From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

User talk:Chaldean/Archive1 (January 2006 - July 2006)

User talk:Chaldean/Archive2 (August 2006 - December 2006)

User talk:Chaldean/Archive3 (December 2006 - February 2007)

User talk:Chaldean/Archive4 (February 2007 - July 2007)

User talk:Chaldean/Archive5 (July 2007 - March 2008)

Contents 1 hi!!! 1.1 Bradford 1.2 so 1.3 HAPPY ASSYRIAN NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1.4 Unfortunately 1.5 Hi, dear Friend 1.6 Re: Assyrians 1.7 Infobox in Kosova 1.8 Babylonian rule 1.9 Thank again bro 1.10 Karamles 1.11 Bahira 1.12 Georgia 1.12.1 Persian Mesopotamia move 1.13 check discussion 1.14 Re:Genocide 1.15 West syriacs 1.16 Achaemenid Assyria 1.17 adherents 1.18 Re:Grrrrr 1.19 Abecedar 1.20 My user page 1.21 hi 1.22 other football pages 1.23 yesssssssssss 1.24 Archaeological fndings 1.25 TfD nomination of Template:AL LargestCities 1.26 Your edits 1.27 Tumba 1.28 Muslim Assyrians 1.29 Hellow 1.30 Image copyright problem with Image:Anfal1988assyrianchurch.jpg 1.31 Christ is Risen 1.32 Hockey templates 1.33 Fair use rationale for Image:Artofoud.jpg 1.34 Fair use rationale for Image:Basimayusufputros.jpg 1.35 Shalmaneser 1 page Joe Baker (talk) 10:28, 22 May 2008 (UTC) 1.36 Church in Canada 1.36.1 Assyria article 1.37 Assyrians Syriacs Chaldeans 1.38 Oh, nationalism... 1.39 Re: Translation

[edit] hi!!!

salam, just like to say high. i was looking at my talk page and i saw that you said hello to me on january but i didn't answer you back. i know it is a bit late.thankyou for your comments.we need to make the arbil fc page even better.I have a view ideas. hope we can discuss. one idea is, i think the page is missing images. we should add a image of the team.

[edit] Bradford

The information on Bradford's page is false. You need to have it deleted. He made up the information himself, and has not appeared on any of the shows he listed. I am his father, and it did not come to my attention until recently that he even had made a page. If you can't havit deleted, please let me know of a way I can go about having it removed. Thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rhssoccer (talk • contribs) 05:07, 4 April 2008 (UTC) Mo1993

[edit] so

So with all this hectic anti-assyrianism going on, I was just randomly wondering whats up with you? Last I heard you were in Greece, right? You said that you wanted to work in diplomacy between the US and the Greeks so I heard, or something like that. Hows that going? Do u live in the US? Tourskin (talk) 04:08, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

What insults - you mean against Dab? I'll tr to keep a cool head. Tourskin (talk) 04:14, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Detroit hey? So ur a bad ass Assyrian; have to deal with the rough tough streets of the area. If you ever get to San Diego, let me know lol. Right, I was side tracked, more so because I could not get the article to be renamed to "Assyria under the Persian Empire", because Dab did something. Tourskin (talk) 04:17, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Speaking of remaining calm, please don't make my talk page a battleground against arameanists. Tourskin (talk) 21:57, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Dab asked for a change in username, behold: Assyrian and proud of it. (talk) 22:40, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Excluding me from the argument isn't sweet. Assyrian and proud of it. (talk) 22:57, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Ok thanks for the clarification. Just wanted to know what was up. Is my username damaging? Seriously, I don't want them to not take us seriously because of my username. Assyrian and proud of it. (talk) 00:35, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

I think this is one is fine. I am a neutral editor (talk) 00:38, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

The persian empire also did not end in 330 BC, because Alexander retained all administrative structures of the Achaemanids, thats why the Parthians resurrected the empire so quickly after the demise of the Selucid Empire. You might wanna add that. I'll monitor the discussion and throw in points at ur tak page if you wanna add them. I am a neutral editor (talk) 00:55, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Well actually Parthia arose whilst the Selucid Empire was still around. In the 3rd century BC, a strong Selucid Empire subjugated the Parthian Empire as vassals before the Parthians rose up and then destroyed the Selucids. Check out Parthian Empire, it rose up from the ashes of Darius' empire I am a neutral editor (talk) 01:01, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Ok then - I guess it was fun for a day or two having such a Nationalistic name. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Assyrian and proud of it. (talk) 00:38, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

They are all Iranians and so can be considered as different dynasties of the same empire; thats how they ere able to claim legitimacy. See Persians#HistoryI am a neutral editor (talk) 01:08, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Good job with the talk page too. I am a neutral editor (talk) 01:11, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Its cool I guess. Yes the artwork is beautiful. It depicts our subjugation!!! Lol but its good for the article. I am a neutral editor (talk) 17:07, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

I know its not a drawing, I called it art because its beautiful. Yes, I said it would be very good for the article we are working on. Hey, if we want to put holes on the Cambridge History of Iran theory, its best to check out their credentials. For instance, R.G. Grant wrote a History of Battle book, yet his lack of knowledge on pre-modern warfare is obvious in the book, as I found out when I realized he had not written any books on pre-modern warfare. For example, if we could show that few of the Cambridge writers if any had any expertise on ancient Iranian history it would weaken the source further. I'll do my best to look in to it. I am a neutral editor (talk) 17:14, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Actually the book itself they use is on Median and Achaemenid periods, by many contributors. So much for tha theory. I am a neutral editor (talk) 17:19, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

It appears we have won the day Khouny. Check out the third opinion. I am a neutral editor (talk) 22:34, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Not at all. Thanks, I sometimes flip out. I have lost patience but you haven't. Thanks alot dude, you've really held the line well there. If we keep the article's old name, then I owe you a mesta (yogurt) drink!Assyrian and proud of it (talk) 04:27, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Excellent. I know a priest in San Diego who comes from Detroit, so next time he flies back there I'll give a mesta to send to you. The trick is getting the proportions of water, yogurt and if u like the taste (as I do) salt right. I always make it too damn watery!!!Assyrian and proud of it (talk) 04:33, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Dude, u so gotta come here. Lol. Assyrian and proud of it (talk) 04:37, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Quickly finish ur degrees and then see if u can apply for a good job here!! Assyrian and proud of it (talk) 04:37, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Lol yes you need to recharge the brain. Pousheb shena. Assyrian and proud of it (talk) 04:45, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] HAPPY ASSYRIAN NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOWWW!!!!Tourskin (talk) 04:36, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Damn, can't believe I forgot to drop by here to wish you a new year bro, sorry about that. Anyway, hope you and your family the very best for the new year, if it's not too late. :) Pink Princess (talk) 12:47, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Unfortunately

Unfortunately it is one of the best known poems in the language, and widely taught in schools, and based on a well-known biblical passage. I suggest you pick something more rational to get offended by. --Relata refero (disp.) 07:13, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Hi, dear Friend

Can you do me a favour and undo in the article Kosovo the version to my version? They avoid to tread Kosovo like other countries despite the fact, that there are much more disputed countries which are treated in a country-style way with country box and flag at the top, like for example Nagorno-Karabakh_Republic or Transnistria with no country recognizing them or like Northern Cyprus with only one country recognizing them. If you are convinced that this is an unjustified inequality in handling this case I would appreciate your undoing as I suggested. --Tubesship (talk) 12:08, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

OK, problem solved, Husond brought the box up. :-)--Tubesship (talk) 12:15, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Re: Assyrians

Hi there!

I am so sorry because I am only experienced about Asian ethnic groups.

Angelo De La Paz (talk) 04:30, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

OK! I will keep a keen eye on this article and I'm totally agree with you [1] because in my life and by my knowledge, I've never heard some words as "Elleniko, Yavan, Yonani, blah, blah, blah" (it was so un-needed, superfluous and confusing). Thank you!Angelo De La Paz (talk) 04:48, 3 April 2008 (UTC)

Sorry I haven't been much help in the discussion in the various Assyrian articles. As you may have known by now, I am a better editor than a discusser, even though Philosophy is one of my Majors (the other is Human Bio!). If a new discussion does pop up, let me know but I find it difficult to assist if its already been gone on for so long, as have many of the debates regarding the Assyrian articles, cos its tedious looking back thru so much stuff. Tourskin (talk) 05:09, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

I've done a lot? Lol dude, you single-handedly defended the article with supreme diplomacy and skill, and tacit research. I don't think the words well done sum it enough. Tourskin (talk) 05:15, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Infobox in Kosova

Hello Chaldean, it is me again. :-) I guess you could be helpful in this ongoing discussion if you want to have an infobox in the article like there is one in every countries article. I thank you in advance for your support: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Kosovo#The_Infoboxes. --Tubesship (talk) 12:42, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Babylonian rule

Heres the deal; Cyrus was expanding left and right and so a coalition of Babylon and Lydians attacked Cyrus at the Battle of Sardis. The defeat inflicted on the Babylonians was particularly devastating, since it allowed Persia to extend her power over the rest of Asia Minor. With this initiative (and perhaps extensive territory), Cyrus raised large armies that marched onto a defeated Babylon. The Babylonian King was a bit of an idiot according to Bertman, Stephen (2005). Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia. New York: Oxford UP.  and may have failed to reorganize Babylon's defences. Grant in his book "Battle" says that a battle may have taken place outside the city in which the Babylonians were defeated.

So to conclude, the distant Persian victory at Sardis over Babylon 1) exposed Babylon under an incapable ruler to attack 2) reduced her ability to face an attack due to the defeat. Tourskin (talk) 06:18, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Pousheb shena khouny, I'm going to bed. Tourskin (talk) 06:18, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Any chance you'll stop by Boston for the Assyrian convention this year khon?Tourskin (talk) 05:25, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Too bad. We gotta meet up some time. Tourskin (talk) 05:38, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

I might hed to Detroit some time to check out my relatives there. We should meet up then lol, if we can. I know you have a busy life. Well, you don't need me to give you advise, but hard work always pays off khony. Tourskin (talk) 05:52, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Awesome. Till then, its wiki-chat lol.Tourskin (talk) 05:54, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Thank again bro

Thanks for the pic khouny, it's beautifull, Mesopotamia or Iraq is a beautifull, resourcefull and rich place full of some of the greatest people on Earth, who live together peacefully and have an unbreakable spirit to rise up again despite whatever is inflicted on them. Shame about whats happening now. Anyway, besides the little nationalistic speech, it's an awsome pic, and I really appreciate it. thanks bro, I'll try putting it on my main page. :) And by the way, I am Nabuchadnessar. I've decided to change my name since Torskin changed his lol. Besides, I am much more than a lineage/identity/nationality, so I'm changing my name to suite me better as a person. ;) Pink Princess (talk) 12:56, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Karamles

Hey man

We could do with a few of your great Karamles photos in ar:كرمليس. Any chance you could upload some, adding the specific permission that you received from the photographer?

Regards --Lord Anubis (talk) 14:22, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the reply, my name is not "Haider" btw :p, I have not revealed it on wiki :). --Lord Anubis (talk) 22:32, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Bahira

This article has been significantly censored by Avenger again. Do you want me to take a look at it?Tourskin (talk) 02:36, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, as much as I hate Religious extremism and Political correctness, I will see what has been removed, check it with Avenger and see if a concensus can be reached. If not, I'll get an admin to sort it out. Not someone who backs down from a challenge.Tourskin (talk) 02:43, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Georgia

I've always had a love for this country. Something about being one of the only two Christian states to survive in the Middle East. I should have figured we had something to do with it. For the first few hundred years after the ressurection of our Lord, Assyrian monks formed the heart of the Christian Mission in the East, until our works were un-done. I skimmed it briefly but promise to read more when the time becomes available to me. Tourskin (talk) 02:44, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Persian Mesopotamia move

I know of one admirable admin on wikipedia; me and him (User:Yannismarou} edit a few Byzantine Empire articles. I'll ask, but the dude gets busy to the extent that he doesn't even seem to have much time to participate in his Greek Byzantine articles. But I'll try and see if I know of any other admins. Tourskin (talk) 04:17, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe we should vote on behalf of Dab, Doug and Folatin, since they seem to care soooooooooo much about the article. Tourskin (talk) 04:35, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, I was out of town. I hope my support helped and was not too late. Greetings, --Tubesship (talk) 01:27, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] check discussion

[[2]] VegardNorman (talk) 20:40, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Re:Genocide

Hello, you have to excuse Meowy's poor manners on his talkpage, you see, he is not Armenian, but someone who's interested in Armenian history and in that context the word united can not apply to him. And it was for this reason that he made that remark. Otherwise, Yes We Are[3] :) --VartanM (talk) 06:47, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] West syriacs

shlama. can you please place a delete tag on article "Syriac people" so we can move article "west syriacs" to syriac pepole. or can you contact admin for speed deeletion. VegardNorman (talk) 08:41, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Achaemenid Assyria

Well, there are good sections (the archaeological part is the best one, I plan to translate it into Spanish as soon as I have the time), but the abuse of terms as satrapy, governorship and the like is in fact a big problem. Most of the references that talk about an "Assyrian satrapy" are either:

• outdated (Maspero, Hall); or
• right or wrong, are regarded as psudoscientific by modern concensus (Sweeney).

It leaves Parpola as the only updated reference that refers to Athura as satrapy. Note that in his comprehensive syntesis (1196 pages!!), Briant doesn't mention any satrapy called Assyria, while he mentions all the rest.

I think it is the only important problem (I'll make some corrections as soon as possible), but the rest is quite alright. Amizzoni (talk) 19:33, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

Good luck then. I'd like to make a revision and create a section on the Syria/Assyria problem, but I think I'll have the time to do so properly no earlier that on June... Amizzoni (talk) 04:47, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of National Merit
		Well done for your tireless and successful effort in this article and for other Assyrian articles. Tourskin (talk) 23:49, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
		this WikiAward was given to Chaldean by Tourskin (talk) on 23:49, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

VICTORY!!

Lets take things one province at a time lol. Although I agree. Tourskin (talk) 02:02, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Tell that to Dab. Maybe he'll realize that logical arguments win the day? Tourskin (talk) 02:08, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] adherents

Syrian Orthodox Church (Jacobite) - world - 4,000,000

Syrian Orthodox Church of Malabar - India:Kerala - 5.600.000

Syrian orthodox church´s 4,000,000 does not include the indians. [[4]] VegardNorman (talk) 14:01, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

The article "west syriacs" is now moved to "Syriac people" VegardNorman (talk) 14:30, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Re:Grrrrr

Wait what?? lol. icelandic hurricane #12_(talk) 11:45, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Abecedar

What are you doing?

Yesterday: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abecedar&diff=206087258&oldid=206055158

Today: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abecedar&diff=206238910&oldid=206222799

66.96.249.229 (talk) 14:20, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] My user page

Hey, that's great Chaldean, many, many thanks. Greatly appreciated, I'd struggled a bit and gave up (I'm in the US right now, figured I'd look at it when I got back to the UK but now I don't have to).--Doug Weller (talk) 14:49, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] hi

What do you think about the work I done on the Arbil FC page. Earlier in the year you weren't happy with what I was doing and you even said it to mussev(i read is discussan page). I was new but now I think I have got the hang of using wikipedia. I also think I have dramaticly made the arbil fc page better. I think we got of in the wrong foot.hope we can be friends. --Mo1993 (talk ) 1:59,19 april 2008 (UTC)

[edit] other football pages

Salam Chaldean. Does any other retaled iraqi football page need to get expanded.We should kind of do what we done the the arbil page like template to do other iraqi football clubs. I have got spare time to take part in other pages. Please message me back with what work I can do. --Mo1993 (talk ) 14:49,19 april 2008 (UTC)

[edit] yesssssssssss

I finished the 2004/05 league.I also edited the 05/06 and 06/07.They needed miner changes and a bit of tiding up.Hope you like it. Message if other pages need doing. --Mo1993 (talk ) 22:11,19 april 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Archaeological fndings

I haven't forgotten, but won't have time for 6 or 7 days -- don't let me forgot.--Doug Weller (talk) 21:16, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] TfD nomination of Template:AL LargestCities

Template:AL LargestCities has been nominated for deletion. You are invited to comment on the discussion at the template's entry on the Templates for Deletion page. Thank you. — DerRichter (talk) 18:34, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Your edits

I like your edits related to syriac articles. AramaeanSyriac (talk) 18:37, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Im really happy to see you building up the article. And great picture you added, but arent they syrian orthodox as described in the image page? AramaeanSyriac (talk) 19:23, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

thank you very much brother AramaeanSyriac (talk) 08:38, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Tumba

So I've seen you've been to Tumba, Sweden. [5], also check this mr super pov editor, Arameiska/Syrianska KIF. The TriZ (talk) 11:16, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Muslim Assyrians

This article has become such a horrendous messI don't know what users have vandalized what. Both Assyrian Christian fanatics and Muslim extremists have messed up this article. Could you please give me a hand or better still revert it to the correct version? For ease, just edit a correct version and it should be fine from there, no need to do multiple reverts. Thanks khouny Tourskin (talk) 01:00, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Hellow

Hello my brother. There is user WestAssyrian that is running an assyrian struggle here in wikipedia. He is replacing Syriacs with Assyrians in all articles related to the groups. What can we do about him? AramaeanSyriac (talk) 10:20, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Hello Chaldean could you talk to ArameanSyriacs and tell him to stop destroying the Assyrian pages he only write Arameans and Syriacs its very wrong to describe us as only Arameans-Syriac he is not neutral! --WestAssyrian (talk) 22:07, 14 May 2008 (UTC

Chaldea the aramean-syriac are only 0.5 million cuz we are not counting the assyrian-syriac! the article is not describing the assyrian-syriac --WestAssyrian (talk) 13:39, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Image copyright problem with Image:Anfal1988assyrianchurch.jpg

Thanks for uploading Image:Anfal1988assyrianchurch.jpg. You've indicated that the image is being used under a claim of fair use, but you have not provided an adequate explanation for why it meets Wikipedia's requirements for such images. In particular, for each page the image is used on, the image must have an explanation linking to that page which explains why it needs to be used on that page. Can you please check

• That there is a non-free use rationale on the image's escription page for each article the image is used in.
• That every article it is used on is linked to from its description page.

This is an automated notice by FairuseBot. For assistance on the image use policy, see Wikipedia:Media copyright questions. --11:48, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Christ is Risen

Hello Chaldean, could you email me? I have a history question and you are the most likely person to know the answer and or have a knowledge of the history. My email is on my profile page. LoveMonkey (talk) 14:08, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Hockey templates

Please stop adding the "xxxx stanley cup champsions" templates to articles. They've been deleted numerous times by the ice hockey wikiproject. I've started a discussion section here if you're interested.-Wafulz (talk) 15:50, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Artofoud.jpg

Thanks for uploading Image:Artofoud.jpg. You've indicated that the image meets Wikipedia's criteria for non-free content, but there is no explanation of why it meets those criteria. Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. If you have any questions, please post them at Wikipedia:Media copyright questions.

Thank you for your cooperation. NOTE: once you correct this, please remove the tag from the image's page. STBotI (talk) 09:04, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Basimayusufputros.jpg

Thanks for uploading Image:Basimayusufputros.jpg. You've indicated that the image meets Wikipedia's criteria for non-free content, but there is no explanation of why it meets those criteria. Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. If you have any questions, please post them at Wikipedia:Media copyright questions.

Thank you for your cooperation. NOTE: once you correct this, please remove the tag from the image's page. STBotI (talk) 22:07, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Shalmaneser 1 page Joe Baker (talk) 10:28, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Catch my comment on the talk:Shalmaneser 1 page, would like your comment on removing a sentence that you retsored.

[edit] Church in Canada

The Church in that picture looks alot like my church here. Awesome pictures.Tourskin (talk) 05:42, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I added in two khon. Tourskin (talk) 00:42, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Assyria article

Splendid, capital work in making it a GA. I wish I could claim the credit, but there is no doubt you had the Lion's share of work and therefore deserve the Lion's share of credit - having said that, I will add this article to my list of GA's! Fairwell khon!Tourskin (talk) 05:54, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

Your skills in improving the article are great, outweigehd only by the humility in refusing to take credit. Yes we do make a great team, but I still think you deserve the Lion share of the credit. Anyways, those images you found are pretty awesome and its descriptive and thats great. Sorry haven't been much use lately but double majoing at UCSD is not a smart thing to do and finals are coming up lol. Well if you have exams, good luck in them! Pousheb shena. Tourskin (talk) 06:40, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

Orange county

Its about 95 miles; almost two hours driving. Not too far. Let me know when ur coming, maybe you culd drive a little south lol, towards san diego and then we could have a chai at starbucks lol. Tourskin (talk) 06:44, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

Thats sounds awesome too. Hope your trip is fulfilling in a business and fun way lol. Anyways khony, I have to get to bed, its 11:45 pm right now at SD. Thanks again, and good night. Tourskin (talk) 06:45, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

Lol, I know what u mean and the gas isn' too cheapo either . Look forward to it, chai is on me khon. Tourskin (talk) 06:46, 29 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Assyrians Syriacs Chaldeans

What the hell has happend here the latest months? How come there are different articles for the same people? How come there is Syriac and Assyrian music? It is the same! --Yohanun (talk) 20:28, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Oh, nationalism...

Not sure we've run into each other on wiki-talk yet, but I wanted to drop you a comment on the increasing problem of non-neutral editing by nationalistic contributors. I'm writing because I feel that there are nationalists (including Assyrian nationalists) who, while certainly contributing (and sourcing) their views, are finding undue weight for their opinions by means of disruptive editing; mostly edit warring until they get their way and [1][2][3][4][5][6][dont you dare mess with my edit now that I have 20 sources] over-referencing. I understand that you're a part of the Assyrians WikiProject, and I'm addressing my comment to you because you seem to have the most level head. (e.g. you show a willingness to work with others and a general respect for Wikipedia's policies)

My own experience with these problems has not been with Assyrian nationalism in particular, but instead it has been in ancient Greek articles, where nationalists from areas that were Greek in ancient times, but independent today, insist on various Albanian, Macedonian, and other (mostly Slavic) nationalities for their favorite ancient Greek heroes born in that area. (You might be somewhat familiar with those controversies, as your user page has you interested in 'Balkan' history) In contrast, the conflicts involving Assyrian nationalism (from what I can gather, and I'm quite new to this subject) seems to involve nationalists vs. nationalists (those identifying as Assyrians and those identifying themselves by other terms, such as Syriac and Aramean) - a motley crew of emotional editors, to be sure.

I'm not sure that I'm asking you for any one particular thing, just basically making an appeal to you, asking you to be at the front of that WikiProject in trying to maintain Wiki's neutrality policy in the face of some of these emotionally-charged edit disputes. Editors from the project don't need to choose every battle, and force their views by endless reverts. Also consider that not all citable sources are necessarily neutral either. (The biggest issue here being that nationalistic and ethnocentric scholarly journals are used by editors who simply cite 'Journal of <<insert nationality>> Studies, vol 4. pg. 25-26' and have the attitude that now they've cited something in print and so they are justified in edit warring any further changes to that sentence with edit summaries like (don't remove reliable sources!) (leave sourced content alone!), etc.) The disputes on Wikipedia over ethnicity seem to have no limits. Consider the case of Niko, the Grand Theft Auto character. As WP:LAME now points out, "At one point, the article contained five consecutive citations, repeated each of the three times the character's nationality is mentioned, totalling a whopping fifteen citation numbers throughout the article to justify the purported nationality of a fictional video game character."

In other words, keep your head. -Brando130 (talk) 18:55, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Re: Translation

Shlama khonee, what exactly do you want me to translate? Is it just the quotation by Jimmy Wales? The link you gave me kind of freezes when I try to scroll down. Is there a second page to the PDF file? Anyway, my knowledge of the writing (that is, the old language) isn't that great either, but my spoken modern-day language isn't bad. Here's what I have of the translation so far, tell me what you think (I tried using words that were both in the old/written language and the modern language, so we have a compromise):

ܫܪܘܓ(ܘ) ܚܕ ܥܠܡܐ ܐܝܟܐ ܟܠܢܫ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܐܝܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܦܣܢܘܬܐ ܠܟܠ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ. ܥܒܕܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܗܢܐ

"shrug/shroogoo" ("imagine"???) kha(dh) `alma (or "dunya" if we want to use a modern Arabic loanword) ayka kul nash b-ar`a eeth lhon ("they have") mapsanootha ("permission") l-kul khakhimtha d-bar nasha. `awdheen khnan hana.

Literal translation: "Imagine one world where everyone on earth has permission to all the wisdom of mankind. We're doing this."

You might want to tweak a few words here and there, and get it checked out by someone else since I'm not too sure that it even makes sense. I never took formal classes, and my head is too wired to English... :( --334 (talk) 02:07, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

This Jimmy Wales quote is certainly the hardest part! We had a lot of trouble getting it right in Swedish, and Swedish is very closely related to English. Yes, the PDF has 2 pages (format A4 / letter size). It is printed doublesided, and folded to get a 4 page (format A5) brochure with the puzzle globe on the front page, detailed information on the centerfold and the Wikimedia logotype on the last page. (I guess the pages should be in the opposite, right-to-left direction for Aramaic.) Sometimes it helps if you right-click on the PDF link, save the document to your computer, and open it outside of your web browser. --LA2 (talk) 06:11, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

I hope I am being helpful here by offering some translation tips and thoughts. The classic version of the quote is "Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge." There is a new version which is the formal vision statement for the Foundation, but I will just talk about the original today.

"Imagine a world" - the idea here is to talk about envisioning or dreaming positively, the idea is that there are many possible futures, depending on choices that we make, and we are asked to imagine a particular future, one that we can choose.

"in which every single person on the planet" - in English, this could be written literally but less poetically as "in which everyone" or "in which everyone on the planet" but it is written the way it is to give emphasis to the individuals, to invite the listener to imagine a random single person somewhere who now has little access to information.

"is given free access" - here we probably run into the problem of the word 'free' in English, which means both "gratis" (free of charge) and "libre" (liberty). We mean primarily the 2nd meaning, but it will depend on the particular language as to whether "libre access" is a concept which can be smoothly expressed. Since we also mean "gratis" as a secondary meaning, that can be used.

"to the sum of all human knowledge" - the idea expressed here is that we are not talking about "all knowledge" or "all wisdom" but to the "sum" of it... the essentials, the basics, the kind of thing that belongs in an encyclopedia.

I hope this is helpful.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 18:09, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

Don't take it in the wrong way, but I'm guessing not many in Sweden will understand what is written by 334 (whom did a good job), because not many can speak Assyrian Neo-Aramaic or Eastern Syriac. I know it is difficult to translate that and makin it sound good, though I really think Jimbos tips and thoughts helped alot to make it easier. LA2, a tips for you if your searching for people who really knows how to write in the language, the best place to seek help is in... church. Those who knows the language best is all involved in the Syriac church, I can guarantee you that. My uncle knows Syriac excellent (is teaching it out), I can check with him when I see him the next time (no guarantees though). The TriZ (talk) 09:57, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I forgot to inform you LA, that there are two distinct dialects of the language, so it would be difficult have only a single flyer and except all to understand it. Perhaps you can translate it into both dialects and put it all in one flyer. Chaldean (talk) 14:48, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps we should scale this attempt back to just a single page poster (or postcard), presenting the puzzle globe with the text "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", followed by the "Imagine..." quote, and then some white space that can be used for a local message? --LA2 (talk) 14:13, 5 June 2008 (UTC)