User talk:Skeptic2

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[edit] Re: David Tress

No problem! I've redirected the David tress page to David Tress, it's always worth having lower case surnames as redirects in case someone who doesn't use the shift key tries to find something. For future reference, if you do create a page by mistake and want to request deletion, adding {{db-g7}} to the page header will alert administrators to the page - this is only for mistakenly created pages though. By the way, good work on the article :) - Zeibura (Talk) 20:35, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

A disambiguation page won't be necessary until there are three of them. I've changed the links on the film pages to point at David Tress (actor), which is currently a redlink. Once someone creates that article, a link at the top of the artist article should be placed, saying something like "This article is about the artist. For the actor, see David Tress (actor)". If someone then writes more articles about other people called David Tress, meaning there are more than two, that's when David Tress would need to become a disambiguation page pointing at David Tress (artist), David Tress (actor), David Tress (victoria cross maker) etc. Hope this makes sense, - Zeibura (Talk) 21:48, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Disputed fair use rationale for Image:Universe cover2.JPG

Thanks for uploading Image:Universe cover2.JPG. However, there is a concern that the rationale you have provided for using this image under "fair use" may be invalid. Please read the instructions at Wikipedia:Non-free content carefully, then go to the image description page and clarify why you think the image qualifies for fair use. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

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[edit] Royal Astronomical Society library

Hi there. I noticed your edit at Royal Astronomical Society about the library. Thanks for that. Would you be able to supply any more information? I have access to sources about the history of the society, but if you have access to the library, I am sure there will be lots more available on the society and other astronomy topics. I also tidied up the required tags for the picture that a bot left a message about above. Hope that helps. Carcharoth 19:50, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Just about all you'll need to know about the RAS is on its website, somewhere or other (not terribly well organized or signposted, but it's there!). I based my addition on what's on the Library page which I linked to. I didn't want to overdo it lest it be queried as advertising. There is a 2-volume History of the RAS (ISBN 978-0632021758 and 978-0632017911) which you could add to the references if you thought it helpful. Is there anything specific you wanted to know? Regarding the deletion of the book cover, I let that go without comment as it's unimportant. All I had done was to substitute the cover of the second edition of Universe for the cover of the first edition, with the same rationale as used by the original uploader (who I suspect was associated with the US publisher). Skeptic2 20:29, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the details of the two volume RAS history! If I can't find stuff in there or on the website, I might pop back and ask you, if that's OK. One thing I am interested in is the history of MNRAS. Reading some of the old issues (mainly the obituaries and society news) available online at the ADS is fascinating. I recently worked on Astronomische Nachrichten, and would like to do something similar for MNRAS (all part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Academic Journals, in case you are interested). Carcharoth 22:25, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

MN didn't start publication until the RAS had been going for a few years. All the early papers went in the Memoirs. Then there was a period of overlap when stuff such as obituaries appeared in both. Only a subset of Memoirs is currently on the ADS but the rest should be going up sometime soon (inside knowledge). For an A-Z index of published obituaries see here: http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219&Itemid=98 (another of those hidden-away pages). Skeptic2 22:46, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Oh wow! :-) That list of obituaries is just incredible, especially the ADS links. The index for military ranks and titles of nobility reminds me how many of those 19th century astronomers (probably all of them, in fact) were gentleman scientists, often pursuing astronomy after a military career, or using inherited wealth. I know a lot of those astonomers have Wikipedia articles and links to obituaries, but that resource will be extremely helpful for updating ones that don't. Are you aware of Wikisource? Have a look at this for an example of an early notice by John Herschel in the first issue of AN. Carcharoth 22:56, 24 October 2007 (UTC)
I've been looking around that website, and this is especially impressive. One of the Wikipedia pages I take an interest in is Royal Medal (an award of the Royal Society), and from there I've become interested in many award articles, including Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. I wonder whether the other five awards listed here are notable enough for Wikipedia? Also, I've been looking at the Latin on the Gold Medal, and was wondering if there is a translation anywhere? I think it says "Quicquid Nitet Notandum" on the front, and something else I can't make out on the reverse. And it would be nice to know who the people are on the medals. I recognise Herschel's 40-foot telescope on the front of the gold medal, but not the people on the front of the medals. Carcharoth 23:13, 24 October 2007 (UTC)
Hey, I Googled the phrase, and found a book!! See here: "Whatever Shines Should Be Observed". Fascinating! Carcharoth 23:16, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, the Gold Medal is obviously the top award. I'm not sure how the astronomical community rates the Eddington and Herschel medals, although there are some big-name winners. Perhaps best simply to describe briefly what these other awards are for and link to the relevant page with the list of winners on the RAS website? Skeptic2 19:14, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

OK. I'll have a look sometime and see how many of the winners have articles. If a lot of them do, a list might be doable, or at least mentioning the award in the biographies. Carcharoth 23:13, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Changing ISBN numbers.

Please make sure the data referenced's in the other books you're referencing before changing the ISBNs. Until then please undo your (US ISBN) changes. -- Jeandré, 2007-12-30t19:37z

Sorry, I don't understand what you are trying to say. Could you rephrase, please? Skeptic2 (talk) 21:38, 30 December 2007 (UTC)
Collins Gem stars (2000) ISBN 0-00-472474-7 is 90% the same as the older Collins Gem night sky (1985), but the differences mean one can't change the references of the 1st to the 2nd without checking to see that the new one actually has the information it's referencing in the article. So, don't change the ISBNs for references until you've checked that the information referenced is also in the new editions. If you haven't, please undo your US ISBN chanegs. -- Jeandré, 2007-12-31t17:42z
Now I see what you mean. It's simply a US edition of the same book, so content is identical (but not the ISBN).Skeptic2 (talk) 18:17, 31 December 2007 (UTC)
Then why change it? Doesn't it break page references? -- Jeandré, 2007-12-31t20:08z
The US ISBN is an addition and will be of more use to North American readers. The UK ISBN remains unchanged.Skeptic2 (talk) 01:42, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
Ack, I read the changes wrong. -- Jeandré, 2008-01-01t20:07z

[edit] Beal

If I admitted attending Beal, some of my edits might be considered OR. Rjm at sleepers (talk) 06:07, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Did we know each other? Please email me to compare reminiscences. Ian. 79.66.60.214 (talk) 12:55, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] It must be cool to be a Skeptic

As your name demonstrates. Haha. Just messing around. However, on a serious note there's no need to be so controlling concerning such controversial topics as what the Dogon may or may not have known, even if you'd like to desperately attribute such knowledge exclusively to "modern (European) society", personally or not. I do see your point now about that being in the wrong place and overemphasized, and initially it wasn't a matter of me being "over-enthusiastic" as I wasn't the one making "over-enthusiastic" edits, but thought I was preserving former contributions that I thought were hastily removed, which I accept fault for as it WAS indeed in the wrong place. But you seem firm in your aim to simply "discredit" with out remaining neutral per encyclopedic standards. This is indicated by your willingness to insert blanket statements with no source about what is or isn't discredited (without allowing room for disagreement either) while selectively reading and omitting the conclusions of such people like James Oberg, who affirmed at the end of his excerpt that he believed that it was still a legitimate mystery and that claims of external acquisition of knowledge from "Europeans" are not rooted in anything more than circumstantial 'evidence'. As not to impose such speculations as fact, that should be reflected instead of writing something that feeds into a skeptical agenda. Please, I definitely don't want to wage any kind of back and fourth edit war and did compromise, but at the same ti,e I ask that you work with me since I refuse to let an agenda (either way) be brought across in the article, or let any definitive conclusion be made when there is much to contradict any absolutes on this matter given the intense disagreement on the Astronomy, anthropological studies, or social interpretations. Yes, scientists disagree on this and I DO have more sources. I only ask that things remain neutral and anything included or claimed, should be cited, while there be room for some disagreement. Thank you for your time, sir..Taharqa (talk) 02:37, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Thanks

If I can be so bold as to correct a spelling error in your comment on heat from Sirius: there is no word "miniscule". It's minuscule. Skeptic2 (talk) 23:13, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the catch.—RJH (talk) 15:39, 17 April 2008 (UTC)


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

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[edit] Image:PeteBrownEmbankment.jpg

You can't upload CC licence unless the copyright holder of the original image (presumably the artist) releases that image as CC. Check out Wikipedia:Requesting_copyright_permission#When_permission_is_confirmed. Ty 04:42, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for repositioning the image – I couldn't get it right.Skeptic2 (talk) 09:45, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
I have changed the licence. Trust this is OK now.Skeptic2 (talk) 14:06, 22 May 2008 (UTC)