Archive:Monthly Write-a-Thon/May 7, 2008: Difference between revisions

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== When? ==
== When? ==
Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month.  The next Write-a-Thon is '''Wednesday, March 5th, 2008'''.  <!-- January 2nd starts on January 1st, 1200 UTC, in New Zealand, and ends on February 7th, 1000 UTC, in Hawaii.-->  Save The Date!  Put it on your calendar!  Set yourself a reminder!
Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month.  The next Write-a-Thon is '''Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008'''.  <!-- January 2nd starts on January 1st, 1200 UTC, in New Zealand, and ends on February 7th, 1000 UTC, in Hawaii.-->  Save The Date!  Put it on your calendar!  Set yourself a reminder!


Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count, though to be a ''bona fide'' partier, you have to write your new articles when it's that day in your part of the world.
Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count, though to be a ''bona fide'' partier, you have to write your new articles when it's that day in your part of the world.
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== The Partiers ==
== The Partiers ==
*"Oh look, I'm first." said [[User:Derek Harkness|Derek Harkness]] while keeping to the trend of writing in the 3rd person during the party. He started by fulfilling all the theme requests in one article with the [[Imperial Palace, Beijing]]. That's his local tourist attraction and also related to the up and coming Olympics in Beijing. After an new article must come and edit so Derek did a little bit about the population of [[China]].
*[[user:Aleta Curry|Aleta]] thought she was early, but [[user:Derek Harkness|Derek]] was already there.  Gave him five points for being first in, and awarded an extra five for the stunning combination of themes in one article.  Deducted two points because he didn't bring a [[bottle]].  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 14:44, 4 March 2008 (CST) [[Family]] was the first thing I thought of that I absolutely love.  Our [[farrier]] missed an appointment, bit of a worry since we've got a [[pony]] with chronic [[laminitis]].  Decided to tell you all a bit about [[Jack Russell]], credited with originating one of the world's most lovable terriers. [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 03:50, 5 March 2008 (CST)  Just discovered that in fact, CZ had no [[lightbulb]]s!  Jeez, Louse!  No wonder the poor woman couldn't change one! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 17:18, 5 March 2008 (CST)
**Hey, did you know bottles played a key role in the creation of the world?  My college roommates and I reenacted it once: [http://www.metacafe.com/watch/455668/the_brewmasters_tale here].  That's me who appears on the left once in a while.  Use a fast internet connection and good speakers to get the full effect. :) -[[User:Joe Quick|Joe Quick]] 15:45, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:::Y'know, you should not make fun of the handicapped!  "Use a fast internet connection", indeed!  Okay, if you leave that long enough for me to check it out at a [[library]], or something....Acutally, I'm supposed to be testing out satellite internet sometime soon...so they tell me.... [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 16:31, 4 March 2008 (CST)
::: Joe, that reenactment is very cool! Nice work with the bottles.[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 06:13, 5 March 2008 (CST)
:::: &$@#( college LOTR geeks.  Seriously, as a closet geek and musician who has blowed across his share of empty bottles, that is very, very cool!  ROTFL --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 12:41, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::::: For the grand final of the [[cricket]] in Australia recently, they ran an ad where a full orchestra was playing the sponsoring beer company's theme jingle on beer bottles at the [[Melbourne Concert Hall]]. Loved it. Proud to be a closet geek and musician if people can come up with stuff like that! [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 16:41, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] waves to [[user:Derek Harkness|Derek]] and [[user:Aleta Curry|Aleta]]--good morning, partiers! (and thank you, Aleta!) She is starting off her contributions today by a short stub on her actual native language: [[Chavacano language|Chavacano]]. More to come, especially after she asks her mum how to spell most of the vocabulary. (With an Australian upbringing and schooling, it has always been a spoken language for her) ;) Happy writing, all![[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 17:15, 4 March 2008 (CST) ... continuing on with a quick note on what was once a mysterious monument to her: the [[Metronome, Letna Hill|Metronome]] in Prague.
:I thought Louise was saying that the Metronome was a mysterious monument to [[user:Louise Valmoria|Louise]]!  O-KAY, then! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:28, 4 March 2008 (CST)
::[[user:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] can learn a lot from Aleta's excellent writing skills ;) How about ... a monument that she had once found mysterious?[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 19:13, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:::That was generous--are you sure it isn't Aleta's altogether-too-fast first reading of things?? [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 19:29, 4 March 2008 (CST)
::::Not too generous--I might be too fond of riddles, but people often take issue with the way I can write sentences that can be read in several ways ...! Works well in fiction, not so well in an encyclopedia ...
::After some delicious [[creole (food)|creole food]] (thanks [[User:Todd Coles|Todd]]), Louise is now thinking about drinks. In the mean time, as a lover of chemistry and physics, there is now a stub on one of her role models, [[Marie Curie]], and also a bit on one of her favourite languages/the language of her second home, [[Czech language|Czech]]. To help out with the Olympics request below, also something about the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] which were held in Melbourne (a trip to the State Library is required for more research, but it is a start ...) [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 21:57, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] is tottering back with some [[Port wine]], just for drinks.[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 23:51, 4 March 2008 (CST)
*[[User:Todd Coles|Todd]] was inspired by [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta]] and started a stub on [[creole (food)]], which he loves a little bit more each time he has some.  Hopefully, he will make it in the front door shortly.. and he has arrived at the [[Imperial Palace, Beijing|palace]].
:[[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]] wants to know whether anyone may be interested in including [[creole (food)]] in the [[CZ:Proposals/Recipes_Subpage_and_Accompanying_Usage_Policy|recipe]]?
*[[User:John_Stephenson|John]] was also surprised to see so many people showing up early... he got talking with Aleta over in the corner for [[creole (people)]], then picked up a [[manga]]. [[User:John Stephenson|John Stephenson]] 21:14, 4 March 2008 (CST)
* Fortunately there isn't any alarm set to the user page - otherwise [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta]] would have dragged [[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]] at 3 o'clock in the morning. Anyway, another six hours later he managed to scribble a few lines about his native tongue [[Bangla]], by modifying from WP! Then he went to find out whether another ''write-a-thon'' article is as empty as the [[bottle]] and took a break. (Empty bottles are often broken and put to other use by stronger men!)
: Hey, [[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]], is that a quote or an adage or something? Or beer wisdom? I really like it ...[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 23:12, 4 March 2008 (CST)
::Louise, [[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]] added a comment on the [[Bangla]] page on the most well known form of region-specific humor but coudn't elaborate because of language barriers! Then he added a few links to [[Marie Curie]].
*[[user:Joshua Knapp|Josh Knapp]] has started an article about one of his first loves, the [[Detroit Tigers]]. And as a party contribution, he has brought a couple bottles of another of his loves, whiskey! (Yes, he realizes that it was the official libation two months ago, but as he does not see any listing for this month yet, he decided to make a nomination.) Now, since the party has just started on the east coast of the US, where he lives, he plans to go to bed. He plans to make a substantive contribution to another article when he gets up in the morning.
*[[User:Gareth Leng|Gareth Leng]] 04:23, 5 March 2008 (CST) started [[Growth hormone]], not really something he loves, except maybe it would be nice to be a few inches taller. Also added a bit to [[Marie Curie]]. Maybe will look in on the whisky later. (No 'e' though). OK hit the [[bottle]] instead.
*"Well, hope I didn't mess this up", thought [[User:Carlos Ferreira|Carlos Ferreira]], as he submited his very first contribution to Citizendium, a stub on the beautiful [[Focke-Wulf Fw-190]]. After concluding that no, it was probably a good thing, he went back to work, before his boss ever noticed what had happened...
::[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] welcomes [[User:Carlos Ferreira|Carlos]] to the party! Nice one![[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 06:13, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::Belated welcome from me, too, Carlos--and well done! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*What's a party without music? [[User:David E. Volk|David Volk]] brought his [[bass guitar]] to provide a little beat for y'all, and being newly married, gave [[monogamy]] a try.
:Just noticed that you've joined the married crowd.  Good for you!  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*[[User:Joe_Quick|Joe Quick]], having visited a number of [[museum]]s recently for one of his classes, decided to start an article on that topic.  One of the museums (the Field Museum in Chicago) had an extensive [[ethnography|ethnographic]] collection, so he thought it was appropriate that he add his two cents to the article on [[Creole (people)]].  He'll be back this evening to pitch in a bit more.
:He came back to upload a photo of some [[bottle]]s but as he was arranging the shot, he realized what poor taste he has had in liquids recently.  It must be the intermittency of his paychecks.  He might try again after his evening class.
*[[User:Regina Bouillon|Regina Bouillon]], one of the latest on this Wednesday, but - thanks to Aleta - alert. I wrote about one of my favourite dishes, [[Fufu]], and added some lines ton an article about one of my favourite countries, [[Ghana]]. To make it more exotic, I wrote down the recipe of a German beverage, [[Dead Aunt]].
** "[[Dead Aunt]]," that's the lyrics to the [[Pink Panther]] theme song.  Who knew it was a German [[beverage]] too? --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 12:34, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::::What, really?  ''Did you just make that up?''  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:02, 5 March 2008 (CST)
:::::If "Dead Aunt" is really in that tune, we Germans do not mind. Of course they have taken the name of our cocktail, but we are generous, if it is not the cocktaiil itself they take away. [[User:Regina Bouillon|Regina Bouillon]]
::::::That sounded so fab, I just had to try it.  Only had clear [[rum]] on hand, though, Regina.  So does that mean I made a ''Living Aunt''? (It was yum, whatever it was.)  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 16:24, 6 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] loves [[Flattop Mountain (Alaska)]], which used to be a local tourist attraction for him, and which he has hiked a few times (along with most of the other front-most peaks of the Chugach next to Anchorage), but he does not love the [[Focke-Wulf Fw-190‎]], which probably shot down some of his compatriots, but he is not above copyediting CZ articles about it. --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 12:34, 5 March 2008 (CST)
** Added a fair bit of info to [[Robert A. Heinlein]], one of my favorite sci-fi authors.  Anybody up for an article about [[grok]]?  This is one of my very favorite made-up words. --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 15:17, 5 March 2008 (CST)
** Hit the [[bottle]] like the other sots... --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 16:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Carlos Ferreira|Carlos Ferreira]] came back for more, still dozing on the vagaries of to hyphen or not to hyphen - on the Focke-Wulf Fw-190. Or is it Fw190?--[[User:Carlos Ferreira|Carlos Ferreira]] 14:10, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Derek Hodges|Derek Hodges]] started [[Robert A. Heinlein]] and would have continued working on authors starting with "H" until he got to the "Hod"s, but his battery is about to conk out. -[[User:Derek Hodges|Derek Hodges]] 15:51, 5 March 2008 (CST)
** If your CZ work is done using battery power, it's time to buy a backup battery, Derek! --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 16:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] cranked up the volume on his computer tracks of [[Tom Dooley]], [[The Tijuana Jail]], [[MTA]], and [[The Reverent Mr. Black]], and wrote a brief article about the semi-immortal [[Kingston Trio]], who are still touring 51 years after their first incarnation. He then added a query in the discussion area of [[Robert A. Heinlein]], whom he was lucky enough to know towards the end of his life, and added a sentence about Cajun food to the article about [[Creole (food)]]. But now Larry wants him to do a [[Topic Informant]] thingee about Mr. Heinlein, and I guess I'll have to figure out how to do that before rewarding myself with a well-merited [[Mai tai]] for today's labors....
::'bout time you got here!  Pass over a Mai Tai, will ya?  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 17:18, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Kjetil Ree|Chuck]] loves [[Cristiano Ronaldo|C. Ronaldo]]! He also found a photo for [[Port wine]], even though he is not that enthusiastic about Port. --[[User:Kjetil Ree|Kjetil Ree]] 17:40, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::Yeah, Ronaldo's pretty amazing, isn't he?  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* Fearful of the [[weak force]] applied by our host, [[User:Jitse Niesen|Jitse]] joins the party just before the clock strikes midnight. He also tried to chat up [[Marie Curie]], but she just pretended she was dead. No chance for love here.
::''Guffaw!'' Reallly Laughing out Loud, Jitse!  My Border Collie, whom I love, thinks I've lost it.  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:00, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[Jeffrey Scott Bernstein]] effervesced over with info on one of the world's great music compositions, [[Violin Concerto (Beethoven)]].[[User:Jeffrey Scott Bernstein|Jeffrey Scott Bernstein]] 17:53, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Joshua M. Jensen|Joshua]] started an article about the [[Jarai language]] and spent more time on the bibliography than on the article. I also got frustrated by how hard it was to find citation templates. And I don't like the new proposed skin. [[User:Joshua M. Jensen|Joshua M. Jensen]] 18:44, 5 March 2008 (CST)


==Keen-as-mustard and jumped the gun==
==Keen-as-mustard and jumped the gun==
[[User:Roger Lohmann|Roger]] thought that the main party room was getting a little crowded and stepped briefly into this empty space with little thought of keen mustard nor gun jumping. He did start a new set of [[Civil_society/External links]] yesterday! Thinking his family was something he really loved, he did a bit of writing expanding the [[Family]] stub today, and performed a batch of edits on aspects of [[Civil society/Related Articles]] of which he is very fond. (Loving civic engagement and debate about civil society might be a bit over the top.) To top off the March party he started a new stub on [[Applied social sciences]].


== Porch sitters--article creators who didn't edit a new article ==
== Porch sitters--article creators who didn't edit a new article ==
[[User:Yuval Langer|Yuval Langer]] just got from his first [[Ethology]]... erm... [[seminar]]? (The [[Doctor|Dr.]] asked [[User:Yuval Langer|Yuval Langer]] and the other students questions, so it wasn't a [[lecture]]) ANYWAY, he wrote a SINGLE SENTENCE about [[Monogamy]] and will continue with [[Polygamy]] and [[Polyandry]]. He is also asking for help. Monogamy can increase the [[fitness]] of the individuals, but where do I find reliable sources saying that? What about the number of humans that fit into the monogamy definition? [[User:Yuval Langer|Yuval Langer]] is running google searches, but as you might have heard, google does not care about reliability, only popularity...
:[[User:Yuval Langer|Yuval]], you might try running searches on monogamy and emotional and physical fitness in any academic journal databases you have access to. Other keywords you might use to filter your Google search could be 'behavioural neuroscience', 'sociology', 'statistical evidence' (as a phrase, not individual words ... because how often does your average romance advice site ever use those phrases?? Any psychology-related databases might assist you there, but I advise to start your search from inside an academic search engine (even if it filters only to that publisher's list of journals it's a start). I haven't tried searching in Google yet, but I can imagine the kinds of sites you're getting at the moment ;)
:I have read a couple of summary articles about this in the plethora of journals I subscribe to in recent years, and will run a search to help you out ... I do have to run shortly though, so it might not happen during the Write-a-Thon period. Will definitely keep you posted on my findings though. Hope this helps? Cheerio! [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 16:54, 5 March 2008 (CST)
:: Woah, thank you. [[User:Gareth Leng]] contributed so much in the time I wasn't here. I'll try to do as you say and add more material later, not in this Write-a-thon. [[User:Yuval Langer|Yuval Langer]] 17:30, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* <s>[[User:Petréa Mitchell|Petréa Mitchell]] normally has no time to write on Wednesdays, but suddenly had a couple hours free this evening, plus new pictures from the zoo, and created a stub for [[Asian elephant]].</s> Never mind, I finally stumbled across the official stub guidelines (very well hidden, they are), and it's nowhere near enough words, and the illustration counts for zilch. [[User:Petréa Mitchell|Petréa Mitchell]] 23:13, 6 March 2008 (CST)
:Hmmm...well, if your schedule will never allow you to work on Wednesdays, we'll have to award you the same dispensation as [[user:Nereo Preto|Nereo]] [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 23:18, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::Not being a student, an academic, or a retiree, I have to keep my writing to outside work/commute hours, and Wednesday is usually the worst day of the week for me. But I realize I'm in the minority, so y'all carry on with your party schedule... [[User:Petréa Mitchell|Petréa Mitchell]] 22:59, 6 March 2008 (CST)
:::Same here. Wednesday is the worst day of the week for me to write up a new topic. When I do write up something I tend to take time doing more than a stub (redirects excluded). I tend to do most of my work over the weeekend then upload it on Mondays or Tuesdays. So no I'm not ignoring the write-a-thon, it was just bad timing. [[User:Meg Ireland|Meg Ireland]] 00:20, 7 March 2008 (CST)
== Party crashers--contributors who didn't create a new article ==
== Party crashers--contributors who didn't create a new article ==


==The shy ones, absent-minded profs, and other modest creatures==
==The shy ones, absent-minded profs, and other modest creatures==
*[[User:Olier Raby|Olier]] played a [[number]]s game.
*[[User:Hendra I. Nurdin|Hendra]] explained that a [[martingale]] is not a bird singing sweetiy in the night.
*[[user:Meg Ireland|Meg]], fresh from her recent ''Draft of the week'' triumph, [[New Yardbirds|made music]] over in the corner.


== The total party poops ==
== The total party poops ==
''Go ahead, admit it!''
''Go ahead, admit it!''
I must admit that I slept away the Feb WaT and did not even confess it. So I do it now instead. Which kind of punishment is waiting for me? [[User:Regina Bouillon|Regina Bouillon]]
Well, you can be one of the Citizens who has to change the [[lightbulb]] ... seriously, no worries, just jump in and write! Welcome to the party, it's good to have you here this month Regina![[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 16:30, 5 March 2008 (CST)
:I'll change all your [[lightbulbs]], but not without having asked an expert. - Thanks for your welcome, Louise - [[User:Regina Bouillon|Regina Bouillon]]


==Special Requests==
==Special Requests==


== Questions ==
== Questions ==
* How many Citizens do you think it would take to change a lightbulb? Points for the most creative answer ... [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 17:55, 4 March 2008 (CST)
**One to just go in there and replace the lightbulb, and another to constantly ask to be updated on the process of the lightbulb changing, request future notification should the lightbulb be changed (or need changing), and when it goes dark. --[[User:Robert W King|Robert W King]] 18:30, 4 March 2008 (CST)
**Do you mean "replace a burnt out lightbulb"? --[[User:Anthony.Sebastian|Anthony.Sebastian]] 13:14, 6 March 2008 (CST)
::Oh, Lordy!  Let's see:  One to notice that the lightbulb needed changing,
::Ten to agree with him, ten to discuss the relative merits and disadvantages of lightbulb changing....
::Two to ask if the lightbulb really ''wanted'' to be changed....
::Two to say "See?!  That's why I voted ''against'' lightbulbs during the pilot phase!"
::One to propose that a '''CZ:Proposal for lightbulb changing''' be written.
::Three to demonstrate why they themselves cannot be lightbulb-changing Proposers.
::Two techies to suggest that well, as long as there's a proposal anyway, could we not upgrade to '''CZ Illumination version 5.0?'''
::One decorator to put forward new lightbulb fixtures and chandelier designs.
::Another decorator to argue with him.
::Three health nuts to point out the dangers of incandescence.
::One bold soul to say "to hell with it" and actually *draft* the ''CZ:Proposal to Change a Lightbulb''
::Two to point out that the Lightbulb-changing proposal is driverless....
::Two to ask if lightbulb changing actually requires a proposal, or could someone just change the lightbulb?
::One to suggest that someone ask the Editor-in-Chief
::Two to nominate a third person to be the Proposal Driver
::One ''proposal driver nominee'' to explain in great detail that he does not care to be the driver, but will if no one else volunteers.
::Five to debate the current '''Proposal to Change a Lightbulb'''.
::One to propose an Alternate Proposal.
::One to suggest that the new '''Lightbulb Changing Proposal''' be merged with the old '''Proposal to Change a Lightbulb.'''
::Five to state loudly that ''they would prefer to just sit in the dark....''
::One twelve-year old to actually go ahead and change the lightbulb.
:: [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:44, 4 March 2008 (CST)
::: This just made my day, lol. --[[User:Todd Coles|Todd Coles]] 21:00, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:::: Haha! Is it too early in the Write-a-thon day to declare this one the winner yet? [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 21:12, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:How many wikipedians to change a lightbulb? Answer, 200. Of these 199 will change the lightbulb but one will continually revert back to the broken lightbulb stating vigerously that the old bulb is better than any of the new ones. [[User:Derek Harkness|Derek Harkness]] 22:36, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:: That's mean.... but all too accurate, alas. [[User:J. Noel Chiappa|J. Noel Chiappa]] 12:08, 5 March 2008 (CST)
:I just discovered that we don't seem to have an article for [[lightbulb]]. In light (!) of the fact that [[User:Nereo Preto|Nereo]] has difficulty joining us on Wednesdays, that we haven't forgotten him ... let's see just how many Citizens actually ''can'' change a lightbulb, eh? :D [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 17:02, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::In light (sorry!) of the fact that the timeclocks are wonky, I've no idea if your wish is my command or if you're a day late and a dollar short, Lou!  [[user:Aleta Curry|Aleta "let there be light!" Curry]]
:::Citizendium has been enlightened! I think that got through to the Write-a-thon day. Thanks Aleta!
:::I also thought it would just be funny if everyone edited the [[lightbulb]] at least once, so that the answer to the question 'how many Citizens does it take to change a lightbulb?' would be 'well, all of them ...'[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 10:59, 6 March 2008 (CST)
::::Yeah, I would find that pretty funny! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 16:19, 6 March 2008 (CST)
* If we were to put music to this write-a-thon, what would be your music of choice? Are we discoing writers here, classical, or living it up to rock and roll? [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 21:12, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:: (a couple of hours later) ... looks like from [[User:Larry Sanger|Larry]]'s email to the CZ-List that he's a [[jazz]] fan. Come on, someone make his day with an article about [[Fats Waller]]![[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 23:15, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:::I think people might have noticed by now that I have [[David Bowie]]'s China Girl on repeat the whole time I'm at the party. [[User:Derek Harkness|Derek Harkness]] 06:04, 5 March 2008 (CST)
::I'll give you television, I'll give you eyes of blue, I'll give you men who want to RULE THE WORLD! Or is that [[Iggy Pop]]'s version? [[User:Ro Thorpe|Ro Thorpe]] 16:56, 5 March 2008 (CST)
* [[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]] piqued my curiosity about another one, while we're thinking of CZ:International and native languages: what's your favourite adage, local or otherwise? Ever visit another country and heard a local bit of wisdom that made you think twice? [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 23:15, 4 March 2008 (CST)
:In China, above the teachers blackboards is a saying that translates are "Day day studdy good good up." [[User:Derek Harkness|Derek Harkness]] 23:27, 4 March 2008 (CST)
* When writing about '''Something you absolutely love''', why do we have to "''keep it clean, now, folks!''"? Aren't we allowed to write about .... (long list of sexual terms )[[User:Christian_Liem]]
(sexual topics list removed) [[User:David E. Volk|David E. Volk]] 16:25, 24 March 2008 (CDT)
*:Oh yes, just not in a prurient way. Basic rule is that this is family friendly, so write about these things, but in a way that you'd be comfortable with children reading. Children have a right to know, and better get their information from here than elsewhere, but nothing exploitative, sexist, offensive to reasonable enlightened people, nothing crude prurient or pornographic. Just basic good sense really. [[User:Gareth Leng|Gareth Leng]] 14:12, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*::Is 'family friendly' synonymous with 'child-friendly'? The former always sounds as if we mustn't offend the parents. I speak as an only child, mind you...  [[User:Ro Thorpe|Ro Thorpe]] 16:56, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*:::Sigh.  Christian, I think you may be using a different definition of ''love'' from mine.  I can't speak for [[user:Larry Sanger|Larry]], the original proposer.
*:::Ro, what a can of worms!
*:::[[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 17:49, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*::::I think I can write about just anything if sufficiently motivated, ie, in the form of a contract and an eventual check, but I seriously wonder if I, or even [[Robert A. Heinlein]] for that matter, could do much of a "family friendly" article about [[bukkake]].... I think that maybe Christian is not entirely Clear On The Concept here.... [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 18:18, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*:::::''Philia,'' not ''eros.'' --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 23:42, 5 March 2008 (CST)
*::::::Since we're all so classically educated here, what about ''agape''? [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 08:47, 6 March 2008 (CST)
*:::::::See, Hayford can pull that off.  I was going to say ''agape'', but I'd sound snooty.  Meanwhile, I'm still agape at Christian's list. [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 16:19, 6 March 2008 (CST)
*::::::::I learned ''agape'' from my uncle, who animated Family Circus cartoons and many commercials and all sorts of other things.  Not a towering intellectual but a great guy.  Anyway, I believe he told me that agape meant brotherly love, or anyway a kind of love one has toward human beings.  Things one absolutely loves, well, that wouldn't be limited to ''agape''; I think one uses ''philein'' for that but I am basing that on my one year of college Greek! --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 23:10, 6 March 2008 (CST)
*:::::::::There's a sorta on-line information source, a type of, oh, Internet encyclopedia, I guess, I forget its name, that has a *long* article about ''agape'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agape]. It does indeed differ slightly from ''philia'' BUT it also seems to be a Greek word that the early '''Christians''' used in their writings more than the Greeks themselves did. That's the extent of my knowledge. At least you got *one* year of Greek! By the time I got to Exeter in '56 they had removed the Greek requirement -- still had Latin, though, and I suffered through 3 years of that torture.... [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 08:56, 7 March 2008 (CST)
*:It's got nothing to do with ''philia'' or ''eros''. Some people love movies, some love chocolate, some others love sex. I'm just sayin' :) --[[User:Christian Liem|Christian Liem]] 01:31, 6 March 2008 (CST)
*:::Yeah, well--''we heard ya!'' [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 16:19, 6 March 2008 (CST)
*::I don't know why that list should be in any way controversial. It's just reality that those things exist and belong in a good encyclopedia. What's wrong with an encyclopedia article about penis? It wouldn't be any stranger than one about the spleen, or the toenail. Unless, of course, you adhere to some idea of religious morality, where sex is taboo and should be explained through bees and flowers. --[[User:Christian Liem|Christian Liem]] 18:54, 7 March 2008 (CST)
*:::Instead of haranguing us about your list and how wonderful it is, why don't you just go ahead and write an article called [[Penis]] for pete's sake? If you do it in a scholarly, or at least an educated fashion, I am 99.999999% sure that you will find it a part of this encyclopedia. I am also extremely curious as to how you will frame your article about [[Bukkake]]. [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 19:07, 7 March 2008 (CST)
*::I'm not going to start any of those articles, since I'm not a biology or sexology expert. Besides, if just listing those topics produces such a controversy, I don't think Citizendium is ready for such articles. Please prove me wrong? --[[User:Christian Liem|Christian Liem]] 05:52, 8 March 2008 (CST)
:::Our conservative policy prevents those types of articles from existing.  Frankly, I would risk my status as a member to keep them from existing.  Not that I believe in censorship, but there is a time and place for everything and this wiki isn't the place for certain subjects.  --[[User:Robert W King|Robert W King]] 07:19, 8 March 2008 (CST)


==It's a wrap!==
==It's a wrap!==
Once, again, a truly amazing write-a-thon.
Another month in which I could not read all the articles in one sitting--there were too many!  Gorgeous!
I've learned several things I didn't know--best thing about an encyclopedia, if you ask me, and this one in particular.
So thank you all, very much.
See you next month--same bat time, same bat channel!
[[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 05:15, 10 March 2008 (CDT)


== Previous shindigs ==
== Previous shindigs ==
* [[/March 5, 2008|March 5, 2008]]
* [[/February 6, 2008|February 6, 2008]]
* [[/February 6, 2008|February 6, 2008]]
* [[/January 9, 2008|January 9,2008]]
* [[/January 9, 2008|January 9,2008]]

Revision as of 22:13, 30 March 2008

What's a Write-a-Thon?

It's a bunch of people getting together on a wiki at a particular time to do a bunch of writing. It's like an online party! Heck no, it is an online party! It's also an excuse for infrequent wikiers to show up and party hardy; to exchange ideas with people we might not "meet" otherwise.

But hey, why not show up in between the write-ins, too!

When?

Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month. The next Write-a-Thon is Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008. Save The Date! Put it on your calendar! Set yourself a reminder!

Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count, though to be a bona fide partier, you have to write your new articles when it's that day in your part of the world.

Our first Write-a-Thon took place Wednesday, August 1, 2007 and was considered a roaring good time--we had about 30 partiers creating something like 50 articles, and editing lots.

What are the rules?

Rules? This is a party! There are no rules!

Well, OK, maybe there are a couple rules:

  • We'll have a Write-a-Thon the first Wednesday of every month.
  • To participate, you only have to do two things: (1) start a new article (even just a stub will qualify, if not too short - and please remember to include the subpages template!), and (2) make a substantive edit (not just a copyedit) to somebody else's new article. Then you can list your name here as a partier. Until then, sign in as a porch-sitter, party-crasher, or total party poop.

New! This month's Party Theme

Something you absolutely love.
Anything. Long as you love it. (Keep it clean, now, folks!)


(You can also be inspired by some of the theme suggestions, below. Like Derek, who's getting a five-point bonus for combining all the themes in one fell...something. Or add to the theme suggestions for a later Write-a-thon. Inspire someone else. Sky's the limit!)

Create an article, already!

Check it out: Start an article!

Now (this time anyway) easier than ever! Stubs are not only permitted they are encouraged!

The Partiers

Keen-as-mustard and jumped the gun

Porch sitters--article creators who didn't edit a new article

Party crashers--contributors who didn't create a new article

The shy ones, absent-minded profs, and other modest creatures

The total party poops

Go ahead, admit it!

Special Requests

Questions

It's a wrap!

Previous shindigs

Official libations

  • Inaugural - beer!
  • September - champagne
  • October - we were refurbishing the bar and only had coffee!
  • November - made up for last month with more vodka than was good for us and plenty of rum.
  • December - eggnog and wine
  • January - Whisky and the Cocktail of the Month, a pharisee
  • February - schnapps and the Cocktail of the Month, the caipirinha (considered the national drink of Brazil)
  • March - port wine (which should probably live at port (wine), no? (Someone put that on their list, please....) and the Cocktail of the Month, a Dead Aunt
  • Just ignore my suggestion tendered last month or the month before. No hurt feelings. --Anthony.Sebastian 13:16, 6 March 2008 (CST)
Oh dear! [pat, pat, pat, comfort, hug] what did we ignore? Aleta Curry 16:11, 6 March 2008 (CST)

Write-a-Thon Theme Suggestions

Go ahead and propose one!

- Local tourist attractions

This would be a way to promote local attractions and let us learn a little more about the places where fellow CZ authors live. We could slant it toward the little-known attractions over Disneyland for example. David E. Volk 08:39, 3 March 2008 (CST)

Olympics!

Robert King reminds us: "Can we please have an Olympics theme for this write-a-thon? They are becoming more and more important as we get closer to the Olympics in China."

What's your native tongue?

In light of the CZ International discussions, how about checking to make sure that there's at least a stub on your native language? And what about the country of your birth or the place you now live? Aw, come on--five sentences will do.... Aleta Curry 22:33, 3 March 2008 (CST)

See also


Citizendium Initiatives
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Requested Articles | Feedback Requests | Wanted Articles
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