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Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-12-05/ArbCom update
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ArbCom election update
:By Flcelloguy, December 5 2005
In a week of heavy activity amid responses from Jimbo Wales (see related story), several users joined the ArbCom race while two withdrew.
Dmcdevit (statement), Doktorbuk (statement), Jpgordon (statement), and Silverback (statement) joined the race. In addition, Filiocht (statement) "unwithdrew", striking out his earlier comment regarding the uncertainties of the race.
Two people also withdrew from the race this week: 172 and former Arbitrator Ambi. Both cited an improvement in the ArbCom's handling of cases and a large number of suitable candidates.
There are now 32 candidates in the race, two short of last year's 34 candidates. Anyone interested should make a statement on the candidates' page immediately.
Also this week: Page creation limitations
— ArbCom election
— ArbCom update
— False biography
— German copyrights
— Podcasting blanking
— News and notes
— Press coverage
— Features and admins
— B.R.I.O.N.
— T.R.O.L.L.
December 5
December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 26 days remaining.
Events
- 1484 - Pope Innocent VIII issues the Summis desiderantes, a papal bull that deputizes Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger as inquisitors to root out alleged witchcraft in Germany and leads to one of the severest witchhunts in European history.
- 1492 - Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to set foot on the island of Hispaniola.
- 1560 - Francis II of France dies and is succeeded by Charles IX of France.
- 1590 - Niccolò Sfondrati becomes Pope Gregory XIV.
- 1766 - In London, James Christie holds his first sale.
- 1776 - At the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, the Phi Beta Kappa is founded as the first scholastic fraternity in the United States.
- 1831 - Former US President John Quincy Adams takes his seat in the House of Representatives.
- 1848 - California gold rush: In a message before the U.S. Congress, US President James K. Polk confirms that large amounts of gold had been discovered in California.
- 1892 - Sir John Thompson becomes the fourth Prime Minister of Canada.
- 1926 - Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin is premiered.
- 1932 - German-born Swiss physicist Albert Einstein is granted an American visa.
- 1933 - Prohibition ends: Utah becomes the 36th U.S. state to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, thus establishing the required 75% of states needed to enact the amendment (this overturned the 18th Amendment which had outlawed alcohol in the United States).
- 1934 - Abyssinia Crisis: Italian troops attack Wal Wal in Abyssinia, taking four days to capture the city.
- 1936 - The Soviet Union adopts a new constitution and the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic is established as a full Union Republic of the USSR.
- 1941 - In Battle of Moscow Zhukov launched a massive Soviet counter-attack against the German army, with the biggest offensive launched against Army Group Centre.
- 1941 - John Steinbeck's book Sea of Cortez is published (Steinbeck used knowledge gained writing this book to develop the marine biologist character Doc in Cannery Row).
- 1945 - Flight 19, a squadron of five U.S. Navy TBF Avenger bombers on a training flight out of Fort Lauderdale, is lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
- 1952 - The Abbott and Costello Show, starring comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, debuts on American television.
- 1955 - The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge and form the AFL-CIO.
- 1958 - Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) is inaugurated in the UK by Queen Elizabeth II when she speaks to the Lord Provost in a call from Bristol to Edinburgh.
- 1964 - Vietnam War: For his heroism in battle earlier in the year, Captain Roger Donlon of Saugerties, New York is awarded the first Medal of Honor of the war.
- 1974 - Party Political Broadcast, the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, is broadcast on BBC 2.
- 1976 - United Nations General Assembly adopts Pakistan resolution on security of non-Nuclear States.
- 1977 - Egypt breaks diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen. The move is in retaliation to the Declaration of Tripoli against Egypt.
- 1978 - The Soviet Union signs a 'friendship treaty' with the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
- 1979 - Sonia Johnson is formally excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her outspoken criticism of the church concerning the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
- 1992 - Kent Conrad of North Dakota resigns his seat in the United States Senate and is sworn into the other seat from North Dakota, becoming the only US Senator ever to have held two seats on the same day.
- 2004 - BJP dissidents in the Indian state of West Bengal launch the Dr. Syamaprasad Jana Jagaran Manch forum.
- 2005 - The 2005 Southeast Asian Games end in Manila.
- 2005 - The Lake Tanganyika earthquake causes significant damage, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Births
- 1377 - Jianwen Emperor of China (d. 1402)
- 1443 - Pope Julius II (d. 1513)
- 1495 - Nicolas Cleynaerts, Flemish grammarian (d. 1542)
- 1537 - Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Japanese shogun (d. 1597)
- 1539 - Fausto Paolo Sozzini, Italian theologian (d. 1604)
- 1547 - Ubbo Emmius, Dutch historian and geographer (d. 1625)
- 1595 - Henry Lawes, English composer (d. 1662)
- 1661 - Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, English statesman (d. 1724)
- 1687 - Francesco Geminiani, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1762)
- 1782 - Martin Van Buren, 8th President of the United States (d. 1862)
- 1803 - Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev, Russian lyric poet (d. 1873)
- 1820 - Afanasy Fet, Russian poet (d. 1892)
- 1822 - Elizabeth Cary Agassiz, American president of Radcliffe College (d. 1907)
- 1830 - Christina Rossetti, British poet (d. 1894)
- 1839 - George Armstrong Custer, American general (d. 1876)
- 1841 - Marcus Daly, American mining tycoon (d. 1900)
- 1850 - Alexander Girardi, Austrian actor (d. 1918)
- 1855 - Clinton Hart Merriam, American ornithologist (d. 1942)
- 1859 - John Jellicoe, British Royal Navy admiral (d. 1935)
- 1867 - Józef Piłsudski, Polish revolutionary and statesman (d. 1935)
- 1868 - Arnold Sommerfeld, German physicist (d. 1951)
- 1869 - Ellis Parker Butler, American author (d. 1937)
- 1870 - Vítězslav Novák, Czech composer (d. 1949)
- 1871 - Bill Pickett, American rodeo performer (d. 1932)
- 1872 - Harry Nelson Pillsbury, American chess player (d. 1906)
- 1875 - Sir Arthur Currie, Canadian soldier (d. 1933)
- 1879 - Clyde Cessna, American airplane manufacturer (d. 1954)
- 1886 - Rose Wilder Lane, American writer and reporter (d. 1968)
- 1890 - David Bomberg, British painter (d. 1957)
- 1890 - Fritz Lang, Austrian-born American film director (d. 1976)
- 1896 - Carl Ferdinand Cori, Austria-Hungarian-born American biochemist and Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1984)
- 1898 - Grace Moore, American soprano (d. 1947{
2005
2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar.
2005 is the World Year of Physics, the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese calendar, and the International Year of the Eucharist in Catholicism.
See also Wikipedia's almanac of events for this year.
Events
- January 4 - Death of the Governor of Baghdad, Ali Al-Haidri, assassinated by gunmen.
- January 9 - The same storm which pounded the US earlier in the month hits England and Scandinavia, leaving 13 dead with widespread flooding and power cuts.
- January 9 - Mahmoud Abbas is elected to succeed Yasser Arafat as Palestinian Authority president in the Palestinian election.
- January 12 - Deep Impact is launched from Kennedy Space Center by a Delta 2 rocket.
- January 13 - Terrorists enter into Israel from Gaza and open fire on civilians near border, killing 6 and wounding 5 others. Hamas and Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claim joint responsibility for attack.
- January 14 - The Huygens probe lands on Titan, largest moon of Saturn.
- January 16 - Adriana Iliescu gives birth at 66, the oldest woman in the world to do so.
Adriana Iliescu.]]
- January 18 - Terrorists murder 1 person and wound 8 people in Gush Katif, Israel. Hamas claims responsibility.
- January 20 - George W. Bush is inaugurated in Washington, D.C. for his second term as 43rd President of the United States.
- January 20 - Ireland completes metrication.
- January 21 - In Belize's capital city Belmopan, the unrest over the government's new taxes erupts into riots.
- January 23 - Viktor Yushchenko is sworn in as the third President of Ukraine in Kiev, Ukraine.
- January 25 - A stampede at Mandher Devi temple in Mandhradevi during a religious pilgrimage in India kills at least 215, mostly women and small children.
- January 30 - The first free Parliamentary elections in Iraq since 1958 take place.
- January 30 - A Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes in Iraq, killing 10 British servicemen. Iraqi insurgents release a video claiming to have shot the aircraft down using a missile.
- February 6 - The New England Patriots defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to win their third Super Bowl in four years.
- February 8 - Danish parliamentary elections continue the center-right coalition led by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and his Liberal Party.
- February 9 - An ETA car bomb injures 31 people at a conference centre in Madrid.
- February 10 - North Korea announces that it possesses nuclear weapons as a protection against the hostility it feels from the United States.
- February 10 - Saudi Arabia holds its first ever elections for municipal authorities, in which only men are allowed to vote.
- February 12 - Fire devastates the Windsor Building, a 32 story office block, in Madrid.
- February 14 - A massive suicide bomb blast in central Beirut kills Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik Hariri and at least 15 other people. At least 135 other people were also hurt.
- February 14 - Around 59 people are killed and 200 injured in a fire at a mosque in Tehran, Iran.
Iran emissions of greenhouse gases.]]
- February 16 - The Kyoto Protocol comes into effect, without the support of the United States and Australia.
- February 16 - The National Hockey League cancels its 2004-2005 season becoming the first North American professional league to cancel a season due to a labour dispute.
- February 19 - Suicide bombers kill more than 30 people in Iraq as Shia Muslims mark Ashura, their holiest day.
- February 20 - Spanish referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.
- February 20 - Early Legislative elections in Portugal result in a landslide victory for José Sócrates and the Socialist Party.
- February 22 - More than 500 people are killed and over 1,000 injured after entire villages are flattened in an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale in Zarand region of Kerman province in southern Iran.
- February 25 - The Serial Killer Dennis Rader is apprehended by Wichita Police and the FBI.
- February 25 - Terrorists murder 5 people and wound 50 people in Tel Aviv, Israel. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for attack.
- February 26 - Hosni Mubarak the president of Egypt asks parliament to amend the constitution to allow multi-candidate presidential elections before September 2005.
- March 1 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules the death penalty unconstitutional for juveniles who committed their crimes under age 18.
- March 3 - At 19:17 the 3500-ton freighter, M/V Karen Danielsen, crashes into the Western bridge of the Great Belt Bridge of Denmark, 800m from Funen. All traffic across the bridge is closed, effectively separating Denmark in two.
- March 3 - Millionaire Steve Fossett breaks a world record by completing the first non-stop, non-refueled, solo flight around the world in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer.
- March 10 - Tung Chee Hwa's resignation: Tung Chee Hwa, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, resigns.
- March 11 - In the UK, the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 was finally given Royal Assent after one of the longest ever sittings by the House of Lords.
- March 13 - First round of Central African Republic elections.
- March 14 - The People's Republic of China ratifies an anti-secession law aimed at preventing Taiwan from declaring independence.
- March 14 - Nearly one million people gathered for an opposition rally in Beirut, a month after the death of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri — the largest rally in Lebanon history.
Lebanon, 2005.]]
- March 16 - Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, accused of the bombing of the Air India Flight 182 in 1985, are found not guilty on all counts.
- March 19 - A suspected suicide bomber in Doha, Qatar, kills one person and injures about 12 others.
- March 19 - A time bomb explodes in a Muslim shrine in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 29 people and wounding 40.
- March 19 - A mine blast occurs at the Xishui coal mine in Shuozhou and rocks nearby Kangjiayao coal mine, killing up to 59.
- March 20 - At least 250 people in Japan are injured and at least one killed by when a magnitude 7 earthquake struck west of Kyushu Island, just 9km (5.5 miles) below the ocean floor.
- March 21 - 10 killed in the Red Lake High School massacre in Minnesota, the worst school shooting since the Columbine High School massacre.
- March 23 - The United States' 11th Circuit Court of Appeals' 2-1 decision refuses to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.
- March 24 - The Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan reaches its climax with the overthrow of president Askar Akayev.
- March 26 - The Taiwanese government called on 1 million Taiwanese to demonstrate in Taipei in opposition to the Anti-Secession Law of Mainland China. Around 200 000 to 300 000 attended the walk.
- March 28 - The 2005 Sumatran earthquake struck off Sumatra, 3 months after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. At a magnitude of 8.7 it is the second largest earthquake since 1965.
- Anti-Japanese demonstrations in China
- April 1 - Newsanchor Peter Jennings hosts what will turn out to be his final World News Tonight telecast.
- April 2 - Pope John Paul II dies, causing widespread grief in the world.
- April 7 - MG Rover, the UK's sole remaining volume producer goes into receivership after a planned alliance with Chinese manufacturer, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation collapses.
- April 7 - A suicide bomber blows himself up in Cairo's Khan al Khalili market, killing two foreign tourists and wounding seventeen others. A group called "Islamic Pride Brigades" claims responsibility.
- April 8 - Referendum in Curaçao on independence vs. integration with the Netherlands.
- April 9 - Tens of thousands of demonstrators, many of them supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, marched through Baghdad denouncing the U.S. occupation of Iraq, two years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and rallied in the square where his statue was toppled in 2003.
- April 9 - The marriage of The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles takes place. Camilla assumes the titles Her Royal Highness and The Duchess of Cornwall.
- April 12 - Fans hurl lit flares onto the field at San Siro Stadium in Milan during a Champions League quarter-final soccer match.
- April 15 - At least twenty one people died and around fifty people were injured in a devastating fire at a hotel in central Paris.
- April 16 - President Lucio Gutierrez of Ecuador declared a state of emergency in the capital city and dissolved the Supreme Court.
- April 17 - Twelve holidaymakers were killed in southern Switzerland when a bus carrying twenty seven people plunged 200 metres into a ravine.
- April 18 - Five people died in ethnic clashes in Iran's south-west Khuzestan province.
- April 19 - Joseph Ratzinger elected Pope Benedict XVI on the second day of the Papal conclave.
- April 20 - fifty six hurt as earthquake hits Fukuoka and Kasuga, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The earthquake measured a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale.
- April 20 - President Lucio Gutiérrez of Ecuador is said to have fled after Congress voted to sack him amid growing protests.
- April 21 - A bus crash in Vietnam's Central Highlands has left thirty Vietnamese war veterans dead and four other people hurt.
- April 21 - A gunfight on the edge of the Saudi city of Mecca has left two militants and two members of the security forces dead.
- April 23 - Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy, re-forms government after its dissolution three days earlier.
- April 25 - A passenger train derails in Amagasaki Hyogo Prefecture Japan killing 107 people and injuring another 456. (see Amagasaki rail crash)
- April 26 - Facing international pressure, Syria withdrew the last of its 14,000 troop military garrison in Lebanon ending its twenty nine year military domination of that country.
- April 27 - The Superjumbo jet aircraft Airbus A380 made its first flight from Toulouse.
- April 30 - Attacks on tourists in the Egyptian capital Cairo leave three militants dead and at least ten people injured.
- May 1 - A suicide attack targets a Kurdish funeral in the northern Iraqi town of Talafar, near Mosul, and leaves at least 25 people dead and more than 30 others injured. Earlier, at least five policemen and four civilians were killed in two separate attacks in Baghdad.
- May 2 - 4th president of Singapore, Wee Kim Wee dies from prostate cancer.
- May 2 - A blast at an illegal munitions store in northern Afghanistan kills 28 people and injures at least 13 others.
- May 3 - At least 32 people are killed and nine others injured when three two-storey buildings in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore collapsed after gas cylinders stored in one of them exploded.
- May 4 - In one of the largest insurgent attacks in Iraq to date, at least 60 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide bombing at a Kurdish police recruitment center in Irbil, northern Iraq.
- May 5 - The United Kingdom votes in the 2005 general election. The Labour Party is re-elected with a substantially reduced majority.
- May 5 - Two homemade bombs explode outside the British consulate in New York, USA.
- May 10 - A live hand grenade lands about 100 feet (30 m) from United States President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but malfunctions and does not detonate.
- May 11 - Serial killer Michael Ross became first person executed in New England in 45 years.
- May 12 - An election was held in the Cayman Islands 7 months later than originally scheduled due to Hurricane Ivan. It resulted in a change of government, with the United Democratic Party giving four seats to the then-opposition People's Progressive Movement in the 15 member Legislative Assembly.
- May 13 - Uzbek troops kill up to 700 during protests in eastern Uzbekistan over the trials of 23 accused Islamic extremists. President Islam Karimov defends the act.
- May 13 - The United States Department of Defense issues a list of bases to be closed as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process (BRAC 2005).
- May 13 - The final episode of the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise is broadcast in the United States. This episode may mark the end of the Star Trek franchise itself, which dates back to 1966.
- May 15 - A passenger ferry capsizes and sinks in strong winds in the Bura Gauranga River in Bangladesh, leaving over 100 people missing.
- May 16 - George Galloway appears before a U.S. Senate committee, to answer allegations of making money from the Iraqi Oil-for-Food Programme.
- May 17 - Kuwaiti women granted right to vote.
- May 19 - Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith released, effectively completing the Star Wars movie saga begun by George Lucas in 1977 and shattering the opening day box-office record with $50,013,859.
- May 19 - The Canadian House of Commons members narrowly pass two budget bills at second reading allowing the minority Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin to stay in power.
- May 21 - Greece wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev.
- May 25 - Liverpool F.C. win the UEFA Champions League by defeating AC Milan 3-2 in a penalty shootout in Istanbul.
- May 25 - The Acting Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, resigned for participating in the Chief Executive Election in July. As a result, Henry Tang and Michael Suen had become the Acting Chief Executive and Acting Chief Secretary for Administration respectively.
- May 29 - French referendum on the European Constitution votes resoundingly to reject.
- May 31 - W. Mark Felt is confirmed to be Deep Throat.
- June 1 - Dutch referendum on the European Constitution votes to reject, the second country to do so.
- June 5 - Switzerland votes to join the Schengen area and to allow same-sex partnerships.
- June 6 - Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam resigns.
- June 9 - Glynn Birch announced as new president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
- June 13 - Singer Michael Jackson acquitted of all charges of harming children (see 2005 trial of Michael Jackson).
- June 17 - A 6.7 aftershock,which followed a 5.3 earthquake the previous day, hits California making it the fourth earthquake since June 12 in California. (California earthquakes of June 2005)
- June 17 - Because of "quadruple-witching" options and futures expiration, the New York Stock Exchange sees the heaviest first-hour trading on record. 704 million shares were traded between 9:30-10:30 A.M. 1.92 billion shares were traded for the day.
- June 19 - Election in the Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain — preliminary results show that Manuel Fraga and the Partido Popular lose control of the autonomous parliament.
- June 21 - Volna booster rocket carrying the first light sail spacecraft (a joint Russian-United States project) failed 83 seconds after its launch, destroying the spacecraft.
- June 23 - The San Antonio Spurs win the NBA World Championship title.
- June 28 - Queen Elizabeth II conducts the International Fleet Review of 167 international warships in the Solent, as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations.
- June 30 - Spain joins Belgium and the Netherlands in permitting same-sex marriage.
- July 2 - Live 8, a series of 10 simultaneous concerts take place throughout the world, raising interest in the Make Poverty History campaign.
- July 4 - NASA's "Copper bullet" from Deep Impact spacecraft hits Comet Tempel 1, creating a crater for scientific studies.
- July 4 - Violent G8 demonstrations in Gleneagles
- July 6 - The European Parliament rejects the Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions in its second reading in the codecision procedure.
- July 6 - The International Olympic Committee awards the 2012 Summer Olympics to London.
London.]]
- July 7 - Four explosions rock the transport network in London, three on the London Underground and one on a bus. Over 50 deaths were reported, and over 200 injured. See 7 July 2005 London bombings.
- July 7 - Al-Qaeda admits to the killing of Egypt's Ambassador, Ihab al-Sherif.
- July 10 - Luxembourgish referendum on the European Constitution votes to accept.
- July 10 - Hurricane Dennis strikes near Navarre Beach, Florida as a Category 3 storm killing 10 people, after killing over 50 people in the Caribbean.
- July 12 - Terrorists kill 5 people and wound 90 people in a crowded mall in Netanya, Israel. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for attack.
- July 13 - Three trains collide in the Ghotki rail crash in Ghotki, Pakistan, killing over 150 people.
- July 14 - A compromise budget is reached in Minnesota, ending the fourteen-day government shutdown.
- July 16 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book of the Harry Potter saga by the British writer J. K. Rowling, is released.
- July 19 - President Bush nominates Appeals Court Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. to the United States Supreme Court, following the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor.
- July 20 - Canada's Civil Marriage Act, legalizing same-sex marriage, receives Royal Assent.
- July 21 - A terrorist attack on London, similar to the July 7 attacks, includes 4 attempted bomb attacks on 3 Underground trains and a London bus. The bombs failed to explode properly, and only one injury was reported.
- July 22 - A Brazilian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes, is shot dead at a London underground station by police who mistake him for a suicide bomber.
- July 23 - A series of blasts in a resort town in Egypt. See July 23, 2005 Sharm el-Sheikh attacks.
- July 24 - Lance Armstrong wins a record seventh straight Tours de France before his scheduled retirement.
- July 26 - Launch for Space Shuttle Discovery return to flight mission STS-114. This is the first Space Shuttle flight in nearly two and a half years since the breakup of Columbia on its return from mission STS-107.
- July 28 - The Provisional IRA issues a statement formally ordering an end to the armed campaign it has pursued since 1969 and ordering all its units to dump their arms.
August
- August 2 - Air France Flight 358 bursts into flames after overshooting the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport; all aboard survive.
- August 6 - An ATR-72 heading from Italy to Tunisia crashes into the Mediterranean Sea, killing 16 of 39 on board.
- August 9 - Space Shuttle Discovery returns to Edwards Air Force Base at 0814 EDT, completing STS-114, "Return to Flight."
- August 12 - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched.
- August 14 - Helios Airways Flight 552 crashes into a mountain in Greece, killing 121.
- August 16 - West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 crashes into a mountain in Venezuela, killing 152 passengers.
- August 17 - The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of the Israel unilateral disengagement plan, starts.
- August 17 - Bangladesh is hit by bomb explosions. [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Bangladesh_hit_by_several_bomb_explosions]
- August 18 - BTK killer Dennis Rader is sentenced to 10 consecutive life sentences.
- August 18 - Peace Mission 2005, the first joint China-Russia military exercise, begins its 8-day training on the Shandong peninsula.
- August 22 - A 4.1 kg meteorite crashes into the Dotito area of Zambezi Escarpment in Zimbabwe, leaving a 15 cm crater.
- August 23 - Israel's unilateral disengagement from 25 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank ends.
- August 24 - Hong Kong High Court Judge Michael Hartmann rules that sodomy laws were unconstitutional.
Michael Hartmann.]]
- August 28 - Terrorist wounds 52 at bus station in Beersheba, Israel. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for attack.
- August 29 - At least 1,300 are killed, and severe damage is caused along the U.S. Gulf Coast, as Hurricane Katrina strikes the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coastal areas. Within hours, levees give way and New Orleans is flooded.
- August 31 - A crowd crush on the Al-Aaimmah bridge in Baghdad kills several hundred civilians (see Baghdad bridge stampede).
- September 1 - Oil prices rise sharply following economic effects of Hurricane Katrina.
- September 5 - Mandala Airlines Flight 091 737 crashes in Indonesia killing at least 117. (See airplane accidents in 2005).
- September 7 - Incumbent Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak wins its first multi-party presidential election.
- September 11 - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and the LDP are returned to power following the Japanese general elections.
- September 12 - Norwegian parliamentary election
- September 12 - English cricket team draw the final match to win The 2005 Ashes.
- September 14 - September 16 - Largest UN World Summit in history, held in New York City.
- September 17 - Helen Clark leader of the Labour Party is re-elected for a third term in the New Zealand general election
- September 18 - Angela Merkel of the CDU and Gerhard Schröder of the SDP both claim victory in German federal election
- September 18 - Afghan parliamentary election
- September 19 - North Korea agrees to stop building nuclear weapons in exchange for aid and cooperation.
- September 24 - Hurricane Rita hits the US Gulf Coast. The 9th Ward section of New Orleans floods for the 2nd time in a month and a half. Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama are also affected.
- September 25 - Polish parliamentary election.
- September 26 - U.S. army reservist Lynndie England is convicted by a military jury on six of seven counts in connection with the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.
- September 27 - Michaëlle Jean, born in Haiti, becomes the 27th Governor General of Canada, and the first black person to hold that position.
- September 28 - American politician Tom DeLay is indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy by a Texas grand jury.
- September 29 - John G. Roberts, Jr. is confirmed and sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States.
- September 30 - The Parliament of Catalonia passes with 120 plus votes and 15 against, the Project of New Catalan Statute of Autonomy, proclaiming in its article 1, "Catalonia is a nation".
- October 1 - 26 people are killed and more than 100 are injured in the 2005 Bali bombings.
- October 1 - The world's largest bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, is formed by the merger of two Japanese banking conglomerates.
- October 1 - An Australian photojournalist in Afghanistan, Stephen Dupont, films US soldiers two dead Taliban militias' bodies.
- October 2 - 20 people are killed in a shipwreck in Lake George, NY.
- October 4 - Hurricane Stan hits Mexico and Central America killing over 1,153 people.
- October 5 - Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith charged with refusing to serve in the Iraq war.
- October 7 - UN nuclear agency director Mohamed ElBaradei is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
- October 8 - An earthquake in Kashmir kills about 80,000 people.
- October 9 - Polish presidential election.
- October 12 - The second Chinese human spaceflight Shenzhou 6 launched, carrying Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng for five days in orbit.
- October 13 - Veselin Topalov wins the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005
- October 15 - The referendum on the new Proposed Iraqi constitution is held.
- October 15 - Riot in Toledo, Ohio during a Neo-Nazi rally surrounding racial issues; 114 arrested
- October 15 - Qinghai-Tibet Railway completed.
- October 16 - US Helicopters and warplanes bomb two villages near Ramadi in western Iraq, killing about 70 people.
- October 18 - The UN tightens the rules for its staff, following several claims of financial impropriety and sexual abuse.
- October 19 - The Trials of Saddam Hussein begin.
- October 19 - Hurricane Wilma swells into a Category 5 storm.
- October 21 - 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, celebrations held around the United Kingdom.
- October 22 - Tropical Storm Alpha forms making the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season the most active on record.
- October 23 - Polish presidential election.
- October 23 - Referendum on the merger of the Kamchatka Oblast and the Autonomous District of Koryakia.
- October 23 - [http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendo_Sobre_a_Proibi%C3%A7%C3%A3o_do_Com%C3%A9rcio_de_Armas_e_Muni%C3%A7%C3%A3o_no_Brasil Guns and Amno Ban Referendum] in Brazil
- October 23 - Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crashes in Nigeria.
- October 24 - Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in southwestern Florida as a category 3 hurricane.
- October 26 - The Chicago White Sox win the 2005 World Series.
- October 26 - Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calls for Israel to be "wiped off the map" at "World Without Zionism" conference in Tehran, Iran, and condemns peace process.
- October 27 - Two teenagers accidentally electrocute themselves in Seine-Saint-Denis, Paris, France, leading to widespread rioting.
- October 28 - Vice presidential adviser Lewis "Scooter" Libby resigns after being charged with obstruction of justice, perjury and making a false statement in the CIA leak investigation.
- October 29 - A train in Andhra Pradesh, India derails, killing at least 77 people.
- October 29 - At least 61 people are dead and many others wounded in three powerful blasts in the Indian capital, Delhi. See 29 October 2005 Delhi bombings for full details.
- October 30 - Hurricane Beta hits the coast of Nicaragua. It is the thirteenth hurricane of 2005, breaking the 1969 record of 12 hurricanes.
- November 1 - The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrive in the United States for a state visit, their first overseas tour since their marriage.
Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-12-05/ArbCom election
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Jimbo starts new poll regarding election
:By Flcelloguy, December 5 2005
This week, Jimbo Wales created a new straw poll and responded to the community's concerns regarding the upcoming Arbitration Committee elections.
"I have removed the poll which was previously here in order to start a new poll, this one based a bit more on reality. (Of course you can see it all in the history.), " Jimbo wrote. "The previous poll claimed, for example, that 'This year, Jimbo has announced that he will appoint candidates directly.' This is either false or misleading. I have always appointed people to the ArbCom directly, for one thing. And this formulation suggests (particularly as it was misleadingly contrasted with 'a public election') that I intend to do so without any community approval or vote, which is simply false." Wales continued, "So we had a straw poll here with zero relevance to the actual question at hand. For the record, the final votes in the flawed poll were 51-17 and then a host of other sorts of votes for things like 'prefer something else', 'unsure', 'polls are evil' and so on. Most of the voters seemed to have been misled into thinking that the choice was between direct appointment by me without any community input versus democratic elections. That's really misleading. I apologize if I had anything to do with the misunderstanding."
Jimbo also attempted to quell some of the community's concerns. "I would like to emphasize very strongly that none of these deliberations has anything to do with me trusting or not trusting the community. I trust the community with my life. The issue is that voting mechanisms are inherently flawed in some ways. A lot of people are fond, as I am, of quoting Winston Churchill's famous line about democracy being the worst form of government except for all the others. He said this, of course, in defense of Great Britain -- a democracy, but also a monarchy and aristocracy. Like the British system, the Wikipedia system is a mixed system and should remain so for at least the present time. I have tried, below, to outline the most prominent options, and to write as fair as I can about the strengths and weaknesses as I see them. I encourage those who are filling out this poll to also add their own brief views on the strengths and weaknesses, so that in another round of polling a week or so from now we can try to work on the details of whatever emerges."
Wales then created a poll with five choices: "Unsure", "Don't care", last year's election method, or two methods that he proposed. Jimbo's "first proposal" was the one he had announced previously, where he would nominate several candidates and the community would either approve or reject each candidate based on a vote. Strengths, he pointed out, were that it would "allow a diversity of candidates, including famous and less famous [Wikipedians]", less ill-will and campaigning because of less controversial candidates, and still giving the community input with the "50% vote by definition". Jimbo also acknowledged several weaknesses in this plan, saying that the plan could be limited: "can Jimbo effectively appoint outside people he knows personally?" In addition, Wales also said that other weaknesses included a "trust issue" and whether or not he could "be trusted to balance community wishes against the fundamental purpose of Wikipedia (to create an encyclopedia, not to have an experiment in democracy)" and that the process would not be as open as a general election.
Jimbo's second proposal was a hybrid between the first proposal and an election. Besides letting Jimbo appoint people and have the community ratify the candidates, the community could also elect candidates with a 50% majority required to pass. However, each candidate would still have to be approved by Wales. Anyone approved by both the community and Jimbo would become an Arbitrator, with excess qualified Wikipedians going into a pool of reserves for the ArbCom. The strengths of the plan would include balancing letting the community choose Arbitrators and allowing Jimbo to ensure diversity; weaknesses would be include "elements of the weaknesses of the previous methods". Jimbo acknowledged that this proposal was an attempt to find a "middle path that does everything we want it to do".
In addition, Talrias later made a proposal on the page: that the community nominate Arbitrators themselves and require a 50% majority to be approved. All candidates would have to garner at least ten people to support him/her before the voting could begin.
After some concern was expressed regarding the deletion of the prior poll instead of archiving it elsewhere (as was later done), the community feedback to the proposals were generally positive. "I applaud you for making efforts to clarify this ArbComm issue and process and look forward to working with you," said E Pluribus Anthony. However, there was limited dissent. "I support anything that takes Jimbo out of the loop. No offense, Jimbo is a great guy, and his 1st ArbCom was awesome. Unfortunately, he is too busy doing things other than editing (which is also great!) to be any good at appointing our judges. Jimbo doesn't scale, " commented Sam Spade.
As of the time of press, Jimbo's second proposal had garnered the most support by far, followed by an open election, Talrias's proposal, and then Jimbo's first proposal. It is unclear how long the straw poll will run; Wikipedians are encouraged to voice their opinions there.
Also this week: Page creation limitations
— ArbCom election
— ArbCom update
— False biography
— German copyrights
— Podcasting blanking
— News and notes
— Press coverage
— Features and admins
— B.R.I.O.N.
— T.R.O.L.L.
Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2005/Candidate statements/DmcdevitThe Arbitration Committee's main role is to smooth out disturbances in the community by dealing with problem users. Individual admins, or even many editors, often cannot, or should not, legitimately deal with non-vandals who persistently misbehave with any kind of lasting remedies. I think the ability of ArbCom to enforce binding remedies more creative and productive than a standard block is a major part of its success. Solutions like revert or personal attack parole, probation, per article, or topic banning, and other more customized remedies allow users to continue to operate in the community and contribute to the community, while targetting the source of the problem. I would continue to encourage such targetted solutions and view banning as a last resort.
The ideal arbcom decision is the one that benefits our encyclopedia most: by allowing cooperative collaboration to continue, and by retaining the productive editors. I think in order to accomplish this it's important that I have a good sense of both our policies (obviously) and the stance of the community at large. However, I would not feel compelled to defer to policy, but rather, would defer to the best solution. I believe firmly that policies do not govern the encyclopedia, but that our encyclopedia governs the policies. I've acted as mediator several times, and been involved in a few arbitrations as well, as an admin or mediator that dealt with the problem editors (not a party). I also [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Dmcdevit&diff=15881151&oldid=15881137 have a thick skin], but I think I'm a pretty non-controversial character. While I did not plan to seek the position, Kelly Martin and Mindspilage suggested I run, and I think I have something to offer. I consider myself extremely open, approachable, and friendly, and I encourage anyone to ask me a question, especially if we haven't met. Dmcdevit·t 23:04, 3 December 2005 (UTC)
Question from Marsden
You seem to have thrown your hat into the ring a week after the discussion page [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2005/Candidate_statements#Last_call warned] that anyone who wished to be considered for ArbCom should list himself "immediately." Were you aware that the "race" had essentially been declared closed before you entered yourself into it? Has the "race" been re-openned without an announcement? Has some special consideration been made for your candidacy, and if this is the case, do you know why it was made? Marsden 01:02, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
:I was approached a while ago by Kelly Martin befoe the newest round of clarifications by Jimbo. At the time, it appeared that the candidate statements would be irrelevant. Since I felt I did not really want to seek the position, but would not refuse if Jimbo or the other arbitrators felt I was reasonable enough to offer, I decided not to list a candidacy, but just wait and see. This was about the same time some other candidates were withdrawing because they didn't think the statements had any clear purpose. As the mood changed and the announcement to list immediately was made, I was still wary of seeking the position, so I decided to hold off. I decided to list myself only yesterday after I had a talk with Mindspillage, and became convinced that I might as well make a statement, especially as I think I may not be all that well-known (at least as much as some other candidates), so the community should have a chance to get to know me. I guess since I'm listed anyway, it would have been better to have done so earlier, but I can't change that. I don't expect any special treatment; if it's too late, then it's too late. :) Dmcdevit·t 01:34, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Thanks for your response. You seem to have made a real fan in 129.82.30.53. ;) Marsden 02:08, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
:Yes, I appreciated the effort on his part, so I've remembered that particular vandalism all these months. :) Dmcdevit·t 02:58, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Some questions being asked of all the candidates by jguk
Q: How old are you and what do you do? (If student, please state what subjects you are studying.)
A: Since this is already on my user page: I am 18 and a student at Reed College. However, I don't think this has any relevance to the position. If you are looking for some kind of measure of maturity or experience, I suggest you look at my actual contributions. Dmcdevit·t 00:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Q: How many hours a month do you think you will need to be a good Arbitrator and are you really willing to put in the time?
A: Having spoken to arbitrators, I'm convinced that 1-3 hours a day, with extra time on weekends, is sufficient. Of course this will vary with the case load, but I'm up to the task. Dmcdevit·t 00:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Q: If chosen, you will need to arbitrate on disputes arising from the creation or revision of articles. Experience of creating and revising articles yourself, particularly where it has involved collaboration, is very valuable in understanding the mindset of disputants who come to arbitration. With reference to your own edits in the main article namespace, please demonstrate why you think you have the right experience to be a good arbitrator.
A: I appreciate your opinion, but I must disagree with your premise. I don't believe that article namespace contributions are "very valuable in understanding the mindset of disputants" other than insofar as they make me a knowledgeable participant in the Wikipedia community. I could point to a few articles I've worked on (I have, I think, two FLs, and have made significant contributions to Black Death, for instance), but I recognize that I have been otherwise preoccupied in the Talk and Wikipedia namespaces recently. Rather, I think that my experience to make a good arbitrator, and my "understanding the mindset of disputants" in particular, comes from the many mediations and discussions, whether formal and high-profile or casual and low-key, with a range of personalities and situations. Dmcdevit·t 00:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Q: Please list out what other Wikipedia usernames you have edited under.
A: None. Dmcdevit·t 00:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Do you support the creation of a Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Code of Conduct as I have just now suggested at User talk:Jimbo Wales#A sincere question? - Ted Wilkes 18:32, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2005/Candidate statements/doktorbukI do not pretend to be high enough for every honour, for every place within Wiki, or for every role needed to ensure the project runs smoothly. I feel my short time here has already taught me how necessary it is to have time, effort and determination; but also a sense of fairness and understanding. Wiki is an ambitious - quite frankly over ambitious and complex in some regard - project, but one of great strength and repute. To keep the wheels turning and all users happy is a task worthy of the strongest person in both mind and spirit. Whether I am able to help and assist is not, as I place myself as a candidate in this election, a question I may be able to answer.
On-line all bets are off. Every trouble maker can cause havoc with edit wars, spamming and inaccurate information. I feel able to help to listen to all sides, to understand the frustration and weed out the vandals. I am a political person, having stood for election in the 'real world' before, so hearing both sides of an argument is second nature. Within this context, the challenge becomes harder but ultimately a challenge worthy of such an all-round project. We must work together to build this from the bottom-up; to be fair, free and focused, and not split into tiny groups of self-interested keyboard juries.
I am willing to give this experience a real shot. If I fail, and I think that is likely, I will continue to work as hard as possible to make all the articles here of the best possible standard. It is the least any determined Wiki user can do.
doktorb 21:40, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
Questions
What office did you run for, and would you like to join me in Category:Wikipedians who have ran for a public office? karmafist 03:07, 29 November 2005 (UTC)
:This is the first office I have put forward my prospective candidature. doktorb 07:56, 29 November 2005 (UTC)
Then you should change your statement above where it says...
having stood for election in the 'real world' before, karmafist 18:34, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
::This is the first Wikipedeia office for which I have put forward my prospective candidature. I mus-understood your question - I have been a Liberal Democrats candidate for Preston city council. Apologies doktorb 08:00, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
Form Question from karmafist
Many policies contradict and overlap with each other, and then WP:IAR makes things even more complicated while making them paradoxically more flexible. When two or more policies apply and conflict, what do you do? karmafist 18:34, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
:I agree that many policies in this field are complex, and the processes of arbitration are significantly slowed by the understanding and processing of these rules. I would strip down the initial process to a main core - bringing together parties and panel - before moving forward. We cannot move through these serious processes with a time consuming process which often benefits no-one; both parties are bogged down and no firm decisions are quickly forthcoming. To counter this, the whole process must focus on the main issues and swift conclusion. Contradictions solve nothing. doktorb 07:58, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
:The following questions are for each candidate, and do not specifically target you
Do you hold any strong political or religious opinions (e.g. concerning George Bush, Islam, or on which end you should break a boiled egg)? If so, would you recuse yourself from cases centred on these?
:I am a member of the UK Liberal Democrats, so I have opinions and views of a political nature, but keep these to political contexts and situations where necessary. I do not think overt political views should be allowed to put weight on a decision in an arbitration situation. For example there may be cases where users are in serious disagreement over the future of an article on a religious or moral issue; I could not allow myself to cloud the issue with my own views on the subject matter, only the users involved.
:On the wider issue of prejudice, obviously in cases where there is an obvious extreme view being taken, I may find it difficult to separate myself completely from personal views. This is, in my opinion, a situation few people could say they'd not go through themselves. Each case would, in some respects, be taken on individual basis
How willing are you to contest the decisions of other arbitrators rather than just "go with the flow"?
:It depends on the context, for me. If the evidence suggests a decision could only be made in which fair penalties are placed on both parties, and the consesus is itself unclear, I would put forward my personal view and allow the decision to be put 'in the mix'. I would not disagree with a decision just to be the "awkward man".
Do you view all requests to re-address cases, particularly requests made by those most penalised, as being automatically without merit?
:The process is not, as it stands, short or sweet. It takes time, it takes a lot of evidence and discussion. At the end of the debate a decision would have been made following difficult and problematic analysis. Obviously any appeal would have to be placed in the context of the history of the case. If it is fairly clear-cut, the re-address request would be looked at but I would underline the points raised in the decision to point out how the evidence stacked up. It becomes difficult the closer it was to call the original point
In the case against Yuber, it was decided by the arbitration committee that it is the duty of arbitrators to investigate, and rule on the behaviour of not only one party involved, but all of them. Do you support this decision? [if current arbitrator] Does your visible behaviour on recent cases reflect this decision?
:I would not be happy if only one party was penalised in a situation where it was clear all parties had roles to play in the original complaint or situation. I would rule on the behaviour of all parties unless there existed pretty good evidence that only one party was absolutely in the right
All answers doktorb 17:10, 3 December 2005 (UTC)
--Victim of signature fascism 16:44, 3 December 2005 (UTC)
Question from Marsden
Many people have noted that Wikipedia's original communitarian structure is no longer functioning very well. One editor has [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2005/Candidate_statements/Jpgordon suggested] that ArbCom is "about getting the trains to run on time," which is a reference to a fulfulled promise of Mussolini's fascist government. Do you agree that Wikipedia needs to become more orderly, and if so, do you think there are any options other than a move toward a more centrally controlled authoritarian system? Do you think that the spirit of cooperation in Wikipedia would survive such a change? Marsden 15:53, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
:What I would like to see is an approach which maintains an ordered and yet simplistic structure. There are complications - deletion nominations for example - which need to change to allow more new members to feel a part of the system. Arbitration is a complex structure but I think can be strengthened without losing its fairness. doktorb 16:20, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
Some questions being asked of all the candidates by jguk
Q: How old are you and what do you do? (If student, please state what subjects you are studying.)
A: 25 and an office worker (desk monkey =))
Q: How many hours a month do you think you will need to be a good Arbitrator and are you really willing to put in the time?
A: It will take a long time but I know a sizable chunk of the day can be taken with looking at cases.
Q: If chosen, you will need to arbitrate on disputes arising from the creation or revision of articles. Experience of creating and revising articles yourself, particularly where it has involved collaboration, is very valuable in understanding the mindset of disputants who come to arbitration. With reference to your own edits in the main article namespace, please demonstrate why you think you have the right experience to be a good arbitrator.
A: We all know how Wiki works, and how editing and its ease allows everyone to "be bold" and put forward their own ideas and content. I have had experience of people making edits with which I don't agree, and as yet have managed to get through by discussion with those involved. It is very easy to talk to someone who makes a reasonable edit, and to discuss the merits of future editing. It gets harder when up against tougher/stubborn characters, but it is possible - as i have shown in the movement of Constituencies in United Kingdom General Election by another user - to talk through the issues calmly and reasonably.
Q: Please list out what other Wikipedia usernames you have edited under.
A: IP address I cannot recall, but almost always Doktorbuk (signed as doktorb) doktorb 08:56, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
Question from Ted Wilkes
Do you support the creation of a Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Code of Conduct as I have just now suggested at User talk:Jimbo Wales#A sincere question? - Ted Wilkes 18:32, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
The short answer is, yes. I support any system which enhances the arbitration process. doktorb 16:42, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
Thank you. Someone created the article without my knowledge. As such, would you mind offering some input? Thank you. - Ted Wilkes 18:08, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2005/Candidate statements/JpgordonAsk away...
Question from SlimVirgin
Hi Jp, this is a question about trolls and other kinds of bad-faith editors. We have all dealt with certain types of editors, where going through the full process of an arbcom case feels like a terrible waste of time and energy, because even a glance at their edits shows they're not making good contributions to the encyclopedia and are causing trouble. However, they may not be bad enough for an admin to give them a long or indefinite block for disruption. They inhabit the twilight zone of what Carbonite has called the semi-troll.
What's your view on how the arbcom should position itself with regard to these users? On the one hand, we all want to see some form of due process. On the other, the arbcom isn't about giving every dog its day, but about getting the trains to run on time, as someone on the mailing list said. My own position is that the arbcom should have zero tolerance of trolls and semi-trolls, and I feel we all know them when we see them, but I can see that some people would find this too harsh a view. What's your position? SlimVirgin (talk) 17:37, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
:Good question. I don't think arbcom is the right place for a zero-tolerance approach; administrators and other editors should, however, be supported in their lack of tolerance for trollery. Arbcom has to be flexible; certainly, keeping the trains running on time is the top priority, but keeping the trains running on time means having a good respect for the train crews. Wikipedia is not therapy; we don't have any particular responsibility here to provide emotional support for troubled adolescents who wish to express their disdain for authority by wasting the time and energy of the huge mass of encyclopedists here. What Arbcom should be for primarily is to arbitrate disputes between well-intentioned editors who are having trouble reconciling their differences with each other. Assuming good faith requires us to assume that each editor, until proven otherwise, is working to better Wikipedia. But as one particularly annoying well-intentioned but utterly wrongheaded user wrote recently, WP:AGF is a rebuttable assumption. It's also the case that good faith isn't sufficient; an editor might be editing in good faith but be blinded by political views or have emotional problems that make their good faith work to the detriment of Wikipedia. It's these subtleties that Arbcom has to be most careful about. I'm far less likely to label people "trolls" than some other editors; I think, for example, that both Rex-with-all-the-numbers and Zephram Stark truly believed they were fighting the good fight; they just could not understand that their methods and their rhetoric was totally discrediting and drowning out any positive contributions they might otherwise be making.
:So, to make a long story endless, I think "trollery" shouldn't be an issue for Arbcom; I'd just as soon see the term kept out of Arbcom discussions at all. It's not a helpful label. "Disruptive asshole" should suffice. (Oh, I think I'm not supposed to say that.) --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 18:40, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
::Good answer. Thank you. ;-) SlimVirgin (talk) 18:48, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
Question from Marsden
You seem to have thrown your hat into the ring a week after the discussion page [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Arbitration_Committee_Elections_December_2005/Candidate_statements#Last_call warned] that anyone who wished to be considered for ArbCom should list himself "immediately." Were you aware that the "race" had essentially been declared closed before you entered yourself into it? Has the "race" been re-openned without an announcement? Has some special consideration been made for your candidacy, and if this is the case, do you know why it was made? Marsden 23:04, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
- Fair question. I didn't see anything that said that it was closed. I saw suggestions that it might be closed "soon". If I was incorrect -- if it was, indeed, closed -- I will of course withdraw my candidacy. In fact, I only put my hat into the ring after I noticed that someone else had done the same thing the same day. So, to my knowledge, the "race" has not been re-opened (since, to my knowledge, it was not closed); to my knowledge, no special consideration was made for my candidacy. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 03:14, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Thanks for your response, JP. Do you think that [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia%3AAdministrators%27_noticeboard%2FIncidents&diff=29988613&oldid=29987690 your comment] at the administrator's incidents noticeboard about suggesting "that other editors do anatomically impossible acts" the day before you announced your candidacy for the Arbitration Committee demonstrated a level of good judgement and objectivity suitable for membership on the Committee? Marsden 04:41, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
- In that particular case, very much so. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 05:06, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Thank you for answering the question directly, JP. Another candidate might not have been so willing to be accountable for his past behavior. Marsden 05:57, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Question from BDell555
Could you provide an example of someone "editing in good faith but blinded by political views" such that he or she should be indefinitely blocked? Would somone who is known to be associated with an organization like stormfront.org be an example? How about someone associated with the Muslim Brotherhood or, alternatively, a contemporary equivalent of the Stern gang?
Would you revert an edit that sources a publication by a controversial organization like ihr.org even if it could be proven that the document cited was 100% accurate and/or endorsed as fully accurate by another, uncontroversial organization? If so, which other organizations would you consider to be in need of the same treatment? Would you deny, without further inquiry into the document's claims, arguments, or methodology, the possibility that any document or publication by such an organization could be possibly be accurate?Bdell555 07:17, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
- No, I won't provide such an example; that would imply pre-judgement should I become an arbitrator and should any such person be brought before the panel. At any rate, people shouldn't get blocked because of their views; actions are what matters. The obvious example is User:Amalekite, whose associations were irrelevant -- but posting a list of Wikipedia Jews on a Nazi website could not be construed as anything less than intimidation. As far as ihr.org is concerned, that's easy; ihr.org is dedicated to the propagation and perpetuation of falsehood, and thus is not a valid encyclopedic source except as an example of such falsehood. Any organization dedicated solely to holocaust denial would be handicapped by the same antagonism toward reality, and would be similarly useless as a source. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:47, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
::If I posted "JayJG, Jpgordan, and Fred Bauder are members of Wikipedia's leftist cabal" to a right-wing website would that be "anything less than intimidation"? Would I be indefinitely banned if I claimed that User:Amalekite was a Nazi and there had been several documented incidents of people being incited to commit violence against persons who were accused of being Nazis? Or would I be banned if, in the context of some sort of dispute, I posted the name, profession, location, and phone number of some third party, in the manner of Fred Bauder on his candidate Q&A page?
::Would you extend the principle you apply to ihr.org to an organization like the Soviet Union and its sympathizers which have denied verified atrocities like the Katyn massacre or, alternatively, various contemporary Turkish organizations which deny the Armenian Genocide, or are some atrocity deniers to be held to a different standard than others?Bdell555 01:02, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
:::I'd judge each case according to its merits should such cases arise. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 02:12, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
Some questions being asked of all the candidates by jguk
Q: How old are you and what do you do? (If student, please state what subjects you are studying.)
A: I'm 51 and retired; my last employment was at eBay where I was Chief Engineer; before that I was at Autodesk for about a decade.
Q: How many hours a month do you think you will need to be a good Arbitrator and are you really willing to put in the time?
A: No idea, really, how many I'll need. It depends entirely on the number of other arbitrators and the caseload. Since I'm retired, I have the time.
Q: If chosen, you will need to arbitrate on disputes arising from the creation or revision of articles. Experience of creating and revising articles yourself, particularly where it has involved collaboration, is very valuable in understanding the mindset of disputants who come to arbitration. With reference to your own edits in the main article namespace, please demonstrate why you think you have the right experience to be a good arbitrator.
A: I've been more of a janitor than a creator of articles. However, my experience in the real world is sufficiently broad to make up for my shortage in actual article creation.
Q: Please list out what other Wikipedia usernames you have edited under.
A: None. It's possible I made one or two edits before I registered, but I'm not sure. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 02:50, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
Do you support the creation of a Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Code of Conduct as I have just now suggested at User talk:Jimbo Wales#A sincere question? - Ted Wilkes 18:36, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2005/Candidate statements/SilverbackWikipedia does not need more rules, but it has become large enough, that it does need to be seen to enforce those that it has fairly, consistently and without prejudice. I am skilled at analyzing systems, arguments and evidence and at seeing both sides of issues. Too many people are taking disputes personally and not attempting to resolve issues in good faith and this culture is overburdening the arbcom. The arbcom can discourag | | |
