is the home of City Hall and the centre for local government, the City of Westminster is the national capital...
*I'm sorry, but reluctantly I must oppose on this. All readers, not just "speakers of British English", are entitled to understand your article. If there was a small district within New York City called the "City of New York" it would be necessary to explain this to non-American readers. That is the analogy you should be considering. You don't have to use my wording, that was just a suggestion. Find your own phrasing by all means, but make the clarification. Brianboulton (talk) 16:44, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Even though it would be awkward, how about "the City of London in central London" or similar? I am really reluctant to get into an essay on the differences between City of London/County of London/Greater London/London, especially in the lead, and I really don't believe that "City of London" causes any confusion in this context. The City of London and City of Westminster have had these names - and (aside from a few minor changes) the same boundaries - for over a thousand years; "Greater London" is a purely administrative set of lines-on-the-map drawn up in 1965. – iridescent 17:07, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It might just do if you extended your wording to "the City of London district within central London." Otherwise I suggest you ask Moni, as a non-Brit reviewer, whether she thinks that your present wording will make it clear to non-British readers that "City of London" refers to only a small part of "London" (less than 1% of the metropolitan area), and that Postman's Park is one of the largest parks in this small area. Brianboulton (talk) 13:32, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
How about this? It makes it clear that "City of London" refers to the formal city boundaries, not the whole Greater London sprawl, without getting too long-winded. – iridescent 19:47, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, that should do it. I have struck oppose and changed to support. (I did this nearly 24 hours ago but for some reason my edits didn't register). Brianboulton (talk) 16:55, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I can't agree regarding overuse of images. This is effectively an article on civic planning, architecture and the visual arts, and images are necessary to illustrate all three aspects. As I know from writing the alt-text, most of the concepts illustrated by the images are very difficult to explain verbally. There are only three images in the article which I'd consider non-essential (the infobox image, discussed above; De Morgan's portrait, which isn't necessary but I think provides context in illustrating one of the key figures; the Watts Mortuary Chapel, which doesn't relate directly to this article but shows Mary Watts's design style, as well as illustrating the complex design which ended up diverting all her time from the Postman's Park project)—every other image directly illustrates a specific point. – iridescent 11:01, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I wouldn't oppose on the question of images, but as you are evidently admitting that three are non-essential it might be an idea to drop these. The article would still be very generously illustrated. Brianboulton (talk) 16:44, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment: The sentence: "Following the 2004 film Closer, starring Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Clive Owen, itself based on the 1997 play Closer by Patrick Marber, key scenes of both of which were set in the park, Postman's Park experienced a resurgence of interest." reads awkwardly, there are too many commas. Can the "starring" be ommited, and possibly "itself based on the 1997 play Closer by Patrick Marber" be changed to "based on the 1997 play of the same name"? MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 12:36, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • It could, but I can't see an improvement. Unless you mean taking the cast list out altogether – which I'd be reluctant to do, as it's the four stars who provide the context that this is a big-budget studio blockbuster, not some obscure British indie film (I assume most readers' assumption regarding a film adopted from a play about a stripper stealing her identity from a memorial to dead Victorians) – "starring" would have to be replaced by "featuring", which is even longer. I really don't like the idea of "based on the 1997 play of the same name", which would mean inserting an easter egg link. Not sure what others think of that one and I'll defer to the majority here. – iridescent 19:57, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Actually second thoughts - are you referring to the listing of the stars in the article, or in the lead? My reply above is in the context of listing in the article body; if you mean the lead, I agree and they've been removed per Brian above. – iridescent 20:27, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yes I did mean the lead, sorry I should have specified. I've done a little rewording myself, please tell me what you think of it. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 21:45, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Not sure I agree – "following Closer, there was renewed interest; key scenes were set in the park" breaks the chronological and causal development of the original "following Closer, of which key scenes were set in the park, there was renewed interest" – but it's not something I'd editwar over. – iridescent 21:50, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Well previously it was "key scenes of both of which", which personally sounds awkward. The way I formed the current revision was to leave the mention of key scenes to the end, to emphasise the fact that the interest resurgence was as a result of them being filmed actually in the park itself. Feel free to change it back if my explanation doesn't suffice, I'm not one who gives a hoo-ha over "edit wars" or the like. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 11:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by Moni3

  • First of all...dude, gross. Secondly, it's quite fascinating.

Oppose until the following resolved: Support with some work on the lead taking place on the talk page.

  • You've got a lead within a lead here. The first paragraph is a summary of the lead. Can you simplify?
  • Cite the notes, please, per Alice Ayers.
  • In the William De Morgan memorial tablets section, we have the Great 2009 Battle of MOSIMAGES Guideliness. The image of Morgan looks right so it should be on the left. The Alice Ayers tiles sandwich the text and it's distracting. I think it would be fine to knock Morgan's image under the 2nd level section header to give it more room. I don't know the reason for that rule anyway. Does anyone else?
  • Similar sandwiching is done in the Postman's Park after the death of Mary Watts section. I'm not sure what it is, but the sandwiching thing makes me completely lose my rhythm in reading. Maybe it's the movement of the eyes, used to whole lines, half lines, whole lines. I get more ADD and I didn't think that really possible.
  • Cheesman Park in Denver was a public park/burial ground for squatters and the homeless until the early 20th century. I vaguely recall stories of vandals and thieves digging up the graves to steal jewelry and whatnot, and it was quite mismanaged, causing careless graverobbers to leave open coffins or remains on the city streets. Savannah too had a yellow fever epidemic so severe that bodies were simply stacked in the squares and not buried. But I heard that on a ghost tour, which I think is half full of lies anyway. At any rate, very interesting. --Moni3 (talk) 23:31, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The lead-within-the-lead is the result of a rewrite per Brianboulton above. Initially, the first paragraph was just a simple "it's a park in the City of London" summary. The lead has to mention the memorial, since it's the most significant thing there, but merging paragraph 3 on the memorial with the "It's a park. It used to be a graveyard." paragraph 2 would, I think, overwhelm it - I can't see an obvious way to trim paragraph 3 further.
  • Notes all cited (except for one which I've removed as I decided it wasn't relevant).
  • I'd happily move De Morgan up to under the level 2 header, but (while I have no idea why) that seems to be one part of MOSIMAGE that's strictly enforced; I've moved him up anyway as I agree that, aside from anything else, a picture of someone should be next to the paragraph about him. I know the Ayres tile is distracting but I think it's necessary to have a picture of one of the tiles in this particular section, as there's so much talk about the design. If necessary, the De Morgan picture is expendable, although I think it's nice to give an idea what he looked like.
  • I've removed two photos from "After the death of..." - it's a shame to lose File:Christ Church Greyfriars, August 2009.JPG as it's a very striking image, but it's not of the park itself. File:Postman's Park London.JPG was there mainly to keep the left-right alternation in place, and thus allow the very long and tall image of the drinking fountain (which I think is necessary) to stay on the right and thus not interfere with the headers. – iridescent 23:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Perhaps Brian can participate in this part here on the FAC or the talk page. I might try a rewrite of the lead, somewhat simplified and maybe we can reach a compromise.
  • Consider my idea for Alice Ayers, that if you have so many images some of them might fit in a gallery. Personally, I found this one striking and I'm glad you kept it in. --Moni3 (talk) 00:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I really dislike galleries. Besides, galleries can't handle the blessed alt-text. – iridescent 01:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • This is very odd; my impression has always been that the guideline was for all headers from level three downwards, and that only level-two headers were excepted, presumably due to the line and large font size. Indeed, this is what the Manual of Style says. However, the wording in Accessibility has remained been pretty much the same since the guideline appeared in November 2007. I can only attribute this to a lapse, and, for the sake of consistency and common sense, I have taken the liberty to adjust the sentence in question. Waltham, The Duke of 03:33, 10 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • SupportComments from Maralia
  • Some of the images were sandwiching text, and/or impinging on subsequent section headers. I made a single edit to tweak their positions within each section; undo if you hate it, but I think it's an improvement.
  • I don't feel that the second St Botolph's Aldersgate image adds much; no offense to the photographer but unfortunately it looks rather more like a portrait of a tree. (oh - I've just refreshed and read Moni's comments and your responses above. Perhaps replace this image with the Greyfriars one you removed?)
  • The conversion figures could use a consistency check (I see "£56 thousand" and "£19,000").
  • A couple issues with the sentence "Hailed as "The last great Victorian", on 7 July 1904 a memorial service was held in St Paul's Cathedral, 300 yards (270 m) south of Postman's Park": (1) why capitalize The? (2) the subject of the introductory phrase is Watts, yet the subject of the remainder of the sentence is a memorial service. Those rubbed me the wrong way too: the dangling modifier is now fixed (I've left the capital "The" as a Victorianism, for contemporary colour). --JN466 02:32, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm decidedly not asking you to change this, but I wanted to point out that most Americans simply will not get the British usage of "in the event". Just food for thought.
  • "On 13 June 1917, Metropolitan Police officer P.C." - is there a less awkward method than three nouns in a row to communicate that he was a police officer?
  • "The tablets are arranged in three rows"...okay, there are three rows. "directly below in the fourth row"...oh wait, there are four rows. "The first and fifth of the five rows remain empty."...color me thoroughly confused. I've not tried to read/copyedit the remainder of that section since I can't quite understand it yet.

Altogether this is very well done. You've done a fine job of explaining the provenance of the parcels of land—I suspect this aspect might be the most interesting to you. I really can't get over their using the old gravestones to fence in the new park; bullets would fly over the mere suggestion of such a thing in the US. Maralia (talk) 02:58, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • I've undone one of the image moves (in the William De Morgan memorial tablets section). Even though it will possibly cause this FAC to fail, I think it's more important for the article to be accessible to the reader, than to comply with a completely arbitrary guideline. There is no good reason for it to be unacceptable to have an image beneath a level 3 header but acceptable beneath a level 2 or level 4 header, and the dubious reasoning behind this guideline ("it disconnects the heading from the text it precedes") would only apply, in the case of a tall thin image like this, if the article were being read at an extreme zoom setting on a tiny screen. Accessibility is important, but it becomes unreasonable when the article is made less accessible to the vast majority of its readers just to pander to a hypothetical reader viewing the article at 1000% zoom. (FWIW, I've tested this particular instance and even on an ipod screen the image doesn't cause the text and header to disconnect.) The other image moves look fine.
  • Disagree about the second St Botolph's image. (Note: I didn't take the photo in question; this isn't me being precious about wanting "my" photo used.) This is a very distinctive building, with its tall thin bell tower, and only including File:St Botolph's Aldersgate.JPG would give a distorted impression that the building is a long low shed. The cramped and irregular shape of the park means there is no angle other than from the park from which another photo could be taken; besides, this is an article on the park, so the illustration ought to show the view from the park - this also shows how the park runs right up to the edge of the church.
  • The "thousand"/"1,000" were due to my being inconsistent in using {{formatprice}} and {{formatnum}} - fixed.
  • "The last great Victorian" is capitalised in that way because that's what was used at the time. Late 19th-century usage of capitalisation differed from modern usage.
  • I can't think of a transatlantic equivalent to "in the event". An Americanism like "it turned out" would IMO look jarring in this context. If anyone can think of a better wording, feel free...
  • I can't think of a way to shorten "Metropolitan Police officer P.C.". Non-Commonwealth readers can't be expected to understand the abbreviation P.C., but British police officers are invariably referred to by their rank (P.C. Smith, Sgt Jones, Insp Brown etc).
  • There are five rows. Rows 2, 3 and 4 are occupied by tablets, making three rows of tablets; the first and fifth row are empty. The paragraph in question is illustrated with this image to make the layout clearer - unfinished things are always hard to describe, as they don't have neat starts and finishes. I've reworded the first sentence to "The tablets are arranged on the second, third and fourth of the five rows", if that makes things clearer; however, this section is a summary style brief-skim of List of tablets on the Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice, and I don't want to go into too much duplicated detail.
Using the old gravestones to fence in the park isn't quite as outlandish as it appears; British graveyards were designed to be reused, which is why there are so few really old gravestones in Britain. Remember, in this particular case we're talking about one of the highest population densities in the world (the entire City of London would fit within Central Park without touching the edges) with two thousand years of history, and an economy and culture based since Saxon and Viking times on asset-stripping other cultures and the ruins of the past. (Until relatively recently, the traditional West European way to source building materials was to dismantle the nearest Roman building.) – iridescent 13:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The one image placement change that you reverted wasn't mine. I too question that clause in WP:ACCESS.
  • I've taken another look at the two instances of "in the event", and I think the phrase could just be excised without any major loss of meaning. Your call.
  • Re "Metropolitan Police officer [[Constable|P.C.]]": I considered "Metropolitan Police [[constable]] P.C." as the term constable is familiar enough, and it does away with the easter egg link—but "constable P.C." may be awkward in its own way.
I had looked at that tablets image repeatedly, yet altogether failed to see the top row. Will take another look at that section. Maralia (talk) 02:55, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
All good in the tablets section now. I found a few niggles in ref formatting, and fixed them. Would still like to see the prose tweaked in the 'last great Victorian' sentence to avoid the misplaced modifier.
I can't imagine being given only 20 days to apply to move a grave, then seeing 20 years pass before they actually finished the damn park. Any hints (I presume nothing solid, or you would have put it in the article) as to why it took so long? Maralia (talk) 03:36, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • User:Dabomb87 has re-reverted the image-placement; I've asked him here to discuss it since (as previously mentioned) I think there's no reason at all to apply this particular arbitrary style guideline in this case, and compelling reasons not to.
  • I've replaced one "in the event" with "it transpired". The other usage of the term (about the decision to use ceramic tiling) I've kept in; I can't think of an obvious synonym for it that won't be very clumsy. Given the subject matter the vast majority of readers of this article will be British English speakers, who will understand "in the event" as meaning "the end result was different to that originally proposed".
  • I don't think "Metropolitan Police [[constable]] P.C." works, as people familiar with the term (as per above, most readers of this will be British English speakers) will read that as "Metropolitan Police constable Police Constable", which is even more jarring. The problem arises from Metropolitan Police being his employer and Police Constable being his title, and both needing to be mentioned. The fact of him being Metropolitan Police needs to be mentioned; it won't be immediately obvious to anyone not familiar with the area, but it's counter-intuitive that he worked for the M.P., as they don't cover the City of London; that a Met officer was on duty so close to the park is down to a quirk of the old boundaries of the City (Postman's Park is about halfway between the words "City" and "Islington" on the map, near where a spur of Islington used to jut down into the City.)
  • I don't know why they took so long to open the park. I'd assume lack of funds - the British economy was heavily dependent on transatlantic shipping and cotton trading, both of which collapsed in the 1860s due to the American Civil War, and the Great Deflation sent prices haywire in the 1870s - but that's pure OR on my part.
I've rejigged the "Styles of tiling" table to put the photo of the five rows first, and thus next to the explanatory text - hopefully that will make it clearer. – iridescent 14:44, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Would "Metropolitan Police officer P.C. (Police Constable) Alfred Smith" be unacceptable due to its length, complexity, or the expected readership of the article? It seems to solve the Easter Egg problem, and perhaps the juxtaposition of the initialism and the full title will make people not expand the former and thus result in a less "jarring" sentence. If I am wrong, on the other hand, it will be doubly so. :-P Waltham, The Duke of 01:39, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"P.C. Alfred Smith, an officer of the Metropolitan Police". I think that does it. – iridescent 08:07, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed it does. So much for thinking outside the police box. (groan) Waltham, The Duke of 16:49, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support This is a beautiful, rich and well-researched article. JN466 02:19, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Image comments

The other images look fine, although some seem mighty redundant, that's your issue, not mine :) Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 03:03, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

      • Agree, removed File:Wklson061.jpg as the source looks fairly dubious. Also removed the portrait of William De Morgan, which isn't essential to the article and was causing more heat than light regarding its positioning. – iridescent 2 14:22, 13 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [46].

Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd album) edit

Nominator(s): Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:12, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Ok so it isn't quite the greatest rock album ever like DSotM, but its probably up there in the top ten and certainly ranks top of some people's lists. Its slightly shorter than I'd like but that's more down to a paucity of written material than anything else (DSotM has entire books written about it, WYWH does not). Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:12, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. The alt text is quite good and very detailed, but it's a bit long; see WP:ALT#Brevity. Relatively unimportant etails like "The sky is blue with no clouds." can be omitted. Eubulides (talk) 08:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment I'll give a more thorough review later, but here are a few right off the bat:
  • discogs.com is not reliable in the same way that IMDb is not reliable, as they're both user-generated. You've double sourced the release information you're citing anyway, so unless I'm mistaken removing the discogs citation doesn't change anything.
  • Reference 45 seems to be broken; check over this real quick, seems like a simple fix. It's evident from the ref name alone exactly what you were trying to cite.
  • Same issue as DSotM on the formatting of the "Sales chart performance" table.
  • Another minor issue, which also came up with DSotM; I'm not sure how exactly this is fixed, but it bothers me that the titles of web references are italicized and not in quotes as they should be. Can someone explain why this is?

--Brandt Luke Zorn (talk) 07:48, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

    • Regarding the citations, they're formatted entirely correctly; this article uses the {{citation}} template. There's no "as they should be" about it – while the {{cite web}} template puts them in quotes instead of italics, there's no requirement to use one template over the other as long as the use within the article is consistent. – iridescent 09:01, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • All done, ref 45 had been accidently deleted by another user. I prefer to use the Citation template (easier for newcomers to understand). Parrot of Doom (talk) 17:46, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment A few other things I've noticed:

  • The paragraph that begins "In 2007, one of Germany's largest public radio stations..." in the "Sales" subsection should be up in the "Reception" section with the other retrospective ratings and listings.
  • It is not made clear in the text that Ben Edmunds is writing for Rolling Stone.
  • Names are used inconsistently; After the first mention of the full name in the main text, the person should be referred to by last name only. Also, you say Rick Wright and Richard Wright, which is potentially confusing.
  • "première" and "premièred" - Are the alternate spellings necessary?
    • I'm uncertain what you mean here? The word is spelt as it should be (check the OED). Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:21, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I think that the first Gilmour quote would be better positioned in Template:Quote box. In general, blockquotes work best when they're followed by a sentence that ends in a colon, like the Edmunds quote. In this case though the Gilmour quote just sorta floats there.
    • Not a fan of quote boxes tbh. I think it looks fine as it is but it isn't a big deal for me. Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:21, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • This last one by no means bars the article from a support, as the info may not even exist as far as I know, but I'm curious if any band members other than Wright and Gilmour have said anything retrospectively about the album. Is there any Mason or Waters perspective here? --Brandt Luke Zorn (talk) 01:39, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Waters has said that he felt that the long instrumental sections were unnecessary, that the lyrics should introduce the music, rather than the music introducing the lyrics. I'll have to check on what Mason thinks. I already have a fair bit from Waters in there though. I'm creating a completely new Pink Floyd article in my sandbox here and may expand upon this there, as I feel Waters' criticism is more to do with the direction he was taking as a lyricist, rather than criticism of the album per se. Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:21, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support All my points have been sufficiently addressed and I now believe that the article is feature-worthy. I really have to commend the awesome job you're doing with the Pink Floyd articles, Parrot of Doom. Nice work! --Brandt Luke Zorn (talk) 04:54, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments -
  • What makes the following reliable sources?
    • http://www.hypergallery.com/prints/wish-you-were-here-26.html
      • A direct outlet for Hipgnosis' work, I believe the short narration from Thorgerson is from an interview performed for the site, by the site. IIRC I discovered the link in an article on a Pink Floyd fansite. Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:26, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I'll leave this one out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:45, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • It doesn't matter now anyway - I've sourced the same information from Schaffner's book, which is used throughout the article. Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:26, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlists.html
      • [47] - basically a fansite. I've looked around it and cross-checked it with other sources (sadly Q Magazine doesn't host its lists itself), and it appears solid and reliable to me. Although it lacks spit and polish, I've found that such fansites are often quite meticulous. Of course some aren't, but this one appears fairly sound to me. Its only referencing a single factoid however so it wouldn't be a loss were it to be removed. Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:26, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • One of my concerns is do they have permission to host the list? Presumably it's copyrighted, and if they don't have permission, we're linking to a copyright violation, which is a no-no. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:45, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Deleted this from the article, moved it to the talk page. Hopefully someone will have a copy of those magazines, and we can then reinsert at a later date. Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:26, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • http://www.inthestudio.net/famous-interviews/index.asp
      • This is Redbeard's own site, hosting his own radio broadcasts. The interview with Richard Wright (used as a source on this article) is contained within. Parrot of Doom (talk) 10:26, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:10, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I did some minor tweaks, but comprehensiveness and prose look good. Casliber (talk · contribs) 05:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I am pretty contented with this.--  LYKANTROP  ✉ 11:48, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose, on (rather unusually) 1e. The article is currently indefinitely protected, with the protection log note "edit warring/content dispute". I see edit warring by multiple authors, but no discussion or resolution on the article talk page; rather it appears an admin simply locked some editors out of the dispute. --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 04:38, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It seems to refer to this new editor inserting this source. I guess this can be settled on consensus as to whether it is a reliable source or not. PS: Well picked up though. Casliber (talk · contribs) 04:48, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It is related to the actions of that editor, who proceeded to spam unreliable review links across a range of Pink Floyd articles using first an IP, and then an account. The source he used contains 'reviews' from members of the public. When repeatedly asked to justify the reliability of the source he resorted to abuse, using his IP address to create edits like this. You can see similar issues on DSotM, and Meddle.
This is not an edit war - its vandalism, pure and simple, hence the article's protected status. You can check the history of those three articles and see that this user is alone in making these changes, and that several users and admins reverted them. Parrot of Doom (talk) 08:40, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've removed the protection now. It was intended as a short term measure to prevent disruption as described by PoD above. As Casliber says, consensus will prevail, but I'm pretty sure it was as described by PoD. Apologies for any inconvenience. – B.hotep •talk• 09:12, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – with regard to criteria 1a-e, 2 and 4. Have the images been reviewed? Graham Colm Talk 11:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • An image review is lacking, and will supporters please review and comment on the outstanding issues of reliability of sources. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 17:32, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think reference 41 is not needed; the facts are unlikely to be contested, and are indeed common knowledge to Floyd's fans. Q Magazine (refs 51 and 52) is a respected publication, and although the references do not link directly to the publisher's website, again I think that these facts are unlikely to be contested. IMHO, the image review remains the major obstacle—but I still rely on other reviewers for this. Graham Colm Talk 19:49, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If pushed I can probably remove the Hypergallery reference without losing too much information. It'll have to wait until tomorrow though. As for the Q list, it isn't a major loss if it goes. Parrot of Doom (talk) 20:24, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I agree, and we seem to be forgetting that citations are required "for material that is challenged or likely to be challenged". Graham Colm Talk 20:36, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This won't be a problem now - see above Parrot of Doom (talk) 19:26, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose. File:Syd Barrett Abbey Road 1975.jpg is used in flagrant violation of WP:NFCC#8; readers do not need to see Mr. Barrett to understand the section of the article, and the photograph is not the subject of critical commentary. File:WishYouWereHereBag.jpg has dubious fair use tagging and could be considered to violate WP:NFCC#3a, although it is the subject of separate commentary so I wouldn't oppose on that alone. Stifle (talk) 17:08, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Really, despite not a single member of the band recognising him? You don't think such a major change in physical appearance warrants the use of this image? How are readers to fully understand the transformation Barrett had undergone, without an image? Parrot of Doom (talk) 17:27, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • IMHO this image is important—the album is a tribute to Syd Barrett—it's use is not a "flagrant violation". The irony of Barrett's unexpected appearance at the recording, and his not being even recognised must be described and illustrated if this article is to be deemed comprehensive. Graham Colm Talk 18:59, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • @Parrot: this is an article about the album, not about Mr. Barrett. @GrahamColm: I still can't see how this is essential to readers' understanding of the article, or how its omission would be detrimental to that understanding. Stifle (talk) 20:31, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • "an article about the album, not about Mr. Barrett." - I trust you understand, or have read, what the album is about? Parrot of Doom (talk) 21:15, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • The image is also used in Barrett's page here. Essential is a tricky word to define...I think the photo adds alot, surely, but the article is not unreadable without it (?) I can go either way on this one. Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:53, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • @Parrot: Yes, I have. I still don't think readers need to see this image of him to understand the article. Stifle (talk) 08:13, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [48].

Joe Hewitt (RAAF officer) edit

Nominator(s): Ian Rose (talk) 13:09, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Another Air Marshal, another interesting character... Let this one sit at GA/A-Class for a while but now added new material to round out and clarify what was there, particularly in early career, and hopefully remembered all the MOS updates since it passed those early milestones. For those who reviewed earlier, more anecdotes await such as what he did to miss out on commanding No. 10 Squadron on the eve of World War II, and how a certain section of the Great Barrier Reef came to be named after him... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 13:09, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments

  • "…in 1915, at the age of thirteen." I'm not sure about the comma, but you can take out "the" and "of".
    • Thanks for your review/comments. This is done. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 06:12, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Link secondment.
  • The quote "reservedly pleased about the publicity" should have a reference immediately after it.
    • Take your point but that would result in two consecutive sentences with exactly the same citation, and given recent discussion on 'over-citing' at the FAC talk page there might also be objections to that... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 06:12, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The result was that…" sounds a bit clunky; perhaps "As a result…" or something similar.
  • I think "General Kenney considered Hewitt's removal "bad news"." Should be switched with the sentence preceding it, with the rest of the sentences presenting reaction to Hewitt's removal.
    • I tried the switch but the "As a result..." statement didn't seem to flow that way. Also it's really only Kenney among his contemporaries who had an opinion after the fact - the preceding stuff is more the machinations of the transfer itself, along with modern historians' perspective. Happy to discuss further though, in case I've missed the point. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 06:12, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is there any information on his burial? Mm40 (talk) 21:02, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Not among my sources, unfortunately. The dedicated entries on him in High Fliers and the Oxford Companion don't go into that level of detail, and he's one of the many odd omissions from the Australian Dictionary of Biography, which invariably does include that sort of thing. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 06:12, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • comment Interesting article, I spent some time checking details against his service record(241 pages one of the longest I've read) available from National Archives of Australia, you'll need to search under his full name[49] NAA searches arent linkable
  • Thanks Gnan, sorry for not replying earlier but there was a lot to go through there, as you know. Funnily enough, I checked for digital personnel records on Hewitt in NAA not that long ago with the express purpose of double-checking dates and seeing if there was anything vital I didn’t already have, and this one never came up, only his separate 5-page RAN record. Apart from that, I'll preface my response by saying that I prefer not to use NAA records unless absolutely necessary, practically because the links are often flaky, and idealistically because I think an encyclopedia ought not rely on primary sources – though admittedly many MilHist bios do use these things (I have myself on occasion) and of course the London Gazette is ubiquitous for citing decorations. On the other hand, I’d always check to ensure that my secondary and tertiary sources aren’t actually contradicted by the file, which is exactly what you’ve done here, so pls see below... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 07:04, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • question 4 May 1925, holding a temporary commission as a Flying Officer; maybe a RAF rank can you clarify, service record pg89 states promotions to;
  • Flight Officer 30.Jan.1923, (honary Flt Lieutenant while on loan from RAN to RAAF 1923 service record pg 233)
  • Flt lieutenant 3.apr.1928,(also the date he transferred to the RAAF)
  • Squarden leader 17.Feb.1931,
  • Wing Commander 1.Jan.1938,
  • Group Captain(temporary) 1.12.1939....
  • I’m not sure that the temporary commission he held in the RAF contradicts anything in his RAAF personnel file and, after all, both the file and the Gazette are primary sources so it could be argued they’re just as accurate as one another. What all this is saying is that he simultaneously held three ranks in three services at once: Lieutenant in the RAN, Flight Lieutenant (temporary) in the RAAF, and Flying Officer (temporary) in the RAF. Frankly I have no problem losing the RAF commission bit if you think it confuses things, as I don’t find it that interesting, but short of that I don’t know that anything would need changing in this article because of it. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 07:04, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I think a clarifier that your referring to a RAF rank, because thats what I couldnt differentiate Gnangarra 08:49, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • he was controversially removed from his post in mid-November 1943 service record pg90 states AOC 9OG 15.feb.42 to 17.Dec.43
  • Three sources (Oxford Companion, Stephens in The Royal Australian Air Force and Odgers in the Official History) all say that he was sacked in November. I think it’s reasonable for both dates to be correct, as he would’ve had to remain at his post for a short while before being replaced. Harry Cobby was sacked from command of First Tactical Air Force in April 1945, but didn’t leave until his replacement, Frederick Scherger, arrived in May. To clarify in the article, I can leave the bit about his sacking in mid-November as is, and just add that Lukis took over in December (which we can cite using Lukis’ Australian Dictionary of Biography entry). How does that sound? Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 07:04, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • that does sound good because I'd expect someone really interested in Hewitt would ask the same question of why the descrepency of 1 month. Gnangarra 08:49, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

With the exception of the above, the dates in the article correspond to his service record. Gnangarra 14:24, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Tks for your review, mate. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 07:04, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • support which ever way go with these I can now see the why in the wording so I have no issue with supporting this one.Gnangarra 08:49, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:19, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This article is outstanding in every respect and easily meets the FA criteria. Nick-D (talk) 10:10, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review Copyright status of all the images seems fine. Stifle (talk) 21:20, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support another great article YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 01:36, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - an excellent and comprehensive article that fully satisfies the criteria. Cheers, Abraham, B.S. (talk) 01:00, 14 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [50].

Christopher Smart's asylum confinement edit

Nominator(s): Ottava Rima (talk) 19:54, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because the previous FAC failed from lack of reviews. It has had two people perform thorough checks through afterward. The sources are all clean and I can provide any information needed. The page represents every major piece of criticism on the matter and performs an analysis on a very interesting experience that changed Christopher Smart from major poet into someone who forever lost his place along side of those like Alexander Pope and Samuel Johnson. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:54, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Note - The page lacks disambiguation wikilinks needing to be fixed, has alt text, and images have been checked in the previous FAC. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:55, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments: Interesting article, I shall be reading it in greater depth shortly. For now a couple of things:
    • Is there a reason "mental asylum(s)" isn't linked?
    • "confined in a private madhouse" isn't madhouse colloquial? Would a private psychiatric hospital not be better?
    • "Smart was diagnosed as "incurable" wouldn't "Smart's condition" be preferable, especially on account of it being mentioned just before?
    • "Mr Potter's asylum" this asylum isn't mentioned before, could detail be added that it was also in Bethnal Green?
    • "All that is known of his years of confinement is that he wrote poetry." would that be in the first asylum, the second or both. Or do you think it's implied?
    • The section on "Release" seems to be ordered slightly oddly for me. It starts with his release, saying that he "left the asylum", but doesn't linger on it. This made me think, as it continues with the meetings with a parliamentary commitee on the subject of his release, that he hadn't been officially released by this point. Maybe it's just me, but even so, could you clarify it a bit for me? ;)
  • That's all for now. Hopefully you won't be short of reviews this time around, you certainly deserve them. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 21:03, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
1. A link would do very little for an individual as the word is best found in a dictionary if someone needs to know it. However, if you want to link it feel free. 2. "private madhouse" is from the sources. It was not a "private psychiatric hospital" nor did they have "psychiatric hospitals" 200 years ago. It was not even a hospital. It was literally an individual's home that took care of people who were considered "mad". 3. -Smart- was literally diagnosed as incurrable, not his condition. That is how it was perceived back then. The person was ill, not the person had an illness. 4. I haven't heard any information that Mr Potter's house was in Bethnal Green or that any later biographers knew anything about it except that it was a house owned by one "Mr Potter", and was later referred as "Mr Potter's house". The only time it is mentioned as being at Bethnal Green was by Smart's daughter who was too young at the time to really be a reliable source. She gets many details of the events wrong. If you have any further information missing from the article that could establish where the house was, I would like to see (and would make updates). 5. To be honest, we don't know at what time Smart wrote his poetry while in asylum or how much he wrote while in asylum. Instead, we have two poems that are definitely written sometime during those 7 years and many poems and translations that were possibly written during that time. Jubilate Agno has been suggested to start at various times. It is possible that a lot of his poetry is also missing, which makes it further harder to establish when what was written and where. We don't even know where he was first held. There is also speculation that he was in asylum before his official admittance into St Luke's, which causes further problems. 6. The section on the release starts off with his daughter's claim of the events of the release and then goes into what scholars claim are the events of the release. I reorganized the section a little to make it more clear. Ottava Rima (talk) 22:09, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you for the swift explanatons.
    • 2. A note of this should be included in the Background then, or as a separate note. At the moment it's flown over as if everyone is familiar with the term private madhouse. The case for this is made more important by the lack of any article or mention of it on Wikipedia.
    • 3. Again, some kind of note would be good, after "An institution like St Luke's, run by Battie, held both "curable" and "incurable" patients." would be most appropriate.
    • 4. No I was merely going on the information given by the young daughter.
    • 5. Okay, fair enough.
    • 6. Much improved.
  • More comments:
    • The first image; could it give the approximate production of the painting (circa. 1745), and some kind of context (i.e. produced before his confinement)
    • "his mysterious "fit"" I can only assume refers to "disturbed mental state", although how this translates to fit I'm unsure.
    • "Smart's own testimony that he "blessed God in St. James's Park till I routed all the company" (Jubilate Agno B 90–91) as representing his religious madness is equally dismissed as resulting from drinking, as he was known for pulling pranks and the Board of the Green Cloth, the government body that controlled St James's Park, would treat most disturbances in the park as resulting from madness." is an awkwardly complex sentence. My suggestion is "Smart's own testimony, that he "blessed God in St. James's Park till I routed all the company" (Jubilate Agno B 90–91), representing his religious madness is equally dismissed as a result of drink; he was known for pulling pranks and the Board of the Green Cloth, the government body that controlled St James's Park, would treat most disturbances in the park as resulting from madness." MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 10:57, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't really know how to explain private madhouse, as there is no real definition beyond a place where they kept people that were accused of being mad. Each one was very different, as there were no regulations and, as partly discussed in the page, they were just starting to reform the whole "madness" system. It could have ranged just from a normal house operating as a home to a place being used like a prison. We lack details on all of the places besides St Luke's, and even then some. I'll see what I can do to try and make it easier for this point and the point about "incurrable". Ottava Rima (talk) 13:08, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose (striking out interchange with main editor and will start new comments later - hamiltonstone (talk) 10:25, 6 September 2009 (UTC)) This is impressive scholarship, but has some issues. I may have to pop in and out erratically.[reply]

  • Background: The views of Szsz and Foucault are respectable, and reliable sources. However, there is an issue of clarity in the context of this article; and an issue of undue weight. Taking the first, less significant matter first: the para beings "Modern critics, however, have a more cynical view;..." This needs to be clarified - i believe this should read "Modern critics, however, have a more cynical view of the nature of mental illness and of societal responses to it;" This is improtant in recognising that these authors are addressing mental illness / madness in general, not specifically Smart's condition, nor British 18th century regulatory reforms. The second issue is that, while the work of Szasz and Foucault (and others) in recognising the social construction of madness is very important scholarship, I do not think it reflects the prevailing contemporary view (and certainly not the prevailing contemporary medical view) of madness. I confess that, while I have proposed a revision to adderss my first point, I am not sure I have a proposal to address the second, except to say that other contemporary views about the nature and treatment of conditions such as experienced by Smart would appear to be desirable.
  • Asylum: "...many of his friends, including writer and critic Samuel Johnson, began to write in the Universal Visiter to fulfil Smart's contractual obligation" What contractual obligation? This lacks context.
  • "His praying began in regular intervals but slowly devolved into irregular praying..." Devolved?? Appropriate words might be "developed", "degenerated" or "altered".
  • The lead makes references to the commencement of Smart's confinement in May 1757, but the section "Asylum" actually does not. It begins with some further background, and then in a fairly vague manner brings us to the point "Hunter reports that Samuel Johnson visited Smart during the latter's confinement", which appears to be the first explicit statement that he is in an asylum (or similar). This needs to be made clearer (as it is in the lead).
  • "There are other possibilities" By this point i am confused: other possibilities in respect of what? What is the subject here? And indeed, because I was confused, I became less confident that i had grasped the subject of the preceding para. I think there needs to be some editing to mae the subject of sections and paras more clearly defined and signalled. This might include ditching some of the text (esp. Johnson's quip) about The Universal Visiter, as i can't see its relevance. Why not simply begin along the lines:
  • "Smart, though confined to asylums, at no time ever believe himself to be insane. His friend Johnson did not share Smart's opinion. Johnson had begun meeting with Smart before his confinement, assisting Smart in meeting contractual obligations to contribute to The Universal Visiter (or however editors wish to express this). Johnson wrote "for poor Smart, while he was mad, not then knowing the terms on which he was engaged to write ... I hoped his wits would return to him", thus demonstrating Johnson's own interpretation of Smart's circumstances as being "madness". Another theory suggests Smart's actions were a result of alcohol, and had nothing to do with a mental imbalance.[ref] This may also have been related to the actions of Smart's father-in-law and publisher, Newbery. Newbery may have used the imprisonment of his son-in-law as leverage to control the publication of Smart's work and as a warning to others who worked for him not to cross him. Smart may have been imprisoned for embarrassing his father-in-law in some way, which could have resulted from an incident in which Smart would drink.[ref] Hester Thrale reinforced this latter possibility when she claimed that Smart's "religious fervor" tended to coincide with times that Smart was intoxicated.[ref]..."
  • 20th Century and contemporary: "Ainsworth and Noyes are not completely skeptical about Smart's diagnosis when they continued..." mixed tenses.—Preceding unsigned comment added by Hamiltonstone (talk • contribs) 01:02, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As per your first objection, those two are used by sources who have written on Christopher Smart's asylum confinement. There are no other experts or individuals on the matter used by Christopher Smart's sources. Therefore, anything but mentioning of them would be a severe breach of original research. I follow Keymer's analysis to a T, including his description of scope and the rest. To make the changes that you propose would violate not only multiple policies by basis philosophy that is done at Wikipedia. As per that, your first objection can only be considered unactionable.
Your second - "What contractual obligation?" His contractual obligations to write in the Universal Visiter. This is implied in the statement that they were writing to meet his obligation. Any more detail would take paragraphs to explain and would be severely off topic. Your third objection seems to have no real merit - devolved is a synonymy of degenerate, a word you chose. To say that one is acceptable and another not would be inappropriate. Your fourth point - "By this point i am confused" The grammar has a colon. That means that the other possibilities will be explained. Your own sentence above complaining about this sentence uses a colon and operates in the same manner. The topic was clearly the same topic as the previous sentence - asylum, which is the section header. The rest of the phrase after the colon even makes this clear. I fixed the tensing. However, your other statements are inactionable and would require the violation of multiple policies. Ottava Rima (talk) 01:56, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • OK, taking some of Ottava's points in order. You have clarified for me that Szasz and Foucault explicitly discussed Smart. Therefore, I suggest the section begin "Modern critics, however, have a more cynical view of Smart's confinement;" I think this clarification is desirable because an alternative interpretation (which I indeed mistakenly took) is possible; and the cited Szasz source is his general work on Madness (ie. as a reader, checking the title of the cited source did not encourage me to think that Szasz really had been writting specifically about Smart). This is a minor clarification that i think will help readability. You then remark that you "follow Keymer to a T", yet footnotes 6,7 and 8 are not to Keymer. If you are citing Szasz and Foucault from reading them / seeing them cited in Keymer, the footnote should reflect that. If not, then I'm not sure what you meant by "follow Keymer to a T", but I'm assuming there's no issue, so that's OK. Then we come to the "contractual obligation" point. Once i had read more of the article, it became clear what that contractual obligation was about; my point is that the reader needs the information at this particular point. Since this is the first time it is mentioned, it does need explanation. I cannot agree that it "would take paragraphs to explain and would be severely off topic". It would take approximately one sentence and would avoid mystifying the reader. Next: "devolved" is not a synonym of "degenerate" in this context. The common meaning of "devolve" is "to transfer or delegate"; you I think are seeking a word that implies a change in Smart's 'condition', specifically some form of deterioration. On your next point, i see what you are saying, and i think I was thrown by the practice, which I would avoid, of beginning a paragraph with a sentence that stylistically reads as a continuation of an existing para. "There are other possibilities:" does not stand in its own right as setting out the subject - the "other" is referring back to an earlier point. But the additional difficulty is that the previous para does not make explicit that we have entered a discussion of theories about why Smart was confined.
  • Ottava, your response to my suggestions felt somewhat terse. I am sorry if i am not adequately articulating my concerns; I'm doing my best to assist with what I have found to be a difficult text to read. I do not doubt the quality of the scholarship, which is outstanding, but I still have concerns about clarity and readability. I hope to come back and assist further in time. Regards, hamiltonstone (talk) 02:31, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • My responses always come of terse, but mostly because I write hastily as I am busy with too much to really think about what I say. 1). Anyway, I see that I wasn't clear - Szasz and Foucault do not specifically address Smart's condition in those works. However, critics (i.e. biographers) in Christopher Smart criticism -use- those two works and apply the theories to Christopher Smart's case. In order to avoid original researcher, I followed Thomas Keymer's argument step by step (he was the model for the page). I introduced some of the perspective on the two and on Battie from other biographies. If you want, I can provide copies of the pages from Mounsey and Keymer and you can see that the quotes from Battie, Szasz, and Foucault are directly quoted in those works. The line from Keymer bridges the two in the article: "This description agrees with Smart's 1760s writings on the subject in which, according to Thomas Keymer ..." I do not have to cite Keymer when I am quoting from another source even if it is quoted in Keymer. That would be silly and would keep a reader from finding the original quote and verifying the original quote in context. I merely use Keymer's and Mounsey's text as a guide for what to include. 2) "The common meaning of "devolve" is "to transfer or delegate";" Definition 2 of dictionary.com "To degenerate or deteriorate gradually:". I would hope that the dictionary could be seen as reliable, as it uses both degenerate and deteriorate in the definition. 3) I have expanded the sentence to read "There are other possibilities beyond madness or religious fervor that led to Smart's confinement". I hope that clarifies. 4) I mentioned expanded the contractual obligations to "to fulfill Smart's contractual obligation to produce content for the magazine". However, he was obligated to produce content for the magazine and not allowed to produce content for any other magazine for a term of 99 years. He was contracted with another individual and the story behind it is very complicated (as are the terms of the contract). The contract was seemingly broken when the magazine ended after a dozen issues. It is a highly complex issue and I worry about any further detail on the matter as it would snowball. Ottava Rima (talk) 02:52, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • OK, thanks, and thanks for your note at my talk page. Couple of points. From WP:CITE: "It is improper to obtain a citation from an intermediate source without making clear that you saw only that intermediate source." Unless you yourself read Szasz in original, do it as "Szasz (1972) p. xxx cited in Keymer (2003) p. xx." Re the dictionary definition: I am most surprised by dictionary.com, and am sticking to my guns on this one. The Macquarie Dictionary (a large Australian dictionary ) does not have this as any possible meaning of "devolve"; ditto the Concise Oxford. Devolution is used to have a meaning similar to "degeneration" only in biological contexts (ie. in contrast to evolution). I have never seen "devolved" used in the manner used in the text here - surely it is preferable to use a word that will be immediately understood? Your little expansion re the contractual obligation thing is exactly the sort of clarification I was looking for, and is fine. Hopefully i will get back to this article another time. regards. hamiltonstone (talk) 03:13, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • If you want, I can get my camera out and take pictures of both Foucault and Szasz. I also have Scull's The Most Solitary of Afflictions, which is another great work that I could have added. They are necessary for my own work (I wont get into that, as it is off topic). I am confused by Macquarie - devolve should be in all dictionaries since it is from the latin (volver - circle or rotate, and de means to cycle back). De is the opposite action as e (i.e. "evolution" and "devolution", sometimes also called "de-evolution"). Regardless, I will just change it to degenerate, even though degenerate has a stronger negative connotation than necessary. Ottava Rima (talk) 03:26, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks. Not sure if we are at cross-purposes on some things here. You say "I can take pictures..." - i assuume that means you have Foucault and Szasz there: in which case, everything is fine - i just thought your earlier comment here was saying you had sighted then in another source. On devolve, again we might be at cross purposes. The word is in the dict, but not the definition you found at dictionary.com. And if you want something less strong than "degenerate", you could try "deteriorated" or even just something like "changed". hamiltonstone (talk) 03:43, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • It must be an Americanism. "Changed" would not have the connotation of falling apart. "Devolve" is just used from my experience (obviously, American) as a polite way of saying degeneration. It doesn't matter, as some people would consider rambling around in the street, harassing people, and asking them to do stuff a "degeneration". "Deteriorated" would imply a more physical/health condition than a mental/social condition. Ottava Rima (talk) 13:08, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 01:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - Wow, reading the above comments demonstrated how much thought some people put into articles. I really don't think that I could buckle down and go into that level of depth on an article that I was not involved or highly interested in.
  • My concern is a bit more practical. I noticed that in the text, the abbreviation Mr. was written as "Mr" with no period. Now I am no english major, but this seems to be, well, wrong. The same issue occours with the abbreviation "St" which I have never seen without the dot in a professonal context.
  • Secondly, I took minor issue with the wording of the header "Reaction" as it seems slightly misleading. Most of the text below could be better described as "Analysis." Reaction tends to imply a period of time closer to the event. This is especially true for the 20th century and contemporary section.
I expect to throw in my support soon, I need to read it again though. Nezzadar (talk) 02:42, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I agree with you about punctuation after "Mr" and "St". However, the subject deals with a British individual so follows British punctuations. It is an annoyance. I changed the heading to "Analysis" because it seems like a good neutral way of describing the section. Ottava Rima (talk) 02:58, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I read and copyedited this a while ago - the degree of material for context is tricky, but I feel the article has the right amount of background material to provide context without it being superfluous. Casliber (talk · contribs) 19:42, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments Support
  • I have undertaken some copyediting and attempted some clarifications of obscure or ambiguous phrases.
  • The background is good, but it lacks a key first sentence I think—something like: "Christopher Smart was an English poet who was confined to asylums during a time of debate about the nature of madness and its treatment."
  • "Modern critics, however, have a more cynical view:..." Can we add a few words about precisely what it is about which modern critics have a more cynical view, as well as making clear they are referring to cases such as Smart's when being discussed? I am thinking: "Modern critics, however, have a more cynical view of why society confined people such as Smart in asylums:..."
  • "...during the previous century that he was placed in St Luke's." I think what is meant here is "...during the century prior to Smart being placed in St Luke's." If so, it should be amended.
  • ""Commission of Lunacy" was taken out against Smart..." The nature of a commission for lunacy needs a brief explanation - a few words as a subordinate clause in this sentence.
  • "was confined by Newbery". This sounds as though Newbery was administering St Luke's Hospital and needs revision. Is the point here that Newbery made the application for Smart to be confined? If so "It is possible Nwebery sought Smart's confinement..." would be a better wording.

More another day, but generally I feel the later parts of the article are stronger. hamiltonstone (talk) 11:25, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

1. Done. At first, I was hesitant, then I realized that the source actually says the above, so, I made the change without a problem. 2. Wrote "have a more cynical view of the 18th-century use of the term "madness" when diagnosing patients". 3. Done. 4. I couldn't find anything that would help, so I just removed the phrase. 5. "Newbery was administering" - I changed it to "at Newbery's behest". Ottava Rima (talk) 14:05, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • My above concerns all addressed, thanks. Next:
  • The Analysis section. This should begin with as sentence that foreshadows in plain english what Johnson and Piozzi's opinions are. The quotes are long and in (of course) antiquated English, so their point is not immediately ascertained by a contemporary reader.
  • "Most journalists knew of..." Yet the next sentence says "In particular, poet William Mason..." This implies a poet is an example of a journalist, something I would suggest any poet would resile from.
  • In addition, this short para needs a new first sentence. It would read somethig like "While friends like Johnson did not believe Smart to be insane, others argued to the contrary."
  • "Although it took a century before a positive twist was put on Christopher Smart's time in asylum, Robert Browning later remarked in his Parleyings (1887)..." Having read this twice, I think what is meant here is that Browning was the person who put the positive spin on Smart's time in asylum. If that is correct, then recommend revise this to: "It was a century before a positive twist was put on Christopher Smart's time in asylum. Fittingly, it was another poet, Robert Browning, who remarked that A Song to David was great because Smart was mad at the time of its composition.[1] In his poem Parleyings (1887), Browning writes:"
  • It would be good if another editor could have a careful look at the use of tense in the "20th century and contemporary" section. I have amended a couple of instances where the manner in which tense was expressed had caused a sentence to be ungrammatical; however, there does seem to be some switching between present and past tense in introducing the various analyses.
  • One structural question. I wonder whether the paragraph in the Background section that begins "Modern critics however..." might better be part of the 20th century analysis section. Any other views on this?

This otherwise now looks good, and i expect to support promotion. hamiltonstone (talk) 23:03, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I made the tensing corrections, added some information before Johnson, Piozzi, and the next paragraph, and some other fixes. In terms of structure, the background section merely deals with the overall approach to "madness". It is necessary to understand what "madness" is and how the "mad" were treated. The later responses by critics is the disputed explanations for why he was specifically deemed "mad". These range from the idea that he was indeed crazy to conspiracy to religious persecution. Ottava Rima (talk) 01:41, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you, very sharp work and all my concerns are addressed. I think this is good to go. hamiltonstone (talk) 01:54, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


  • Comment This article has an unusually low density of links, with whole sections containing less than 1 link. GeometryGirl (talk) 13:37, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Well, if I ever finish work on Christopher Smart, there would be four more pages (Mrs Midnight, her oratory, some other publications) that would be added as links. There is no page on John Sherratt, Christopher Hunter, or Elizabeth LeNoir unfortunately. There are also many major critics that lack pages. Not much that can be done. Ottava Rima (talk) 14:26, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • FAC does not approve of redlinks in general, and you would have to add about 10 or so that may or may not ever have articles. Ottava Rima (talk) 17:39, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't know what that means, but the notion that FAC discourages redlinks is incorrect. Anything that meets notability should be redlinked. See WP:RED. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 13:20, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sandy, I remember many instances at FAC of "there are too many redlinks". For some reason, I'm willing to think that you even made such a statement before. :) Ottava Rima (talk) 13:46, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Nope; whenever I see them, I post the disclaimer. An article has to be comprehensive. Our concern here is that, if the link is red, the article may have to provide context (as needed), or the link can be filled in. As long as this article is OK, that article can be redlinked. I am aware of one reviewer who frequently complained about the quality of linked articles (even removing links to articles she considered incomplete, which is not good practice-- articles are less likely to be improved if they are delinked!), and neither is that part of WIAFA. As long as this article is comprehensive and terms are explained, redlinks or inferior quality links are not an issue, and redlinks to articles meeting notability are encouraged and should be included (see my recent changes to FAC Icos, which no reviewer picked up). That article is perfectly understandable with two redlinks in the lead, and since those articles meet notability, those links *should* be included, and the nominator is under no obligation to stubbify those links, since context is provided at Icos. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 14:48, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Well, it may have been a while ago. I could look if you want. :P Regardless, as I pointed out - there are no more bluelinks that can be added, and there is no ability to justify a redlink, as there is no way to claim that these individuals are notable with the current sources now (and right now, I have all of the sources on Christopher Smart published after 1965 and many sources before, as per my commission to write a biography on him). There are two links that would be splits from the main Christopher Smart article -if- I manage to finish it and get it to size enough to justify to content splits. However, those would be two links that have very little connection. Anyway, it is a poor substitute for bluelinks to suddenly fill a page with redlinks. Ottava Rima (talk) 15:10, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm not sure you're right in saying FAC doesn't approve of redlinks "in general". Obviously seas of red print are undesirable, but since you have added "unfortunately" to the list of three pageless names above, one would think that these were likely candidates for future articles and could be redlinked. Not a major issue, but something to be borne in mind. Brianboulton (talk) 18:53, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I never said those names were necessarily notable or deserve pages. However, they are the only candidates for bluelinks. It would take a lot of research, for instance, to justify Christopher Smart's daughter who, as of right now, seems to appear only in a very fringe way in only 4 or 5 sources. Ottava Rima (talk) 20:05, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments: I've removed two cases of what I consider to be weasel words and also removed "harsh" from "harsh reviews"; it seemed too subjective for the article, the reader can decide for themselves whether it is harsh or not. I'm still concerned about the Background for the article; it doesn't cover either madhouses or the fact that the patient, rather than the illness, was curable or incurable. I think those two points are crucial to understanding and fully benefiting from the article, and therefore they should be included in the Background surely? MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 13:24, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
They were "harsh reviews". That is not a "weasel word". Harsh is a description say that they destroyed him in a review. They -destroyed- him in a review. Please don't make such changes unless you find a source that dares to claim the reviews were not harsh, as there are none. From the source "The Critical was brief and harsh" (p. 248). Please don't make such changes again. Ottava Rima (talk) 13:38, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
By the way, all of the comments and approaches about "curable" and "incurable" are based on what the sources say. To characterize it in any other way is original research. Furthermore, what do you want to know on "madhouses", especially since there has been a full paragraph about them: "18th century treatment of inpatients was simple:". I wont be going into original research, which it seems by your concerns that you want such. Ottava Rima (talk) 13:43, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I didn't say "harsh" was a weasel word, please read the revision history again. I removed it because the statement seemed to me to be written by someone who was obviously sympathetic to Christopher Smart's confinement, which is against what (I feel) an encyclopedia is about. If it transcludes what the sources say then I think it needs to be made obvious. Also, I find your tone incredibly antagonistic. I would prefer if you didn't, in future, litter my talk page with the pretence of being someone wih any kind of impact on how I edit on Wikipedia. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 17:49, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The phrase "in order to" is not a weasel word nor even close. You have shown a misunderstanding of two things so far. My tone is antagonistic because you have damaged a page while promoting something that is patently absurd. I'll be sure to just take you to AN or ANI since you don't want me to "litter your talk page". Ottava Rima (talk) 18:15, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments from Moni3 will support if resolved

  • and it is possible that the self-evaluation found in his poetry represents an evangelical Christianity. Would it be better to say that the poetry represented an expression of evangelical Christianity? The way it is currently worded makes it seem as if there is a type of Christianity called Evangelical, which would introduce the fine points between Pentecostal and other types of Protestant forms of evangelicalism.
  • I certainly get the impression that it did not take much to get someone committed if Smart's father-in-law was able to do so. Standards for commitment have changed through the years. I recall that it took very little to get a woman committed in the US at the turn of the 20th century: just a male relative attesting that she was mad. This case, however, is more curious and I am curious to know what it took to get a fully grown intelligent man committed to an insane asylum. The only other case coming to mind is the Marquis de Sade who was committed because his nobility kept him from prison (my understanding of it, at least).
  • Who characterized Smart's fit?
  • I don't understand the "issued" of Smart's Hymn to the Supreme Being. Does that mean he published it or had it printed?
  • Can you give a sentence or two about Smart's accomplishments, how he earned his living and what he had previously published before his confinement? Should this appear on the main page, readers will have little concept of who Smart was beyond this article.
  • Otherwise, I found it a challenging and engaging article. Interesting. It is possible I may have missed the above requests...I get constantly interrupted sometimes and find it difficult to keep track of what I read. --Moni3 (talk) 19:33, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
1. I think I originally said "type of" but then that got changed at some point. I made the change. Also, I later say "self-examination represents an evangelical type of Christianity". I conformed the language to the change in the lead. 2. "This case, however, is more curious" Indeed it is, but there is little information on the matter. Chris Mounsey (the most recent biographer) takes up the idea that Newbery was doing this all as part of a power dispute, but doesn't say -how- he was able to do it. No one has really effectively explained how it happened, but this is probably because no one knows when it actually happened (as there are few dates and solid bits of information). It is unfortunate. 3. I'm not sure which line you are referring to. Was it the line: 'some kind, possibly a "disturbed mental state"'. 4. "issued" means published, printed, and sold. I could change it to any of the three if you would prefer one over the other. 5. I added a paragraph. I don't know if that provides you enough information of Smart pre-confinement. Ottava Rima (talk) 20:18, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • which came after a mysterious "fit" was resolved That fit. Asylum section, second paragraph, second sentence.
  • Issued is either quite dated or does not really express what might have been a rift between the two. Printed and sold certainly gets that point across.
  • Good with the new paragraph. That adds some context.
  • Bummer about the details of his confinement. --Moni3 (talk) 20:42, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "express what might have been a rift between the two" - I changed it to "published". I also rewrote the "fit" paragraph. Ottava Rima (talk) 21:13, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 16:29, 13 September 2009 [51].

A Weekend in the City edit

Nominator(s): Rafablu88 17:18, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


For all the talk about nominators having to be polite, welcome to the most imperfect process in the history of mankind. This clearly meets the criteria so support. That is all. Also, don't oppose and leave it hanging forever even though your improvements have been made. I'm sick and tired of that happening. Rafablu88 17:18, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

<conversation unrelated to article moved to talk page>

Update Fixed 1 disam. link, all ref links working, alt text good. Rafablu88 19:08, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments: You're lucky I'm not put off by your rudeness and disregard for an important process. My issues:
    • I'm definitely not disregarding an important process. The fact that I work tirelessly to get stuff here should tell you all you need to know. Just generally not happy with filibustering and negligence. You obviously are neither especially as you took the time to comment even though you had similar issues as the users above. For that, thanks. Rafablu88 21:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • No problem. It's just I would consider the "nomination rationale" you left slightly… flame-bait-ish? I would have gone about nominating in a different way than yourself, even if I had the same reservations, tis all.
        • Got your attention and comments didn't it? ;) I'm not complaining. Rafablu88 11:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • But a pair of boobies would have got my attention, doesn't mean it's a good nomination rationale!
            • I'll bear your preferences in mind for next time. Rafablu88 21:52, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Despite missing their hometown of London" seems slightly inappropriate. Hometown, to me, refers to somewhere that the reader is likely to not have heard of, usually because of its size.
      • I don't fully understand the issue here. It's merely pointing out that London is Bloc Party's hometown and the info is integral to what is explained later about the album. Rafablu88 21:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • My issue is simply that hometown seems an odd little word for such a well-known and large place as London. I can't think of an alternative, and it's not a big deal anyway. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk)
"Hometown" is strictly US English, when the article should clearly be in UK English - "native city" is what you need. This is a problem in various places. I suggest you don't strike through comments when you think you have dealt with them. Johnbod (talk) 03:45, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Firstly, it's always the commentator who strikes his own comments. Secondly, I see your point, but what if there's no BrEng equivalent? I don't believe "native city" is an option as it would inadvertently imply that they were all born there, which is not the case. I've used "home city". RB88 (T) 06:04, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Multi-instrumentalist Gordon Moakes" would something more specific such as "Band member" or "Backing singer" be more appropriate? "Multi-instrumentalist" makes it feel as if he's giving outside commentary (until the quote is read).
    • "high-profile producers like Jacknife Lee" low-profile enough to not have a wikilink?
    • "delivery of their staccato indie rock" would assume "indie rock" or a derivative thereof needs to be wikilinked, considering other music types (dance music) are.
      • The above two points: Both are linked in the lead (which I usually treat as the rest of the article) and I don't link things again unless it's songs in the track list, charts, or equipment (all done for user ease). Rafablu88 21:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Really? I've never understood why wikilinking terms repeated in the lead and main text isn't enforced. Are we all under the illusion that people are going to read the entire article? They're almost certainly not; many people will probably just use the TOC to navigate to a section of their interest/need. Hence why I'd consider wikilinking those terms. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk)
          • Linked them but I still think it's unnecessary because I'm sure everyone reads the lead before the rest and so has seen the links regardless of the section they click. Also going under that assumption would mean linking every term the was new in every section regardless if it's been linked before just because A. Billy ADHD can't be bothered to try being fully enlightened. Rafablu88 11:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • This is DONE btw. Rafablu88 21:52, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "The title comes as a tangent to the central theme of the album, "the living noise of a metropolis"." is it usual for the title of an album not to be discussed until the Promotion and Release? I thought this would have gone in Origins.
      • The record name was only picked after the final mix at the end of 2006 was done. Even so, I tend to put the cover art and name info immediately after the release date to totally inform it. Rafablu88 21:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "First single". This occurs a number of times (one of which I fixed). I honestly can't see why they aren't prefixed with "The". Surely if you have "The next single" then you ought to have "The [number] single"?
      • It's come up before and may be a British English thing but I've changed it nonetheless as it's not a massive deal. Rafablu88 21:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I just considered it proper grammar. How bizarre.
  • More comments:
    • Jacknife Lee needs to be "Garret "Jacknife" Lee".
      • DONE. First mention in Origins. He goes by Jacknife generally though. Rafablu88 11:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • This article refers to Bloc Party as an Indie rock band, whilst the article on the band itself gives them as simply a rock band.
      • WP:OTHERSTUFF, but anyway that article's infobox clearly gives their genres and I'm sure you can allow a band to change their musical style drastically in a given album.
        • As far as I can tell the place that link took me to had no relevance to my issue. The infobox gives the genres of the album, not of the band. It's not a case of me allowing a band to change musical style, a lot of bands and musicians do that. My point is: we can't change the band's genre to whatever album we're detailing. And you shouldn't change the genre of the band on their article without reaching a consensus either… (I noticed) MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 19:57, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • The point was that we cannot use other articles or previous FACs to prove right or wrong here. For all you and me know, that article had been vandalised repeatedly (and it had by an IP, that's why I changed it back). If it said "Bloc Party are a neo-psychedelic band" on that article, would you expect me to write that on this one, too, even though it's totally bogus?? But more to the point here's Allmusic: INDIE ROCK! Rafablu88 20:05, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • The page you linked to lists their genre as Rock/Pop… Can I just say you've shot yourself in the foot? But whatever, I'm not going to raise the roof about the issue if you feel defensive. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 21:40, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • Umm, when we use allmusic we tend to use the specific genre because most bands/albums on wiki would be "rock/pop" if we followed the major grouping instead and that would sound off and not wholly accurate. Rafablu88 21:52, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • But just so we're here: Search for bloc party rock/pop yields 81, Search for bloc party indie rock yields 899 Rafablu88 22:00, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                • Sorry but that's just a laughable way of asserting something. For example, "Sarah Palin hot" returns more results than "Sarah Palin politician"… Anyway, enough said on the issue.
                  • That's the way we always proceed, especially in articles up for deletion. Also I don't see the similarity between your example and mine. I doubt anyone would want to say "Sarah Palin is a hottie" instead of a "Sarah Palin is a politician". The terms have no relation with each other in the same way as "rock/pop" and "indie rock". Rafablu88 13:15, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • On another note, I believe all your points have been tackled. Would you care to strike them so that the FAC overlords can see everything is in order. Rafablu88 20:05, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Studio Sessions" image. Can "(L-R)" be expanded, I haven't ever seen an article where it's been abbreviated. Also "Tong's drum kit is surrounded by a booth and each component has its own miking set-up" resembles the Alt text, and isn't what I'd consider an appropriate caption.
      • I reworded it slightly. I don't know what the problem is if both alt and real are the same especially when real has to explain what is seen in the photo (booth and miking setup which are written in the text too) in the same vein as alt. Rafablu88 11:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Okereke's lyrics juxtapose the apparent meaningless monotony with the seemingly epic experiences in a city environment, from waiting for a train, struggles with racial identity, terrorist attacks, and desperation on a dancefloor." it sounds so pretentious. Do there need to be 13 words to describe how someone is showing that there can be great and meaningless experiences in a city? The second section should be "from waiting for a train, struggling with racial identity and terrorist attacks, to desperation on a dancefloor". On that note, what is "desperation on a dancefloor about?".MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 10:19, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • God knows. But that's how they explained it to Filter. And yes, they are pretentious, but I did reword it slightly. Rafablu88 11:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I've reworded it further, your revision as far as I could tell just changed the "from" to "to". Hopefully my revision is considered an improvement. I'll explain why I've changed it in the way I have if it's not clear. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 21:40, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:59, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. Alt text is quite good, thanks. I fixed one relatively minor problem by removing the phrases '(from "BLOC PARTY.")', "tarpaulin", and "singing" from the alt text of File:Okereke Barcelona.jpg, as these phrases cannot be verified by a non-expert merely by looking at the image (see WP:ALT#Verifiability). Eubulides (talk) 06:00, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose for now, mainly on prose grounds.Comments: A few general points first:

  • Overuse of semicolons rather than sentence breaks or connectors makes some sentences too long, and hard to follow.
    • I'll split a few ASAP. Rafablu88 17:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Halved the number, which now is in single figures for a 51.4kb article. Rafablu88 17:58, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • There is considerable specialist language in the article, and while most of these terms are linked, some are not. What, for example, is "sonic inference"? What are "vox sessions"? Also, a sentence should be broadly comprehensible without the reader having to use links repeatedly. Sentences such as "The miking scheme was crucial to prepare the drum tracks for the looping and processing Lee planned for them using production program Logic; different types of mics were used for each component of the drum kit" need to be reworded in a more reader-friendly manner.
    • It was meant to be "interference" and changed it to "voice". I'm sure the kids are down with that lingo. I'll scout for any more, although I did that during peer review when I added more detail e.g. about distressors which don't have a wiki page. For the sentence point, see the reply to your first query. Rafablu88 17:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • All tech points are either linked or explained in enough detail short of actually copying from their respective pages. Not much more I can do. The sentence has been fixed and the flow is better. Rafablu88 17:22, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • This sentence was an example. Have you checked through for other instances? Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Well, obviously. Especially in conjunction with your first point which you've struck out. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Q: Has this point been sufficiently tackled? If so, it may need to be struck like the others. RB88 (T) 12:00, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • MOS point: no-break spaces should be used as appropriate.
    • I know what they are but have no clue how to use them. Someone needs to help out here. Rafablu88 17:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Right, had a look at MOS but still have no clue where to or not to put "no wrap". Rafablu88 18:54, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • You don't have to use no-wrap. Look in this edit window at "12 men" Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
  • Specific prose issues: these are examples taken from the first two or three sections. The whole text needs careful checking to identify and fix other problems:-
    • "sextet" is a singular term, therefore "a sextet was hired"
      • British English, a singular entity can use the plural if it contains more than one member, i.e. "the band were", "Everton FC are an English football club" etc. It's come up before over and over and over again. Rafablu88 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • I know it's come up before. That doesn't make it right in all instances. "...a string quartet were hired" sounds ugly and wrong. Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Changed it, but I'm sure the Queen would have something to say about you calling her language ugly and wrong. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "by using the theme the themes of life and leisure" [sic]
      • ??? It's not in the article. Rafablu88 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • No, because you changed it! (your edit, 13.30 2 September)
          • Before you'd commented I might add, so no need to exclaim. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • There will sometimes be a timelag between my noting a point and posting it, because I have to multi-task. If in that gap you spot and correct your mistakes, well and good. But don't try and pretend (by ???) that the mistake didn't exist. Brianboulton (talk) 12:32, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

**"A low-quality rip of A Weekend in the City leaked in November..." It presumably didn't leak itself, so "was leaked". Who leaked it?

      • DONE. The January one had it already. Must have missed it. Rafablu88 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "A high-quality version was leaked in January 2007, which was confirmed by Okereke." What exactly did Okereke confirm?
      • DONE. The contents. Rafablu88 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • Your text reads "A high-quality version was leaked in January 2007, whose contents were confirmed by Okereke." Contents are not a "who". And it's still not clear, for either of these leaks, who did the leaking. Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
          • Rephrased it. And if I'd known who leaked it I would have written it. The source mentions noone as is the case with internet leaks. I don't think "leaked by deranged internet pirates" would be encyclopaedic or verifiable. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • My point was that sometimes people leak things themselves, as a form of test-marketing.

**"released in the rest of the world" seems an odd way of describing the general release of a album. "Released worldwide" might be a more orthodox expression.

      • Nope, because it was released in Japan the week before, hence saying "worldwide" is erroneous. Rafablu88 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I have spot-checked a few citations: "Bloc Party wanted to expand their sonic palette without losing the cathartic delivery of their staccato indie rock.[15]" What part of ref [15] are you saying supports this statement?
    • It's number 16 and it says: "We've retained some of that jerkiness [from Silent Alarm] but we didn't want to do anything that we've already done. There's a lot of gentle stuff, but we don't want to have a gentle record. Moakes says some of the cuts the group have come up with sound not far from the edgy, dream-rock..." Rafablu88 16:55, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • It was [15] when I went through - you have added a further reference meantime. However, that's beside the point. The sentence is clearly an imaginative interpretation of the source, and should be rephrased to reflect what was actually said. Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • DONE. Again the ref edit was made hours before you commented. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • POV warning: "The highly honest approach..." Whose words are "highly honest"? If they are from the source, they should be in quotes and attributed. If they are POV they should be withdrawn.
    • The polar citations used to prove the statement are:
    • Allmusic: "A Weekend in the City, an unashamedly ambitious, emotional album", "On A Weekend in the City, Bloc Party is sadder, wiser, and more heart-on-sleeve than ever -- almost embarrassingly so", "He's become a striking lyricist, conveying ambivalence and yearning in remarkably direct terms"
    • The Guardian: "Unfortunately, grand statements are not earnest frontman Kele Okereke's forte", "There's barely a song that isn't kneecapped by one of Okereke's lyrical clangers. Just one reference to "crosswords and sudoku" kills Waiting for the 7.18 stone dead, while Hunting for Witches, about fear of terrorism, is so gauche that you might find yourself feeling kindly towards John Reid"
    • Rafablu88 17:03, 2 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
      • The phrase "highly honest approach" is your own. It certainly isn't "proved" by these sources. You should reword. Brianboulton (talk) 23:09, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • God forbid for allowing some poetic license. I've changed it to "direct" which is satisfied by both sources. Rafablu88 00:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Please contact me when you think you have addressed these points. The list is not comprehensive, and should be used as a basis for identifying other problems. Brianboulton (talk) 16:25, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Additional comments:

  • Your "God forbid" response, above, is a little worrying, if it implies that you would place poetic licence above accuracy or encyclopedic style. I trust this is not the case.
  • I'm a bit concerned that you have 15 separate citations to a single page of the Murphy article, and 12 to another page. The 15 citations to page 36 seem to cover a lot of information. Can you confirm that all the information cited to these pages is found there?
    • Yes. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Can you confirm that this is the Murphy article you are using as a source? Brianboulton (talk) 10:12, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Yes, but seems to be a bit truncated for the internet, not just image wise. The one I have in the magazine is a longer spread. Rafablu88 13:30, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Can you fix citations [13] and [18] (Murphy - see reflist) Brianboulton (talk) 09:58, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • Way ahead of you Brian. ;) Rafablu88 10:03, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • Would you look at ref [18b]? The sentence cited reads: "The band members were largely disillusioned with the evolution of contemporary guitar music and aimed to re-create the atmosphere of neo-classical music coupled with the highly stylised production values of R&B and hip-hop records." The actual source statement is "I don't think we set out to make a neo-classical record [laughs], but I do think we relied on that kind of atmosphere."”This is saying something different from your sentence; perhaps you should rephrase?
                • First of all thanks for the edits, but mainly for the detailed comments which I like as they keep me on my toes.
                • Right, the sentence reads: The band members were largely disillusioned with the evolution of contemporary guitar music and aimed to re-create the highly stylised production values of R&B and hip-hop records,[19] while relying on an atmosphere similar to neo-classical music.[18] The first half is another source. The second half above is based on "I do think we relied on that kind of atmosphere", i.e. neo-classical music. I don't see how I'm saying something different but maybe I've become desensitised to the text. Any advice? RB88 (T) 00:27, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
                  • This revised version of the sentence is OK. 07:42, 7 September 2009 (UTC)
  • I said earlier that my main concern was the standard of the prose. I have now read through (fairly quickly) the remainder of the article and have found numerous further problems. If you have got there first, and fixed any of them, I apologise:-
    • "The track ostracises right-wing newspapers..." – "ostracises"? The word means "to exclude or banish from a group or society". I guess you mean crticise or castigate, or something like that.
    • The second part of this same sentence needs rewording, to clarify the subject of "which"
    • If a crush is unrequited, it's a one-way affair. An unrequited crush cannot be "between" two people
      • DONE. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • By merely removing "unrequited" you have changed the meaning. Did the lyric deal with the unrequited crush of one boy for another, as you previously implied, or was the crush mutual, as you now imply?
    • Normal usage is "East London" not "east London". The sentence is clumsy anyway with two "ands" - needs reworking
    • Please look at the construction of the sentence beginning "Many songs detail..." Apart from being overlong, the grammar is wrong at the beginning.
      • DONE. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • The structure is still wrong and the meaning remains ambiguous. Your use of "following" is the main problem. If I am guessing the meaninig correctly, it would be better to place a full stop after metropolis and begin a new sentence: "This resulted from..." etc
    • "a drunk and promiscuous night out" A night out can be "drunken", but not "drunk" (as in, for example, a "drunken stupor")
    • "difference with" → "difference from"
    • Ambiguous: "Layered vocals are often used to resemble choral sections in A Weekend in the City" My guess is that you meant: "In A Weekend in the City, layered vocals are often used to resemble choral sections"
    • "It sold 148,000 copies in the U.S. by August 2008" needs to be "It had sold..." etc
      • Someone didn't like "had" on the Silent Alarm FAC and I removed it, but DONE. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "...a maelstrom of anger and confusion." These graphic words from the source should be in quote marks
    • "the publication included it in its 1000 Albums To Hear Before You Die list compiled in November 2007 by praising the band's "ambitious indie soundscapes packing a sizeable political punch". The "by" should be replaced by a comma.
      • No, because that would leave an -ing verb after the comma. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC) [reply]
        • Then you should find another way of reworking the sentence. The inclusion in the list was a separate action from the praise, not the result of the praise.
    • Tours and rerelease section: this is mostly information which is not about the album which is the subject of this article.
      • No, the first paragraph details the tours FOR the album in summary style (i.e further promotion), which also have an effect on sales, charts, etc. The second paragraph explains the promotion before the re-release in the same vein as the actual release was covered in "Promotion and release". The section is a historical facet of the entity in question and is needed for completeness. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
These prose concerns reinforce my view that the article needs to be copyedited thoroughly, by someone other than you, to help bring the prose to the standard required for featured articles. I will be happy to look at the article again, when that has been done. Brianboulton (talk) 12:32, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
God bless vague assertions. I'll ask around. Rafablu88 13:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, on the question of vague assertions, quote "This clearly meets the criteria so support. That is all." Without really trying, I have found a dozen or so prose faults. The article has improved considerably as a result of this review process, but would clearly benefit from another pair of eyes than yours, and that is what I am requesting. Brianboulton (talk) 09:09, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm just yanking your chain Brian. You're a good sport. Rafablu88 13:30, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment on title: The page title for this article is rendered in italics. I've not seen this style on any featured article relating to a song, album, film or fictional work. I've not checked MOS but this may be an issue, i.e. should the main title be A Weekend in the City, not A Weekend in the City? Brianboulton (talk) 07:42, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

There's been some debate about this recently. The technical ability is there. But bear with me, I'll have a look and a few discussions and will come back to say what the stance is. RB88 (T) 12:00, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"No mandate for or against it". IMO, it's truer and more professional. RB88 (T) 15:05, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Just for context, there was an RfC on this and there wasn't really a "consensus" as such but it seemed be erring on the side not using italic names, except maybe for species/genera. I hope this is fair, unbiased assemesment but for full disclosure I !voted against it at the time. Rambo's Revenge (talk) 15:20, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I'd been looking for that. Ultimately, I think it's not a massive deal. If MOS is changed in the future, then I can just delete it. It'll only take a couple of seconds. Personally, I still think however that if something is in italics in the body, then surely it has to be as such in the title. RB88 (T) 15:27, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"No mandate for or against" doesn't represent actual practice, and it might be prudent to follow the style adopted by all similar articles which have reached FA. Even ship names, which are invariably italicized in text, are not italicized when they appear as or in titles. Brianboulton (talk) 16:15, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"All similar articles which have reached FA" seems a bit of a cop-out other-stuff-exists argument to me. If MOS doesn't specify anything either way then why should I adhere to what everyone else is doing? The majority is not always right. I said above that it seems more professional and truer to me to add title italics if something is in italics in the text. You obviously have another opinion. But we're going round in circles now in the same way as the RFC no consensus. And also, making a mountain out of a molehill. It can be very easily deleted in the future if need be after a sturdy MOS decision against it. RB88 (T) 16:22, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment—I find the table-y and list-y sections at the bottom half of the article rather overwhelming, especially the track listing. Only the original track-listing (and that global one with the extra song, in this particular case) is ever really notable. Considering that these days albums are sold by different retailers with all sorts of bonus tracks and variations, I don't think it is particularly notable or necessary to list down all of these various formats. The track-listing for the additional remixes/live-DVD doesn't belong either.

  • Yep, summarised DVD stuff. Bonus tracks are needed though as they were created during the same studio sessions (i.e. the "30 sound checks" mentioned in Origins). Two of them even made the preliminary track list. Rafablu88 19:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The same goes for the release history section. How is a collection of release dates and catalogue dates of any interest to the general reader? Remember WP:NOTCATALOG, Wikipedia is not a "complete exposition of all possible details." All important record labels and dates have been already covered in the prose anyway.

  • No, see Wikipedia:Albums#Release_history. Plus, I'm sure the reader would appreciate all the info compacted to a table for such a staggered album release-wise. Rafablu88 19:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Release history" sections are in no way mandatory (most album FAs do not have and do not need them), and you're better off conveying that information in prose, anyway. WesleyDodds (talk) 12:15, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Firstly, I never said it was mandatory. It's up to editors' discretion and I took the decision that it was so staggered release wise in terms of dates, labels, types, catalog no.s that the table was clearly beneficial. Not all the information can be contained in the prose without sounding forced and superficial. Sorry if it's making other FAs look deficient, but maybe they should have one too, especially the older ones who have had a re-release in the 21st century. Rafablu88 14:02, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Per WP:CHART: "The number of charts should include no more than ten official national charts, and up to ten additional or secondary charts, but no more than eighteen charts total." indopug (talk) 19:08, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • You're right. Cut down to 10 English-speaking/major markets and 1 auxiliary chart. Rafablu88 19:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose (but easy to fix) rationale on "The Prayer" sound sample is inspecific. I've tagged the file. --Hammersoft (talk) 14:24, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Bloc_Party_-_Banquet.ogg passed on the Silent Alarm FAC with the same rationale after User:Jappalang reviewed, and was preceded by the advice of the same user on HeartbeatLOTP.ogg on the Fantasy Black Channel FAC. Plus, I have yet to see a non-free file which has FOUR citations proving its use and importance to the article at hand. The deletion template is unwarranted. Rafablu88 14:38, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • The deletion template is perfectly warranted. Please see WP:NFCC #10c, and note that it says "The name of each article (a link to each article is also recommended) in which fair use is claimed for the item, and a separate, specific fair-use rationale for each use of the item". I've re-instated the warning template to the file, as the problem has NOT been fixed. In the version you prefer, the rationale could be used to justify its existence in ANY article. That's not good enough to pass #10c. Thank you, --Hammersoft (talk) 14:45, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • DONE. Please strike your oppose. Thank you, Rafablu88 14:51, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Further—
  • Within a paragraph, a citation is assumed to reference all the text preceding it (apart from quotes). So you don't need to use the same ref over and over again in adjacent sentences. I just you remove all of these instances of over-referencing to enhance readability. [ Sample edit].
    • Sorted them out. I'm glad it's come up. I've thought about doing it but always scared someone is gonna go "oh, massive oppose, under-referenced". Rafablu88 09:47, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is that non-free image of the recording process really necessary? It isn't very clear either, with the drums and the mikes around them tiny in the background. Besides, I don't think there isn't anything particularly unique about this recording setup to warrant a fair-use pic.
    • Well, it's not clear because a) it's a screenshot and b) it has to be small for fair-use. It's not just about the drums miking either, it's the booth as well. I think overall it's unconventional and unique enough to warrant inclusion, especially with what is said in the adjacent text. Rafablu88 09:47, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • After a couple of discussions, I have now uploaded a clearer, slightly larger shot and reinforced the free use rationale, too. RB88 (T) 12:49, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Radiohead are not a post-rock band, and Snow Patrol are not world-renowned. Not as much as U2 anyway (which is what the sentence inadvertently implies).
  • I'm surprised that you don't choose to include the most reputed music magazines' reviews in the infobox and in the Reception section? While notable, why use Drowned in Sound, PopMatters, Rockfeedback wand Stylus, when you can have Spin, Mojo, Q and a major newspaper like the Times instead? I doubt it will be difficult to find these reviews online.
    • It's all subjective isn't it? You say tomaytoe, I say tomatoh. I always proceed through Metacritic's picks, the aggregate score (to show a correct rating spread), and Ealdgyth's notability guidelines. Plus now in the 21st century post-print times, people like Spin, Mojo, Q etc are behind in terms of review quality, length, and perception. Most of their writing is just stubs, whereas Drowned in Sound, PopMatters, Stylus, and Rockfeedback actually still write essays on albums like the good old times mainly because they can space-wise but also because they focus more on less mainstream music. I'm sure the reader would appreciate quality and depth rather than a two sentence paragraph with an arbitrary editorial rating. I know I do. Rafablu88 09:47, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • The fact of the matter is that the long-standing print publications have greater critical weight. Drowned in Sound and the like should be relied on only if you can't find anything by the likes of Rolling Stone, NME, and SPIN, because they are considered the leading voices in music journalism (and they do have web presences; Rolling Stone in particular has an online version of pretty much everything that has ever been printed by it). Review length has nothing to do with it (I am reminded of a rather cutting four-word Bauhaus review by Melody Maker from the early 80s. A rather tossed-off review that i don't agree with, but it got its point across). WesleyDodds (talk) 12:13, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Yes, m'lord. Replaced Stylus with EW since they're now defunct. Replaced Rockfeedback with the A.V. Club. The only other Metacritic established review was Blender but that was written by Dorian Lynskey who wrote The Guardian one and it wouldn't have been appropriate. Everything else was print media which I don't have and even if I did I wouldn't budge on PopMatters (see Wikipedia:Albums#Review_sites) and Drowned in Sound, who without a look in nostalgia lane, are currently probably more thorough and eminent than the Spins and Qs of this world, especially in the UK. Rafablu88 12:35, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • That list of equipment used is highly unorthodox, in that most of our articles don't have them. I don't see the point too, I doubt a casual reader would grasp the significance of any of the items on the list; it would only interests the musos. As an analogy, would you like to read a list of all the equipment in shooting a film in a film article? indopug (talk) 01:32, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I like the analogy. Good point. Rafablu88 09:47, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose; File:BPGLodge.jpg is used in violation of WP:NFCC#1 as the scene shown can be adequately described by text. Stifle (talk) 08:22, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • WP:NFCC#1 actually states "No free equivalent." The fair use rationale reads: "The work is copyrighted, thus no free alternative is available. It was recorded in desolate, rural Ireland with no photographers, press etc. The promo video is absolutely the only piece of work that includes such studio sessions material." The questions are:
      1. "Can this non-free content be replaced by a free version that has the same effect?" ANSWER: NO
      2. "Could the subject be adequately conveyed by text without using the non-free content at all?" I assume this is what you're referring to. My answer would still be: NO
    • The text does explain booth and miking scheme, yes, but the probabilities of ALL the readers comprehending and visualising exactly what this unorthodox set-up looked like are quite low. A booth could mean anything in terms of its erection, composite materials, and relative position. And while miking scheme is easier to visualise, their position relative to specific drum kit parts may not. I believe it satisfies criterion 1. RB88 (T) 12:09, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I agree there is no free image, but I think free text would do. Stifle (talk) 12:49, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Removed it in the end. RB88 (T) 14:30, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Support as this issue has been resolved. Stifle (talk) 15:17, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I can't find anything wrong other than the issues brought up here, and they've been resolved. Timmeh (review me) 16:09, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. My (extensive) concerns, now resolved, are here. Fvasconcellos (t·c) 23:03, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support as significant contributor - hoped to find more time to help Rafa out with this but evidently school and, now, work have prevented me. Obviously worth the star and has withstood some heavy criticism here. Excellent work if I do say so myself.  GARDEN  19:44, 12 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [57].

Derfflinger class battlecruiser edit

Nominator(s): Parsecboy (talk) 01:56, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Yet another German warship class article, it passed GA and Milhist A-class review within the past few weeks. I feel this is close to FAC, and the extra eyes that will examine the article here will help me fine tune the last few issues that are probably hiding in the article. Thanks in advance to all editors who take the time to review this nomination. Parsecboy (talk) 01:56, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Done; thanks. Two images have good alt text (thanks), but the remaining five images lack it; please see the "alt text" button in the toolbox at the upper right of this review subpage. Eubulides (talk) 14:29, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

It took a couple of days, but I've added alt text to the rest of the images. Are there any problems with any of them? Thanks. Parsecboy (talk) 16:35, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It looks good now, thanks. I tweaked its punctuation so that sentences are punctuated as such, and removed one small phrase that I couldn't immediately verify from the image itself. Eubulides (talk) 07:12, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, Eubulides. I thought I had read somewhere that they weren't supposed to be punctuated, but then it confused me a bit, because I'd have punctuation in the middle. Thanks for clarifying that for me. Parsecboy (talk) 22:43, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support Well, apart from the fact that I'm getting seriously dizzy from this barrage of high-quality German capital ship articles zooming through A/FA, I have no complaints...! Fixed an alt text parameter but apart from that, everything looks fine. Supported this at ACR and happy to do so again here. I'd say "keep up the good work", but somehow I doubt that's ever going to be an issue... ;-) Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 00:06, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Ian's funny comment aside, this is a terrific article. I've noted my support, although I have a couple of quibbling, niggling points, which I will bring up on the talk page. Excellent work again! Auntieruth55 (talk) 00:40, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support Fixed a couple of minor issues, but you really ought to explain the role of the 88 mm Flak guns, AA or anti-torpedo boat guns? Or both? Sturmvogel 66 (talk) 01:33, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, Sturmvogel. They were designed as anti-aircraft guns, though I suppose they could have been used against torpedo boats in a pinch. I've added "anti-aircraft" to clarify what their purpose was. Parsecboy (talk) 22:42, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support, on the proviso that the section on Derfflinger's scuttling is cleared up à la Hindenburg. --Simon Harley (talk | library | book reviews) 00:04, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Good catch. I had written this article before Hindenburg, and it went through Milhist ACR before you noticed that. I've fixed it and added a note similar to that in Hindenburg. Thanks! Parsecboy (talk) 00:12, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
See, I didn't even have to elaborate! :). Happy to support. --Simon Harley (talk | library | book reviews) 00:21, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 23:53, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments Throughout the article I see instances where the convert template still needs to be used.
    • You have "Bennett" listed in the references but there are no footnotes that use this author.
    • I'm concerned about the number of footnotes used... seems a bit sparse. Of course if you've exhausted your sources there isn't much to add anyway.
    • Is the See also section necessary just for the link to commons? --Brad (talk) 12:23, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Bennett is cited in the third note, in regards to Admiral Fremantle's claim that he informed von Reuter of the extension of the Versailles deadline. I wrote this article more along the lines of Moltke class battlecruiser than say, König class battleship, primarily because the ships had divergent careers. Because I split it up by ship as opposed to by unit, I didn't want to go into a ton of detail, hence the lack of more citations. I have merged the "see also" section into the "notes" section. Parsecboy (talk) 12:33, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review I've checked the copyright status of the images and they all look fine. Stifle (talk) 21:16, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What is a Hexanite warhead ? Pls review for undefined terms. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:04, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Why is Battle of Jutland in upper case, while battle of battle of Dogger Bank is not, and raid on ... is not? Also, pls review WP:NBSPs. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:09, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I saw a ce issue, so let's get some more (hopefully non-MilHist eyes) on this nom.
  • The guns fired a 405.5-kilogram (894-pound) armor-piercing shells ...

SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:11, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [58].

Polyozellus edit

Nominator(s): Sasata (talk) 08:07, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


This article is about an edible blue fungus. There are more of them than you might suspect. I've exhausted my literature sources and tweaked the prose to the point of diminishing returns, and believe the article is ready to be judged for FAC. Thanks for reading. Sasata (talk) 08:07, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments -
  • Is current ref 3 (Lloyd...) lacking a title for the article?
  • Same for CCurrent ref 6 (Kauffmann...)?
  • Same for Current ref 10 (Kawam..)
  • Please double check that all your books have page numbers. I'm noticing current ref 13, 14, 16, lack them
All points above have been addressed. Sasata (talk) 22:06, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Kuo is a well-known mycological author, and on the web page in question, he lists the sources he used. I was originally going to use his page as an external link, but thought it would be better to have it as a citation somewhere, so cited the page to two non-contentious points (spore size and spore-print color). But if you still don't think it qualifies as a RS, I can easily remove it and use another source to cite those points. Sasata (talk)
I'll leave this one out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:26, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. (You can EAT blue fungus??? Yuck!) Ealdgyth - Talk 20:44, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Some people actually like the taste too! Sasata (talk) 22:06, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Query article title the title is the genus, but it is a monotypic genus, and throughout the text refers to "this species", so why is isn't this article called Polyozellus multiplex, with the genus as a redirect? I don't know about mycology, but that would be normal for other life forms (eg Opisthocomiformes, Opisthocomidae and Opisthocomus all redirect to Hoatzin Jimfbleak - talk to me? 07:02, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

In the Fungi wikiproject, we typically follow the naming conventions for flora, and on this matter it states "Where a genus is monospecific (has only a single species), the article should be named after the genus, with the species name as a redirect". Sasata (talk) 07:14, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
So why is the article written as if it's about a species, not a genus? After the first sentence, the article refers almost invariably to "the species". Also the taxobox is a species' taxobox, not a genus box like Pyrrhocorax. It seems odd to have a title which appears to be saying "this is about a genus", and then just refer to it as a species. Maybe it's just me, but it seems very inconsistent to have the title at one taxonomic level, and the text at another - or perhaps you have been lumbered with a particularly bizarre naming convention? This is an interesting article, which I'll review in detail if I get time before I head for Canada, Jimfbleak - talk to me? 06:53, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That's a good point, and I've never really thought about it until now, just defaulted to the status quo, but doing it the other way does seem to be more logical. The other genus-level articles I've helped write are also written from the same perspective. I'll consult the wikiproject about this and get back to you. Sasata (talk) 07:04, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Update: I initiated discussions at the relevant WikiProjects here and here. Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009
Seems to have opened a can of worms at the latter site. Sorry to cause such grief - I want to support, but can't get past this stumbling block. Jimfbleak - talk to me? 07:22, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

While you're doing that, a couple of other things Jimfbleak - talk to me? 16:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Generally US spelling, eg "gray", "color", but also has BE "centimetre"
The convert templates now produce US spelling. Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • It has been found in North America and eastern Asia should this be is found, or is its range collapsing?
Refactored sentence to read "Its range includes North America and eastern Asia, where it is found growing on the ground..." Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • compound structure of the stem ... which has more simple stem structures. Also, what's wrong with "simpler"?
Refactored sentence so that the correct use of singular/plural is more evident: "... who thought the compound structure of the stem to be a sufficiently unique characteristic to warrant it being separated from Cantharellus species, which have simpler stem structures." Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • what's the connection between polyozelin and knyapcin? It sounds as if they are closely related, but not explicit.
I added a link to help clarify that the kynapcins are chemical derivatives: "... revealed similar derivatives of polyozellin, each with different chemical properties" Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fine, would it be better, worse, or just wrong to write as revealed similar dibenzofuranyl derivatives?
Better! Added. Sasata (talk) 18:03, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Edits looks good, thanks for the help. Sasata (talk) 21:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support I'm going away tomorrow so it's decision time. I'm reluctant to oppose or withhold support simply on the genus/species issue, especially as it's a project thing. I still think it's illogical, but not your fault. Jimfbleak - talk to me? 11:02, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the support Jim. There doesn't seem to be any consensus to changing it to the species name, but I suspect the idea will be revisited later when more monotypic genera pass through FAC scrutiny. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comments from J Milburn

I'm making a list, but I can't see there being that many points...

  • First of all, I fully support the MushroomExpert reference. The site is highly professional, and Kuo is a respected and published mycologist.
  • Personally, I'd go for two paragraphs in the lead, but if you feel that would be too much detail, I'll happily defer to your judgement.
Split the lead into two and filled it out a bit. Sasata (talk)
  • "or in Alaska, the black chanterelle." comma after "or"?
Yes. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Who's Elizabeth Woodworth? A botanist?
Not completely sure; I vaguely recall reading somewhere that she was a student around this time, and doing fieldwork for someone else, but will leave as is until I can find a source. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Alexander H. Smith and Elizabeth Morse" Again, I'm assuming they're a pair of mycologists? How about "mycologists Alexander H. Smith and Elizabeth Morse"?
Sure. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "thelephoric acid" I'd normally expect a wikilink- is there anything to say about this?
Added bit in text ("...and the presence of thelephoric acid, a mushroom pigment common in the family"), and also started stub, as it's notable enough to deserve its own article. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is Index Fungorum definitely reliable? Also, why italics?
Removed italics, also added link to MycoBank to corroborate Fungorum's familial placement. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "the hymenium), which" Where do those brackets/parenthesis open? Is that a typo?
Yes, fixed. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do we have a picture of a dark Alaskan specimen? The infobox image looks pretty dark- perhaps clarify whether that is one of the darker specimens in the image caption?
It's not Alaskan, just a dark specimen, but within the color range I've seen in other pictures. I'll look around to see if there's a free pic of a black Alaskan version (but I doubt it). Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "brittle, breaking easily" Tautology?
  • "ellipsoid" Not a common word- link?
  • "nonamyloid" not sure I like the fact half of the word in wikilinked- also, shouldn't that have a dash?
Yes, I dashed it (which hopefully makes the 2nd-half linking more tolerable). Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "iodine" linky.
  • "acyanophilous" Again- link? Explanation?
It was previously, but I can see why it was missed because of my ambiguous placement of punctuation. Fixed. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "filamentous" Ditto. The section is appropriately technical (I do not support dumbing down), but we do need to try and make the technical terms accessible to the non-expert reader.
  • "cuticle" Ditto.
  • "(the pileipillus)" Is this "also known as the ...", or "in this case, the ..."? If the latter, what precisely is a pileipillus?
  • "septa" Again, technical.
  • "trumpet- or tubular shaped" Does "tubular" not also need a dash? (Not red hot on dashes...)
  • ""fragrant chanterelle", Cantharellus odoratus," How come this common name is in quote marks, but others aren't? Personally, I wouldn't use them- your choice.
  • Mention Alaska in distribution?
  • "and is cultivated in Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China." It's cultivated in China, but has never been collected wild? Clarification would be good.
  • "preserved by drying.[23]" Any affect on the taste? You mentioned a change in smell above, I think.
  • "Alzheimer's disease" linky
  • "compound polyozellin—isolated and purified from P. multiplex" too technical for me to really comment, but would that not be better as something like "compound polyozellin—a chemical which can be isolated and purified from P. multiplex"? Also, is that chemical unique to this species?
  • What's kynapcin? Link or explanation?
"...similar dibenzofuranyl derivatives of polyozellin, each with different chemical properties, including kynapcin..." Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "extract" Looks like overlinking (contrary to what I said above!)
I used extract 3 times in the article and have now linked at first mention. I think its a useful link in this case, as it gives explanatory background that helps understand the statement. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Ref 18- could you clarify that it is Mushroom Expert? Currently no publisher listed.
  • The Pilz reference is only used once- perhaps move it into the notes section? Or is it being used as a "general" refernece?
Good eye. Was supposed to be 2 separate page refs from that source. Fixed. Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is Gen. Tech. Rep. a journal? Full name?
Have unabbreviated it so it matches the title on the cover.

That's what I'm seeing now, hope it proves useful :) J Milburn (talk) 20:16, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

All other points you raised above and to which I've not explicitly replied, I agree with and have made changes based on your suggestions. Thanks for your careful reading! Sasata (talk) 08:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment Technical read! Because the article is so small, some paraphrasing of the technicalities could make the article more accessible to the lay reader.

  • Can we have "earthfans" liked to the relevant Wikitionary article?
Earthfans is a common name applied to the Thelephoraceae family, which is linked a bit higher up in the paragraph. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hum, OK, but I wanted a link on earthfans specifically. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've now unlinked Thelephoraceae, made a redirect for "leathery earthfans" to Thelephoraceae, and linked to this. Sasata (talk) 17:38, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should 'Alaska' be linked?
It was linked twice, in the Habitat and distribution, and in the description. I've now changed so that it's only linked once, at its first occurrence in the History and Taxonomy section. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The first occurrence, in the lead, is not linked. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good point. Now linked in lede. Sasata (talk) 17:38, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should 'polyozellin' be redlinked?
Sure, why not. I dislink red-links, so it will likely compel me to make an article for the compound :) Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Great. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "they appear translucent (hyaline)"
'hyaline' is placed here in brackets a bit bluntly. Maybe add a few words to explain what is hyaline or why it is relevant to the sentence
Changed to this "Viewed microscopically, they are hyaline, meaning they appear translucent or colorless." Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Great. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should 'cuticle' or 'pileipillus' be linked?
Have now redlinked pileipillus, article coming soon. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Great. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Update: there was an article already, I had the word spelled incorrectly (should be pileipellis). Sasata (talk) 17:38, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • but not at all the cell partitions (septa)
Same as above, 'septa' is put here too bluntly
I've taking the word septa out of the sentence, but have instead linked to it via "cell partitions". Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Great. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should 'extracts' be linked?
It's linked at first use in the "Bioactive compounds" section. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not saying that it should be linked. Actually, I think this is a common word that should not be linked. GeometryGirl (talk) 16:44, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, I thought it might be useful, but you're the second person to point this out (see comment by JMilburne above), so I have unlinked it. Sasata (talk) 17:38, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your comments, the articles I write often border on "too technical", and it's very useful to have commentary from a non-specialist. Sasata (talk) 16:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support (moral or otherwise as wikiproject fungi member) I am happy with Kuo as a reference for the reasons J Milburn outlined above, I feel this is exhaustive and the prose straddles the line between accuracy and accessibility well. Well done, Casliber (talk · contribs) 06:13, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • More comments As requested on my talk page, I'll give the article another look.
  • "blue- to purple-colored clusters of vase- or spoon-shaped caps with vein-like"
A large concentration of dashes there! A bit difficult/unnatural to read.
The hyphen usage is correct (compound modifiers and suspended hyphens, as per hyphen, but I've changed vein-like to veiny, hope that helps. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "A monotypic genus, it" and "An edible species, it"
A bit of a repetitive construction for the lead
Changed the wording of the second example. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "purposes. P. multiplex"
The two dots next to one another is slightly disturbing. Maybe rearrange or expand P.
Have used the full name so the sentence doesn't start with P. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "up to 1 meter (3.3 ft)"
you abbreviate cm, in, ft but not meter
In general, I try to unabbreviate the first usage so there's no ambiguity, then abbreviate all examples after that. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "30 centimeters (11.8 in)"
another catch
As per above. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "more typically"
redundant?
Probably. Changed to "usually". Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "nearly as long"
Ambiguous, is that 'almost as long' or 'a bit longer'?
Now "almost as long". Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Can you please Annotate as many pictures as possible? That would REALLY help.
Hmmm, did not know about this feature, but it looks pretty cool. However, I'm not sure what kind of annotation would benefit the reader here... could you give an example? Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, maybe precisely locate the "fruting body", the "hymenophore", the "individual caps", the "white powdery accumulation of spore deposit", the "hymenium", the "stem", the "tomemtum", etc. Right now, I can't visualize very well what's where on the fungus.
  • "5.5–8 µm" and "3 to 5 cm"
Sometimes a dash, sometimes a 'to'. Be consistent.
Good point. All are dashes now. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Scale your pictures.
By this I mean do something like File:Jumping_spider_with_prey.jpg.
Good idea in theory, but I didn't take the pictures, so don't know the scale. I'm hoping the description information will give the reader a sense of the dimensions of the fungus. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The black chanterelle is edible"
Any specific/interesting recipes out there?
Maybe, but I'm pretty sure that's outside the purview of a WikiPedia article :) Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I realize only 50% of the pictures are of the actual species.
True, but there's not a lot of free pics available, and the two that are there are by far the best ones I could get. The two other similar-appearing species are discussed in their respective sections, so I think are justified. Sasata (talk)
  • What does the fruiting body look like?
I was hoping that the "Description" section covers this adequately. Is there something you think is missing? Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "kynapcin-12,[36] kynapcin-13 and -28,[37] and -24"
Ok, so what is kynapcin, why is it interesting? Maybe add a link/expand.
"Chemicals that inhibit PEP have attracted research interest due to their potential therapeutic effects.[35] Further analyses of extracts from P. multiplex revealed similar dibenzofuranyl derivatives of polyozellin, each with different chemical properties, including kynapcin-12..." Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "water fraction"
Add a link?
I just removed it as unnecessary obfuscation. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "a tendency for increase in the molecule glutathione"
Molecules don't increase! (Well, that's not what you meant, right?)
Is now "...and increased the abundance of the molecule glutathione." Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "by initiating a sequence of events leading to a cell's death"
That doesn't sound good. Maybe clarify that it leads to the death of tumorous cells
Have hopefully clarified by inserting a word thusly "... by initiating a sequence of events leading to a damaged cell's death."
  • "Skeletal formula of polyozellin"
This caption ought to have a reference.
Good idea. Done. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "gastric cancer"
Link? Is this the same as stomach cancer?
Yes, linked and simplified. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "It also increased the expression of the gene p53"
The referenced thing by 'it' is a bit far away. Grammatically speaking it may even refer to "The study" from the previous sentence.
Changed "It" to "The extract"
  • "fragrant chanterelle, Cantharellus odoratus"
Doesn't this species deserve a link?
Yes, it certainly does. Currently a redlink, but that'll change soon. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "but it is orange"
The 'it' is confusing here. The sentence reads better without it.
Have refactored the sentence. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "is similar is shape"
typo
Fixed. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "and light violet to pink in color"
'in color' is a bit redundant, but no big deal
Redundancy removed. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "mutualistic"
Isn't that a common word? If you think it's a bit of a fancy words, maybe link to Wiktionary.
My guess would be that the average reader wouldn't know what the word was, and the linked article is decent. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "plant species"
'plants' reads simpler
Agreed. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Polyozellus multiplex is an ectomycorrhizal species, meaning that the hyphae and mycelia of the fungus grow in a mutualistic association with the roots of plant species"
Good faith attempt to explain the concept of "ectomycorrhizal", but instead of having to following one link, I now have to follow two! (Namely 'hyphae' and 'mycelia'.)
Ok, I took out mycelia, the definition is close enough for this purpose. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "spruce and fir"
These plants seeem to be important for the article. Can we have a picture of both put aside (like in here, for example).
Ok, done. That's a handy template. In the caption, I didn't include the specific names of the trees, as it's distracting extra info, but instead linked each picture to its respective species article. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Greek words poly meaning "many", and oz, meaning "branch""
Are poly and oz really full words, or just prefixes etc.? Maybe remove 'words'. Also, Wiktionary link poly and oz!
Not sure if they're words or not, so removed the word "words" from the sentence. Can't really wikt-link them as they are Greek and the English word has a different meaning (eg "oz" = ounce). Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Craterellus cornucopioides is a lookalike species"
This caption shouldn't contain a full stop.
True - fixed. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The (small) section Antitumor properties uses the word 'increase(d)' three times.
Thanks to Roget and his thesaurus, increase is now only used once. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Fruit bodies may be preserved by drying."
Is there a reason this is not 'fruting bodies' (as elsewhere in the text)?
"Fruit body" and "fruiting body" are used pretty much interchangeably in the literature, but to be sure I checked the Dictionary of the Fungi, and saw that they endorse "fruit body", so changed all instances in the article to be consistent with that. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "extreme growth form"
Add a link?
Ok, linked to Plant life-form which is a synonym for the same concept. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What would really be awesome is a picture a some packaged (for commercial purpose) Polyozellus.
Or maybe a picture of a dish containing Polyozellus!
Yes, those would be good. Or a picture of a basketfull being sold at an open market in China. I poked around the 'net a bit, but no luck. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "by Elizabeth Woodworth"
Is this information really important/necessary?
In retrospect, nah. I hope the ghost of Elizabeth does not come to haunt me for failing to recognize her part in the discovery of this species :) Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "It was later (1910) transferred"
I would prosify the bracketed date.
Ok. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "In 1920, part of a Japanese collection compiled by A. Yasuda was sent to mycologist Curtis Gates Lloyd, who believed it to be a new species and named it Phyllocarbon Yasudai."
What does 'it' refer to? 'part of a Japanese collection'?
Sentence recast for less ambiguity. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In History and taxonomy a big part is dedicated to taxonomic reclassifications based on the macroscopic features of Polyozellus. But have any genetic studies been made to help clear up the debate? This is not mentioned. GeometryGirl (talk) 21:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No genetic studies that I know of. But I also don't have a source that explicitly says that no DNA studies have been done, so would be uncomfortable putting a statement like that in the article. Sasata (talk) 03:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixing these details is great, thanks for the close reading. Sasata (talk) 21:30, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
More comments from J Milburn, I'll see if I can see anything else!
  • "he noted "the plant is a remarkable one " shouldn't that be "he noted that "the plant is a remarkable one "?
I think either is fine (or maybe the original way needs a colon?), but I've inserted "that".Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • According to the MOS, we shouldn't start sections with left hand images, as you have in the description section.
It's my understanding that only applies to level 3 subheadings, and Description is level 2. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You're right there, my mistake. Always seemed an odd guideline to me anyway... J Milburn (talk) 14:58, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Perhaps the mycomorphbox should be moved to the description section, rather than placed in the header?
I'm not sure what benefit that would have... plus I think it might mess with the FixBunching template, which might lead to further problems with picture placement and bunched-up edit links. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Again, you're probably right. J Milburn (talk) 14:58, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "it Phyllocarbon Yasudai.[3]" Is that capital correct? Is there any particular reason the specific name is capitalised? I've never seen a capital even when it's named after someone.
Yeah, it's a bit odd, but Lloyd was a bit of an oddball to begin with. I was just following the original source, but I just checked Bigelow's 1978 paper, and he doesn't use a capital, so I guess it's ok. Changed. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Ref 22: "Bigelo HE. (1978). "The cantharelloid fungi of New England and adjacent areas". Mycologia 70 (4): 707–56. doi:10.2307/3759354. ISSN 00275514." Unless I'm reading the template wrong, you're citing 49 pages for two facts. Any chance of narrowing it a little?
Ok, have included the specific pages numbers in the citation. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The black chanterelle is edible," Why is it suddenly known by its vernacular name? I'd stick to the specific name the whole way through.
Ok. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "(which includes the genera Cantharellus, Craterellus, Gomphus, and Polyozellus)" Craterellus is already linked a few lines above.
Unlinked. Sasata (talk)
  • Perhaps a big ask, but some more information about it in the Asian countries would be interesting. The article currently seems to lean towards the American populations- is it as rare in Asia? Why is it in both Asia and America?
Yes, it would be ideal to reduce systematic bias by including some info from Asian sources. Unfortunately, my Chinese is limited to a couple of sentences, and the English language sources concentrate largely on their own areas. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Poking around a bit more, I was able to add this: "The disjunct distribution of this species in North America and East Asia has been noted in a number of other fungal species as well." Let me know if that helps or just leaves you hanging for more. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, it does improve it. I thought of one of your other GAs when I read it. I wonder why that happens so often... J Milburn (talk) 14:58, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "No further reported collections of the fungus were made until 1937" No further collections were recorded? I'm sure people still found/picked/ate it, just no one bothered to write about it.
Now "No further collections of the fungus were reported..." Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • It mentions it is collected for sale in China, but doesn't mention that it is found there in the distribution section?
Good catch, I missed putting that in there somehow. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Now you say it is sold in "Asian countries including...", listing all the Asian countries in which it is found. Seems a little odd to me, that's like saying "letters in the word pie, including p, i and e." See what I mean? J Milburn (talk) 14:58, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ummm... no (but I haven't had my morning coffee yet). To me it seems more like: "Various letters have been used to construct words related to baking products, including p, i and e." :) Please feel free to change the wording yourself. Sasata (talk) 15:31, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "poly meaning "many", and oz, meaning "branch"." When quoting a single word as the word itself, such as in translations, should italics not be used? See Wikipedia:ITALICS#Words_as_words- the examples seem a little ambiguous.
Ok, I'll buy that. Italicized. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • There still seems to be a little bit of inconsistency with common names in quote marks- there are the Polyozellus common names in quote marks, then other common names without them, then the lonely "The "pig's ear Gomphus", species".
Yes, I admit I'm inconsistent with that. I've seen common names used with and without quotes in the original sources and usually just go with whatever's written. For consistency, I've removed all quotes from the article. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Caption "Craterellus cornucopioides is a lookalike species" forms a complete sentence- full stop?
GGirl removed the verb for me, so it should be ok now. Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Has the species ever actually been used to combat tumors? Or has research merely found in contains a chemical? Perhaps the chemical when isolated from other locations has been used? "Research conducted in 2003 suggests that extracts from Polyozellus multiplex have suppressive effects on stomach cancer." Suggests that it has been done, if not, perhaps "Research conducted in 2003 suggests that extracts from Polyozellus multiplex would have suppressive effects on stomach cancer." would be better.
Sure. Used "may" instead of "would". Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Hope these will be useful. J Milburn (talk) 11:11, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks JM! Sasata (talk) 14:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support My comments are now addressed. Congrats. (Please note that, not being an expert, I've only reviewed the prose, comprehensibility and neutrality.) GeometryGirl (talk) 14:09, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. I feel this article meets our featured article criteria, and sits comfortably among the best examples of our work. As ever, Sasata has improved the article drastically based on suggestions from myself and others. J Milburn (talk) 17:56, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Images: All shots freely licensed, with appropriate license info and relevant author details. There don't appear to be any issues. --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 00:10, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [59].

Icos edit

Nominator(s): Shubinator (talk) 19:49, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because it is a comprehensive overview of the company. The article has been through peer review and GA, and I believe it's now up to featured article quality. Shubinator (talk) 19:49, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:45, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Replaced with the USPTO document it's referring to. (Hopefully the link will last.) Shubinator (talk) 23:01, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – requested by the nominator on my Talk Page. This is an interesting article, which is generally well written, but I don't think it is quite ready to be promoted. The first paragraph of the Lead focusses on Cialis, rather than Icos, and the second paragraph is mainly a blue list of medical conditions, which is not at all engaging—quite the opposite in fact. There are glitches in the prose. This sentence, for example, lacks logical flow, "The name Icos comes from a shortening of the word icosahedron, a 20-sided polyhedron, as many viruses have this shape." Changing "as" to "and" would help a little, but many readers will be left wondering about the relevance of the viruses here. Later we read, "Originally, the company's plan was to research such viruses involved in inflammation, but they were never studied." Why "such viruses", and indeed which viruses, an example would help. I also saw "Gates. Gates" and many lazy uses of "ads" instead of "advertisements". I was not happy with this sentence "The drug is a monoclonal antibody that suppresses white blood cells which become overly active during shock." Suppresses what? their production in the bone marrow, antibody or chemokine production by them, phagocytosis, white blood cells have a multitude of functions. And this sentence is wrong, "It inhibits a compound that plays a role in the inflammation seen in sepsis." It does not, it inactivates a protein, which is not the same thing—this is correctly given in the source. Here's another example of lazy writing, "In addition to the termination of Icos employees, other aspects of the acquisition were similarly legal." How were they terminated? I saw these problems during my first reading of the article, and I suspect more would be revealed by a closer scrutiny. In summary, I think the article lacks focus and the prose would benefit from a fresh pair of eyes. Graham Colm Talk 12:04, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
PS. I hope the nominator does not take my use of the word "lazy" personally; clearly, a lot of hard work and dedication has been gone into this contribution—I am only describing the writing-style as I read it. I have made a few suggestions [60] (not all mine), but sadly, I feel too much work remains to be done that can be achieved in a reasonable time here at FAC. I think that this FAC could be very protracted and humbly suggest a withdrawal, which would allow for a fresh start later. Graham Colm Talk 22:34, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think I've addressed your specific concerns (with your help). It was suggested at the GA review that the lead should focus more on Cialis, which is why Cialis was highlighted in the first paragraph. I have changed it back to the format it was before, but this may be down to editor preference. I fixed the "Gates. Gates" and changed all "ads" to "advertisements" (though the sources themselves use "ads" in their newspaper titles). Also added a sentence on LeukArrest inhibiting white blood cell movement to the brain, changed "inhibits a compound" to "inactivates a protein", and changed "termination" to "layoff". I don't take it personally; I know it becomes harder to spot errors the longer you work on a piece. As I've said below, I'll leave this open a little while longer since FAC is one of the best ways to get fresh eyes. Shubinator (talk) 23:21, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – I'll start looking over it and massaging prose and making some suggestions below. I am mindful of what Graham has noted above but let's try and get a handle on what needs doing. Casliber (talk · contribs) 14:45, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The cialis section is ungainly - see the 'Tadalafil' at the stat of each para. I am sorry that I didn't offer more at Peer Review. My impression is either pushing on for a (possibly very messy) FAC, or drop it and work on it before renominating. I will chip in either way but have a lot on my plate at the moment. Casliber (talk · contribs) 22:02, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The section was rearranged to avoid starting each paragraph with "Tadalafil" (thanks Graham). Any help/suggestions are appreciated. (see below for my comment on withdrawing) Shubinator (talk) 23:21, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I realize this may have a small chance of passing now, but I would like to leave the FAC open for at least a few more days to get suggestions for improvement (especially in the science). The article was looked over by a few others (Looie496, Mattisse, Enigmaman) before, but I'll try to find another copyeditor. Shubinator (talk) 22:51, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I will try to have a look later again, today (Sunday) is looking pretty busy. Leaving it open for a bit is fine, all going in the same direction :) Casliber (talk · contribs) 00:56, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments (no particular section, or order:

  • Is the footnote necessary in the sentence The company focused on developing drugs to treat inflammatory disorders in the lede? If this is repeated elsewhere, or if it's clear throughout the article anyway, then it might not be necessary to have the footnote in the lede.
  • Icos conducted clinical trials of a dozen compounds, three of which reached the last phase of testing : The article has sections on three 'other drugs', plus Cialis, so I want to check to see if I'm understanding it right... is Cialis not included in the total there because GlaxoSmithKline, not Icos, did the clinical trials? (And if that is the case, what does it mean to say that Icos "developed" the drug?) And, while we're on that, what does "reached their last phase of testing" mean? I'm not familiar with pharmaceutical stuff, so I'm not sure if this is an important milestone in drug development or anything...does it mean they were never released on the market but they were still 'official' anyway?
    • Oops, I miscounted... I guess the three being referred to are Cialis, LeukArrest, and Pafase? And Sitaxsentan sodium and TBC3711 (which I had been reading incorrectly as one drug) did not make it to the "last phase of testing" before Icos sold them? rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 04:11, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Yeah, that's correct. Cialis, LeukArrest, and Pafase are the ones that reached phase III clinical trials. I added "FDA" to the lead to make this a tad clearer. Shubinator (talk) 04:36, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In a lower section, As a result, Cialis advertisements were also the first to describe the side effects in an advertisement, as the FDA requires advertisements with specifics to mention side effects : I don't quite see the cause-effect relationship here, or why the aside about the FDA requirement is necessary. Is it that FDA didn't have this requirement before, and then they introduced it, and Cialis was the first drug to be marketed under the new requirements? If that is the case, it could probably be made more explicit.
    • The regulations require disclosure of side effects if you essentially say "Buy our product!" The other ED drugs described ED, and said "see your doctor for more", so they didn't describe side effects. I've added a bit to clarify this. Shubinator (talk) 04:36, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Who was Paul Clark (before becoming CEO and chairman)? His name seems to pop up rather suddenly.
    • Added a bit on him; he was an executive at Abbott. Shubinator (talk) 05:19, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • For Cialis, why are sales figures listed for 2006 and no other years—ie, what is significant about 2006? It seems like it might be that 2006 was the first year Icos ever made a profit, but I had to search around for that a little bit. Also, this raises two other questions: 1) when was Cialis first put on the market?; 2) if Cialis didn't go on the market until 2006 and/or Icos never made a profit until then, what were they doing for their first 16 years???
    • Oops, I just found the answer to the first question, down in the next paragraph. But I think the section could be reorganized a bit... either the Cialis timeline should be mentioned earlier, or the sales stuff mentioned later. I was confused to see sales figures being mentioned before I had read when the drug hit the market, etc. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 04:28, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • 2006 is special because it's the only year I have third-party data for :) A few other drugs were being developed during that time (see lower down in the article). Drug development takes a while. I rearranged the first part in the Cialis section to be more chronological. Shubinator (talk) 05:19, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • It has also been approved for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the United States, and marketed as Adcirca.[10] : This sentence is more or less repeated at the bottom of that section, and probably doesn't need to be. I imagine you were trying to use the first paragraph of the section as sort of a mini-lede, but the section is short enough already that I don't think that's necessary; I would probably just hold off on mentioning Adcirca until the bottom of the section, (the paragraph beginning "In May 2009..."). rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 04:31, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Yeah, I cut up the mini-lede (it was also contributing to the confusion in your previous comment). Shubinator (talk) 05:19, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Issues in the "lawsuits" section:
    • Pfizer and Lilly Icos have contested many lawsuits : slightly awkward wording, at first it made me think they together had to face lots of lawsuits from outside (class action suits or whatever), and it wasn't until later that I realized it meant they had lots of lawsuits against one another.
      • Changed to Pfizer and Lilly Icos have filed many lawsuits against each other. Shubinator (talk) 05:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • In the United States, Pfizer filed suit against Lilly Icos soon after receiving a broad patent for PDE5 inhibitors in October 2002. : I had to re-read this because at first I was like "wait, but I thought they didn't get a patent?" After looking more closely, I guess the understanding I'm supposed to get is: 1) Pfizer gets British patent 2) Lawsuit in British court 3) Pfizer gets US patent 4) Lawsuit in US court. Anyway, I understand that it would be quite awkward to write "Pfizer filed suit in the United States... after receiving a broad patent in the United States...". But I do think it's necessary to do something to make it clearer that we're talking about two different patents.
      • Changed "broad patent" to "broad US patent". It's tough to add in more US's and Britain's without cluttering it up. Shubinator (talk) 05:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Pfizer moved to block sales of Cialis, arguing that there could be consumer backlash against Pfizer should Cialis be pulled from the market as a result of an ongoing patent lawsuit. : This sentence stumped me for a bit, I think because I don't understand the difference between "blocking sales" and "pulling from the market". Do you mean that Cialis had not yet gone on the market at all, and Pfizer wanted to keep it off the market altogether so it wouldn't be pulled back out of the market later? If that is the case, adding a date or a little mention of where this was with regards to the Cialis timeline would be helpful.
      • Yes, Pfizer's saying the drug shouldn't be sold now, because it may be pulled from the market later. I changed that part to "Pfizer moved to block sales of Cialis five months after it was approved there". Shubinator (talk) 05:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • In general, the section sounds a bit anti-Pfizer. I don't know much about all this, so for all I know maybe they really were being jerks... but if there is anything that could be done to balance it or present their side of the story, that might be helpful.
      • I looked over all the lawsuit section sources, and there aren't any comments from Pfizer, or analysts giving a more balanced picture. There's just more like "Pfizer has mounted a worldwide patent challenge against Cialis and Levitra". Shubinator (talk) 05:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the Marketing section, Cialis has sponsored many sports events, such as the America's Cup and the PGA Tour, and was title sponsor of the PGA Tour Western Open tournament.[2] might not be necessary. It doesn't seem like a huge deal, given that lots of drugs sponsor lots of events, and this one is already notable enough that it doesn't need to struggle for WP-notability with refs like this. But, since I don't know much about pharmaceutical stuff, maybe this is a bigger deal than I realize.
    • I removed it; it was a random tidbit. Viagra and Levitra have similar sports sponsorships, so it's not unusual. Shubinator (talk) 06:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm still not quite sure what advertisements directly targeting consumers refers to, even after reading the source (which just confused me more). In the source, it says that Viagra commercials went from being Viagra-pushing to just saying "talk to your doctor about ED"; from your comments, it sounds like Cialis did the opposite (marketing Cialis specifically). But both are described as being "aimed directly at consumers"...
    • I removed this sentence too; it's not really related. Before 1997, none of the ED ads would have been allowed. The idea was that only doctors should be telling you what medicine to take. Shubinator (talk) 06:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • For the long list of conditions at the beginning of the "Other drugs" section, is there a source? Or is this just a compilation of sourced things from below?
    • It's a compilation. It was in the lead before, but I moved it later since it's not friendly to readers. Shubinator (talk) 06:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What do you mean by "the gene for Pafase"? The gene that the drug manipulates/effects?
    • Pafase is a protein, and all proteins are encoded by genes. That's what the sentence is referring to. Shubinator (talk) 06:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • For Pafase, a couple sentences say early trials showed a reduction in 28-day death rate, but then next it says a later trial showed that it didn't increase "chance of survival"...why the discrepancy? Did the later trial have different methodology, or more subjects, or something like that? Or was it measuring "chance of survival" using a different standard?
    • The source [61] doesn't specify any differences. They were at different stages of clinical trials though, and as trials progress more subjects are used and in general they become more rigorous. Shubinator (talk) 06:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Eos would have non-exclusive rights to Icos's CHEF1 enhanced mammalian protein expression technology. : this is the first (and I think only) time this technology is mentioned in the article. Is there any other technology stuff, other than drug development/trials, that Icos did that is not described in the article?
    • I'm not sure. There aren't any third-party refs of other technology; even CHEF1 is from a press release, so I don't want to give it undue weight. Shubinator (talk) 06:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Eli Lilly increased its offer to $34 per share, a 6 percent increase : how much does this increase work out to in the total amount? (I suppose I could do the math to find out, but I bet most readers won't want to :) )
  • Is the long list of all the managers' severance packages necessary, or could it just be replaced by a brief mention?
    • How about cutting out the values and saying these people received over $1 million? I don't want to remove it since much of the news at the time of the acquisition was about the packages. (This was reflected in the Wikipedia article too; this was what it looked like before I touched it.) Shubinator (talk) 06:49, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Last thing: is this about all there is to say on Icos, or is there anything more? Specifically, I'm thinking, could you go through the Pfizer and Eli Lilly and Company articles (and any other relevant ones in Category:Pharmaceutical companies), looking at their structures/TOCs, and see if there are any analogues for Icos? Since Icos was shorter-lived and smaller than those companies, I don't expect this article to be as long or have as many sections, but I figured we should at least check to see if there are any holes left.
    • I glanced at those, as well as Bayer and Merck & Co., and the one piece that might apply is environmental stuff. However, I've scoured all the newspapers that mentioned Icos before, and they don't mention anything environmental. Some stuff like Corporate Architecture only makes sense for large companies, and the Awards sections seem tangential (and the newspapers didn't mention Icos getting any award worth mentioning). I think I've used the meat (of reliable refs) to the bone. Shubinator (talk) 06:59, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 04:04, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Last comment: I'm still concerned about the inclusion of the long list of names; to me it seems almost petty (no offense intended to you, it was there before you even touched the article). If it were up to me, I would just say "X high-level employees of Icos got severance packages of over $1.5 million" or something along those lines. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 00:42, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support An informative and well-researched article, and it seems to say as much as there is to say on this topic—I see no big holes. I notice there has been some more copyediting in the past day or so, but IMO it all looks pretty minor, so I'm not worried about it. As for concerns about this article's overlap with Tadalafil, I'm satisfied that it's handled well: that article has more information on scientific details and stuff that aren't in this article, while this article focuses more on business-y things and, in general, stuff that Icos did with the drug (so it's more about Icos' handling of the drug than about the drug itself); also, I'm not bothered by the fact that this article focuses mostly on that drug, since it does seem to be Icos' main claim to fame. Another image or two (for example, of the former Icos headquarters, or some of their other drugs, or its founders and people like that) would be nice, but I don't think the article is suffering for lack of images. All in all, I think this is a fine article and meets all the FA criteria. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 19:14, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yeah, I'm trying to get more pictures. A former employee emailed me a beautiful picture of the headquarters during sunset, but it turned out Eli Lilly owned the copyright, and their legal department wouldn't budge. (Also, it immediately fails NFCC #4 since I don't think it's previously been published, so no fair use.) Shubinator (talk) 04:10, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. A comprehensive and commendably well-written piece of work. I worked a bit on the prose where it was still somewhat clumsy (particularly the Cialis section and subsections), and am convinced that the rest of the article meets criterion 1(a). A couple of nitpicks:
    • I like to link the different phases of clinical trials (II/III etc.) to their respective sections in the clinical trial article. Just a suggestion, though.
    • In "LeukArrest": LeukArrest was also tested for treatment of heart attack, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Unsuccessfully, I presume?
    • In the Pafase section: the enzyme was discovered in the mid-1980s by graduate student Diana Stafforini, Steve Prescott, Guy Zimmerman, and Tom McIntyre. Was Ms. Stafforini the only graduate student in the group? Are there any institutional affiliations worth mentioning, e.g. were they all from academia or was somebody an Icos employee? Also, The gene for Pafase would be clearer as The gene that codes for Pafase or The gene that encodes Pafase.
    • I've changed all instances of sitaxsentan to sitaxentan (the new International Nonproprietary Name). You may want to note that sitaxentan development was successful—it is already available in Europe if memory serves.
    • I've also made some changes for accuracy, in response to your wishes at Maralia's talk page.
  • That's it. I agree with Rjanag that this is a very well-researched article—congratulations—and I believe it meets all of the FA criteria. Fvasconcellos (t·c) 20:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Phases linked.
  • Added "unsuccessfully". I think all the clinical trials were stopped once the phase III one was stopped.
  • Yes, she was the only graduate student, and the group's from the University of Utah (clarified/added in the article). I don't think any went on to become Icos employees; the Salt Lake Tribune article from 2000 suggests they're all still at the University of Utah. Changed to "The gene that codes for Pafase", much better than my version.
  • Added a sentence that on its approval in Europe, Australia, and Canada.
  • Thank you for looking into the scientific side of things (and Graham as well); specialty editors in general are hard to find. Shubinator (talk) 03:57, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

--Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 01:39, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Shubinator (talk) 02:30, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • OK, striking, but you should really learn how to make your own custom fair use text and not rely on boilerplate. There are going to be some images where doing the defaults simply won't fly. </lecture> --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 00:08, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The word "biotechnology" is used four times in the first three sentences and five times in the first paragraph. Is there any way to recast any of these sentences to avoid the repetition? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 00:13, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Reworded so only two remain in the paragraph. Shubinator (talk) 05:12, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Suppport - but get the red links out. Bearian (talk) 17:06, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • See WP:RED; there is no reason to remove notable redlinks, and redlinks are not against WIAFA. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:46, 8 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [62].

Cyclone Orson edit

Nominator(s): Cyclonebiskit (talk) 15:46, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I feel that it meets FA requirements. I've thoroughly researched the storm and have found no additional information for it. All thoughts and comments are welcome. Cyclonebiskit (talk) 15:46, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:37, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Removed that source and the tug boat information, just found that it's still in service. Cyclonebiskit (talk) 20:16, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 15:28, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed the only 1, that appeared.Jason Rees (talk) 16:15, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support Comments *Link "hPa" in the lead as it may not be familiar to all readers.

*"Despite the extreme intensity of Cyclone Orson..." can be changed to the more succinct: "Despite Orson's extreme intensity..."

*"Due to the severity of the storm..." can be changed to "Due to the storm's severity..."

  • "...the 40 km (25 mi) wide eye..." there should be a hyphen somewhere because "40 km" is modifying "wide"

*"The lowest pressure was, at the..." I think "The lowest pressure" should be "This" because you only give one pressure as being measured.

*Should Dampier, Australia link to Dampier, Western Australia?

*"...people proceeded to cleanup litter, secured outdoor items and made sure their disaster kits were stocked." I think the verb tense is wrong. I think correct would be "...people proceeded to cleanup litter, secure outdoor items and make sure their disaster kits were stocked."

*"Initially, more than 20 fishermen were reported missing during the storm." You use both "initially" and "during"; which one is it?

*"On April 23, a rescue mission with three aircraft recovered roughly 20 fishermen and one was not found." The "and" makes it sound like something additional was found. I would suggest something like "...20 fisherman, while one was still missing."

*I would link swell to Swell (ocean).

*"The waves knocked the drill used to find the oil out of position; it would take several days before the drill was repositioned." I would make that "knocked a drill used to find oil" and change the part after the semi-colon to "it would take several days for the drill to be repositioned". The current version sounds as if the drill was immediately repositioned, while the next sentence says it isn't.

*Change "...at the time of low tide..." to "...during low tide..."

*Why is there a comma between "Dampier" and "reached"?

  • I think my train of thought changed at that point, I think originally I was putting damage but put winds instead, removed the comma. Cyclonebiskit (talk) 13:03, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*"...roughly $900,000 in damages." Indicate that this is Australian dollars, and give a conversion to US dollars.

*"...and was eventually removed" You can take out "was".

*"Due to the severity of the storm..." can be changed to "Due to the storm's severity..."

*Alphabetize "See also" and "External links"

*Should reference 12 be "Search and Rescue Finds 20 Fishermen"?

*Reference 14 uses "pg" instead of "p" for page; change to "p" for consistency with the rest of the article.

After these issues are fixed, I'll have no problem supporting. Mm40 (talk) 18:51, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've addressed all your comments. Thanks for the review Mm40 :) Cyclonebiskit (talk) 13:03, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Supporting; very good article. Mm40 (talk) 18:16, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the support! Cyclonebiskit (talk) 18:25, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - The writing seems up to scratch though i would add the words tropical cyclone to the Australian intensity scale. Images and sources also seem fine. Jason Rees (talk) 19:07, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Added tropical cyclone and thanks for the support Cyclonebiskit (talk) 19:23, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [63].

North Island (Houtman Abrolhos) edit

Nominator(s): Hesperian 12:23, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


This is easily the most comprehensive account of this island, online or off. It is thoroughly researched, well-written, neutral and stable. Hesperian 12:23, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • agree with the statement about the article being comprehensive but a couple of small points;
  • lead needs to be expanded, with at least a second paragraph
  • images horizon lines, especially the one in the flora section are tilted.

Also the wording I'd prefer to see the use of approxiamately rather than roughly Gnangarra 12:39, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I'll see what I can do about the lead. I've fixed the images, except the fenceline one, in which the horizon probably does slope. They haven't purged through yet, so you'll have to take my word for it. I see you've changed one "roughly" to "approximately", and I've changed another to "around". I've left the last one: there's something mischievously poetic about "roughly diamond-shaped". ;-) Hesperian 12:58, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've expanded the lead somewhat. Hesperian 13:15, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support sorry for the late reply I'm happy with th changes you've made !Gnangarra 04:38, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment: Conspicuously absent is a map placing the island's location in context (i.e. showing both the island and some geographical feature, probably Australia, that would be immediately recognizable to most readers). Is there a reason for this? Steve Smith (talk) 21:31, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Point taken; I've added a locator map. Hesperian 05:22, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments -
  • What makes http://www.eneabba.net/Midwest/Island1.html a reliable source?
    <sigh> It isn't, I suppose. This is the only source I could find for the assertions that the island has a school and a pub—claims that are separately corroborated by equally unreliable sources here and here respectively. Therefore I succumbed to temptation. I've removed the claims and the citation. :-( Hesperian 23:42, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:35, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Query - Just wondering, why are there two images in the references section? ceranthor 17:11, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • They are worthwhile images that I couldn't fit in anywhere else. Hesperian 23:36, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments:
  • Good-looking article; the photos do a good job covering it. Were you on vacation there?
    • No; none of those photos were taken by me. Most we donated by the good people at eneabba.net. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In the population figure, you state 130 seasonal fishermen in the infobox, as of 2006. In the body of the article, you state 130 seasonal fishermen, but it refers to something published in 2003. Are these figures likely to have changed since 2006/3? Which date is the correct one?
    • It must be 2003, since it is sourced to a 2003 paper. Fixed, thanks. Hesperian 12:10, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The founding of a permanent camp is given in 1947, and you state that the population increased to 130 by today, but aren't those seasonal inhabitants, not permanent?
    • Yes; it is a seasonally inhabited permanent camp. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Who considers it an "attractive" tourist site?
  • The Human Uses section states that the chain is "vested in Western Australia's Minister for Fisheries" ... should that be the Ministry for Fisheries?
  • The list of plants seems to be overkill. It's longer than the entire Human Uses section, and doesn't add much. I'd suggest chopping it, since you did such a good job on the rest of the flora section.
    • I think it adds an awful lot; but then, I have an interest in these things. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is there any fresh water on the island?
    • There must be, if wallabies can survive all year round; but you wouldn't know it from reading reliable sources. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Are there any structures on the island other than the lighthouse and fishing camp?
    • A trig point, and of course the numerous buildings and jetties comprising the camp. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What's the water depth like around the island?
    • All I know about that is in Houtman Abrolhos#Bathymetry. Unfortunately there aren't any sources that refer to the bathymetry specifically around this island, and I'm reluctant to include general Abrolhos information here. Hesperian 11:32, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • If temperature figures are available, I suggest using Template:Infobox Weather to spruce up the climate section.
    • Raw data for the island is available, and based on that some general assertions have been published about the island's climate, but monthly averages themselves have not been published. I don't think it would be appropriate for us to synthesise averages out of the raw data. Hesperian 11:23, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What makes it a good place for lobster fishing?
    • There are lobsters there. :-) Sorry; I don't have a better answer than that. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "permanent seasonal" seems to be a contradiction.
    • The camp is permanent; the population is seasonal. i.e. at the end of the season, the crayfishers go home, but the camp remains. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Changed to "seasonally-inhabited permanent camp". Hesperian 11:25, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "even further to the north and south" isn't really precise.
    • Changed to "over 3 km (2 mi) to the north and south". Hesperian 11:28, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • You've got an "as of 2007" and an "as of 2006" in the article, which is a concern for an article in 2009.
    • Unfortunately, I have to work with the body of reliable sources in existence. Better to be upfront about the fact that some of this data is dated. Hesperian 11:18, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've gone through and given the article a scrubbing for smoothness, clarity, and grammar. If anything looks wonky, drop a note on my talk page. JKBrooks85 (talk) 09:47, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks for the review; much appreciated.

      I've restored a few little bits where removal might have created misconceptions or errors of fact; e.g. converting "Possible reasons for this include..." to "Reasons for this include..." results in a misrepresentation of the source. I also restored a little bit of variation in the prosody: I don't like every sentence to follow the same subject-verb-noun formula. Hesperian 11:38, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support Comment Well researched, well illustrated and linked to a family of supporting articles in Category:Houtman Abrolhos, the vast majority created by the author. There are a few minor issues regarding wording in the following sentences:
    • Lead

"It is also used as conservation habitat for rare birds and vegetation communities"

    • 2 Geography

"Reefs that formed during the Eemian interglacial (about 125,000 years ago), when sea levels were higher than today, are above sea level, and make up the basement of the group's central platform islands: West Wallabi Island, East Wallabi Island, and North Island."

    • 6 Fauna

"it has been suggested that the island once had a native population of the introduced Tammar Wallaby"

Melburnian (talk) 09:21, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I've rephrased all three, though in each case I'm not certain that I've addressed what you're driving at. I've assumed your points are: (1) "rare" could attach to one or both nouns; (2) horrid prose; (3) clash of "native" with "introduced. Hesperian 11:46, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry for not being specific, the section of the first phrase that to me seems NQR is "used as", though you have rightly corrected an ambiguity that I missed. Melburnian (talk) 12:31, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
rejiggered. Now "reserved as conservation habitatat for..." Hesperian 02:34, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose Support

  • "North Island was discovered in May 1840..." Are we sure that (1) There is no record of Indigenous occupation or use of the island, and (2) the Dutch, Portugese etc never identified it as an island in journals or charts? I typed "Houtman Abrolhos" into Google, and clicked on the very first link, and I found "Commonly referred to as “The Abrolhos”, the islands are named after Dutch Commander Frederik de Houtman, who came across several of the low-lying, coral-reef fringed islands in June 1619. The word Abrolhos is thought to be derived from the Portuguese expression Abre os olhos, meaning “keep your eyes open”." and "The Dutch East India Company's vessels, Batavia and Zeewijk, are probably the best known of the Abrolhos wrecks. The Batavia hit Morning Reef, near Beacon Island in the Wallabi Group, in 1629 while the Zeewijk was wrecked on Half-Moon Reef in the Pelsaert Group in 1727. Eighteen other historic wrecks have been discovered in Abrolhos waters." While i recognise these remarks do not mention North Island in particular, the failure to note this background or context, and to lead in with a 'discovery' in 1840, I think creates a misleading picture.
    • The stuff you found on Google is inferior to the material in Houtman Abrolhos#Discovery and naming, which I wrote. For example, "keep your eyes open" is a popular but false etymology.

      I disagree that the article is creating a misleading picture. All the evidence, and all the sources, point to an isolated outlying island that was unoccupied and undiscovered until 1840. The fact that some islands to the south have a much longer history is irrevelant. If you want to know about the history of the Houtman Abrolhos as a whole, read Houtman Abrolhos. That fact is, shipwrecks a hundred kilometres to the south are not "background or context" for this article, and the "'discovery' in 1840" was in fact the discovery in 1840.

      The only way I could address this comment would be to write that the islands to the south were known of since the early 17th century, but North Island wasn't discovered until 1840. Since no source has made such a juxtaposition, this would be a novel synthesis that advances the position that the late discovery of North Island is surprising. Hesperian 00:53, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • OK, that being the case, I recommend the text read something like "The Houtman Abrolhos islands were first recorded by Dutch Commander Frederik de Houtman in 1619; however, the first record of North Island was in May 1840, during the third survey voyage of HMS Beagle. etc" I suggest this because one cannot prove a negative - if de Houtman 'discovered' the islands in general, i am presuming there is no way to prove that he did not see North Island, but also no reference in his journals etc that he did. I am suggesting a text that avoids making a claim either way. However, if the literature in the field does in fact suggest that a reasonable interpretation of de Houtman is that he definitely did not sight North Island, then I have no concern about the existing text. hamiltonstone (talk) 01:58, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I'd prefer not to include information general to the Abrolhos here. If the point is to step back from a firm claim of primacy for the Beagle, then how about a short and sweet "The earliest known sighting of North Island occurred in May 1840, during the third survey voyage of HMS Beagle, commanded by John Clements Wickham." This qualifies the claim that Wickham was definitely the first to see it, and makes a little more explicit the fact that there is no evidence of indigenous habitation or even awareness. Hesperian 02:24, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I would be happy with that, and am switching to support. hamiltonstone (talk) 02:32, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Done, and much obliged: the article is better for your input. Hesperian 02:43, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The text should make some reference as to the islands' political geography - were the islands claimed by Britain directly? Was / is the island part of Western Australia, and when did it / they become so?
  • Under "Conservation": the reference to "finfish" may confuse a lay reader, who will wonder what sort of fish they are. The WP article fish says that "In some contexts, especially in aquaculture, the true fish are referred to as finfish (or fin fish) to distinguish them from [things like cuttlefish and jellyfish etc]" In the circumstances, i would replace "finfish" simply with "fish" in the North Island article.

This is, however, a generally impressive collection of information about an isolated location. Kudos for your research skills. hamiltonstone (talk) 00:27, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thanks, and thanks for the review. Hesperian 00:53, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Image review I don't think there should be images in the reference section. The images from eneabba.net are really poor quality; is there any way of getting better-quality images? Copyright status and alt text for the images seem fine, although I haven't gone into the OTRS tickets to check those. Stifle (talk) 21:03, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support well written article using high-quality sources YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:00, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 14:12, 8 September 2009 [64].

North by North Quahog edit

Nominator(s): --Music26/11 21:28, 2 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I am nominating this for featured article because I think it meets the FA criteria. It just went through a Peer Review and an experienced copy-editor did a final lookover. Actually, that's it, thank you.--Music26/11 21:28, 2 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Any chance that you can shoten the plot summary? You have over twenty words per minute. –thedemonhog talk • edits 21:44, 2 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Done; thanks. Alt text has minor problems. It contains what appear to be sentences, but these needed to be punctuated and written with proper grammar. Eubulides (talk) 02:04, 3 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment: Looks good - profile image fair use rationale checks out (though it looks like a promo; if it is it's worth mention in the caption) and Gibson image checks out. I think it'd be good to mention the episode beat fellow Family Guy episode "PTV" for the Annie Award. Also, last ref doesn't support "the second Family Guy episode to be given this title after a repeat of season three's "And the Wiener Is..." in 2005." Please fix these. The Flash {talk} 00:55, 7 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed all of your concerns.--Music26/11 09:31, 7 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yeah, looks good now, but is there any additional info from the commentary? I'd expect there'd be at least a little amount of such for production... The Flash {talk} 16:41, 7 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sorry, I don't own the DVD set. Do you know anybody who does?--Music26/11 10:14, 8 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Nope, sorry. Does anybody in the FG WikiProject have it? I wasn't really asking you in particular, I was asking in general if the project had access. The Flash {talk} 15:57, 8 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I left a note at the WikiProject's talk page.--Music26/11 20:03, 8 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I own the DVD that this episode is on. What information do you need, and how would it be citeable? Tezkag72 (talk) 21:25, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Great! Any information that isn't already in the article would be great. You can use the {{cite video}} template to cite it.--Music26/11 10:52, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I added a paragraph of the most important stuff from the commentary; the rest was just detailing the history of each individual joke. Tezkag72 (talk) 15:02, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Fantastic. If the detailed info is useful for the cultural refs section you could maybe add it there, otherwise it is fine how it is now.--Music26/11 17:44, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • (edit conflict) The cultural references section is big enough; if it had any more detailed information it would probably be considered cruft. Tezkag72 (talk) 17:56, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Good point. Thanks for your support.--Music26/11 21:20, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. The article as a whole looks great, the best Family Guy article I've seen, meets all the criteria, could in time become part of a season four-based topic, yada yada yada... Tezkag72 (talk) 17:56, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support: Great shape. The Flash {talk} 17:52, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Dabs; please check the disambiguation links identified in the toolbox. Dabomb87 (talk) 21:47, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Images: Two images total, one free and properly formatted/licensed, one non-free.
I've removed the image.--Music26/11 20:36, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The Family Guy composers were actually interviewed by Dan Goldwasser, one of SoundtrackNet's co-creators. I don't see how this is unreliable.--Music26/11 20:36, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • An interview is only as reliable as the person conducting the interview and the site/publication publishing it. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:03, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'll leave this out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 18:44, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 16:12, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Suporrt This artical looks good to be a FA. --Pedro J. the rookie 21:51, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"broadcasted"?

"reruns on Adult Swim became Adult Swim's" repetitive

"and DVDs sold over three million copies."?

"The episode also contains many cultural references; in the opening sequence Peter lists 29 shows that were cancelled during the time Family Guy was off the air and says that if all those shows were to get cancelled, they might have a chance at returning." Sounds funny.

"Critics reacted mostly positive"?

I'm getting the feeling that a bit more copy editing is needed throughout. It's not bad by any means, but each paragraph seems to have an awkwardly worded sentence. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 04:40, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed your comments.--Music26/11 11:20, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose barring prose improvement. I'm not going to list each sentence and how to improve it. The lead is OK after you addressed my comments, but the Plot section does not flow well. I imagine the following sections need work as well. You may need a copy edit from an uninvolved editor, or you may be able to fix it yourself. Anyways, I'm watching this page, so if you tell me if I should check it again. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:04, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Plot section. There's a bit of repetitiveness and unnecessary words in it.
"When Lois yells out George Clooney's name while having sex with Peter, he discovers that she pretends he is someone else to maintain her interest." he she he her (trimmed a bit)
"and leave their anthropomorphic dog Brian to take care of their " their their (trimmed a bit)
"vodka that actually belongs" actually (removed)
"On their way to their vacation spot" their their (reworded)
" They are forced to spend all their honeymoon money on repairs and are about to head home when Peter finds out actor Mel Gibson has a personal suite at a luxurious hotel nearby." pretty long (put a comma in to break it up a little)
Second and third paragraph have the word "Peter" in them 14 times. (removed a few)
"they are spotted by two priests, Gibson's associates," colon or semi-colon (?? - no)
I'll read the last paragraph later.
The Production section is pretty good..
"MacFarlane believed the show's three year hiatus was good, because animated shows do not get hiatusus" awkward
  • This has been re-worded by another user, is it good now, or is it the use of the word "hiatusus" that you find awkward.--Music26/11 17:04, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"did not "have the desire to make it any slicker" then it already was." than?
"Walter Murphy, who had composed music for the show prior to its cancellation returned to compose the music for "North by North Quahog"." add a comma? (yes, done)
"As promotion for the show FOX organized four Family Guy Live! performances" sounds funny. (comma added there)
"It also showed previews" "It" is the the promotion? (actually works better in passive here)
I think a few tweaks can get the Production section up to snuff. That's it for now. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 17:12, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support I've only glanced at the last section, but I feel comfortable with the prose now. A word here or there could be changed, but its personal preference, and doesn't effect the FA criteria. I just want to mention one thing. I write similar, small, pop-culture GA/FAs, and a lot of times the only thing when you start is a Plot section. For GA, I just check it for grammar and move on. With FA, I think most plot sections should be almost compeletely rewritten. No clue if that applies here, but it just reminded me of some of my GA/FA experiences. Anyways, great job. I'm very impressed with WP's coverage of animated TV shows. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:34, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

(redent)Actually, I'm not liking the Reception section. My support will be coming soon. (sounds funny means I don't know the technical writing word for the problem). I'm really shooting from the hip, so if you don't agree, you can leave it and it won't effect my support.

"animated television show night" sounds funny
"The episode was led in by" passive voice or something
" 350th episode of The Simpsons and another episode of The Simpsons, and was followed by the pilot episode of MacFarlane's new show," repetitive and sounds funny
" The "North by North Quahog" ratings"?
  • I don't know how that ended up there.--Music26/11 17:04, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
' The "North by North Quahog" ratings were Family Guy's highest ratings since the airing of the season one episode "Brian: Portrait of a Dog".[38] Family Guy was the week's highest-rated show among teens and men in the 18 to 34 demographic.[39] The episode was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour).' doesn't flow well
  • Yeah, but the awards part is too short for a seperate section.--Music26/11 17:04, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"However, the eventual recipient" all words needed?
Not to be a jerk, and add a carrot to go with the stick, I like the following sentence (not the only one, just one that pleases my sense of writing for whatever reason). " In a simultaneous review of the two episodes of The Simpsons that preceded the episode and the American Dad! pilot, Chase Squires of the St. Petersburg Times stated that "North by North Quahog" "score[d] the highest".
  • That's one of the sentences (by yours truly) that remained untouched throughout the full PR/FAC process, thanks.--Music26/11 17:04, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

More in a bit. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 03:43, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Critics reacted positive"ly?
'has not made the 'Family Guy' team that much more creative..."' should it be? 'has not made the 'Family Guy' team that much more creative".'
" hysterical characterizations" after the first two episodes." first two episodes of what?
That should be it. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 18:27, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose on FA crtieria. I echo the above user. There are redundancies throughout that need to be cut, and it's not a matter of grammatical accuracy as it is poor syntax. I'm also not sure The Daily Lobo meets FA criteria for high quality sources, and in a cursory search of my Proquest database I found many sources that could be used to improve the article, threform I dont think it meets well-researched criteria. Martin Raybourne (talk) 17:54, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've contacted a copy-editor, in the meantime, if you've found refs that could help, you can mail them to me at pietjepuk93@live.nl. Thanks.--Music26/11 23:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have bundled a large group of references. I simply do not have the time to check every one for germane information and content, so you'll have to do the sorting yourself. My concerns about The Daily Lobo have not been addressed, and right now the content appears unaccessible[65]. Given what I've found I still dont believe the article meets the well researched critera. Martin Raybourne (talk) 02:13, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Expanded with sources you provided; removed lobo ref.--Music26/11 18:06, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • leaning Support - I have given it a run-through copyedit and massaged the prose a bit. Nothing jumps out at me as a deal-breaker prose-wise now but I might be blinded to it now. If Peregrine and Martin have another readthrough and point out outstanding glitches we might be able to wrap this one up. Casliber (talk · contribs) 14:22, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - with one nitpick. ceranthor 11:46, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • These performances sold out, were attended by around 1,200 people each and took place in Los Angeles and New York.[9] - better as These performances, which took place in Los Angeles and New York, sold out and were attended by around 1,200 people each.
  • Overlinking: Please justify the linking of such items as "vodka", "cocaine" and "community service". (WP:OVERLINKING) Then I see "Australian" (very obscure), "crop-duster" (a, not an). Pipe to "the pilot episode", so people know it's not just the dictionary word, but this specific episode. The writing looks ok to me. Tony (talk) 13:36, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. I'm concerned that the plot summary is entirely unsourced. Are there any secondary sources that describe the plot, and that could be used here? Jayjg (talk) 00:01, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • We don't generally use secondary sources for plot summaries, except for non obvious statements. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:05, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • You're right that it's not common practice to do so. On the other hand, it would definitely improve plot summaries if we cited what reliable secondary sources thought was relevant and salient about the plot. Jayjg (talk) 03:31, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I don't disagree, but I don't think it's required, even at the FA level. Opinions may differ, though, and I imagine the sources do exist. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 05:26, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • If they exist, it would be best to use them. These kinds of sections are inevitably original research. I'm not sure why they're often given a free pass on it. Jayjg (talk) 23:47, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • I wondered if that's what you were thinking. In that case, I completely disagree, and that intrepretation has been rejected by the community. Summarizing a primary source or a secondary source leaves the same room for OR. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:50, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Now that the copyedit is done, has anyone contact MartinRayborne to revisit? Do we have further clarification on his concerns over sourcing? Karanacs (talk) 15:06, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Just left him a note, I haven't received any e-mails yet. Though, in my experience, each FAC usually has one or two users opposing but are outnumbered.--Music26/11 16:46, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
He has just struck his oppose, it appears this FAC can be promoted.--Music26/11 15:03, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Who are Brian and Stewie, Chris and Meg, and what does this sentence mean? It's in the lead with no context, explanation.
  • Meanwhile Brian and Stewie take care of Chris and Meg.
From reading further, one discovers something about children, but it's not clear in the lead who these people are or why they are mentioned. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:21, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't understand this sentence:
  • in the opening sequence Peter lists 29 shows that were canceled by FOX during the time Family Guy was off the air and says that if all of those shows were to be canceled, they might have a chance at returning ...
He lists shows that were canceled and then says if they were to be canceled ... but they were canceled ? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:19, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In fact, who are Peter and Lois, and why are they unlinked in the lead, but linked in the article? Please provide some basic definitions of these characters so we don't have to try to figure who is watching someone's children. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 22:38, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Cleared up.--Music26/11 15:29, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't mean to be rude, but why hasn't this FAC been closed yet? What concern isn't fixed yet?--Music26/11 12:57, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Please read WP:FAC/ar (which was linked when you made the nom); this FAC was promoted yesterday. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 13:28, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

My sincere apologies for taking your time. And Booyahhhhhh:D.--Music26/11 17:27, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [66].

Fredonian Rebellion edit

Nominator(s): Karanacs (talk) 22:25, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Have you ever been tempted to personally secede from your country? Probably. Most of us don't actually do this, because the end result would be anarchy (imagine having to show a passport to go visit your next-door neighbor!). In 1826, one Texas man did declare his land to be a new republic, and he convinced 30 other settlers to join him. He even signed a treaty with the Cherokee and designed his own flag. It was a pretty half-hearted rebellion, but it had some amazingly long-term consequences—it was the precursor to the Texas Revolution a decade later. I hope you enjoy this latest installation of crazy Texas antics (seriously, HOW did these people win a revolution?), and I hope you find no problems with the article; if you do, I will be happy to take a look. Karanacs (talk) 22:25, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment I have no knowledge of the subject matter, but after a lit search am wondering why none of the following sources are cited in the article: Sasata (talk) 00:01, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Jack Jackson (2005). Indian Agent: Peter Ellis Bean in Mexican Texas. ISBN=978-1585444441. Chapter 5 = "The Fredonian Rebellion". pp. 61–76.
  • Eugene C. Barker (1925). The Life of Stephen F. Austin, Founder of Texas, 1793–1836. Dallas: Cokesbury Press. 551 pp.
  • Carlos E. Castaneda. (1950). The Fight for Freedom, 1810–1836. Austin, Texas: Von Boeckmann-Jones Co. 384 pp.
  • Richard Drinnon (1972). White Savage; the case of John Dunn Hunter. New York: Schocken Books. 282 pp.
  • Richard Drinnon (1975). "The Metaphysics of Empire-Building: American Imperialism in the Age of Jefferson and Monroe". The Massachusetts Review 16(4):666–688
  • Edmund Morris Parsons. (1967). "The Fredonian Rebellion". Texana 5(1):11–52
  • Hodding Carter. (1971). Doomed road of empire: The Spanish trail of conquest (The American trails series). McGraw-Hill. 407 pp.
  • The abstract of one source I see claims this about Humphrey Jackson (1784-1833): "As militia officer he helped to put down the Fredonian Rebellion." However, his name isn't mentioned in the article. Source: Andrew Forest Muir. (1965). Humphrey Jackson, alcalde of San Jacinto." Southwestern Historical Quarterly 68(3):361–365.
Thanks for checking out the sources! From a quick review, the following sources are not appropriate:
  • Life of Stephen F. Austin - that is a very old biography (there are more recent, better ones), and this incident was extremely minor in Austin's life. It would rate a mention, yes, but not enough discussion to add anything to the article.
  • The Castaneda book is an overview of Mexican Texas; the Davis book I cite is a more recent (and better received) analysis of the same period.
  • The Carter book is primarily concerned with Spanish rule, which ended before the events of this article took place.
  • The Jackson source would be too specific - he was one of 250 in Austin's colony who volunteered to help, and none of them actually fought. (see also [67])
I'll check out the others tomorrow and see if they would be useful.

Karanacs (talk) 02:25, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

My library had a copy of the Peter Ellis bean book, and I've added a few details from it.[68] The book added nothing new to the analysis of the impact of the event. I have not been able to track down the other sources, but I am fairly confident that they would not have more to add. Karanacs (talk) 15:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
To be thorough, I consulted Gregg Cantrell's recent biography of Stephen F. Austin. One page was devoted to the Fredonian Rebellion, and all applicable information was already covered by other sources cited in this article. Karanacs (talk) 17:16, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I made some corrections, hope I didn't mess anything up. Article looks good, expect for the following sentence: "After Chaplin's victory, many settlers alleging vote-stacking in an appeal to Juan Antonio Saucedo, the political chief of the Department of Bexar." Wasn't 100% sure if "alleged" was to be substituted in there. Also one small question about "...in April 1827 the Towakoni and Waco sued for peace." Could you clarify "sued"... did the Indians take them to court? Sasata (talk) 18:03, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Your corrections look great, thanks very much! I changed "alleging" to "alleged", and wikilinked sued for peace to provide more clarity. (It's not a court action but is instead a diplomatic process.) Karanacs (talk) 18:53, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This is a terrific article on a very interesting piece of US History. It is thoroughly researched using the most scholarly sources on the subject matter. I do not see the need to cite less scholarly sources or sources of equal scholarship when they say the same thing anyway. NancyHeise talk 16:54, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thank you Nancy, and thank you also for your detailed peer review of the article. Karanacs (talk) 22:00, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - with regard to Criterion 1a. I found a few typos [69], which I took the liberty of fixing. An engaging article, which was a pleasure to read, thank you. Graham Colm Talk 15:30, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thank you, Graham, for fixing my mistakes! Karanacs (talk) 17:17, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - Looks great. ceranthor 15:36, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:20, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I've removed that. Karanacs (talk) 00:59, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. "Anglo" (in the first sentence) isn't a word, it's a prefix. It should be replaced with "English", "English-speaking", "Anglo-Saxon", or some similar term. Kaldari (talk) 21:26, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Anglo" is actually commonly used as a noun among historians of this period in Texas history (1821-1836). It refers to anyone who was not born in Mexico/Spanish territory. Karanacs (talk) 16:37, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • While it may be easy for people familiar with Texas history to know what "Anglo" means, it is by no means a well-known or well-used term (by itself). Why wouldn't you want to replace it will a term anyone could understand? Kaldari (talk) 20:27, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't mean to but in - but - I'm butting : ) - why not just wikilink Anglo which is properly and commonly used alone, not simply as a prefix. See definition in Merriam Webster dictionary. [70] NancyHeise talk 03:05, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've removed the map, leaving only one image for now. For this time period and era, there are few images available. Karanacs (talk) 15:57, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [71].

Chinese classifier edit

Nominator(s): rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I nominated this for FAC in early July (first FAC) and it was not promoted, I think mainly because of ongoing editing—my discussion with another user at the FAC became more of an unofficial peer review, so it was probably correct to not promote it until things had finished. Since then, however, that review has finished, and it has also been reviewed by another editor; thus, since I came to it, this article has had reviews/comments from Akerbeltz (here and around), Ricardiana (GAN), H1nkles (PR), Kwamikagami (old FAC and here), and an extensive copyedit/review from GeometryGirl (this and subsequent sections), as well as numerous copyedits from me. Now it is a good resource for all kinds of readers, both as a useful introduction for lay readers and beginning Chinese students, and as a detailed analysis and comprehensive bibliography for readers with a strong background in linguistics and/or Chinese language. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Quick comment: A rather didactic tone is apparent with phrases such as "To summarize," and "Note that," early in the article. Can these be removed? I will try and comment further later, and will do light copyedits as I read through. First impression: great work in developing the article to this stage. Brianboulton (talk) 18:13, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Removed those two--thanks for the catch. I don't think it was me who put those in, but the article history is too long to go searching, and it doesn't really matter anyway--the point is perfecting what's there now :). I will give it another read-through to try to see if there are any other 'didactic' bits other than those. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 22:32, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comment. Done; thanks. Alt text is present (thanks), but there are some areas where it can be improved:

  • For File:OracleShell.JPG the alt text duplicates the caption (see WP:ALT#Repetition). Also, since the image contains prominent text it would be helpful if the alt text transcribed it (see WP:ALT#Tricky lettering). Can you turn it into Unicode?
  • For File:Ma Lin 001.jpg the alt text contains text "(1246, Ma Lin)" that cannot be verified just from the image, and needs to be removed or reworded; see WP:ALT#Verifiability.
  • Similarly, File:CCTV Building.jpg has alt text containing "China Central TV tower" which needs to be removed or reworded.
  • The phrases "blue sky in the background" is not-that-relevant detail and can be removed.

Eubulides (talk) 06:55, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

    • File:OracleShell.JPG: the text is ancient Chinese and, as far as I know, does not have unicode for most of it—other than the few characters that are nearly the same as their present-day characters, like 早, most of these cannot be typed. I don't know how crucial it is, though; judging by the link you gave to Purely Decorative Images in this edit summary, it seems to me that either all of these images qualify as "purely decorative", or none do. The text on this oracle bone inscription is certainly not really relevant to the point being made; it's mostly just a decoration to break up the prose.
    • File:Ma Lin 001.jpg: Removed the text "(1246, Ma Lin)".
    • File:CCTV Building.jpg: both bits removed. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 07:26, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Thanks for the quick fixes and the explanations. Eubulides (talk) 07:44, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Further comments: This is by no means an easy article to read, but for those with patience (and a curiosity for the unfamiliar) it is worth the effort. I have read about two-thirds; my comments are mainly prose quibbles.

  • Count-classifiers and mass-classifiers
    • "Within the range of mass-classifiers, authors have proposed subdivisions..." Who are these "authors"?
      • There are footnotes after each subdivision discussed (currently, it's footnotes 18–20); this sentence is basically just a mini-introduction to the paragraph. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "...go so far as to propose..." is a bit POV-ish. Suggest delete the "go so far as to" and replace "propose" with "suggest"
      • Removed "so so far as"... I think 'propose' is better than 'suggest', though, since it is just a theory and, like most syntax theories, is pretty difficult to prove or disprove independently. (Then again, I suppose most of what's here is theory as well.)rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Verbal classifers: again the hint of POV – who describes Li and Thompson's work as "seminal"?
    • Li & Thompson (1981) and Chao (1968) are pretty much the 'Bibles' of Chinese linguistics, and almost every article or book on Chinese linguistics written since then cites both of them. (That's not to say they're right; they are, of course, outdated, and we often spend more of our time arguing against them than for them... but they are still generally seen as a starting point, at least, especially in English-language publications.) That being said, the word "seminal" is not necessary here, so I've removed it. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Relation to nouns
    • This sentence: "The Chinese languages each have a large number of nominal classifiers" is virtually an exact repeat of the opening sentence of paragraph 2 under the "Types" heading.
    • This sentence: "The specific factors that govern which classifiers are paired with which nouns have been a subject of debate among linguists" could do with a citation (which might enable those interested to observe the nature of the debate).
      • This, again, is basically a mini-introduction/summary: since the entire section is about this debate and has about 25 footnotes (35&ndash60 or so), I didn't see a need for an over-general reference at the beginning. If one is necessary, though, the Zhang (2007) article is a pretty good review (it's already cited a bunch of times throughout the section anyway). rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:33, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Categories and prototypes
    • Several terms in this section have quote marks, e.g. "classical", "conditions", "criteria", "prototype" etc. It is not clear why this should be so.
      • Removed a few; kept "family resemblance" because it's Tai's wording and not mine, and it's not necessarily an everyday word. (Another option, though, would be to remove the quotes and link the term, since it's jargon from linguistic philosophy); kept "classical" because that word in particular is used in a lot of the sources to describe that theory, and I could imagine a reader somewhere down the road going "what's so 'classic' about this?", so I figured I should keep it in quotes to attribute it to its sources. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs
  • Neutralization
    • "It has been noted as early as the 1940s..." "It was noted..." And "as early as the 1940s" reads oddly in the context of languages, which typically develop over thousands of years. I think the whole sentence could do with a bit of treatment, and suggest: "It was noted in the 1940s that the use of 个 was increasing, with a tendency towards replacing specific classifiers with it."
      • While languages develop over thousands of years, they can change in the blink of an eye (look at how fast new slang words can become mainstream), so the reason I used "it was noted" is that this may have been a phenomenon that happened at that time—we have no way of knowing if this kind of neutralization happened in spoken language before Lu (I think that's who it was) wrote about it in the 40s, and thus I didn't want to suggest that it was a speech phenomenon that's been around for hundreds of years. As for "as early as", I had that in there to emphasize this is a speech style that has been around for decades, it's not just recent 'bad grammar' (and, also, to emphasize that this is still going on today--it wasn't just pointed out back then and stopped, but people still talk this way).
  • Variation in usage
    • Several sentences in this section (and others) begin "For example..." Readability is helped if there is some variety in expression; "An example of this is...", or "By way of illustration,..." are possibly ways of varying "For example..."
      • Removed two of them; I think "by way of illustration" is a bit awkward, but it's probably better than over-repeating "for example".
    • "...the lexical meaning of a noun." What is the "lexical" meaning (as distinct from the plain "meaning")?

I will complete my reading over the next couple of days or so. I would very much like to see some analysis from an editor who has some expertise in this area, to see if my instincts about the article quality are confirmed. Brianboulton (talk) 11:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your comments; I'll leave responses above (I find it easier to leave responses directly under the comments, but if you don't like this format let me know and I'll refactor myself). rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have emailed Kathleen Ahrens asking for an expert review. I will let everyone know if she replies. 92.149.7.218 (talk) 21:36, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I'm reiterating my support from last time, especially as I think the article has improved since then (the addition of further examples, etc.) As a student of Mandarin, I find this to be easily the best and most thorough treatment of a part of the Chinese language that is notoriously difficult to learn and to explain. I believe this article meets all of the FA criteria and is a remarkably useful discussion of a remarkably difficult subject. Ricardiana (talk) 15:05, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment I found that Morev's paper is available at http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/morev2000afterthoughts.pdf Maybe we could add links to other online papers. 92.149.7.218 (talk) 20:05, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Almost none of the others are; Shie, T'sou, and maybe Allan are freely available, but the rest I got through my library or bought. Shie and Morev used to be linked in the article, but I decided it looks ugly to have just a few articles linked and the rest not. I think the readers who have enough interest to go beyond this article and read the papers themselves, are probably also the people who know how to find those papers (through a library, etc.). rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 20:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • I disagree. Freely available papers should be linked; it is both an invitation to read the source and an easy way to gain time for the interested reader. Also, current references 24, 27, 35, 37, 52, 54, 55, etc. are lacking page number.
        • Those references are lacking page numbers on purpose, because for those parts the reference is the entire paper (ie, the whole paper, including the abstract, is about whatever thing is being discussed there in the prose). As for linking papers... I can dig up the links and add them, but I guess first I'd like to wait and see what other people looking have to say. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 21:10, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Biq is freely available here: http://www.ling.sinica.edu.tw/eip/FILES/journal/2007.3.9.89451234.6382483.pdf
          • This paper could be useful: http://cwn.ling.sinica.edu.tw/churen/language20sciences.pdf
            • Thanks for the Ahrens paper, I'll try to take a closer look soon. Based on my skim of it, it looks like it won't have much new stuff to add to this article (not to imply that there's nothing new here—just that what is new is pretty technical, and not necessary to cover in a general encyclopedia article), but it can be an extra reference for the following sentence already there: Finally, a single word may have multiple count-classifiers that convey different meanings altogether—in fact, the choice of a classifier can even influence the meaning of a noun. (currently has footnote #59, so this paper could just be added to that footnote). rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 21:35, 30 August 2009 (UTC) Update It looks like it will also be useful for the section on verbal classifiers. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 21:46, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • So for example the sentence "Likewise, while long things that are flexible (such as ropes) often take 条 (條) tiáo, long things that are rigid (such as sticks) take 根 gēn, unless they are also round (like pens or cigarettes), in which case in some dialects they take 枝 zhī." is referenced by two whole papers?
    • Pretty much; the Tai & Wang paper is "A semantic study of the classifier tiao", it's all about tiao. For the other paper (Tai 1994), I can get a specific page number, though. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 21:25, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What about "and function (tools, vehicles, machines, etc.)"? Is that the subject of a whole paper?
    • The reference for this one does have a page number: Hu 1993, p. 1. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 21:25, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • All reference without page number should be checked to confirm that they indeed don't need a page number. 92.149.7.218 (talk) 21:22, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I went through last night, checked, and added a few page numbers where they didn't seem inappropriate; the ones that are left without page numbers are, by my standard at least, just the ones that don't need them:
      • Tzeng, Chen & Hung 1991 (currently ref #56): citing a statement about aphasics' overuse of 个. That paper is entirely about aphasic classifier production and this is their main finding, it's discussed throughout the whole paper and is in the abstract.
      • Ahrens 1994 (currently ref #59): citing a statement about patterns that govern overuse of 个. Same thing, this is the main point of the paper and is in the abstract (if I cited page numbers for it, I would be citing something like a 15-page range anyway).
      • Tai 1994 (currently ref #62): citing a statement about how classifier-noun pairings vary across speakers. The bulk of this paper is an inventory of kinds of classifiers and how they are used in different speaker populations.
      • Li 2000 (currently used in ref #66 and #71): in all cases, used to cite statements about when and why speakers may choose to use a bare NP rather than a classifier phrase (or vice versa). In all instances, this is the main finding of the paper and is in the abstract.
      • Peyraube 1991 (currently used in ref #86): citing a statement that throughout history classifiers were not always mandatory and not always used. Like Tai 1994, this paper is basically an inventory of historical periods and, for the most part, examples of how little classifiers were used; trying to cite individual pages would result in citing almost every page of the paper anyway.
    • I believe that's all of them. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 16:13, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]


My final comments: Just a few points picked up in the later sections of the article:-

  • Purpose section
    • "...in many discourse settings, speakers are reported to avoid specific classifiers" - overelaborate? Could "many discourse settings" be "conversation"?
      • A conversation is one kind of discourse setting... but I agree this sentence is unnecessarily complicated. Shortened it to "in many settings, speakers avoid specific classifiers"... it's been reported so widely that I don't think we need to weasel out of it by saying "are reported", and in any case there are references. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 22:45, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • The interjection "though" doesn't seem necessary
      • If you're referring to "Classifiers can be used stylistically, though"... I think I put that there to contrast it against the Greenburg-ian view that they serve no real purpose. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 22:45, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Nor, a little later, does "in other words", which occurs twice in the final para (at least one should be dropped) and several times earlier in the article.
  • History - Classifier phrases
    • There's another "in other words" that could be rephrased
    • "stylistic issue" → "stylistic reasons"
    • "What is certain is that..." This is the return of the didactic voice - should be removed.
    • The sentence beginning "According to historical linguist" is impossibly long and complex. It should be simplified and broken up inti 2 or 3 shorter sentences.
    • "He speculates..." "He" is too far away from the last mention of the name, so "Payraube speculates..."
    • General prose style - many sentences are over-lengthened by too much use of colons and semicolons. This makes following the already difficult prose even harder!
      • Ok, I've split four or five sentences where it seemed possible. Hopefully this will help. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 23:08, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • History - Classifier words
    • "...Li Jinxi treated classifiers just a type of noun that..." Something missing? Or replace "just" with "as"?
      • Oops, you're right, that was a typo. Fixed to "as just" (I like having the "just" in there because it helps express that he was not treating them as their own category.) rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 22:50, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Brianboulton (talk) 22:38, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Qualified support: All issues raised by me have been addressed satisfactorily. The "qualified" simply means that I would like to see a comment from an expert in the subject that says "This is OK" or words to that effect. On the principle that no news is good news, if no such expert is forthcoming in a few days I'll remove the qualification anyway. I am really impressed by the effort that has gone into this article, and certainly see it as potentially among Wikipedia's best work. Brianboulton (talk) 16:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:12, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Neutral I think this is a very good reference on Chinese classifiers; the best that I know of. However, each time I give it a read I find issues (listed on the talk page), suggesting that much improvement is in order. Also I haven't had a chance to review the references fully, and I don't know of anyone who did the job other than Rjanag who put them up in the first place. When I return to Cambridge I will have access to all the sources and I will check every sentence for appropriate and correct citation; I will also verify that the sources have not been plagiarised. GeometryGirl (talk) 11:49, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I will be getting to your next batch of talkpage comments this afternoon, hopefully. Please keep in mind, though, that when there is always more than one way to say something, and when an article has gone through as many rounds of copyediting as this has it's inevitable that editors will always find things that they wouldn't mind 'tweaking', which doesn't necessarily mean it's all bad writing—it just means that everyone has their own preferences about how things should be written. I am grateful for your continued comments because they have been helpful; at the same time, though, I just wanted to emphasize that this doesn't necessarily mean that massive "improvement" is needed... rather, it could just mean the article has reached a "quality plateau". Even in the most developed featured articles, everyone will still find phrases that they'd like changed here and there. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 12:04, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Ok, support Perfection is probably not the goal at FAC after all. Rjanag is surprisingly efficient in dealing with issues brought up so I trust that - even with a star - the article will be open to extended improvement. (I'm also curious to see the potential effects of being on the main page.) GeometryGirl (talk) 22:14, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support This is great. There are a few things that need fine tuning, but then again, I think just about every article needs fine tuning. One thing that should be adressed though is the red links in the Classifier words subsection. Will there ever be a page on Lü Shuxiang? I doubt it, but someone found it needed to be a link. Same with the two books. This is aesthetic, but I happen to not like the look of red links, especially those that will never be linked to pages. Nezzadar (talk) 01:51, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • For the redlinks in that section, GeometryGirl and I only created redlinks for pages that have a corresponding article on zh-wiki. I don't know about Li Jinxi, but I do know Lü Shuxiang is a giant in the field of Chinese linguistics (his book is cited about as often, and on the same level, as Chao 1968 and Li & Thompson 1981) and ought to have an article here—that might even go onto my to-do list. Same for the books; these have corresponding articles on zh-wiki. To be honest, I am more concerned about the redlinked English names than the chinese ones (Ahrens, Erbaugh, Li and Tai (ok, those two are Chinese names, but English-language publications); while these people's papers are all widely cited in this topic and they all have made major contributions to the field, I'm not sure if they meet Wikipedia's standard for notability, and if I personally were going to start an article on any of them I don't know where I'd start. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 02:00, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose. The images File:Denimjeans2.JPG, File:Ulm2-midsize.jpg, File:Garden bench 001.jpg, File:Frecklesmule.jpg are used in violation of their licenses, each of which requires the license to be displayed with the images. As these images are not clickable, the license is not displayed properly; their use is therefore a copyright violation. Stifle (talk) 21:25, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I've addressed this by removing link#= where appropriate. Dabomb87 (talk) 21:31, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Thanks for fixing that, Dabomb. These images used to be in other templates (like {{double image}}) and after the template was changed I never noticed that they were no longer clickable. rʨanaɢ talk/contribs 23:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [72].

Cosmo Gordon Lang edit

Nominator(s): Brianboulton (talk) 23:52, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Lang, according to his biographers, was an enigma. The youngest archbishop in England in recent times, be began with great promise and large expectations, but in the end, by most accounts, he fell rather short – he himself judged his career a failure. Largely forgotten now, between the wars he was a major figure in British life, and touched many national and international events. Many thanks to the helping hands who monitored the article's progress from start-class, especially those who participated in the very thorough peer review.Brianboulton (talk) 23:52, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support I thoroughly reviewed the article's prose for consistency during the peer review and see no point in doing it a second time. Compelling article about an interesting character of whom I had only briefly heard. Only point I have remaining is that I'm not entirely clear as to whether the officiating clergy at his baptism was or was not his father, perhaps that could be made a little clearer.--Wehwalt (talk) 00:17, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thanks. If I have any minor quibbles, I'll take them up on talk page.--Wehwalt (talk) 10:01, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment Please fix the formatting of the poem "My Lord Archbishop, what a scold you are!" Ling.Nut (talk) 07:04, 26 August 2009 (UTC) I fixed it myself. Ling.Nut (talk) 07:32, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments
  • "Later commentators have speculated... homosexual". I'd like to see something much better than "channel four" for this... elsewise, it's just gossip. Besides, you said "commentators" (plural). Ling.Nut (talk) 07:46, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I disagree with you about the status of the Channel 4 source. The "Monarchy" television series and the books accompanying it are the work of Dr David Starkey, a respected academic historian, and cannot be dismissed as "just gossip". Other commentators have been more circumspect about Lang's sexuality. For example, the ODNB biog gives the text of Lang's emotional letter to Wilfred Parker without specifically mentioning sexual feelings, but the letter's inclusion looks like a nudge. Lockhart is even more evasive, but he was writing in 1948 when evasion on such matters was the order of the day. The reference to possible homosexual leanings is within a balanced paragraph. However, if you think the case is not made, I will be happy to withdraw this sentence - there are more important aspects of Lang's life to argue about.Brianboulton (talk) 09:00, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • If you can find a number of sources that allege it, then fire away. But channel 4 doesn't say maybe, it says "yeah, he was gay." I'd love to log into their website and put a {{fact}} tag on such a bold, bald assertion. So.... if you can back it up further, please do so. If not, please do delete. Ling.Nut (talk) 09:31, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Well, there's this, from The Times 1 July 2003, which says: "There have been many closeted gay bishops who have served the Church well, from Cosmo Gordon Lang to..." Remember, I'm not making the claim that Lang was homosexual, I'm merely saying that some modern commentators have said he was, and we now have two quotes from what I consider reliable sources. I have also altered the text of the article slightly: "Some later commentators have suggested...". I think that is fair. Brianboulton (talk) 14:13, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm poking about in whatever sources I can find, now... and am wondering if the Prayer Book controversy isn't a bit under-represented in the text...
  • Mmm, I saw McKibbin giving specific stats for the defeat of the Prayer Book in the House of Commons, second time around was 266-220 (p. 277, 18n). I dunno if I would call that "narrow", though it's certainly far less than a drubbing.. can we get more specific numbers?
    • I have put in the vote figures for December 1927 and June 1928. You're right, they weren't that narrow, so I've deleted that word. Brianboulton (talk) 13:57, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Lang knew the nature of Edward's social circle..." Yeah I know, the full details should be in the abdication crisis article, not this one. But this is unnecessarily cryptic.. a word or two of greater detail, perhaps? After all, it was prominent in his infamous speech, and there was apparently an editorial in the Times after Lang's speech which focused the brunt of its scorn on those social circles rather than the king.
    • I have added a bit more detail concerning the king's social circle. Brianboulton (talk) 13:28, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Mmmm, I'm looking at Manwaring pp. 12-13, and I don't see any connection at all between Lang and the national Mission of Repentance and Hope. What did I miss?
    • The Mainwaring ref was specific to the failure of the Mission to make an impact. Lang's involvement, covered by Lockhart, has now been separately cited. Brianboulton (talk) 12:51, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Eh? Kent, John (1992). William Temple: Church, State and Society in Britain, 1880-1950, Cambridge University Press, says lang was "often unwell, and Temple, now Archbishop of York, had to stand in for him from time to time." It also says, "When he was not ill, Lang lacked energy." Did I overlook these health issues in the article?
    • I didn't think that Lang's health issues were that significant. He seems to have enjoyed good health apart from a period around 1929-32, shortly after his Canterbury appointment. I have added a line, with citations, about his illness in that period. Brianboulton (talk) 13:08, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I have to go now, but am becoming more & more convinced that the Prayer Book issue is under-represented in the body text and the lead. I think it was one of the two greatest issues in his time as archbishop; a political and religious struggle (albeit a far lesser one than say the Investiture controversy.) Ling.Nut (talk) 11:07, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Yes, it was important, but in the context of an article about Lang's life, I think this issue is properly and adequately represented. Obviously there is plenty more to be said, but this topic is not the focus of this article. There does not appear to be a Wiki article on the Prayer Book revision controversies of the 1920s, but I believe that, or an article on recent Church of England History, would be a proper place for an extended discussion of the topic. Brianboulton (talk) 13:57, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Can you take a look at the alt text for File:Chapel of St Stephen Martyr, Canterbury Cathedral.jpg as it does not read right, probably just a typo. Keith D (talk) 19:03, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

There was a typo ("are" for "area"). Now fixed - very well spotted! Thanks indeed Brianboulton (talk) 21:13, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments, and questions
  • Re homosexuality: Your own sources said that he got hot 'n bothered over the young girls at a chocolate factory. That hardly seems homosexual per se.
    • Lang was an enigma, with contradictory traits (see Lockhart's summary of his complex character). My job is to record what has been said by reliable sources, on all aspects of his character, not to make judgements. Brianboulton (talk) 18:53, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm not at all done thinking about the Prayer Book controversy . I agree that perhaps it needs its own (brief) article, as you suggest. But even so, this is a key event in Lang's period as Cantuar. Its focus needs to be sharpened; its details collected together and highlighted. It shows his lack of leadership, as you noted far down in the article... It may show a lack of insight: one source said he "badly misread the establishment mood" of government. It shows the political currents (Liberal vs. Labour; see Lang's oft-cited quote about the coal mining issue) and the religious currents (staunch Protestant laity vs. Catholic-wannabe church leaders). ...as you noted, it passed through the religious decision process with overwhelming support... Far more was at stake than simply a prayer book, it was a significant move away from mainstream Protestantism... The defeat of the revision apparently led to discouragement among many clergy, who saw it as an establishmentarian smackdown. Etc. I'm actually not talking about a huge rewrite here. These issues just need to be explained well—though currently they are not.
    • I am a bit puzzled by your analysis. You say the Prayer Book controversy is "a key event in Lang's period as Cantuar", but in fact the House of Commons rejections came before Lang ascended to Canterbury. He thereupon made it a non-issue, which it remained until after his – and his successor's – departure. Yes, he was criticized for this lack of leadership by Bishop Bell, but others considered his inactivity a wise move which faclitated an eventual solution. In the controversy itself, up to 1928, Lang's role was that of a lieutenant to Archbishop Davidson; as Lockhart says, "the story belongs to Davidson rather than Lang". It would be possible to include a little more material, about Lang's influence is bringing about the overwhelming Church vote in favour, or about his misreading of the House of Commons situation, but it would not be right to elevate his role above that of loyal supporter of his senior Archbishop. If Lang's "oft-cited quote" is the one about a fair day's work and a fair day's wage, this was made in 1912, outside the time frame of the Prayer Book controversy and, I would have thought, with no relevance to it. I have no quarrel with your other assertions, but they are basically not about Lang. Anything added to the article in this respect must focus on his role. Brianboulton (talk) 18:53, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Two broad questions that I think were not answered adequately: First, why was his rise so meteoric? Second, and at the same time both more interesting and more important, why was he so ineffectual after he became Cantuar? Ling.Nut (talk) 01:55, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • The first question cannot be answered objectively. Lang wasn't (like Temple or Davidson) the son or son-in-law of an Archbishop, nor was he nurtured in the Church of England; he was a Scots Presbyterian. He wasn't wealthy, had no family influence, and how he rose so quickly is a matter of conjecture. Was he clever, lucky or both? As far as I can within the principle of NPOV, I have marshalled the facts, but the question remains open. As to the second question, "ineffectual" is your word; the general consensus is softer, that he could have done more than he did, but I have not seen him described as ineffectual. Why he fell short of expectations is a matter about which writers have speculated, and which I believe I have summarised in the Assessment section. I am still studying sources for new material that can shed more light on this complicated life. Brianboulton (talk) 18:53, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comments by TonyTheTiger (talk · contribs)
  • Commas are missing left and right.
  • I see several sentences that begin In YYYY or In Month YYYY without a comma after them. I even see "On 24 May 1891" without a succeeding comma. I believe this is grammatically incorrect.
    • There are different conventions for comma usage between American and British English. Both conventions are grammatically correct. In Brit Eng, commas don't have to follow dates, unless the date is followed by a subordinate clause. Thus: "On 20 July he went to school for the first time" needs no comma. "On 20 July, after eating breakfast, he went..." etc would require a comma.
  • also "During these years" comma.; "Of his life at that time" comma.
    • With Brit Eng, commas are not necessary in these instances.
  • What is a prelate?
    • A senior priest - now linked.
  • practise law - practice not practise.
    • No, "practise" is a correct verb form, though not I think used in American Eng.
  • The thought persisted and one Sunday evening in the spring of 1889, after a visit to the theological college at Cuddesdon, Lang attended evening service at the Cuddesdon parish church. is runon without a comma after persisted.
    • There you have me; comma inserted
  • What is a curate?
    • The term is linked.
  • Is there a relevant link for pastoral? --TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 07:25, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "These appointments reflected his growing reputation, and recognised his successful ministry in working-class parishes." has an ungrammatical comma that needs to be removed as does "divided, between his work in the Stepney region and his duties at St Paul's".
    • First example: it's not ungammatical, and the comma is fine. Second example: the comma is legitimate, but the sentence reads better without it, so removed.
      • As I understand it conjoining phrases with a comma and a conjunction in this manner connotes that the second phrase is an independent clause having its own subject, which is not the case here and why I believe the comma should be removed.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 22:34, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I have never heard of that rule of grammar, but it sounds pretty impressive. The comma can go.
  • Similar construction at "He voted against the 1914 Irish Home Rule Bill, and opposed liberalisation of the divorce laws."--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 22:58, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • And again "He also denounced the antisemitic policies of the German government, and took private steps to help European Jews."--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • In this case: "He upheld the right of the Church to refuse the remarriage of divorced persons within its buildings,[91] but did not directly oppose A.P. Herbert's Matrimonial Causes Bill of 1937, which liberalised the divorce laws—Lang believed "it was no longer possible to impose the full Christian standard by law on a largely non-Christian population."", you need the comma for the purpose an anchor for the citation so just give the second clause a subject by changing it to "but he did not directly..."--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I have applied the same solution to each of the above examples - inserting "he" after the conjunction. Brianboulton (talk) 10:19, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • badly housed??? maybe living in modest or rundown accomodations. Living on the streets. Something more professional is needed here.
    • I don't see why "badly housed" is unprofessional (or worth three query marks!). But I've extended it to: "housed in overcrowded and insanitary conditions."
      • Probably only worth one query mark:-!
  • The New York Times should be linked.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 15:58, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "he began to act as a "prince of the church"." is a very strong phrase that should be attributed in the text, IMO.
  • "Lang avoided continuation of the 1928 Prayer Book controversy by allowing it to lapse, after authorising a statement permitting use of the proposed Book locally if the parochial church council gave approval." seems to be using a comma unnecesarily to set off a prepositional phrase.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 03:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I have revised this sentence as I wasn't happy with the wording. The comma issue here is null and void. Brianboulton (talk) 10:19, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What is a cassock?
  • "On retirement Lang was created Baron Lang of Lambeth" seems to be an awkward garden path.
      • Can you explain what you mean, and why you think this simple factual statement is either awkward or misleading? Brianboulton (talk) 10:11, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I think the office of Baron Lang of Lambeth was created for Lang.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 22:28, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • It's not an "office", it's a rank or title in the peerage. In common English usage peers are "created". Brianboulton (talk) 23:30, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • How about the title of Baron Lang of Lambeth was created for Lang.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM) 00:41, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
              • No, it's peers, not titles, that are created. You haven't explained your difficulty with this sentence, so I don't know what your problem is. However, I have reworded the sentence in the text, which should resove any remaining uncertainties. Brianboulton (talk) 10:11, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Link Time magazine and The Times in the text as well.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTM)

03:30, 28 August 2009 (UTC)

Comments by Jappalang

Childhood and family

  • "Lang was born at ..."
    It would be better to start off with his full name here (without "William") and insert at least the year of birth as well. Consider the lede and the main text as two separate articles and this should become clear.
  • "... where he ... played football intermittently;"
    Did he play footer only at school (as seemingly suggested by the sentence)?
    No other references to his footy. I mentioned it to indicate that he was a pretty normal boy - it has no other significance. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    I see, might I suggest changing the last three words to "... occasionally played football;" or "... played the occasional game of football;"? Jappalang (talk) 15:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Changed to your second suggested alternative. Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... he was able to beginbegan his studies ..."

University of Glasgow

  • "... met some of the leading academics .... Long afterwards Lang commented on the inability of some of these eminent figures to handle "the Scottish boors who formed a large part of their classes"."
    This was a bit confusing to me till I read "Among his various tutors ..." in the later sentence. The "met ... leading academics" part led me to think that some of them might have been fellow students.
  • "In 1881 Lang made his first trip ... Edwin Booth in Othello. Later that year he travelled to Cambridge to stay with a friend who was studying there."
    What is the point of chronicling young Lang's adventures?
    It's the footy thing – trying to indicate that Lang had a range of interests and wasn't just the class swot. If you think that the references to Liddon, parliament and the theatre are distracting, I can remove them, as they aren't essential to the article. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    It is interesting, adds a bit of flavour to the account of Lang's youth. I am just wondering if it had wandered too much off the point (trivial). It is not really a big opposable issue. Jappalang (talk) 15:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Compromise: leave in his visits to to St Pauls & parliament, since they have slight bearing on his future career. Drop the theatre as relatively trivial. Does that satisfy? Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Eh, the issue is trivial (I left it unstruck since it is just a matter of personal opinion that is not opposable). Jappalang (talk) 00:05, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oxford

  • "... described by his biographer Lockhart ..."
    First mention of Lockhart should be by his full name.
    He is known as J.G. Lockhart; I have added these initials to the first mention.
    I found his full name as "John Gilbert Lockhart" on Worldcat,[73] and expanded it in the article. Jappalang (talk) 15:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... to that of Demosthenes."
    While Demosthenes should be familiar to those in the literary and political circles, the common reader might be ignorant of his significance at first glance (I did not know of his name and reputation till I read Ender's Game...). I think Demosthenes's credential should be made more obvious here (in part contributing to the opinion of Lang's oratory prowess). Perhaps, "... to that of Ancient Greek statesman, Demosthenes."

Towards ordination

  • "Lang's career ambition, settled early in life, ..."
    "Settled" seems to imply the decision was not entirely his alone. Was this the case?
    • As far as I can see, he determined his own pathway. I have slightly reworded. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... to my[Lang's] liberal Conservatism".": This might be personal style, but I would prefer to clarify quotes rather than leave them untouched.

Leeds

  • "He rejected a tempting offer of the chaplaincy of All Souls, as he wanted to be "up and doing" in a tough parish."
    Was All Souls some sort of "soft and cushy" parish?
    All Souls (as stated in last line of previous section) is an Oxford college, so the tempting offer was for the chaplaincy of a college, to which he had been elected a Fellow. It would indeed have been a cushy number, but he rejected it. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Hmmm, okay, I was looking to more details of what would be a "tough" parish in those days, but the current wording is nothing opposable. Jappalang (talk) 03:05, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Can you indicate that your concern here is resolved, or otherwise clarify any outstanding issue with this point?
    Same as the "tour" above, not opposable. Jappalang (talk) 00:05, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "As well as his parish duties,—Lang acted temporarily as Principal of the Clergy School,—he was chaplain to Leeds Infirmary and took charge of a men's club of around a hundred members."
    • The things he did in addition to his normal parish duties included the temporary principalship of the school, the infirmary chaplaincy and the men's club - all were extracurricular to his everyday parish work. I have slightly reworded, to make this clearer. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Seeing your clarification, my actual issue (which I thought to solve as above) arises from the placement of "Lang acted temporarily as Principal of the Clergy School" between "In addition to/As well as his parish duties," and "(he) was chaplain to Leeds Infirmary ...". In this case, perhaps the original sentence with a fullstop substituting the comma after "Clergy School" would solve the issue? Jappalang (talk) 15:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Sorry, but I don't understand what the "issue" is. The sentence now reads: "In addition to his normal parish duties, Lang acted temporarily as Principal of the Clergy School, was chaplain to Leeds Infirmary, and took charge of a men's club of around a hundred members." I am simply listing three things he did in addition to his normal parish duties. As this is surely clear, why does the sentence need changing? Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • It was grammatical, pertaining to pronouns. From the first sentence, I saw "As well as his ..., Lang acted ..., he was ... .", which seemed weird to me. On re-reading your amendment, it is resolved: "In addition to his ..., Lang acted ..., was ..., and took charge ... ." Sorry for my confused state above. Jappalang (talk) 00:05, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Portsea

  • "Lang may have realised that he was destined for high office; he is reported to have practised the episcopal signature "Cosmo Cantuar" during a relaxed discussion with his curates."
    What is an "episcopal signature"? How does practising "Cosmo Cantaur" show he knew he was destined for high office?
    I've dropped the "episcopal", and inserted a parenthetical explanatory note. This is an oft-told story of Lang, prematurely practising the signature he would use as Archbishop of Canterbury. It shows that the possibility of high office had entered his mind. Note that I have stood away slightly from the story - "may have realised", "is reported to have"; it's best to be noncommital. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Pardon my ignorance, but I still have questions over "signature". My understanding of the term is a stylised handwriting of one's name. By "practised the signature ... during a relaxed discussion with his curates", does it mean he signed himself off on paper with "Cantaur" to his name in front of his curates? Jappalang (talk) 15:09, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Yes, evidently that is what he did. Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "As a Royal Chaplain ..."
    When did he become a Royal Chaplain or are all Honorary Chaplains to the Queen Royal Chaplains as well?
    Sorry, I overlooked this. The term "Royal Chaplain" was my unofficial shorthand for Honorary Chaplain to the Queen. I have revised the sentence and ropped the term Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Stepney

  • "Lang took as his personal assistant ... Dick Sheppard, who became a close friend and confidante. HeSheppard was eventually ordained,"

St Paul's Cathedral

  • "Temple observed that, in contrast to the Bishop of London's sermons, with Lang the pleasure was intellectual rather than emotional, but "I can remember all his points, just because their connexion is inevitable.... And for me, there is no doubt that this is the more edifying by far.""
    Suggestion: "Temple observed that, in contrast to the Bishop of London's sermons, listening to Lang brought on an intellectual rather than emotional pleasure: "I can remember all his points, just because their connexion is inevitable.... And for me, there is no doubt that this is the more edifying by far.""
  • "... for the recovery of King Edward VII's recovery ..."

Appointment

  • "On the issue of age, the Church Times believed it was the deliberate choice ofthat Asquith todeliberately recommended the youngest bishop available, after the PMhe had endured ..."

World War I

  • Suggestion: "Within months hehis looks changed from a dark-haired, young-looking manyouth to that of a bald, and elderly-lookingold man."
    • Your suggestion doesn't strike me as quite right. I've simplified my version, see what you think. Brianboulton (talk) 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... continued his war workcontributions to the war,"

Postwar years

  • "described by Hastings as "one of the rare historical documents that does not get forgotten with the years."
    Does the quote end with this sentence (missing closing quotation marks)?

International and dosmetic politics

  • "... declaring that the Munich Agreement of September 1938 was due to/by the "Hand of God.""?
    • I've looked again, and I wasn't using the "Hand of God" quote correctly. So I've changed the text. Lang called for a day of thanksgiving for the "sudden lifting of the cloud". That is more accurate.

Abdication crisis

  • "... with the American divorcée Wallis Simpson ..."
    This and the following sentences ("... the king intended to marry Mrs. Simpson either before or shortly after his impending coronation.") seem to indicate that Mrs Simpson was divorced at the time of Edward VIII's accession. That is wrong. She was divorced from Spencer but married to Simpson (and still married in 1936). Mrs Simpson/Spencer's status could probably be better explained here.
    • OK, I've clarified as best I can without using up too many words. See what you think. Brianboulton (talk) 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "On 11 December, all attempts to persuade him otherwise having failed, he did so ..."
    Suggestion: "All attempts to dissuade him failed, and on 11 December, he gave up his throne ..."

Assessment

  • "after sitting for Sir William Orpen in 1924, Lang remarked to Bishop Hensley Henson of Durham that the portrait showed him as "proud, prelatical and pompous." Henson's reply was "To which of these epithets does Your Grace take exception?""
    I love this sentence, but is this a factual anecdote? If not, it would be better to establish the context of this quote.
    • Widely quoted, and believed factual, but the story is never pinned down to a specific time and place, nor is it clear who witnessed the exchange. So, I have inserted a couple of caveats. No article on Lang would be complete, I believe, without this line. Brianboulton (talk) 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Some commentators have suggested that Lang was a repressed homosexual."
    It should be expounded (briefly if it is a cursory view) on why these commentators hold such suggestions. Leaving it as a single sentence without reason seems to be a bit on the gossip side of things.
    If Starkey and Gove were ordinary newspaper journalists, the "gossip" implication might stick. But they are serious writers who have each made their suggestions in unsensationalist contexts. Neither is specific as to why they hold their views, which I have presented cautiously and in the context of other information about Lang's possible sexual tendencies. Lang was a public figure and things were and will be said about him, by responsible commentators. I think that the "comprehensive" criterion requires me to report such remarks, without in any way endorsing them. Brianboulton (talk) 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    They might be serious writers, but it is curious how such an allegation can come about without basis. It seems Ling.Nut (above) shares a similar concern as well. Basically, information is put forth that shows Lang could have carnal thoughts towards women, but nothing backs up the homosexual opinion. Are there no books or newspaper articles that stated such a revelation or assertion with the reasons why? If not, and if the statement is to stay, then I think the authors of those views should be held accountable, i.e. we should explicitly attribute the statement to them, such as "Years after Lang's death, his sexual orientation was questioned. Journalist Michael Gove and Channel 4 television station suggested that Lang was a repressed homosexual." Jappalang (talk) 03:05, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    An excellent idea. I have incorporated it, but have reordered the paragraph so that the "suggestion" no longer hangs fire at the end, where it tended to look like an accusation. The sense of the paragraph now is: "He led a celibate life; people have suggested he was a closet homosexual, and he certainly had emotional friendships with male colleagues; however he enjoyed women's company and found them attractive." I think that is fair; it leaves nothing out, without placing emphasis on any one aspect. See what you think (also Ling Nut comment below). Brianboulton (talk) 10:01, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Bibliography

  • "... including a novel of the 1745 risingJocobite Risings in 1745."

General

  • There are two "the King". I believe it (king) is lowercase when not used as a title.
    • I have lower-cased the first. The second is in a quotation and has to stay as it is. 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)

Images

  • All images are verifiably in the public domain or appropriately licensed.

Some of the above are just suggestions (my prose sucks), so... Since my knowledge about the Archibishop of Canterbury is basically restricted to jokes about Henry II's attitude, I am commenting on what appears to be lacking from the viewpoint of a reader fresh to the subject. Looking forward to support once the above are addressed. Jappalang (talk) 08:10, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thank you for your review. I have dealt with about half your points, but other duties are calling. I'll be back later to deal with the rest. Brianboulton (talk) 11:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • ...which I have now done, and thank you again. Brianboulton (talk) 16:50, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Struck most of it, but there are still a few that requires additional attention (the singular sentence about his sexual orientation is still of concern). Jappalang (talk) 03:05, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support:(outdented) As what I perceived were issues have been resolved, there is nothing to stop me from throwing my support behind Brian's latest masterpiece. Jappalang (talk) 00:05, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Nobody got rid of this turbulent priest... he just left on his own (the third one to do so, it seems). Should that factoid be included in the article? It might be trivial (no telling how many more Archbishops of Canterbury would retire rather than die in office), so its exclusion would not affect my support. Jappalang (talk) 00:05, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • As it happens, every one of Lang's successors bar Temple has retired, so retirement (usually at or around 70) is now the norm. Brianboulton (talk) 13:21, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments
  • The homosexual bit is much, much better. It no longer leaves so many open questions, which previously gave it almost the air of a swipe at his character.
  • I saw at least one quote (dig it up tomorrow) which said the Prayer Bok thing made Lang more conservative (in the general sense). I think this should go in he article and the lead. Ling.Nut (talk) 13:26, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support I've watched the changes Brian has made to this article from the beginning (I did add some extra material and refs jsut before he started his revamp, bu the present article is basically "his", though I did do a bit of typo spotting for him along the way), and I beleive it now meets the criteria.
    Comments, on the sexuality issue, I don't think this is overstated (though I do wonder if the only basis that the suggestions have been made on is anglo-catholic plus celibate = "must be gay"). On the prayerbook revision, the article as it stands gives similar weight to the issue as does the ODNB article (the only one of the major sources which is readily available to me). David Underdown (talk) 15:40, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Thanks, and it should be noted that your typo-spotting and intermittent suggestions during the revamp were valuable, and much appeciated. Brianboulton (talk) 16:33, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Ling.Nut (talk) 19:14, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support my issue is addressed and nicely Comment I have replaced the last sentence in the lead, which is unreferenced with the last sentence in the Assessment section which seems to be more NPOV and is referenced. Please let me know if you agree, otherwise I support this article's nomination for FAC. Thanks, NancyHeise talk 16:49, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I understand your point, but we can't have the exact same sentences ending both the lead and the Assessment section. I have now included a shorter version of the concluding assessment as the final lead sentences. I believe that I have addressed your concern that the lead previously did not wholly reflect the consensus view on Lang's career; I think it now does. Also, it is not necessary to cite lead infomation, provided the material is referenced in the main text. I am sorry if you feel you cannot support the article, but I really do not want to amend the text further on this point. Brianboulton (talk) 23:33, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Well-written, comprehensive. Jayjg (talk) 23:55, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments -
  • Does the EB 11th edition entry for WCL not give the author at the end?
    • No, neither for the biog or for the "Confirmation of bishops" article also cited from EB 11th. Brianboulton (talk) 00:30, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Weird, normally they did. No worries. Ealdgyth - Talk 01:10, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with she link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 23:52, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - I reviewed the article earlier and had no quibbles. I did notice the bit about the EB, but that's not enough to hold back my support. Ealdgyth - Talk 23:52, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Image review I've checked the copyright status of the images and they're all good. Stifle (talk) 21:13, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support I added some comments at peer review; I was mightily impressed with the article then, and the fine tuning arising from the above comments has improved it still further. Tim riley (talk) 12:44, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Confused about numbering convention here (WP:MOSNUM); I see 44 years old, but eighteen and fourteen? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:20, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Addressed, I made all numbers over nine numerals. Dabomb87 (talk) 19:22, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [74].

Ravenloft (module) edit

Nominator(s): Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 20:00, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because I think it meets the FA criteria. It's been nominated before, but it's changed so much since then that I don't think they matter. Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 20:00, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:49, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - Throughout the article I made minor changes, such as word choice or changing the publication "history" section to publication background.

Just a couple other concerns:

  • When Ravenloft' was released, each Dungeons & Dragons module was marked with an alphanumeric code indicating the series to which it belonged.[9]. - what is with the extra marking?
  • In 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game, Dungeon magazine ranked the module as the second greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time—behind only Queen of the Spiders. - cite
  • Judge Clark Peterson single out the maps and Strahd for praise, saying the vampire is "perhaps on of the best villains of all time". - cite, after a quote
  • In the July 1984 issue of White Dwarf magazine, on a scale of 1 to 10, the module was given 9 for presentation, 9 for playability, 8 for enjoyment, 6 for skill, 6 for complexity, 8 out of 10 overall. - cite
  • It was likened to a Hammer horror production and praised as enjoyable, although the reviewer said the game's puns were tedious and detracted from the spooky atmosphere. - cite

Great work! ceranthor 16:06, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

User:BOZ fixed all the issues you mentioned. Thanks BOZ, and thanks, Ceranthor, for the support. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 17:41, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
De nada. BOZ (talk) 17:45, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
De nada as well. ceranthor 17:46, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comments by Jappalang

Plot

  • "... selects five cards."
    Randomly drawn or deliberate decision?
  • "When Strahd is destroyed, the adventure ends."
    96-hour non-stop gaming session?
    Basically, "When Strahd is destroyed, the adventure ends." is not correct. The adventure can also end when every player character has died (darn traps and natural "1"s!!!). An imaginative DM might create a post-Strahd's-destruction scenario to further flesh out the session (celebrating at the village, finding more mysteries in the castle that lead to other adventures, etc). Furthermore, a layman might interprete the sentence to be "You cannot stop the game until Strahd has been destroyed." My suggestion would be "The main objective of the game is to destroy Count Strahd." Jappalang (talk) 03:16, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "havingmaking him flee when necessary."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Publication background

  • "They play-tested it every Halloween for five years ..."
    Between the two of them? Did they not play Dragonlance with friends (some of whom were notable TSR employees as well) before putting it to paper? Is it the same case here?
  • "When Ravenloft was released, eachEach Dungeons & Dragons module was marked with an alphanumeric code indicating the series to which it belonged."
    Compare to "When the war ended, buntings were put up at every high location in the city." Pay attention to the spatial references. The modules were numbered that way before Ravenloft was released.
    According to the cited FAQ, they were marked that way up through late 1994. Not sure how to word that so I went with "At the time of Ravenloft's release..." BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    That is fine too. Jappalang (talk) 14:44, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Strahd had fallen in love with a young girl, ... and Strahd found that he had become a vampire."
    This whole chunk seems more suited to Plot.
  • "... to kill the vampire at the end of the adventure, despite having the Sunsword, he refused, and his companions were forced to complete the task."
    It seems that the Sunsword is not required to kill Strahd... so his refusal seems somewhat non sequitur to his possession of the weapon.
  • "... by introducing a combination monster/character, with the abilities of a vampire and a magic-user."
    Rather confusing sentence to a layman, might be clunky to those in the know. Suggestion: "... by introducing a monster with the abilities of a player character class, that is a vampire magic-user."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Ravenloft II

  • "Although Ravenloft II is credited to the Hickmans, Tracy Hickman left TSR before the module was complete."
    "Credited to the Hickmans", so what happened to Laura?
    The sentence reads strange; first part talks about two, the second only one. Since no reliable sources chronicled the fate of Laura, it would be better to change the focus of the sentence entirely to one: "Although Tracy Hickman was credited in Ravenloft II, he had left TSR before the module was completed." Jappalang (talk) 00:19, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Despite these problems, he said it included "Lots of monsters, plenty of roleplaying, lots of offstage action, items and crucial information to be gathered, and topped off with an excellent ending. What more could you ask? Excellent, highly recommended.""
    Highly promotional tone, despite the quotation marks. It can be trimmed to "Despite these problems, he highly recommended it for "lots of monsters, plenty of roleplaying, lots of offstage action, items and crucial information to be gathered, and [...] an excellent ending.""

Adaptations

  • "...expanded,; with Ravenloft becomingis now a demiplane ..."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Ravenloft has been revised and expanded twice."
    Module or campaign? Since the campaign has been mentioned just before this, it is better to clarify here.
  • "(8 session)" and "(4 session)"
    "x sessions" or "x-session"?

Reception

  • "Ravenloft has won one award, and beenwas included on ..."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "behind only Queen of the Spiders."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Judge Bill Slavicsek", "judge Andy Collins", "Judge Clark Peterson", "Judge John Rateliff"
    Besides repetitious, I would prefer to have their credentials stated. "Judge" is no means of knowing why they are experts in the field.
  • "... on a scale of 1 to 10, the module was given 9 for presentation, 9 for playability, 8 for enjoyment, 6 for skill, 6 for complexity, 8 out of 10 overall."
    I am not entirely certain ratings are encyclopaedic.
  • "has trouble in developing a frightening tone."
    Got it. BOZ (talk) 12:05, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... use of normalcommon D&D monsters in D&D,"
    The sentence this fragment appears in should be re-written. The reviewer is saying that the typical monsters of D&D (e.g. goblins, orcs, etc) do not fit in a gothic horror atmosphere. "Normal D&D monsters" means, to me, all the monsters in the game, unmodified in any manner.

Images

  • Images are appropriately licensed; the use of the sole non-free image is justified by its fair-use rationale.

Awaiting feedback. Jappalang (talk) 11:11, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've fixed everything that BOZ didn't get to except a few things.diff
I'm not sure what you meant by "96-hour non-stop gaming session?"
I changed it to "They play-tested the adventure with a group of players each Halloween" but I'll have to check the source (which I don't have handy right now) to make sure. I think it's common sense that it wasn't just the two of them.
"Strahd had fallen in love with a young girl, ... and Strahd found that he had become a vampire." I put it in plot. Although that info is also in the module, I got my summary from Hickman's summary in another source, so I cited that. The problem is that it's three sentences in the middle of the plot section, so I'm not sure if I should cite each sentence, or what. I currently just cited the end of it, but then it's not clear where it began.
"Credited to the Hickmans" I'm pretty sure she never worked there other than with her husband, but the source doesn't say.
The Judge part. I've made sure that each has a wikilink now. I think the source (which I don't have handy) mentions there credentials, so I'll add that soon and not use judge so much.
Thanks for the detailed review. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 16:15, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I fixed the judges thing. The source doesn't say much about who exactly play tested it. I can leave it with "a group of players" or I can go back to how it was earlier if you think that's OR. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 17:36, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Pardon my attempt at humor, I have expanded on the "96-hour non-stop gaming session" issue. Jappalang (talk) 03:16, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Your attempt made me laugh, but belatedly. I fixed the 96 hour ( ;-) ) problem.[75]
"Although Ravenloft II is credited to the Hickmans, Tracy Hickman left TSR before the module was complete" I've looked for sources on when Laura left TSR and why to add in. No luck. Her last work for TSR seems to be 1986, the same year as House of Strahd, but that's as close as not committing OR as I can come (without a better source), and I think it's too close.
Thanks again. You're comments have really improved this article in my opinino. (I'm not saying you can't find other things. I'm just impressed.) - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 05:19, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment on sources: I just looked through the references. Out of 29 sources used, 21 are in no small way affiliated with the publishers of the module or the authors themselves... While Ravenloft is no doubt notable (as evident from third-party sources on D&D), the large use of primary sources might be of concern. This could be understandable, as RPGs are quite a niche low-profile (unless we get into those "products of evil" media condemnations) products. Jappalang (talk) 00:19, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't really disagree. But, as you say, there aren't a ton of independent sources. I basically grabbed all the RSs I could, regardless of independence. I can reduce the number of non-independent sources (although it would make the article smaller), but I don't have a lot of options for increasing the independent ones. There is a review of it in an issue of The Space Gamer #72, which I don't have. I'm not sure how to get it, either. I think it's pretty rare. Even with it, it won't change the ratio that much, and it's info would go in the Reception section, which is one of the few balanced sections at the moment. So, I'm not sure what to do. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 00:54, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Regarding the last unstruck item brought up by Jappalang, here is the exact quote from the source: "The House on Gryphon Hill was the final project Hickman worked on before he left TSR to pursue a career as a freelance novelist in the wake of the success of the Hickman-Weis Dragonlance novels, and he didn’t manage to finish it before he left. Hence, although Tracy and Laura Hickman are credited for their outline and having come up with the overall plot for the adventure, most of the actual writing was done by a hastily assembled crack team of TSR designers in order to meet the rapidly approaching release date" BOZ (talk) 01:10, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Also, I don't believe that Laura was ever a TSR employee (the work she did was likely freelance). BOZ (talk) 01:12, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't mind making the change, but I'd like to hear what you think now, in case you feel differently, Jappalang. Thanks for this very detailed review. It's a lot of fun. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:13, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Here's my latest thought. How about attributing the statment and saying it doesn't say what Laura did. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:35, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
But, I made the change you recommended. I like it, so unless you want me to change it, I'll leave it. - Peregrine Fisher (talk) (contribs) 02:40, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support (outdent): After resolving the above, I am putting my support for this article. The quality of the prose is not judged (as it is not my forte), but I believe this article is as comprehensive as it can be with the sources available, putting forth a summarized neutral view of the subject, and its image use is compliant with policies and guidelines. Jappalang (talk) 22:51, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – Reviewed this at the last FAC, which I don't remember that well. Didn't find too much in a full reading; just the points below:
  • Plot: "The next two cards determine the locations of Straud and the Tome of Straud. The Tome of Straud...". Notice the repetition from sentence to sentence? The best solution is to merge the two sentences, as the resulting sentence will have good length and flow.
  • "and made a pact with evil powers in order to live forever." Tiny bit of wordiness that can easily be removed. I saw another one of these later in the Ravenloft II section.
  • I assume DM is the Dungeon Master? That briefly confused me. Might be a good idea to either spell it out or include a parenthetical abbraviation on the first use.
  • Publication background: "It consisted of a 32-page book, with seperate maps detailing game locations." The with+-ing sentence structure is something FAC prose reviewers have worked hard to reduce, since it is a generally awkward structure. Fortunately, a fix here is easy: "maps that detailed" or "maps which detailed".
  • Tracy and Laura Curtis...". The linked article implies that this is incorrect, and should either be "Tracy and Laura Hickman" or "Tracy Hickman and Laura Curtis".
    • It now reads "Tracy married Laura Curtis in 1977." I think Hickman's last name should be present here. What about you? Giants2008 (17–14) 23:27, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "to make it distinguishable it from the original". Little typo there.
  • Reception: Comma after "were teleported away and replaced with undead wights"? Also need an apostrophe inside "adventures" in this sentence.
  • "the module was given 8 out of 10 ovarall". Double-check last word. :-) Giants2008 (17–14) 01:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – Looks like a pretty good one to me. I do wish there were a few more secondary sources, but this is not the sort of thing that would have been widely discussed in the general media at the time. I'm confident that the best avaliable sources are in here. Giants2008 (17–14) 01:32, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support (moral or otherwise as part-time WP D&D member) - I have overseen this article develop and tweaked it here and there, but I feel it now fulfils criteria WRT prose and comprehensiveness. Casliber (talk · contribs) 14:43, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [76].

Yukon Quest edit

Nominator(s): JKBrooks85 (talk) 12:48, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Hello! I'm JKBrooks85. You might remember me from such FACs as 2009 Orange Bowl and Rampart Dam, but today I'd like to introduce you to something a little different. This is an article about the Yukon Quest, an annual 1,000-mile sled dog race from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon. This is the third nomination for this article, and in order to ensure this time will be successful, I had the help of a number of superb editors in preparing the article. Maralia and Hoary did a complete copy edit, and Hoary also did a great deal of trimming to streamline the prose. Tony1, Dr. Blofeld, and Laser brain gave their nods to the article as well, and I hope you'll do the same. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to drop a note on my talk page. JKBrooks85 (talk) 12:48, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments: Seems like a very good article, although the endorsement doesn't quench my prose regime! I have a couple of issues:
  • Lead:
    • "drop dogs at checkpoints and dog drops". You have "drop dogs" and "dog drops". Could "drop dogs" be replaced by "leave dogs" or similar, as the two are so close it could lead to confusion (as it did for me). Also I think "dog drops" needs to be put in quotation marks.
      • Changed first "drop" to "leave". I'm unsure about adding quote marks around the dog drops, since the term appears so much in the rest of the article and might need to be changed at other mentions. ... For consistency's sake, I think it might work better as is.
    • " "The statement at the bottom on Yukon Quest International, could that be incorporated into the first paragraph? It looks and reads awkwardly where it is, and I'm against such separation from main paragraphs.
      • I've folded it into the preceding paragraph. Putting it in the top paragraph might cause confusion, since the second paragraph references "the competition", and that sentence refers to two additional races.
  • History:
    • The text before Origins feels so strained and unnecessary. It needs to be given some purpose or removed.
      • Done. I don't like leading a section with a sub-section header, so I've also deleted the "origins" subsection header.
  • Participants:
    • Can the graph of participants be given an appropriate caption? If not, I'd consider removing the thumb parameter. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 15:13, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Removed the "thumb" parameter. Thanks for the suggestions! JKBrooks85 (talk) 00:00, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • No problem. I give my support for this article. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 13:47, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:46, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • FWIW, the link checker shows no broken links for me. JKBrooks85 (talk) 00:02, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Pending the addressing of reviewers' comments. I was encouraging and believed this should be worked up to FA standard, but did not give a blanket endorsement. All the same, I think this is now pretty well-written; I do hope it succeeds. A few things towards the top:

  • Maybe there's a good reason not to convert "1000-mile" to metrics at the top? It's "1016 miles or more" below; bit confusing. Is it billed as "1000-mile"? If not, you might consider the less precise "long-distance", given that the exact minimum is provided further down in the lead.
  • Yeah, the 1,000-mile part is actually part of the official name. I bolded it up top on first reference to bring that out ... is there another way that would work better?
  • 80 km/h winds? Child's play, seriously.
  • "On February 25, 1984, 26 racers"—good case for spelling out 26.
  • Because of the introductory phrase?
  • "first-place prize"—couldn't be just "first prize"?
  • Works for me.
  • ... Alaska, Alaska ...
  • Reworded and shortened.

I've lashed out and made the image sizes more generous. The "eastern slope" and the one under it now probably need to go a little up. Change the sizes if you don't like the resizing, but most of the pics are good and contain a lot of detail the readers will want to see. The map and "Petty crossings" are still a bit on the small side, I think. Tony (talk) 11:33, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thanks for the picture changes. They look a lot better at the larger size. I'm sorry for misconstruing your earlier comment. :) JKBrooks85 (talk) 21:28, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Weak support This is just about there, my concern though is that in places I feel it could be made more concise still and given another copyedit. Also maybe you could reduce some of red links by starting new articles?Himalayan Explorer 12:56, 25 August 2009 (UTC) (formerly Blofeld)[reply]

Comment. Alt text is done and that is present is mostly very good; thanks. However, the alt text for the map File:2009 Yukon Quest map.svg doesn't convey the gist of the useful visual info in that map. It should mention the general location, direction, and major highlights of the map (no need to list all the cities; that's too much detail). Alt text is missing for File:Yukon Quest participants graph.svg (please give gist of what that graph says, rather than irrelevant visual detail such as color or whether it's a line graph) and for File:White Pass RR station.jpg. Eubulides (talk) 14:09, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Provisional support – Supported the first time, abstained the second time, and am coming back on the support side now. I read through the lead, which looks good, but have gone no further yet; hence the provisional. I'll probably end up making any needed fixes myself because I'm in a time-saving mode at the moment. When I finish going through it, I plan on fully supporting. Shouldn't take too long, given that it was a great article before the copy-editing. Giants2008 (17–14) 01:12, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support, though with two major dislaimers: (i) I'm ignorant of the subject, (ii) some of the rephrasing is my own. So all in all my opinion is probably worthless. Still, I believe I can say that the article is most interesting and informative, scrupulously sourced (wherever I've checked), and well illustrated. (As somebody who has "frozen" during mere hour-long motorcyle rides in temperatures above freezing, I'd still rather like to know how the participants protect themselves against extensive frostbite in that vile-sounding combination of wind chill and long hours; but perhaps this will be more obvious to other readers.) -- Hoary (talk) 03:14, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support, with the mild disclaimer that I copyedited this fairly extensively before FAC. I have reviewed the changes since, and I'm confident it meets the criteria. Maralia (talk) 02:22, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment - no image / copyright / non-free issues apparent. Black Kite 14:16, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

On my browser, there are lots of image layout issues. There's a big white space in "Pre-race preparation", another in "Two Rivers to Fairbanks", and there are several left-aligned images under third-level headings. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 19:42, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [77].

California's 12th congressional district election, 1946 edit

Nominator(s): Wehwalt (talk) 09:50, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because... I believe it meets the FA criteria. The fifth, and perhaps final (though I am considering an article on the Alger Hiss imbroglio) in my Nixon series, it covers Nixon's first election campaign. It's a GA, in which our WP Nixon expert, Happyme22 was asked for a second opinion by the reviewer and endorsed the GA, and received a peer review by Brianboulton, who was favorable (favourable, in his case) about the article. Most of the photos were taken by me on a visit to California earlier in the summer, at which I also visited three archives to obtain the official Statements of Vote and seek other appropriate sources (such as newspaper clippings from 1946 not available online) that would help this article. I think it's ready to go.Wehwalt (talk) 09:50, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments Good article; interesting read. The only thing I noticed is the last source (1946 election results) is missing publisher, date etc. Dave (talk) 01:06, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That's now fixed. I have the official California statement of vote too, but better to have an online ref there, I think. Thanks for the praise!--Wehwalt (talk) 07:45, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:26, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Aren't that many anyway, someone could do it manually in very little time I suspect. This is an article mostly from offline sources. Thanks Ealdgyth!--Wehwalt (talk) 20:29, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've looked from the top down to the start of "Background".

  • Comma required after "Nixon" in the opening para.
  • Bit clunky, or at least unnecessarily "marked" with bumps: "which would, almost a quarter century later, lead to the White House". Consider "which would lead to the White House almost a quarter century later."
  • Why is "World War II" linked? Is it an obscure event that even a few readers have never heard of?
  • "and to connect" might be better than "and successfully connect", given that the previous "to" is way back and that to connect is to connect.
  • Perhaps "in the election" rather than "in November", since non-US readers will be unfamiliar with the constitutional setting of the ?first Tuesday in November for elections for all levels of government.
  • "explanations have been made" – Consider "put forward" or "proposed" or "considered". "ranging" might be dropped.
  • "such errors" doesn't work—it's plural, but refers back by comparison to a singular "campaign". It's also a little laboured, I think. Could you express the opposite in substantive terms? "while Nixon ran a skilled .... ".
  • "encompassing such (at the time) small towns as"—clunky; perhaps "at the time encompassing such small towns as"?

This demonstrates the need for fresh eyes to copy-edit throughout. Two things that might be watched are comma usage and the awkward placement of phrases in the middle of sentences. Tony (talk) 10:45, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I'll start looking for someone to look at the article, but I may await additional comments so as to consolidate things, and perhaps one of the reviewers will be minded to do some work. Since this article is almost entirely my writing, it therefore displays my writing quirks. As for the White House sentence, I think it important that the sentence end with the words "White House", I'll look at alternative phrasings. Otherwise some of the effect is lost.--Wehwalt (talk) 10:57, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've made most of the specific changes Tony noted. I struck the parenthetical (at the time), because doing it the way he suggested would lead to an ambiguity, the reader could see it as a statement that the 12th district no longer includes any of those towns, which is actually true, since the present 12th district is up by San Francisco, but that's not the point that is trying to be made. I delinked World War II and also Washington D.C. All other comments were acted upon, and I'm seeing about getting a fresh set of eyes.--Wehwalt (talk) 11:39, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"which almost half a century later would lead to the White House.", perhaps? Reviewers are under no obligation to edit nominations—in fact, I would discourage more than a little of that, since we are so short of reviewers. Unfortunately, we are reduced to providing examples from small portions, then returning to re-assess; or at least that is how I try to cover as many nominations as possible. Quirks? Not sure about that unless the readers are likely to find them easy to get; what is most important is a smooth read. Tony (talk) 11:43, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Quarter century. Yes, your suggestion is fine. Frankly, I'm happy for help at any hand.--Wehwalt (talk) 11:53, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think Tony's comments have been addressed, and I dropped a note on his talk page so stating.--Wehwalt (talk) 18:44, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. An excellent and balanced article, both well-written and well-sourced. I have only a couple of suggestions:
    • Maybe add a picture of Voorhis?
    • In the South Pasadena debate, you write that Hoeppel asked one question -- do you know what the question was? It's not crucial to the article, but it might be interesting to the reader. Coemgenus 14:21, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Unhappily, I have not been able to find a free use picture of Voorhis. That's why I fell with glad cries on the license plate attachment at the Nixon Museum which includes a picture of Voorhis (figuratively, it was behind glass), and I photographed that, it's three dimensional and for public display, perfect free use! As for Hoeppel's question, the actual question is not in any source I've been able to find, but it, according to Bullock, had to do with a group in the Spanish Civil War that Voorhis had supported (I gather, though Bullock is imprecise, on the losing side) which was by 1946 believed to be Communist Front. Bullock describes the question as "tricky". Bullock does not say what Voorhis said in response. Gellman doesn't mention it. Morris mentions it, using similar language, and cites to Bullock. I'd be open to putting it in a footnote. Let me know what you think.--Wehwalt (talk) 14:32, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That's too bad about the picture. That's one of the difficulties of writing about post-1923 figures. As to the question, if it's not that relevant, maybe it's best left out, or relegated to a footnote. I have the Gellman book, which doesn't list it, so I was curious. Anyway, great article -- good luck with the FA nom! Coemgenus 16:19, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Good news about Prof. Gellman. The archivist at the Nixon Library told me he's almost ready to go with the second part of his projected three part bio of Nixon. He was out sick for quite a while. Thanks for the support!--Wehwalt (talk) 16:25, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support Comments, leaning to support: I was involved in the peer review, and most of the substantive issues I raised there have been addressed. In general this is an excellent addition to the growing collection of early Nixon articles, and Wehwalt is to be commended for the depth of his research and for his narrative abilities. I mentioned at the review that the prose might need some final polishing, and that still appears to be the case. I have fixed a couple or so minor glitches; here are a few more to be looked at:-

  • Lead
    • I suggest: "First elected to Congress in 1936, Voorhis..."
    • Also, "For the 1946 contest, Republicans sought a candidate..."
    • I'd avoid the repetition in the third paragraph by saying: "...while Voorhis did not return from Washington D.C. until..."
    • ...and in the last paragraph, rather than repeat "defeat of Voorhis", I would simply refer to Nixon's "victory".

Done with minor changes.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • District and campaigns
    • "Voorhis was re-elected by 13,000 votes in 1942"; without knowledge of the total vote, this doesn't tell us whether the 1942 election was close or a walkover. Could "a majority of x%" be added in?
    • Just a thought: are military school principals by definition weak candidates? Otherwise, in regard to 1940, it might be appropriate to say something like "he faced a military school principal with no political experience" - or some such.
      • After digging through Bullock, I find he says that the principal, Capt. Irwin Minger "was an unknown". I'll give him the benefit of the down and call him "little-known".--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Search for a candidate
    • "Tammany Hall" will mean nothing to the great majority of non-American readers (except for the odd geek like me who did an American politics option). Although the term occurs within a quote, this is, I think, an occasion when a wikilink inside a quotation would be helpful.
    • I appreciate the concern to avoid repeating Nixon's name, but calling him "the naval officer" is too anonymous. There are other repetitions in these two sentences which in my view are equally distracting. Thus, I would go for: "When the Committee met on November 28, Nixon received over two-thirds of the vote, which was quickly made unanimous. Chairman Roy Day immediately notified the victor of the Committee's endorsement."
      • Fair enough. You've read my prior FACs when I've been nailed for rep of the name of the subject. I've changed that and also changed two other allusions to Nixon to his name and hopefully the wind won't hit me from the other side.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Suggest instead of "The naval officer was a virtual unknown..." say "The candidate was a virtual unknown..."
      • I just changed it to "Nixon". See previous note.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Two consecutive sentences begin "Charles Voorhis..." Could the second start "Voorhis Sr"?
      • The elder Voorhis is probably more formal, and I've used it with good effect elsewhere.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Primary campaign
    • "In mid-March, Nixon was approached by former congressman Hoeppel, who hated Voorhis." In view of the strong verb "hate", shouldn't this statement be cited?
        • Not a problem. Just found it in Bullock. "a bitter, relentless foe throughout his life" Nixon bios also call him "enemy" and so forth, but they've all read Bullock too.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Nourished by the PAC controversy, the campaign had new life..." Suggest "the Republican campaign"
  • Additional debates
    • "The candidates were compared to Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas" Surely, the comparison was with the Lincoln-Douglas debates rather than, as implied, with the personalities? This should be clarified. Also (for the benefit of Brits etc.), it should be mentioned that the debates in question took place during the 1860 presidential campaign.
        • No, they were referred to as being like Lincoln and Douglas. Bochin's book is online, see here, page 18. Now, I do have a Newsweek post election article where it refers to Nixon having bested Voorhis in five Lincoln-Douglas debates and Voorhis saying of Nixon "The fellow has a silver tongue" but I'm suspicious of it, it does not sound like Voorhis, even a Voorhis trying to be gracious.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • It would help my fellow-Brits if some explanation was added as to why the Lincoln and Douglas comparison was made. Could you add the words "who had debated before the 1860 presidential election" or some similar wording, using thr link? This is a suggestion, not a request. Brianboulton (talk) 22:57, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Is there any reason/history behind Warren's letter praising Voorhis? It seems an odd thing to have done.
      • Warren probably did not intend it politically, from what I gather. Voorhis used a very nice letter Warren had sent him for helping to get a bill passed in the campaign. Warren did not endorse congressional candidates, but Nixon's people went to Warren and said that since Voorhis is using your letter in his campaign, you should disavow the letter or else endorse Nixon. Warren said Voorhis deserved the compliment and he wasn't going to endorse Nixon. Do you think I should add more exposition there?
        • Perhaps add to the sentence "claiming his action was not political." Brianboulton (talk) 22:57, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Historical issues
    • "In 1981, three years before his death, Voorhis denied in an interview that he had been endorsed by the NCPAC." Perhaps this should say "In an interview in 1981, three years before his death, Voorhis repeated his denial that he had been endorsed by the NCPAC."
        • No, you've fallen under the spell of Chotiner. It was the CIO-PAC he denied. He didn't know about the NCPAC until South Pasadena. A little revisionism on Voorhis's part. He "indignantly denied it", too!--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Nixon's backers, especially in the Committee of One Hundred, have been a matter of controversy..." Is it not the identity of Nixon's backers which is a matter of controversy?
        • I've rephrased. I had consecutive paragraphs basically comparing and contrasting the same things. I've combined them. You always catch the things that are bothering me a little, but not quite enough to do anything about it. Now I have.--Wehwalt (talk) 19:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I will be pleased to switch to full support when these matters are tidied up. Brianboulton (talk) 18:20, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I am happy with the amendements that have been made, and have registered full support, above. Brianboulton (talk) 22:57, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I will put in those suggestions. Right now Mattisse is busy copyediting and I don't want to ec her, so expect the changes a little later on. I'm please at the reception this article is getting, it gave me a lot of trouble, I started it before the Senate article but found that one was easier to work on.--Wehwalt (talk) 23:00, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Questions from Ssilvers
  • I am concerned with the very first sentence of the article that says, "An election for the United States House of Representatives took place in California's 12th congressional district...." Didn't the election take place throughout the U.S. on the same date? Shouldn't this say something like, "An election for the United States House of Representatives took place on November 5, 1946. In California's 12th congressional district, the candidates were...."? How do other high-quality election articles solve this?
I strongly believe the subject of the article, even if not stated in the exact same words as the title, should be in the first sentence of the article. There is an article about the 1946 elections, though it is mostly tables. I am splitting the first sentence into two sentences, which I think will address your concerns. It bumps "Nixon" into the second sentence, but that can't be helped. The only high quality election article is my article on the United States Senate election in California, 1950, which has a similar tone to the first sentence.
  • Does the Lead section give an overview of the entire article per WP:LEAD? Ssilvers (talk) 19:05, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I looked it over. I think it does. In very summary form, it tells what the article is about, and leads the reader through it quickly.--Wehwalt (talk) 13:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Results section - What do the parenthetical statements in the Primary tables mean? Can you give a text note explaining their meaning? -- Ssilvers (talk) 19:12, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hometowns. I'll find a way to put in a nice looking text note.--Wehwalt (talk) 13:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support: Regardless of whether my above comments lead to modifications or not, I support the promotion of this article to FA. I have very much enjoyed reading it. The prose is lively, even compelling (and that's saying something for a Wikipedia article!). Congratulations to Wehwalt and the other editors of this article on a fine contribution to Wikipedia. Disclosure note: as I read the article, I made some minor copy-edits to it. -- Ssilvers (talk) 01:48, 4 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

THanks for the support! I've addressed your concerns.--Wehwalt (talk) 13:45, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • This was listed on a list of articles requiring an image review. I have reviewed the images (only) on this article, and can find no issues with them. Stifle (talk) 20:50, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Great. Has someone looked at the alt text?--Wehwalt (talk) 20:54, 5 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    The alt text looks good to me. (I particularly liked the thimble.) Eubulides (talk) 00:41, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    Cool (got it on eBay, the other objects photographed are in archives or museums). Is there anything else that needs to be done? This one's getting pretty senior at FAC, image, tech (subject to misbehaving programs), alt all done, three supports, copyedited.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:17, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Taken care of.--Wehwalt (talk) 20:16, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do reliable sources state these two (they read as synthesis or OR)?
  • Most books that discuss the 1946 campaign agree that Nixon's campaign was far more effective than Voorhis's.
Deleted.--Wehwalt (talk) 20:16, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Most commentators stated that Nixon ran a strong campaign, while the incumbent's campaign was badly organized and plagued with errors.
I've replaced the statement with one about the money dispute which certainly should be in the lede.--Wehwalt (talk) 20:30, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • These two seem at odds with each other:
  • Nixon had a great advantage in press coverage in the race. (not cited, according to whom?)
  • His one avenue of outreach in the press was his newspaper column, People's Business, which ran in most local newspapers. In July 1946, Voorhis chose to suspend this column lest it be thought that he was using it as a means of campaigning. According to Gellman, this weakened Voorhis's political outreach.[93]
The second statement reads as if Voorhis had a great advantage, but gave it up. So, in general, I'm wondering if some of the lead-ins contain synthesis, or can be rephrased or attributed. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:02, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've looked at the lead ins in the aftermath section and reffed, changed, or deleted them. I've expanded and reffed the sentence about the press advantage. That's all of them, Sandy. Thank you.--Wehwalt (talk) 21:04, 6 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [78].

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter edit

Nominator(s): Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 21:29, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


If you're interested in the sad business decisions of a 1990s video game company, then consider Turok: Dinosaur Hunter your primer. It's got guns, dinosaurs, and serious revenue shortages... read on! Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 21:29, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 22:46, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - yet another great Fuchs VG article. igordebraga ≠ 23:54, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. Alt text done; thanks. Two of the three images lack alt text. The remaining image has only the alt text "North American box art", which conveys little info about the image. Please see WP:ALT for more about alt text. Eubulides (talk) 03:54, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • I've taken a first stab at alt text. I'm not exactly sure how to explain a game screenshot, however. Can you take a look and see if I should go about it another way? --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 12:43, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      Thanks. Some comments:
      • "North American box art, depicting an" can be removed, as it duplicates the caption, and also it cannot be verified by a non-expert who is looking only at the image (see WP:ALT #What not to specify).
      • "First-person view of a" Is this phrase needed? More important, that alt text doesn't mention the prominent frame around the image, which has a gun pointed at the dinosaur and other icons.
      • The 3rd alt text looks good.
      Eubulides (talk) 19:06, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Oppose for now, based on 1a crtieria of WP:WIAFA. "Keys, found on all the levels, enable access to the other stages of the game. When enough keys have been inserted into the lock mechanisms of a hub portal, the level is unlocked." this is confusing. "The player's main objective is to find pieces of a relic known as the Chronoscepter, one on each level" that too. "Turok was announced in August 1994 as an exclusive title for Nintendo's planned "Ultra 64" console, which would eventually be called the Nintendo 64 or N64" there's redundancy there. It needs a runthru. Martin Raybourne (talk) 17:58, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments: The article looks to be in good shape. Here are the issues which stood out to me.

  • Some words and abbreviations are used interchangeably without letting the reader know that one is an abbreviation. I suggest using "Nintendo 64 (N64)" and "three-dimensional (3D)" in the article for the first instance of the terms and using the abbreviation for the remainder of the article.
  • The image of the N64 seems a bit superfluous. Maybe mention the analog joystick's reception in the caption to better strengthen the connection.
  • The fourth development paragraph goes into a lot of detail about Acclaim's woes. This is great information, but it seems better suited for Acclaim's article and deviates too far from the subject of Turok in my opinion.
  • I know we disagree on the use of quotations in reception sections, but I still have to bring it up I guess: I think the quotes should be paraphrased more. This of course does not break any style guideline to my knowledge so you are welcome to do what you see fit.
  • The last section reads almost like a "Reception and legacy" section. Maybe consider renaming it. Also, the latter half of the last "Development" paragraph sounds more like reception and legacy content to me, and would fit well with the renaming.
  • Not sure, but I think a comma is needed after "contrast" here: "In contrast William Burrill of...'".
  • Are there any other sources to use in place of the older IGN and GameSpot ones?

I'll probably be offline most of the weekend so I'll check back Monday at the latest. (Guyinblack25 talk 22:58, 28 August 2009 (UTC))[reply]

  • I've hopefully clarified the 3D and N64 terms, added the N64 joystick info to the photo caption, and renamed the last section. To me the last bit of the development section was more about release and thus didn't really mesh with the reception that well. What do you mean by other sources to use in place of the IGN and GameSpot ones? --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 00:01, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Disregard the comment about sources. Further inspection removed my concerns. IGN was an offshoot of Imagine Publishing in the early days and the GameSpot sources are only being used for opinion and a release date.
      What about the tangential details of Acclaim's woes?
      "Both "Nintendo 64" and "N64" are used throughout the article. The clarification removes the confusion, but I think only using one would be more consistent and improve readability. Everything else looks great. (Guyinblack25 talk 15:43, 31 August 2009 (UTC))[reply]
      • I've gone ahead and swapped N64 out for Nintendo 64. As for the details about Acclaim's woes... yeah, it's a bit tangental as it doesn't deal directly with the game's development, but I think it contextualizes a lot and explicitly states how badly Acclaim needed its first big next-gen title to be a hit. Better to err on the side of more info than less, especially in an article that's not threatened with becoming too chunky, is my standpoint. --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 18:11, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Support: Looks good to me. Though I don't agree with all the content's presentation, it does not seem to violate WP:FA?. The prose is well-written, the article is informative, and the sources look good. Another excellent article David. Keep up the good work. (Guyinblack25 talk 18:53, 31 August 2009 (UTC))[reply]

Support - based on Citerion 1a. Is the prose clearer to this non-gamer because games have become much more complex over the past ten years :-) ? Graham Colm Talk 17:42, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support - A thorough article and a pleasure to read. I've found no errors in the article and no reason to object. Well done!--Kung Fu Man (talk) 02:51, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment - no image/non-free issues. Black Kite 14:12, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:53, 6 September 2009 [79].

Blackburn Olympic F.C. edit

Nominator(s): ChrisTheDude (talk) 08:16, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


An interesting (hopefully) article about a football club which folded 120 years ago this year but played a very important part in the development of professional sport. It had a PR, at which User:Finetooth commented that there was very little that needed changing, so hopefully it's now ready for FA, but let me know what you think. Cheers!!!!! -- ChrisTheDude (talk) 08:16, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • The alt text looks quite good (thanks), except that the "alt text" button in the toolbox at the upper right corner of this review page shows that alt text is missing for the two kit diagrams. Please fix this by filling in kit_alt1= and kit_alt2= parameters in the article's call to the {{Infobox football club}} template. Thanks. Eubulides (talk) 08:26, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Whoops - it completely slipped my mind that the kits would also need alt text - is this OK? -- ChrisTheDude (talk) 08:30, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Thanks, that fixed the alt text issues, with just one more tweak to fix a missing "|" that I caught with the "alt text" button. Eubulides (talk) 08:47, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Comment I meant to comment at Peer Review but didn't get around to it. Even so, I have very few issues to raise, and even then they are minor picky ones.
    • The home colours in the infobox look closer to cyan than light blue.
    • by the leading clubs of the Midlands and north should either have both capitalised or neither.
    • Your sources probably make this clearer than any I have, but for the 1883 Cup Final, was extra time compulsory, or by agreement? Oldelpaso (talk) 19:02, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Many thanks for your comments, all addressed now I think -- ChrisTheDude (talk) 20:02, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:08, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – As a sports history buff, the article was an enjoyable read for me, and appears to meet all criteria. Full disclosure: I made a few tweaks for 1a purposes. Giants2008 (17–14) 01:34, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – I only found minor things, good read, well done. Casliber (talk · contribs) 12:21, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments

  • Not a good opening: "Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, which existed in the late 19th century. (This overcomes "existed ... extistence", and the forced vagueness of a 100-year window, clarified in the second para (around the 1880s.)
  • You could almost get rid of ", however," in the second para, given the "only" before it; up to you (it's 50/50).
  • "to legalise professionalism two years later"—so it was illegal until then? Or perhaps "to legitimate" or "endorse" or "set the rules for"?
  • Another ", however," only four seconds later. And I noted two "only"s above (whichd was OK, but do watch those close repetitions).
  • Comma after "era" because the final clause is such a major statement? Slow down the reader?
  • "Existence" for a third time. "For most of that decade"? Or remove that phrase altogether if it's assumed ...
  • Readers have to hit the "strip" link to find out what it means? Still link, but can't it be kinder ... "strip (uniform)" or even "(kit)". Unsure.
  • Subtle point: "The club's first-choice strip consisted of light blue shirts and white shorts from 1880 onwards."—If you put the time-phrase first, as the grammatical "theme" (point of departure), there will be no sense that they had a first-choice strip before 1880. "From 1880 onwards, the club's ...".
  • Why the tiny tiny images? MoS's guidelines have been clarified on this recently. I'd be going for 240–280px (or "upright=1.2–1.5").
  • "where for the first time they faced opponents from the south of England in the form of Old Carthusians."—"in the form of" is a bit laboured in this context (or precious, even); replace with a dash?
  • "However" best first in a sentence; some pedant in the early 20th C said to next it in commas as the second element. Should have been horse-whipped. Best to give the readers the angle up-front.
  • "the first occasion on which a northern team had reached the final." --> "the first time a northern ...".

So ... I have no time to sift through the rest at the moment. This should be promoted, I think, but needs an independent run-through—not a long job, since much of it is very well written. It's good. Tony (talk) 14:10, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for your comments Tony, I'm presuming you didn't mean to score through most of them. I've tweaked the lead in line with your suggestions. As for the images, I thought we weren't supposed to "force" the size of images other than potentially the lead image..........? -- ChrisTheDude (talk) 14:19, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
MOS:IMAGES has changed—if necessary, you can set the sizes of the images. Dabomb87 (talk) 21:11, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done -- ChrisTheDude (talk) 08:15, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Image comments
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 15:59, 1 September 2009 [80].

Chicado V edit

Nominator(s): Ealdgyth - Talk 21:12, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article because... It's been copyedited by Malleus, BrianBoulton, Moni, Xandar, and Iridescent and if there is anything else to be discovered about this mare, I would love to find out. Chicado V is in the top ranks of "blue hen" mares of the Quarter Horse breed, and most all Quarter Horse racehorses descend from her at least once. Ealdgyth - Talk 21:12, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments
  • Burke in notes but not refs; conscious choice?
  • Also, is that pronounced Chicado Vee or Chicado the Fifth? I assume the former, but...?
  • "started, or took part in races, " really awkward, unless... she... was in a race that she didn't start? I suppose this is an attempted to explain "started", but it doesn't work for me. Ling.Nut (talk) 02:17, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Burke is an oversight, fixing now. Pronunciation is up in the air, I'd assume Vee, but nothing definitive is known. My assumption is that she had the V added on to Chicado to distinquish her from an earlier registered "Chicado", the V being chosen for her owner's last name. I've never run across Chicado I, II, III, or IV, but no source states how her name was pronounced. Unfortunately, you wanting me to change the "started" thing conflicts with other editors who wanted an explanation put in. Sometimes, it's impossible to satisfy everyone. Ealdgyth - Talk 02:20, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Broodmare career".. would you add up the sons and daughters and put the total in the first or second sentence of this section (and perhaps in the lead; your call)? Simple addition is NOT WP:OR.
  • Why? I don't set out the various statistics in Easy Jet or Go Man Go? And where would I stop with this sort of summary? Should I set out how many of each color she had, that's actually of more interest to horsepeople. I could figure the ratio of starters to foals, or the ratio of winners to starters among her foals, more information of interest to horsepeople, but definitely minutiae that would make the already dry article even drier. I'm not saying I won't do it, but I'm curious as to why it's needed? (It's not a common bit of summary information for horses, it's not part of the Legends 5 article and generally isn't something you'll see noted anywhere. For example, although the AQHA dam record gives total numbers on a summary sheet, it's not broken down by number of foals for each gender.) Ealdgyth - Talk 02:42, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Because it is basic information, and extremely relevant. because it is easy to do. Because your lead says "Her daughter x", making it sound like there was only one daughter. Because it adds summary info to the section, making it easier to follow/understand... Here's my count:
  • Triple Chick — male
  • War Chic — male
  • Table Tennis — female
  • Three Chicks — male
  • Chicado Chick — male
  • Anchor Chic — male
  • The Ole Man — male
  • Successor — male
  • Alisal — female
  • Eh? Where's Rapid Volley in all that? Seems she's a grandget; the lead calls her a daughter...
Typos, probably. Fixed. I've clarified the lead to "One of her daughters..." I've added the information, but I am doing so under protest, I don't see how it's relevant nor how it helps the section, just adds more information that's really not relevant at all. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:27, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Does footnote 25 mean that the whole pedigree chart is from that source? If so, I dislike this documentation approach. I suggest a simple line of text indicating the source of the pedigree info. I suppose it could be a note or a footnote, but placing it after Chicado's name is kinda obscure. Ling.Nut (talk) 02:37, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Yes, it does. I previously placed the footnote on the "pedigree" header in one of the other horse FAs, but it was rejected there, I'm just following Easy Jet here. Ealdgyth - Talk 02:42, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Following previous FAs is a bad idea. Following documentation methods common in literature is a good idea. In stuff I write, the source would not be displayed like that. Do horsey journals place the notes in that manner?
  • Frankly, horse journals don't footnote pedigrees. A horse journal would have set out ALL that pedigree information in prose (along with discussions of what each ancestor did and how) and if it had been footnoted at all, it would have been in the prose. Personally, I prefer it on the pedigree, where it is. I HAVE seen this approach taken with human pedigrees in genealogy works, so there is precedent. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:27, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do pedigrees always go right to left like that? It's extremely possible; I'm just asking. Seems they do. I went to http://www.qhd.com/ to look.
  • In the pedigree, why are there asterisks in front of Kilkerrun and Chicle? Why is there an equals sign in front of Spearmint?
  • Added explanatory note, basically * means it was imported into the United States, and = means that it lived its entire life outside the United States. Because TBs are registered in many different countries, there may be many different horses in different countries with the same names, and the little symbols help distinquish them. It's a convention, that's all. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:27, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What's the difference between an AQHA Champion and a World Champion? The lead says "Two of her offspring were named Champion Quarter Running Horses", but I see four champions in her first generation,as per qhd.com's page at Three Generations of Offspring For Chicado V:
  • Anchor Chic:; (Stallion); 0353550; (Anchor Watch (TB) x Chicado V); Race money-earner, ;
  • Chicado Chick:; (Stallion); 0185816; (Three Bars (TB) x Chicado V); AQHA Champion, '67 O;
  • Successor:; (Stallion); 0351912; (Go Man Go x Chicado V); Race money-earner, ;
  • Table Tennis:; (Mare); 0094987; (Spotted Bull (TB) x Chicado V); World Champion, '60 3 YO Race Filly;
  • The Ole Man:; (Stallion); 0426041; (Three Bars (TB) x Chicado V); Race money-earner, ;
  • Three Chicks:; (Stallion); 0150624; (Three Bars (TB) x Chicado V); AQHA Champion, '66 O;
  • Triple Chick:; (Stallion); 0072953; (Three Bars (TB) x Chicado V);
  • War Chic:; (Stallion); 0075870; (War Bam (TB) x Chicado V); World Champion, '58 2 YO Race Colt Ling.Nut (talk) 03:41, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • QHD is not a reliable source for those records, I took the records off the official AQHA records. AQHA champion is a show title. Champion Quarter Running (or "World Champion" as QHD says) is a racing title. You'll note that I said she had two "Champion Quarter Running Horses" which she did. She also had two AQHA Champions, which are showing titles and not nearly so prestigious. Frankly, QHD is wrong in its terminology here. The only reason I've left it as an external link is that when I take it out, it comes back. It also links to more information on other horses related to her. I've added an explanatory footnote on the first main article usage of "Champion Quarter Running Horse" Ealdgyth - Talk 12:27, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "She set three speed records " should that be, she set two, and equaled one?
  • Revised in the lead to two, left off the equaled in the lead. Ealdgyth - Talk 12:27, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • With that in mind, I put a suggested revision of those two sentences in the article's talk. Ling.Nut (talk) 04:21, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Why not just quietly fix it instead of making a song and dance about it? --Malleus Fatuorum 00:27, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • It's fixed. To note, that disambig page was just created 30 August 2009, for a redlink. Surely we'd be better off with a hatnote and no disamb page? I kinda doubt that anyone is going to dispute that the breed is the primary usage... but whatever. Ealdgyth - Talk 00:31, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support. Like Iridescent, I was invited to comment on this article before its FAC, and all my concerns were dealt with. --Malleus Fatuorum 00:30, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 15:59, 1 September 2009 [81].

Tom Swift edit

Nominator(s): Ricardiana (talk) 06:40, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


I am nominating this for featured article status because, after very thorough and helpful reviews from Nikkimaria, Brianboulton, and Jonyungk, I believe that it meets the criteria. If not, I would still like to continue to improve the article, and receiving feedback here will help me to do that. Best, Ricardiana (talk) 06:40, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support: This article is a thorough and highly enjoyable overview of its subject, much like the articles on The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and as such is thoroughly researached and well written. It deserves at least consideration, if not promotion, to featured article status. Jonyungk (talk) 12:30, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - With one request. Shouldn't a mention of Tom swifties be included in the article? Otherwise, an excellent article. ceranthor 20:40, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Tom Swifties are mentioned in the "Cultural impact" section. Ricardiana (talk) 20:43, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I could've sworn I didn't see them! Anyway, hands down great work. ceranthor 21:09, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks! the article owes much to great reviewers. Ricardiana (talk) 21:32, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support with a few comments for improvement: first, the intro is kind of short per WP:Lead, as it is now well over 32 kb; second, I would still argue for a few more internal links. Also, I'm unsure of the alt text guidelines: is alt text recommended for these images or not? Nikkimaria (talk) 00:11, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Could you be more specific as to what you suggest be added to the lead, and what should be linked? I'm not sure about alt text guidelines - it's never come up for me before. I'll see what I can find out. Ricardiana (talk) 01:35, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
My comment about the lead was based not on what I feel to be lacking, but on general guidelines - articles of this size should have a 3-4 paragraph lead per WP:Lead. You could potentially add length by a) giving a brief overview of the different series, b) mentioning criticism of the series, or c) simply expanding slightly what's already there, but these are just suggestions. As for internal links, possibilities include: diesel electric locomotive, house trailer, any of the listed writers that have articles (I didn't check to see if they did), photo telephone (or whatever the proper term is), Jews (since African-Americans is linked), the Bible...I'm sure there are plenty of possibilities for helping to WP:Build the web. I, too, was unsure about the alt text...I just remember other FACs being criticized for the lack of appropriate alt text. Anyways, this is a great article, and I think it deserves the FA star. Cheers, Nikkimaria (talk) 03:47, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, Nikkimaria, for all your suggestions. I'll comb over the article and make some changes. Ricardiana (talk) 16:51, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment. Alt text done; thanks. Images need alt text as per WP:ALT. Currently, alt text is present for only one image, and it is too perfunctory ("Tom Swift Jr series"). Eubulides (talk) 05:34, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Brianboulton has kindly offered to help with fixing these. I will also do what I can. Ricardiana (talk) 16:51, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It was tougher than I thought, with these highly ornamented book covers, but I have added alt text to each of the images. My efforts will no doubt benefit from a bit of tweaking, but there you go. Hope to comment on the nom tomorrow.Brianboulton (talk) 23:48, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you very much for doing this, Brian; I think it looks great. I especially like the description of the last cover - I hadn't realized until this issue came up how hard that cover would be to describe, and "struggling" works very well, I think. Ricardiana (talk) 00:47, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, that was a good job. I spotted only one major problem: unnecessary duplication with caption (they are normally read together, so alt text shouldn't duplicate the caption; see WP:ALT #What not to specify). I tweaked it to fix that, and also to make it a tad briefer. Thanks again. Eubulides (talk) 04:40, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Support: I gave a lot of attention to this article during its peer review, and my concerns were adequately answered then. It reads strongly and fluently, and is an excellent addition to Ricardiana's early work in this genre. I have just a few final quibbles/questions:-

  • Authorship section: In this section, author information is only given for the first two series, so is "Authorship" the best name for the section? Or is it possible to mention who were the writers of the last three series?
Hmm. Well, I couldn't find reliable sources on the authorship of the last three. I'm not sure what else to call the section, though ... maybe "Creation"?
  • Series section: the intro (beginning "Five different series featuring Tom Swift...") merely repeats what we have just read, so is it necessary?
No. I just thought there had to be some text between a level two header and a level three one, but I've taken this out. Ricardiana (talk) 17:42, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Third series (1981-1984): It would be interesting to know if the racial stereotyping evident in the earlier series is present in this and later series.
I agree. Unfortunately, reliable sources on the last three are hard to come by. I put in what I could. I haven't myself read much of the last three - I would say the problem was resolved in much the same way as in other Stratemeyer Syndicate books - by mostly eliminating non-white characters (although the third series does have a Native American character). Ricardiana (talk) 17:42, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Books: A missing word: "...a half-dozen more in the most [*] series, Tom Swift, Young Inventor,..." Is it "recent"?
Yes - added. Ricardiana (talk) 17:42, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Cultural impact: Fourth paragraph begins "The series has..." I take this comment to refer to all five series, in which case "has" is wrong. "The series have..." sounds wrong, but if you were to say "The five series have been criticised for their views...", that sounds OK.
I changed this to "books" only because the critic is mostly talking about the second series, with a little of the first thrown in, and, like most writers on TS, doesn't mention the latter three series. Ricardiana (talk) 17:42, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Worthy of promotion on all counts, I think. Brianboulton (talk) 13:21, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, Brian, for your support and all of your comments. Ricardiana (talk) 17:42, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links not checked with the link checker tool, as it was misbehaving. Ealdgyth - Talk 20:22, 24 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As stated at the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys FAQs, James Keeline has written a number of essays of Stratemeyer Syndicate series which rely on archival research and which have been published in journals that are indexed in the MLA. Ricardiana (talk) 04:09, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Probably a good idea to remind me of this when you bring the next one of these sorts of FACs... I'm getting old, I can only remember so much (and it's not a broad enough subject to put him on my cheatsheet). I'll leave this out for other reviewers to decide for themselves, but I lean reliable. Ealdgyth - Talk 11:35, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I will keep that in mind. However, I mentioned that this issue has come up twice before, not as some sort of rebuke or slur on your memory, but in order to establish that consensus has in fact been reached before, and, by naming the specific articles on which it was reached, to enable anyone looking at this FAC to look up the previous discussions and see what was said. Ricardiana (talk) 18:13, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments
  • What's the point of the piped link pen name in the Authorship seciont? Nothing wrong with this, but it struck me as odd.
I was asked to link this by a previous reviewer. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Simon and Schuster produced two other Tom Swift series: one, published from 1991 to 1993, and the Tom Swift, Young Inventor series, begun in 2006." Shouldn't the comma between Swift and Young be changed to an endash? I'm not a grammar expert, but something about that sentence doesn't sound right. Just throwing that out as a possible reason. Regardless, you should be consistent, in the Fifth Series section, the series is titled with colon, not a comma.
The fifth series is spelt this way on the cover of the books. The colon was inserted by some other editor; I've fixed it. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Overlink, As racist redirects to racism, this term is linked twice in the Original series section. I'd remove the 1st link, as it is inside a direct quote.
Good catch; thank you. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Stratemeyer Syndicate employee Andrew Svenson described the new series as based "on scientific fact and probability, whereas the old Toms were in the main adventure stories mixed with pseudo-science",[26] and three Ph.D.s in science were hired as consultants to the series to ensure scientific accuracy.[12]" should be split into two sentences.
"Should" is wording it strongly. I agree, however, that two sentences is better here. Changed. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • The fifth series section is very short. Suggest either expanding this section (preferred) or merging with another section.
There are no further reliable sources with which to expand the section; keeping the section separate is in keeping with the structure of the rest of the article. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Books, television, and other media" is an awkward title. Here's my suggested fix: Re-title "Other media", make the sub-section "Books" the introductory paragraph of the "Series" section above.
I like that suggestion - thank you. Changed. Ricardiana (talk) 05:52, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think it reads better this way. The only further suggestion I could make, is I think with the new order, the level 3 heading under "Other media" is now un-necessary.
  • "; no film, however, was made -> IMO "; however, no film was made" sounds better.
I appreciate your opinion; however, in my opinion, the way it is is fine. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • , but, for unknown reasons, the series was never produced.
That is how the sentence was written originally; I was asked to insert the phrase you've struck out during previous reviews. Ricardiana (talk) 05:46, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I still think it reads better without, but It's not a big deal.
  • First sentence of Cultural impact, shouldn't the parenthesis be changed to en-dashes? (might want to double check with someone more knowledgeable about grammar).
No. A parenthetical clause may be set off by parentheses as well as by dashes. What I have is perfectly correct. Ricardiana (talk) 05:46, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "1910: by 1914" That's not the proper use of a colon. I would break this up into two sentences.
What is "improper" here? Please cite a rule. Ricardiana (talk) 05:46, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I retract this. WP:MOS#Colons does show an example of colon usage similar to this statement. It's just not a usage I'm familiar with.
  • In explaining the change from TSER to taser the "'A'" is upper case but taser is lower case. IMO the cases should match.
Taser is routinely spelt this way, in this article and in other reliable sources; the original acronym of TSER is spelt in all caps in the cited article. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Agreed, my question is should the "'A'" be downcased to match the casing of taser? I don't know the answer, just asking.
  • The stray sentence at the end of the article should probably be moved up to the proceeding paragraph.
Agreed. Changed. Ricardiana (talk) 05:49, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm surprised there isn't a rebuttal to the criticisms of the series pointing out that these ideas were acceptable and even popular in their time. Do your sources support such a statement?
I cite only statements made in reliable sources. My sources, of course, say what I say they say. There are no other sources. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Not doubting your sourcing. Should future research turn up a source with rebuttals to these criticisms, I think that should be included.
  • I'm concerned about this source [82] The publisher appears to be a personal website, and the posting of an entire page of Time magazine may be a copyright violation. Have you asked our non-free content experts if this is ok?
Awadewit, who is an expert on this kind of thing, reviewed this article and found no problem with the scan. In any case, the Times' content is available through databases; I've cited to this website rather than a database b/c it is accessible to anyone, not just university students/faculty. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for checking, just wanted to be sure.
  • Keeline.com is a personal website. Does Mr. Keeline have sufficient credentials to comply with those guidelines? (I'm sure Ealdgyth either has or will bring this up)
This has already been brought up, by Ealdgyth, above, and I have given my answer, also above. Ricardiana (talk) 05:43, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fair enough, if Ealdgyth is happy, I'm happy.

That's about it. Interesting read, these issues are mostly minor prose issues that can be easily fixed. Thanks for putting effort into this article.Dave (talk) 05:15, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you - and thank you for the time and effort you put into reviewing it. Ricardiana (talk) 05:48, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Responded in-line. My concerns are resolved.Dave (talk) 17:12, 28 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 15:59, 1 September 2009 [83].

Neil Harvey with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948 edit

Nominator(s): YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 04:43, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Another of the {{Invincibles Advert}}. Neil Harvey was the youngest member of the team and his century in the Headingley Test stopped the English attack, which had seized the initiative. Australia recovered to restore parity in the first innigns and finished off a the match with a world record. He was also known for his dazzling fielding YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 04:43, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment As per CI, Miller hit two sixes in the first inns at Leeds. As per the article : "with Miller taking the lead. He hoisted off spinner Jim Laker's first ball over square leg for six." and "Miller then lifted Laker for a six over long off, and another over long on from Yardley to reach 54". Tintin 08:04, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Add - the hits off Yardley were two fours, as per Arlott.
Ok, Fingo is probably wrong then in this case. What is Arlott's book?? YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:17, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*Comment2 "Harvey’s knock had taken 177 minutes and included 14 fours." - 188/17 as per CI, please cross check. Tintin 08:07, 19 August 2009 (UTC) [reply]

Add - the stands with Miller and Loxton were of 90 & 95 minutes. So 188 is the more sensible number. Tintin 08:13, 19 August 2009 (UTC) Misread the thing. 177 seems to be the time taken to reach 100.[reply]
I'll make it clearer. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:17, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment3 Did Bradman deliberately let Harvey hit the winning boundary ? Vaguely remember seeing something like that somewhere. That would be worth a mention because of what happened at Oval. Tintin 08:15, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Harvey just jokes in interviews that he is responsible for 99.94 and quips that he should have not scored and yielded. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:17, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment – This is the second nom by YM in little more than 24 hours. That doesn't seem in keeping with the spirit of the FAC instructions, if not the exact letter. Giants2008 (17–14) 16:12, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I waited for two supports. Last year I waited for one and didn't get yelled at. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:17, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fair enough. Giants2008 (17–14) 02:37, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support — Very comprehensive and fully MOS-compliant article as usual from YellowMonkey.--Grahame (talk) 23:43, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments –
  • Early tour: "so Australia were effectively six wickets down and faced its first loss to an English county since 1912." Tense conflict with "were" and "its". I'd change the second because the remainder of the article uses plural.
  • "including two leaping catches in the second innings with his hands above his heads." Harvey had two heads? :-)
  • Fourth Test: "Harvey was called into the team for the Fourth Test at Headingley at the expense of the Barnes." One "the" too many.
  • "This allowed Australia to seize the initiative, with Harvey joined the counterattack during the next over". Last part is off.
  • "Loxton came in to join Harvey at 4/189, who continued to attack...". Might be better if "at 4/189" was moved to the start of the sentence, placing Harvey before "who".
  • Fifth Test: the previous The Oval link is only a few paragraphs above, meaning this one can safely be removed.
  • Later matches: "part of a collapse in which Australia lose their last seven wickets for 89 to end at 361." "lose" → "lost" to ensure past tense. Giants2008 (17–14) 02:37, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. Thanks again YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:49, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Support – Was a fine article to begin with, and is even better now that the few prose fixes have been made. Giants2008 (17–14) 01:33, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support – Read the other day and again looks good. Aaroncrick (talk) 11:54, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 15:59, 1 September 2009 [84].

Ernie Toshack with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948 edit

Nominator(s): YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 01:04, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


One of the main members of the Invincibles, played in four of the five Tests until his knee broke down. YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 01:04, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • I went through and gave it a rough copyedit. Support. Daniel (talk) 05:13, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the ambig with season and tour; I guess if I look it up there were no other wins bigger than inns and 451 YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 05:28, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose Support

  • I am not familiar with this epic run of Yellow Monkey's Invincibles' articles, so i am sure someone will jump in if they think I'm out of line here. All WP articles I would have thought should be reasonably self-contained: they should make sense in their own right. The body text beings "Towards the end of the Test series against Indian in 1947–48 in Australia, knee injuries had begun to hamper Toshack,..." At which point I'm thinking "who's Toshack? Bowler or batsman?" etc. My understanding - i've had an interchange with User:SlimVirgin about this - is that the lead is supposed to summarise the body of the article. Reversing that statement, therefore, the article body of the text should tell me everything that is summarised in the lead. It doesn't. The body text assumes i know this is about Cricket, about a tour to England, what sort of cricketer Toshack was (batsman, bowler) etc etc. I think the background needs to lunch in less abruptly.
Added a more comprehensive background on Toshack's cricket career. YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 06:57, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • That's much better. When you have the time, I recommend a run through all the sister articles (which I believe you intend to bring through FAC) and check they provide similar context. hamiltonstone (talk) 11:34, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Minor point - something is seriously wrong with the note before the references.
I had to come to an agreement with some other users who objected to me using a large grouped ref in the text, so a solution was made up to get one cite to link to a separate grouped cite numbers. Simply grouping 30 refs in one ref markup would not have worked because the refs were reused then we would have printed the same 30 refs in full twice YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 06:57, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • That may be the case, but it is incomprehensible to a reader. They get to a sentence in the last para, which says "...invariably being placed at either No. 10 and No. 11 in the order alongside Johnston,[1] another tailender with little batting ability.N-[1]", and this strange N-1 thing points down to a string of footnote cite tags. No text at all. Even with the benefit of your initial response above I have no idea what this is about. Why do you need to cite all these matches to support this sentence? Is there seriously no analysis (in the sporting pages of the papers in1948-49 for example, let alone the books about this famous team) that would substantiate the preceding remark? However, if the note is necessary, please provide some text for it (here and in all the similar articles, if this is a system across these individual articles) so that a reader coming to this cold can make sense of it. It should be easily done, either as text in the note, or as article text directly beneath the "Statistical note" heading. hamiltonstone (talk) 11:34, 18 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Added a note. Nobody bothered to write that down in the book explcitly as they simply said that Toshack was more or less useless with the bat. With Tests, you can query the Statsguru summariser on Cricinfo, but this is not available for the tour matches. YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 03:39, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments: I'm going to be a grammar Nazi (to the benefit of the article) so try to put up with my comments:
    • The first paragraph of the lead is just confusing. "went undefeated in their 34 matches", is this talking about Ernie or the Aus Cricket Team? If it's the latter I assume you want "was undefeated in its 34 matches" or similar. If it's the former, distinction needs to be made because the sentence runs: Ernie, Aus, Ernie, with no obvious break.
Fixed YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 03:39, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Background: "played in every Test over the next two summers, fitness permitting". Isn't that stating the obvious? Doesn't everyone play, fitness permitting? How many did he actually miss due to injury?
Well they can be dropped in favour of a another player if he plays badly. He missed three. YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 03:39, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Does "1948 tour of England" need to be linked as "1948 Ashes series"?
No, the tour is linked to the tour and the 1948 is a subarticle of it YellowMonkey (cricket photo poll!) paid editing=POV 03:39, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • " ": From and including: "The tour was to guarantee him immortality as a member of Bradman's Invincibles." I begin to lose my way:
      • Firstly, the opening sentence has two meanings for me: the tour guaranteed him a permanent place in Bradman's team, or, being part of Bradman's team guaranteed him publicity. In both cases, is "immortal" the right term to use? How about "As a member of Bradman's Invincibles, the tour was to immortalise him"?
      • "during the voyage". Which voyage is this? It's probably to England, but this is "Background", which could encompass any number of years; it's best to specify.
      • "As a result, there are still sheets in circulation with his name mis-spelt as Toshak." Why would mis-spelling be a given result of his friend signing autographs? Was Toshak his nickname or was his friend not good with a pen?
      • What is that last sentence doing there?
Removed or clarified these

Much better. Some more things:

    • Does World War II need to be wikilinked?
I link everything that is a common noun but if you want to step in then I won't revert you YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:22, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Okay I've removed it on the basis of familiarity with the reader and it being of little further relevance to the article. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 10:30, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Toshack again focused on the leg stump", near the bottom of "Early Tour Matches" is almost duplicated in "Role". Is this meant to happen or are there two instances of this in the tour? Or is the point of "Role" to sum up what has already been said?
Yeah, the role explains the themes of his playing role/style YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:22, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Would it not be good to have a picture in amongst the article somewhere? The article on Ernie Toshack has some good ones (no doubt you're aware of this having worked on it so much!), so is there an issue with using them?
Jappalang would object to those, as they aren't definitively pre-1946, that's why I commented them out.
Okay, won't pursue that then.

By the way, your campaign on The Invincibles for FAT is incredible. How long has it taken you to reach this stage?

A while. The "in 48" ones didn't take so long because there is a big overlap with the contents of the individual Tests, as the tour games were teh only things that had to be put in. Miller and the daughter articles took the most. Bradman took a lot of time from Phanto282 (talk · contribs) YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 03:22, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 09:09, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comments - sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. (I went ahead and fixed the two niggles) Ealdgyth - Talk 22:50, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support - Another fine and MOS compliant article by YellowMonkey.--Grahame (talk) 00:00, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment – Three Roland Perry books are listed in the references, but only one is used as a cite. Somewhat curious as to why that is the case, and if they should be listed under Further reading instead. Prose looks okay at the start of the article, but I want to read the entire page before supporting. Giants2008 (17–14) 01:22, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Removed redudnant YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 00:31, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Support – Gave it a brief cleanup pass, and the article looked good. The background section was a welcome addition, and I hope to see it in other articles on the topic that reach FAC. Giants2008 (17–14) 00:08, 27 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments

*"After the hosts recovered to 6/148, Toshack returned", "Toshack had taken 6/51 in a long spell of 27 overs" these sentences appear to contradict each other, the first suggests he came back at 6/148, the second that he bowled throughout most of the innings including during the MCC recovery.

  • Ken Cranston was an all-rounder rather than batsman.
  • "the hosts were skittled for 89" 86 according to CA.
  • Tim Lester -> Ted Lester
  • "Saggers stood up to the wickets and stumped Tim Lester before Toshack removed three more lower-order batsmen" This suggests that Lester was a low order batsman, yet he batted at five.
  • "Bradman elected to use his part-timers" Three of the four bowlers used were Johnston, McColl and Ring who aren't part-timers to me.
  • "Toshack took four catches on tour" two according to CA.
  • "As Australia's other specialist bowlers were Lindwall, McCool, Johnson and Doug Ring, all of whom made centuries and more than 20 fifties each during their first-class career" Lindwall had 19 and Ring 20.

--Jpeeling (talk) 17:55, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed all of these. I shoudl ahve checked the card before taking Fingo at face value that Ring and McCool were part-timers. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 01:40, 26 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Should any of this be hyphenated?
  • A left arm medium pace seam bowler ...
Sure. I never consciously thought about hyphens, but all my other articles have hyphens, so I don't know what happened in writing this article
  • What is "Toshack was a member of the first-choice XI," first-choice XI?
Easier to just say team. XI in a team, he was in the first-choice team, ie, not a bench YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:25, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • What does 5/40 mean ?
  • his most notable performance was the 5/40 ...
There is a footnote attached to this. YellowMonkey (bananabucket) 02:25, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SandyGeorgia (Talk) 22:06, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - Don't know much at all about Toshack and was an interesting read. This sentence in 'First Test' seems slightly awkward, "During the second innings, Bradman thought that rain might come so he utilised Toshack to bowl defensive leg theory." Anyway maybe it's just me. Aaroncrick (talk) 11:05, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Karanacs 15:59, 1 September 2009 [85].

Rudolf Caracciola edit

Nominator(s): Apterygial 00:12, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


My first attempt at writing about this oft-neglected era of motorsport. Thanks go to 4u1e for the comments and Malleus Fatuorum for the copyedit. If possible, I'd like to get the article on the main page for the 28th of September, the 50th anniversary of his death. Please note that one image (File:Caratsch.jpg) is lacking sourcing information, but SoWhy has contacted the original uploader (an admin on de.wiki) and we are currently awaiting a reply. Apterygial 00:12, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment For the "Complete European Championship results" table, we can't use bold as a symbol per WP:MOSBOLD. Dabomb87 (talk) 02:34, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • That's a convention used across all motorsport articles, so changing it's not a small thing. I can't see anything in MOSBOLD, which seems to be mainly concerned with article text rather than tables, that forbids it. Surely it's just another 'special case' like the other examples listed there? It's certainly the neatest, simplest way of getting the information across without clutter or confusion. 4u1e (talk) 06:55, 14 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Conditional support - Support providing the issues surrounding the image are resolved. Otherwise the article looks good; it reads well, is free of excessive jargon and is comprehensive in it's coverage. As a minor point, I'd like to see articles created where there are red-links, but that isn't enough of a problem to prevent the article obtaining FA status IMO. AlexJ (talk) 15:59, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • Image concerns should be resolved. File:Millemiglia-Radicofani-Montalcino.jpg was never published, and is now released into the public domain, author information is now present. The original uploader of File:Caratsch.jpg said that the image, released in the US, was not accompanied by a copyright tag, hence under US law it is in the public domain. Apterygial 01:08, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Otherwise, sources look okay, links checked out with the link checker tool. Ealdgyth - Talk 17:05, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Does this page make a case for reliability? Also, it's just a quote from someone, not original writing on the part of the website, and quoted from Neubauer's book (which I don't have access to). Apterygial 02:02, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll leave this one out for other reviewers to decide for themselves. Ealdgyth - Talk 13:26, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not familiar with the website, but it does seem to include some respectable writers on its roster - former BBC Top Gear presenter Chris Goffey, for one. 4u1e (talk) 16:24, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I am satisfied with the reliability of the source. The list of contributors on the website includes numerous people from a defunct reliable TV program. Also, it's a quote, not a contentious fact which would require a HIGHLY reputable source. Royalbroil 12:44, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The author of the piece being referenced, Ross Finlay, has had works published by the Reader's Digest and the Automobile Association amongst other journalist credits. I'm content that this reference is reliable. AlexJ (talk) 22:55, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support Very nice and engaging article. Well written and appears comprehensive, well-researched and compliant with MOS. Some minor points that I would like to see addressed:
-I'd prefer to see the following opinions removed or attributed to someone:
"Perhaps his only real disappointment in 1932"
"From here, he might have been able to see Seaman leave the track at the same corner"
"He has a reputation of a perfectionist, who very rarely had accidents or caused mechanical failures in his cars, who could deliver when needed regardless of the conditions."
-"the Clerk of the Course ordered Caracciola to cede the lead to Rosemeyer on the ninth lap." Why?
-1939 championship - perhaps mention who declared Lang champion, and why Muller has a claim. 4u1e (talk) 22:02, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I think I've fixed all of these concerns, either by removing opinions or further citing them. On the other two points, I have added additional information. Apterygial 02:22, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I'm happy with your alterations. Cheers. 4u1e (talk) 16:27, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comments – Just a few quickies, since it's late in America and I'm tired. Hopefully I can find time in the next day or two to copy-edit the rest, if needed.
  • A lot of sentences in the first paragraph start with "He". Can some variety be introduced?
  • I changed one "He" to Caracciola to break it up a little. Apterygial 11:36, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • "and also set speed records for the firm." Little redundant word that can be chopped out.
  • I've seen a couple reviewers say that alt text for images shouldn't have a person's name. Giants2008 (17–14) 03:14, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Eubulides went through the alt text in the article an found no fault. It seems entirely logical to me that his name should be mentioned, as I've described him in the lead picture, so further descriptions would just get repetitive. Anyway, thanks for your review so far. Apterygial 11:36, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support with minor alterations by User:Royalbroil
    • Is there a translation for Caratsch?
      • I wouldn't be able to source this, but I would say that it is a corruption of Caracciola's name, spelt the German way, and as such wouldn't have a translation. Apterygial 06:56, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • define or wikilink "works driver", "reserve driver", "Clerk of Course". Could be links to List of motorsport terminology.
      • I did "works driver" and "Clerk of Course". I think "reserve driver" is fairly self explanatory, and probably doesn't need to be linked. Apterygial 06:56, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Like many early motor racing drivers, he was descended from aristocracy" says the same thing as "Motorsport in Germany at the time, as in the rest of Europe, was an exclusive sport, mainly limited to the upper classes." The thoughts should be next to each other to build on each other. Or they could be separate if you don't repeat the thought that early motor racing drivers were rich.
      • I think they are fairly different thoughts. Caracciola was descended from aristocracy, but that went back centuries, and I don't really think he could be considered upper class. His parents owned a hotel, after all, and they probably weren't terribly rich. I can't imagine any Princes working as apprentices at an automobile factory! Apterygial 06:56, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "started from the back row of the grid (decided by a ballot)" - the ballot part is unnecessarily confusing and probably not needed because it begs questions. Why was there a ballot and who voted? The fans? The drivers?
      • I recommended that this was included. At the time starting positions were drawn at random, not set by qualifying times as almost all readers will expect, so the implication of starting last is not what it is today. Perhaps say instead that drivers drew lots for starting positions, or that positions were allocated randomly, both of which avoid the implication of an electoral ballot. 4u1e (talk) 05:36, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "to refill his car with petrol, ruled him out of contention" should be some rewording. "ruled him out of contention" is technically not correct (who ruled that he's out of contention?). It did place him too far behind to recover.
    • "after their car's generator burnt out" generator should be wikilinked to Alternator#Automotive_alternators because I think it's too technical for a non-motorsport enthusiast. There are other more common engine parts like valve, axle, etc. that you should consider wikilinking.
      • You would need to link to Electrical_generator#Vehicle-mounted_generators, not the alternator link, btw. 4u1e (talk) 05:40, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • Linked to 4u1e's link. Apterygial 06:56, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • There still are around 5 more car parts mentioned in the article that failed which caused him to retire from events that should get wikilinks like valves, etc. Royalbroil 11:43, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
            • I got as many as I could spot; let me know if there are any more. Apterygial 23:16, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Alfa Romeo's dominance was so great the team could choose the top three positions" - what does this mean?
      • I added a short bit which should clarify it. Apterygial 06:56, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
        • I still don't understand. Why were they able to choose their starting position? Did the grid alignment system change from random allocation to something else? Was the quickest qualifier able to select where they start? Did they have the quickest 3 qualifiers as a team and thus were able to select 3 spots anywhere on the starting grid? Royalbroil 11:43, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
          • Not their starting positions, their finishing positions. Hopefully adding "finishing" should make it clear. Apterygial 23:16, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • reason for Chiron's firing is too far off-topic "ostensibly for refusing to stay at the same hotel as the rest of the team" Royalbroil 04:01, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • Removed. It's a great story though. :) Thanks for the review so far. Apterygial

Support I am satisfied that all of my concerns were addressed. Royalbroil 23:21, 20 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support, but u should add the pronunciation of his name as he has a rather tricky last name to pronunce for non-Italians. --Sporti (talk) 16:04, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I had a shot at it, but I don't really fancy my effort. Apterygial 00:51, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Have the Supporting editors reviewed the outstanding question on reliable sources? SandyGeorgia (Talk) 01:44, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment – My run-through to clean up various minor prose issues has gone slower than I would have liked, but I am getting there. There is one sentence, however, that I can't fix without knowledge of the subject: "He transferred to a private clinic in Bologna, where his injuries remained in plaster for six months." I'm pretty sure his body parts were in the cast, and the sentence should say that. Giants2008 (17–14) 17:10, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Do you mean something like "He transferred to a private clinic in Bologna, where his leg remained in plaster for six months."? Apterygial 23:54, 22 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Please be specific and change your proposed sentence to say "... in a plaster cast for six months". Just saying plaster is too informal - I'd be wondering: a plaster what-huh??). Royalbroil 12:40, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I think that's a little harsh, Royal. 'In plaster' is perfectly normal (and formal) usage for a plaster cast, and very unlikely to be confused with a sticking plaster. 4u1e (talk) 14:17, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is that what the suggestion is to change the sentence? I'll change it if need be, but I'm not able to spot an obvious problem there. Apterygial 22:15, 23 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Sorry if you took my comment to be harsh or crude, certainly it was not my intention. I've never heard the usage "in plaster" to mean "in a plaster cast" - maybe it's not formal enough in American English but is fine in Australian and British English. It reads as way too informal to this American. I hope that you change it - if it reads as informal to part of the world, don't you want change it to something that equally as good to you and better in the world view? Royalbroil 02:08, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I have changed it. Looks like another one of those irritatingly common differences between British English (of which Australian English is a subset) and American English. I've never thought of "in plaster" as being either informal or ambiguous. Apterygial 07:21, 25 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Indeed, I have run into these problems many times! Royalbroil 00:44, 29 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Comments I like this article. Very cool. Not a big motor sports fan, but the old stuff is intriguing to me. In terms of scope and focus, this is terrific. I'm not going to comment on the sources, 'cause I don't know the literature well. Your images are appropriate, and well spaced, although I do think some of them could be bigger, because it is hard to see what they are in the thumb size. Writing I do know something about, and here are my comments on that. Please bear in mind these are niggling little comments, for the most part, relating to clarity, etc. I do think your use of commas is minimalist, and normally I'd use more, but my friends call me the "comma-kazi" (and I call them "comma-tose"). sb=should be

*...which ruled him out of racing for more than a year... sounds like it was a rule...how about eliminated him from racing....

    • For me, "eliminated" sounds even more like it was a competition, and he lost because he was injured. I don't know, I just doesn't sound right. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*Mercedes-Benz racing team in 1934, with whom...sb with which....

    • I think "with whom". The racing team is a group of people, not an object. If it was a car, or a type of tyre, "with which" would be appropriate. Apterygial 06:42, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
ah....American vs Queen's English.

*Motorsport in Germany at the time, as in the rest of Europe, was an exclusive sport, mainly limited to the upper classes. redundant

    • I disagree. I think it provides context and helps lead onto the next sentence. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • well, I still disagree. How about eliminating this part from the first paragraph: " Like many early motor racing drivers, he was descended from aristocracy;" First, you don't have a cite for it...do we know how many others there were, and secondly, it's distracting. The important thing you're explaining here is how that Italian name ended up on a German. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:36, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*As the sport became more professional in the early 1920s, specialist drivers, like Caracciola, began to dominate it (missing)

    • I think the it is implicit. Seems a little clumsy having a dangling it at the end. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*Need to write out AVUS the first time.

*Later in 1923, he was hired by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft shouldn't the name be in English? piped link?

*Rosenberger lost control at the North Curve on the eighth lap when trying to pass a slower car, and crashed into the timekeepers' box, killing all three occupants, but Caracciola kept driving.... but? how about omitting the but (since you have the same structure in the next sentence but one). Caracciola kept driving. (and what happened to Rosenberger?)

    • Done. Rosenberger lived, and later co-founded Porsche. I think he died in the 60s... Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*He was surprised, when he crossed the 20th and final lap, to have won the race. He wasn't surprised to be finish the race, certainly....?

    • He was surprised to have been announced the victor; I think he thought he was going to come last and blow any chance he had of ever driving for Mercedes. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
then the sentence is awkward, then. could you clean it up a bit? Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sticking my oar in again (sorry Ap!): "When he finished the 20th and final lap, he was surprised to find that he had won the race"? 4u1e (talk) 19:01, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No worries, 4u, I've changed it to your suggestion. It's always good to get more eyes in. Apterygial 00:01, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*...However, a lengthy pit stop, which took four and a half minutes to refuel his car, left him unable to recover the time, and he eventually finished third

  • Caracciola and Chiron drove into a ditch at the side of the road to avoid the debris; while Chiron was able to continue Caracciola drove into a tree. huh???? How about: To avoid the debris, Caracciola and Chiron both drove off the road; Chiron was able to continue in the race after pushing his car out of a ditch, but Caracciola had driven into a tree.
    • I don't think Chiron got out, he must have rocketed out from the ditch back onto the circuit (this kind of crazy thing happened a lot in the early days) while Caracciola drove along the ditch for a bit and crashed into the tree. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
how spectacular that was! Can you clean it up a bit to clarify it? To avoid the debris, C and C drove into a ditch; Chiron drove out the other end, but C hit a tree and was out of the race. Or something....
I've changed it to something like that. Apterygial 00:01, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • ...the local fleet of Alfa Romeos battled for the lead early in the race, but when they fell back Caracciola was able to take control. .... How about splitting it in two. When they fell back, Caracciola was able to take control....
    • Seems to work well as one sentence, flows well and makes a clear connection between related ideas. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*with ten laps remaining in the race Caracciola was so close he could see Nuvolari changing gears. It was in this manner that the race finished. awkward .....how about .... For the last ten laps of the race, C. was so close he could see Nuvolari changing gears.

    • I changed the second sentence to "He finished the race just behind Nuvolari." Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*Avusrennen. translate, or explain.

  • ...where his injuries remained in a plaster cast for six months? His injuries remained in a cast? *Where did his hip go? Presumably it was in the cast?
other reviewers stumbled over this sentence, so it should be a clue that it's not universally accessible at first, or even second, read. I realize it's probably the difference between our colloquialisms, but you're saying his injuries remained in a cast. It gives me the giggles, like the rest of him wasn't in the cast, just his injuries. Obviously, you mean his injured parts, but they didn't remove the parts from the rest of him, so he remained in a cast too. How about his injured hip remained in a cast?
"where his leg remained in a plaster cast for six months"? 4u1e (talk) 19:07, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
"he remained in a plaster cast" makes me giggle, imagining Rudi completely enveloped by plaster for six months... I appreciate your logic that other reviewers have had a problem with the sentence at the moment, but your suggestion just confuses me. He injured his thigh, not his hip. Perhaps "his injured leg remained in a plaster cast"? Apterygial 00:01, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • YES! :)


*Charlotte was able to take her husband back to Arosa, where the altitude and fresh air would aid his recovery. Charlotte took....?

*Alfred Neubauer, the Mercedes racing manager, travelled to the Caracciolas' chalet in Lugano in November with a view to signing him for the...I'm sure there was a great view at the chalet in Lugano, but probably he planned to sign him. I think "view to signing him" is probably slang?

    • No, but "plan to sign" seems to work just as well. There would have been a great view, the chalet is just above the lake. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*A visit from Chiron encouraged him otherwise, and despite his initial reservations he was persuaded to drive the lap of honour ... A visit from Chiron encouraged him to return to racing, and, despite his initial reservations, he was persuaded to drive the lap of honour (also, needs clarification, lap of honour?)

*Charlotte died when the party she was skiing with in the Swiss Alps was hit by an avalanche. .... Charlotte died in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps....? too much detail.

    • Don't really think so, it doesn't go too far out of the way, but has enough to explain what happened. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*.... (desert race)....from his crash in Monaco two years before, and that he was now back among the contenders

* Although the chassis of the W25 was shortened, and the engine was significantly upgraded to 4.74 litres, but the car proved inferior to the Type C developed by Auto Union

* Following the AVUS race, Caracciola, along with Rosemeyer, Nuvolari and Mercedes' new driver, Richard Seaman,

* ....but in a practice for the race, Caracciola was hit on the head by an object, believed to be a bird, and crashed into the south wall. The organisers had insisted he wear a tank driver's helmet, which saved his life; despite this precaution, he suffered a severe concussion and was in a coma for several days

    • "in practice" is very common in motorsport writing, as it takes place at designated times and is always part of a race weekend, unlike the more informal practice sessions in other sports. I think the comma breaks up the flow of the sentence a liitle too much, and seems a little redundant. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
you've managed to keep jargon out of the article, mostly, so I suggest you fix this in some way so it is not "common motorsport writing"....
"During a practice session..." Long, but prob the only way to define it. 4u1e (talk) 19:07, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Done. Apterygial 00:01, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

* Like most German racing drivers in Nazi Germany, Caracciola was a member of the NSKK.[117] The primary function of the NSKK was as a paramilitary organisation of the Nazi Party devoted to motor racing and motor cars, and during the Second World War it handled transport and supply logistics. Awkward. How about... Like most German racing drivers in Nazi Germany, Caracciola had joined the NSKK, a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP devoted to motor racing and motor cars; during the war, it handled transport and supply.

* ...despite strict currency controls his salary was paid... needs comma: and, despite strict currency controls, his salary...

*During the war, he continued to receive a pension from Daimler-Benz until 1942, when the firm ceased his payments under pressure from the Nazi party Confusing. The NS-regime pressured the DB to stop his pension payments in 1942

    • I've jumbled the sentence around a bit. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

*Links: German Grand Prix, Italian Grand Prix, etc., all have pages, yet you link them to the year, not the page?

    • I prefer to link to the more specific page. I could use the links without piping, but it would mean the same year is repeated several times across the same paragraph, and would grow redundant and vaguely annoying after a bit. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
ah, so there will eventually be pages for each Grand Prix year? good to know. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:17, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
There should be pages now. There's one for every World Championship GP. 4u1e (talk) 19:07, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
SOrry - brain fade. There are pages for all post-1950 races, but not yet for all pre-1950 ones. 4u1e (talk) 10:33, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
There should be a page for each European Championship race (although there wasn't too many of them). Apterygial 21:38, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

These are not major, in fact they are somewhat niggling details, but will help the overall readability, I think....Auntieruth55 (talk) 22:44, August 29, 2009

Thanks. Where I haven't changed according to your suggestion, I've attempted to explain why. Apterygial 04:43, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Apterygial, the things I still have questions/comments about are not crossed out, and I've spaced between them so you can find them more easily. Auntieruth55 (talk) 17:36, 30 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think I've got them now, apart from that plaster one. Apterygial 00:01, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SUPPORT. This is a very interesting article to read, even for a non-motorsports fan. the writing is nicely done, easy to read, and it has a good tone. The links seem appropriate, and easy to follow. I cannot comment on the sources. The pictures work with the flow of the text. All in all, definitely ready for prime time. And Aptery is a delight to work with. I've learned a lot about Australian slang ;) For the sake of "transparency," I should say that the editor and I discussed this on my user talk page, and reached the conclusion that if half the English speaking world understood it, and the other half didn't, then it probably should be fixed so that all (or at least most) of the English speaking world understood it. The issue over the plaster cast was not just "plaster cast" but how the plaster cast was used (what was encased in it). Auntieruth55 (talk) 14:09, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, it was good working with you. Apterygial 21:38, 31 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
  1. ^ Jacobs 1998 p. 193
  2. ^ Loyd, Linda (July 6, 2003). "Two Pills Look to Topple Viagra's Reign in Market; Levitra Expects Approval Next Month, Cialis Later This Year". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E01.
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