User:Killing sparrows

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Wikibreak!
I will be travelling to summer nesting grounds on Saint Paul Island, Alaska and will be off-Wiki until about June 12th.


I hope you brought your slingshot, it's time for killing sparrows!

Everybody comes to kill sparrows!
Everybody comes to kill sparrows!
St Paul Island, my summer nesting grounds
St Paul Island, my summer nesting grounds
Bhaktapur, Nepal The view from my balcony, where I sit and drink milk tea in the morning!
Bhaktapur, Nepal The view from my balcony, where I sit and drink milk tea in the morning!
Othello, Washington water tank Thirsty birdies gather here on migratory flyway!
Othello, Washington water tank Thirsty birdies gather here on migratory flyway!

Killing sparrows was part of the People's Republic of China campaign, begun in the 1950's, to wipe out The Four Pests, flies, mosquitos, rats and sparrows. Sparrows were later replaced by bedbugs, as sparrows were seen to be important in controlling insects.

Contents

[edit] About Me

I migrate seasonally from St Paul Island, Alaska to Bhaktapur Nepal, with refueling stops in Othello, Washington.

Current Location: Othello

[edit] Welcome!

I use the {subst:w-basic} template to greet newcomers. I'm not a regular at this, but I try to great a few each day that I edit and also with people I come across in AfD's and talk pages.

I feel there is a need for gentle encouragement and welcome for new users that is not being met. The nature of written communication can lead to an impression of terseness, even rudeness, that while perhaps not intended can drive away those who have valuable contributions to make to this project. I think this is especially true with users who may be older (like me!), and/or less web savvy and yet may have a wealth of time, skills and knowledge to contribute.

If you are a newcomer to Wikipedia, welcome! We need your contributions here. It takes awhile to learn the ropes. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have on my talk page. If I can't answer I will direct you to the person or page that can help you.

WP:WT Welcome templates

[edit] Things I'm proud of

Jeez, kind of a short, pathetic list!

[edit] Stuff I Use Frequently

[edit] Can O'Worms I have currently open

[edit] Stuff I'd like to do

  • Click Relander Create article on this journalist and author

[edit] Adoption

This user has graduated from the adoption program by coelacan! Kudos!
This experienced editor is seeking to adopt new users. (Users requesting adoption)
This user has adopted Dhshah.
This user has adopted 3R1C.
This user has adopted Fortunia.
This user has adopted MrsMyer.
This user has adopted Smobri.
This user has adopted Zaindy87.
This user has adopted AMFilmsInc.
This user has adopted AmazeStar.

I requested adoption after trying to single-handedly and inerrantly master the arcana of Wikilore. I highly recommend the program to any newcomer. You can see our scintillating exchanges on our talk page. Thanks coelacan!

After a great experience with this program I have started adopting other users. I have a dedicated talk page for my adoptees, you can watch me dispense wisdom here!

I am also working to help make Adopt-a-User a more active program. If you are interested in joining as an Adopter or an Adoptee check out the WP:ADOPT project and it's talk page!

[edit] Slaying Slews

I'm going through all instances of the word slew, as in, a slew of, and variants, where the meaning is many, or several, and replacing it with, well, many or several. This is one of my pet peeves in the informal usage in a formal article category. I'd guess 70% of occurrences are in articles for bands and musicians I've never heard of, the rest actors, computer games, misc bio. 2800 hits but many are, so-and-so slew the haighites-type, Seattle Slew, quotes, and a slew of other stuff!

Update! As of March 28th. I am halfway through 2696 total hits for slew!

[edit] Favorite lines from AfD's

Speedy Delete. A brain-clenching void of nothingness. User:BTLizard

[edit] Factoids and Quotes

  • "Memory is the guardian of all things." --Cicero
  • In Nepal, government expenditure on health care, for 26 million people, is about $125 million a year, or $5 per person. Americans spend $1 billion dollars a year...on cat litter! --Me, WP:OR
  • "Poetry is a pheasant disappearing behind a bush." --Wallace Stevens, who should know.
  • "If you don't get caught, it never happened." --My friend, Kitty.
  • “FARM removes the scales from the eyes of society so they may glimpse the horror on their plates. From the pigpen to the frying pan, from the stockyard to the (backyard) barbecue..." --Paul Watson, President, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. (I improved this quote, fixing misspelling and increasing alliteration. Rabble-rousers should hire English majors for this sort of thing, Goddess knows they need the work.)
  • "I see inclusionist/deletionist arguments every day, and on that spectrum, I would consider myself on the inclusionist side, but surely there has to be some limit. As an analogy, I would include every instance of man bites dog, but not every instance of dog bites man." --Me, recently.
  • "More ice, Bill!" --Amelita, you really had to be there.
  • "We're not swans Lenneke, we don't have to mate for life." Me, long story.