User:NickBurns

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NickBurns is the nom de plume of a grumpy thirtysomething misanthrope, originally from Western Pennsylvania, and now based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Contents

[edit] Philosophy

My Wiki philosophy thus far is to try and add fine brushstrokes to existing articles. I try my best not to feel any proprietary notions toward any article. Most of my edits are taking existing articles that were full of information provided by previous editors and just doing some reshaping (with a minimum of actual changes to, or removal of, content). Often, an article I come across will be an article-length version of a "run-on sentence" - there's great depth and at least some factual support, but absolutely **no shape** to the chronology. So I try to provide headings (ie, personal life, early career, achievements, etc.) and regroup facts accordingly. In those scenarios, I really try to use all of the already existing text in the article (and just move it to the appropriate section). I usually delete only redundant items, and make minor changes to how a sentence is structured, or how a paragraph flows.

I've been editing a lot of articles about artists, entertainers, journalists, and people related to culture and current events. I especially watch for the following:

  • Edits from people who think a subject's article should be a gushing fan page;
  • Edits where the writer isn't taking the fact that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia seriously AT ALL;
  • People using Wikipedia as a soapbox or a platform to launch personal attacks;
  • Horrifically bad grammar or sentence structure. It irks me when an article sounds like someone's 7th grade book report, or is filled with incorrectly spelled words; and
  • Articles that are LUMPS of information. Please, people, don't fear a little organization! Subtopics are our friends!

I rarely create articles from scratch, but I have done so for about a dozen or so topics, including two writers who were published this year that I know, and a few musicians that did not have articles.

[edit] My music obsessions

In no particular order: Elvis Costello, Kirsty MacColl, Joni Mitchell, Dusty Springfield, Alison Moyet, Moloko, Roisin Murphy, Amy Winehouse, Aimee Mann, Stereolab, Andrew Bird, Tracey Thorn, Everything But The Girl, Sufjan Stevens, Magnetic Fields, Jonatha Brooke, Marianne Faithful, Matthew Sweet, The Feeling, Neneh Cherry, Nina Simone, Prefab Sprout, Wendy and Lisa, PJ Harvey, Sondre Lerche, Gnarls Barkley, The Postal Service, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, and numerous others.

[edit] Other cultural obsessions

[edit] Writers

[edit] Travel

I am mildly obsessed with Canada and the United Kingdom and their respective cultures. (Oh, no! Stephen Harper is now the Canadian PM! Oh, woe!) Of the very short list of places I have visited in my lifetime, Toronto is one of my favorite cities. I would live there in a second.

[edit] Crush

I have a pretty big crush on Jimmy Wales. And any number of other quirky, unavailable dudes.

[edit] Things I am passionate about

[edit] Animals

Small and cute mammals, particularly cats and dogs. I have a soft spot for dachshunds; I turn into a happy, blissful five-year old when I'm in a zoo.

[edit] Kirsty MacColl

I like to spread the word about JUSTICE FOR KIRSTY [1], a campaign that is going on to bring attention to the negligence that precipitated the death of one of my favorite singers, Kirsty MacColl.

[edit] You feel lucky, punk?

If you would like to engage in serious debate, heap adulteration and praise on my writing, flirt with me, tell me to get a clue, or direct me to go to hell in such a way that I will look forward to the journey, please feel free to message me on my Talk page.

[edit] To do list

  • Bill Burns (anchor)
  • Patti Burns (anchor)
  • Jean Carol
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