Archive:Monthly Write-a-Thon/May 7, 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, February 6th, 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.
• Larry Sanger recommends (but does not require!) attention to:

CORE ARTICLES.

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

• Aleta was delighted to find the party room already occupied with prodigals when she arrived. Helped Louise on with her pretty gloves (it's so hard being a lady in these barbarian times, one could become furious, if that were not so unladylike!). The good news is that it' still Wednesday in the Americas. Life's been rough, and no one else seems to have brought snacks, so when in doubt, go for comfort food. Felt guilty about denying Larry schnapps, so here you go, and Derek can just stop accusing Australians of being parsimonious now! Have also decided to get my act together. And I was inspired by a comment on Todd’s page to recall my only visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Aleta Curry 16:26, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Oooh.. I inspire someone! I wonder if I can ad that to my Userplan for accomplishments..--Todd Coles 16:40, 6 February 2008 (CST)

I don't see why not :) Great talking point at parties, too:

"What do you do?"

"I'm a Muse"

Hard to top that one

Aleta Curry 16:59, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Mmm...schnapps. --Larry Sanger 22:36, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Supten decided to join the party by creating a clinical data warehouse. Then he thought of playing with the word gloves and took a temporary break to avoid Aleta from trying to drag him here again! He came back to this page more than 8 hours later and was surprised to find that no one has edited anything here for such a long time! Finally he decided to skirt the Write-a-thon party for this month!

I read that too fast--and wrong--and the image of Supten in a skirt just wasn't working for me!

As to the 8 hour gap--well, we've got to sleep sometime!

Aleta Curry 16:38, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• David Volk tried to clear up a nasty infection with fosfomycin and then had a laugh with Conan O'Brien. Unfortunately, amikacin, ampicillin, netilmicin and streptomycin didn't work either. Maybe the aminoglycosides were a bitter choice, but the hexose and glucose sure tasted good.

• Larry Sanger - Working on CZ:An extended introduction to the Citizendium. --Larry Sanger 20:54, 5 February 2008 (CST)
  • The Mistress of Ceremonies is considering whether or not this will be allowed to count towards your total. Hmmm.... Aleta Curry 21:17, 5 February 2008 (CST)
    • Any comments on this speech (almost done) would be welcome. To be delivered tomorrow night. --Larry Sanger 22:36, 6 February 2008 (CST)
  • OK, now I'm in Ohio in two ways! --Larry Sanger 09:39, 6 February 2008 (CST)
  • Worked a little on Peter Abelard, and noticed that the word "castration" managed to be worked in, in an article of just two sentences...shouldn't that be linked? Castration. --Larry Sanger 09:47, 6 February 2008 (CST)
    • Ouch. Stephen Ewen 11:31, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Don't get me started! (sharpens blade--no, on second thought--tosses sharpener--heh, heh, heh!) Aleta Curry 16:38, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• • Introduced CZ to my favorite philosopher, Thomas Reid. --Larry Sanger 11:07, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Derek Harkness ust popped in to say happy Chinese new year to everyone. Also tweeked Mount Everest. No drink this month I'm afraid. Those thirsty Ozzies have drunk my store dry.

I brought schnapps! Enough with the whinging already! Aleta Curry 16:38, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Still around for the party even though timezones mean it is now the next day ... Louise has stepped in to contribute to Abelard, finally joining the party ... though in 2046. Time travel, anyone?Louise Valmoria 13:54, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Jim Bennight says, Be nice to a newbie ;) and my first attempt. [1]

Hey Jim, welcome to the party!!

Hi, Jim! Big welcome! Aleta Curry 16:26, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Derek Hodges decided this would be a good day to stay indoors at the Metro Reference Library in Toronto with a pile of books a laptop and free WiFi access. Created Architect, puttered around Architecture and made a fairly inane change to Peter Abelard Tried to Work on Castration, but he was cut off. -Derek Hodges 15:14, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Todd decided to swim across the pond and start an article on Charlemagne, a core article. And since the Geogra-thon didn't get off the ground, I'll throw out Ohio too. I also made some minor changes to Jim's new article Origins of Carpets and offered a talk page suggestion. He also added on to Arlington National Cemetery.
• --Christian Liem 20:41, 6 February 2008 (CST) thinks that Conan O'Brien should play in the next FIFA World Cup.

• Conan's gonna replace Leno? You don't say! Aleta Curry 22:11, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Mike hopped on to a core article on Rite of Passage and gave it a good start. He then headed over to Young earth creationism and composed some basic tenets of the teaching.

Keen-as-mustard and jumped the gun

• Robert scratched a few lines down on Mohs' scale of hardness, and started growing some crystals while racking his marbles and thinking about a certain mountain...

My word, you're keen! Well done, Robert! Aleta Curry 14:46, 5 February 2008 (CST)

• I know I cheated but I'll snip away at it tonight, a promise. I heretically imported a well-done article from WP, Phenomenography, a core article for education. Stephen Ewen 16:43, 5 February 2008 (CST)

You'll snip away?? What's with the castration fixation, fellas? Aleta Curry 16:40, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Whose fixation? Stephen Ewen 17:39, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Oh, like I started it? (looks innocent and walks away) Aleta Curry 17:50, 6 February 2008 (CST)

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

Donning some gloves to go with her skirt, Louise ducks in to say hullo to all the Write-a-Thon partiers for the day before having to dash off to her early morning capoeira class. And just for kicks and drinks, and keeping on the Brazilian theme, she offers all a caipirinha.Louise Valmoria 13:28, 5 February 2008 (CST)

First partier! Go, Lou, go! Aleta Curry 14:46, 5 February 2008 (CST)

Gareth Leng started Thomas Aikenhead, but is having a bad hair day generally.

Jim Perry tried to talk some common sense (check the Thomas Reid article for the reference) into Sanger, but gave up and made some shortbread instead.

Stephen Ewen added the photo to the right to Shortbread, and understands giving up at some things sometimes.

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

• Denis Cavanagh added to the History of France by adding details on the latter French Third Republic (Not an article of its own just yet :-)) He isn't going to create an article. Since Citizendium has hit the 5,000 marks he's trying to cut down on the amount of small stubs he creates, then overlooks and then eventually forgets about. He might extend the French History article but has to go to work at Six... (He will now stop talking about himself in third person)
• --Christian Liem 14:22, 6 February 2008 (CST) gave his 2 cents about Citizendium article naming convention in Talk:France, history, and now thinks that the discussion should probably be moved somewhere else because it doesn't just concern that particular article.
• Anton Sweeney edited Chinese new year but then family intervened... maybed next month...

Shy Boys, absent-minded profs, and other modest creatures

• Guess I must be one of those, although I can't remember which (or why). I'm just too busy today with other things. But before I go let me buy a round of Harvey Wallbangers (which are said to be back in vogue) for the house. I'll be back for next month's soire. Roger Lohmann 10:11, 6 February 2008 (CST)

They're back? Really? I've never had one! I know the name of course, from books and old movies. Hmmm...where's our resident cocktail expert when you need him? Aleta Curry 16:47, 6 February 2008 (CST)

• Brian, Long-ing for a beer, started the whole castration fixation thing.
• Richard was hallucinating over in a corner.
• Meg led us to action and adventure
• We sent Shawn up the river

The total party poops

Go ahead, admit it!

Special Requests

• Request/Plea/On hands and knees: please consider working on Olympic Games/Olympic articles that are also in the Core Article Initiative! ;) --Robert W King 15:06, 5 February 2008 (CST)

Questions

How come this party page has been so lull? Is the New Year Celebrations' hangover still on? Supten Sarbadhikari 06:32, 6 February 2008 (CST)

I think it's because I didn't get the announcement out to Citizendium-L last night. I tried, actually, but for some reason it wasn't actually posted until the third time I tried. --Larry Sanger 09:38, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Maybe some of the early birds / regular participants can help you with posting the announcements to the list? Like, 'hey, it's hit Wednesday over here! Come and join us tomorrow!' Louise Valmoria 13:40, 6 February 2008 (CST)

The Mistress of Ceremonies thinks that's a very good idea. It's also been suggested that we need a write-a-thon bot. An idea that is long overdue, if you ask me. Aleta Curry 16:32, 6 February 2008 (CST)

My excuse is a snow day, schools closed, about a foot to shovel and navigate. What fun. Chris Day (talk) 22:46, 6 February 2008 (CST)

How many times do you let the phone ring before you pick it up? Is one too abrupt, four too long? (Says someone swamped by calls yesterday ...)Louise Valmoria 13:40, 6 February 2008 (CST)

The answer is "three". You pick it up on ring four. I remember reading somewhere that a lot of answering machines default to five rings and on the sixth they click on. I usually pick up my phone on ring three, because it'll vibrate once in my pocket, then another while I'm looking to see who it is. --Robert W King 14:31, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Pick it up when you want to--if the caller has a mouthful of something, that's his problem. Lou, if you're swamped by calls, you do not have to pick up your phone at all. By the way, did you know that there is an answer to the "is screening calls rude" question? Aleta Curry 16:32, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Now I have to ask: what is the answer to the "is screening calls rude" question?Louise Valmoria 17:20, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Hee, hee. The answer is "no, it isn't". Here's why: it is the modern equivalent of having the butler say that you are "not at home". Aleta Curry 17:48, 6 February 2008 (CST)

A European wants to know - whatever about the U.S. primaries to select presidential candidates, how do the vice-presidential candidates get nominated? Is it the choice of the presidential candidate, some form of democracy, or a party decision? (Hmm, Super Tuesday probably deserves an article...) Anton Sweeney 15:12, 6 February 2008 (CST)

I'm pretty sure the presidential candidate announces his choice of running mate (having a hard time writing his/her and I'm sorry but "their" just doesn't work for me). I daresay that there's plenty of consultation with the party, though. You're right; we need a Super Tuesday article! Aleta Curry 16:32, 6 February 2008 (CST)

take a look at 2008 United States presidential election, which gets updated daily. I expect full coverage of Super Tuesday (Tsunami Tuesday) as soon as the networks finish counting and analyzing, probably tomorrow. Richard Jensen 16:38, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Oh, cool! Glad somebody's on the ball--go, Richard! Aleta Curry 16:44, 6 February 2008 (CST)

No booze yet?! Anton Sweeney 19:32, 6 February 2008 (CST)

[Passes Anton the schnapps just in time--it's starting to storm again--later!] Aleta Curry 21:56, 6 February 2008 (CST)

Previous shindigs

• January 9,2008
• December 5, 2007
• November 7, 2007
• October 3, 2007
• September 5, 2007
• August 1, 2007

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 - TBA--no jumping the gun; depends on what people bring

See also

• Larry Sanger, Why the Write-a-Thon worked, Citizendium Blog, August 9, 2007
• Weekly Wiki
• Article of the Week
• New Article of the Week