A brownie for you!

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  Thanks for your recent edits to Lauren Koslow. Since you know about BLP violations, I'm assuming you know about the benefits of creating an account and have decided not to do so. But I wanted to thank you anyways and this is better than the standard welcome templates for IPs. Clovermoss (talk) 03:58, 19 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

A kitten for you!

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Thank you very much for all you do.  

~ ToBeFree (talk) 23:34, 21 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

  • A kitten! ToBeFree, back at you. There was a time when I edited--tens of thousands of edits--adding content and co-authoring featured articles. Now I do my research and writing for publication, but it means something to reveal and eradicate promotion, defamation and vandalism here. Some of us grew up reading paper encyclopedias, and understand their potential value. Thank you for appreciating that, too. Cheers, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 03:18, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

July 2022

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I did not use the template carelessly, it was not disruptive, your edit to Chickenpox was vandalism, Twinkle correctly listed it as vandalism. Chip3004 (talk) 03:59, 22 July 2022 (UTC) That was a valid warning Chip3004 (talk) 04:00, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

  • Well, no and no. Please feel free to take this to ANI--I can not because it's currently protected. Are there other instances where you've trusted Twinkle and restored unsourced content added by blocked users? But doubling down on calling it vandalism isn't going to work out well.
Thank you. The disruptive account I referred to was not you, but the blocked editor who initially added the content. Still, your reaction here and at your talk page is troubling. And this after I twice reverted vandalism to your talk page in early June as a different IP. No good deed goes unpunished, etc. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 04:30, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Hm. I hope using even a short explanative edit summary like "unsourced" would have made the issue obvious to Chip3004. While the lack of such an explanation doesn't justify the revert, dealing with humans sometimes requires taking seemingly unnecessary measures to prevent errors.
Twinkle itself doesn't list anything as vandalism. Chip3004 may be referring to quality and intent filters in the recent changes list, but these have nothing to do with Twinkle.
What confuses me is that Chip3004 seems to have been using their talk page to reply to a user who can't reply there. [2] Or for messages such as [3].
That's all pretty weird. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 13:53, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
ToBeFree, probably I should have left an explanation here [4]. Intent and context would have been clear to an experienced editor looking for vandalism; taking that for granted was my miscalculation. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 14:52, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
And yes, their talk page comments are concerning. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 14:54, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
And, ToBeFree, how was this 'vandalism' [5]? If ANI is unprotected later today, I can open a report there. Otherwise feel free to have a chat with them. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 14:58, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
As every experienced editor knows, splitting up overly long paragraphs is compliant with WP:PARAGRAPH and thus vandalism.  
As there seem to be a number of issues that should perhaps be discussed indeed, I think waiting for the protection to expire and opening a thread at ANI may really be helpful. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 15:06, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Okay. Friday night will be a slow time there, so it may wait until the weekend. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 15:12, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Well, ANI is open now; I wouldn't wait for time-strategical reasons. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:21, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

I've been away all day, ToBeFree. Maybe I'll give it a shot. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 23:04, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Ah, I misunderstood the "Friday night will be a slow time there" part; I thought you were waiting for a perceived ideal time for creating ANI reports. Thank you; I'd now have notified them but they have already joined the discussion. Looks good to me ~ ToBeFree (talk) 00:24, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
It was both, ToBeFree. I knew I'd be working the whole afternoon, and figured by the time I returned tonight there would be few admins active. By the way, I don't expect you'll receive a satisfactory response to your question [6], for the same reason the editor has difficulty here in general: English language issues. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 02:49, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
We'll see.   ~ ToBeFree (talk) 05:08, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

ToBeFree, add another, apparently foreign account, that can't always tell the difference [7]. I think they see an IP edit and assume it's disruptive. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:19, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Their talk page is open :) ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:47, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Thank you for helping at Tristan Thompson, ToBeFree. I would have gone to ANI rather than page protection because the latter tends to be issue specific--one reports there for an article lock, period. Since persistent WP:BLP violations were involved, the request was more complicated. Cheers, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 03:09, 24 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

No worries. Sure, I figured as much; my main concern was that ANI isn't ideal for reporting such issues either, as it's pretty high-traffic. Well, I think the problem we two have been facing in making and responding to the report is Wikipedia's inherent open and permanent nature. I normally love that; it's why I'm here. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 03:19, 24 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
I'm too old for this [8]. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 03:35, 24 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

A Jeff Epstein jag

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ToBeFree, Ohnoitsjamie, 78.144.128.233 (talk · contribs) is adding provocative content to the ledes of multiple WP:BLPs, regarding connections to Epstein. This doesn't belong in the article intros, and may or may not have a place in the articles. I'd go to ANI, but you know. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 15:43, 22 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Qayqayt First Nation and New Westminster Indian Band

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Drmies, ToBeFree, I'm in over my head, but this looks like it might be a bit of a culture war. Have a look if you have time--maybe it's all very straightforward. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 23:17, 24 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Thank you, both. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:54, 25 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Rev/delete help

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Hi Drmies, can you help with the last piece of vandalism I deleted? Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 04:33, 26 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Joe Brown (judge)

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The BLP noticeboard--like the COI--is sometimes a place where reports go to die [9]. Drmies, ToBeFree, please have a look at the bio and its recent edit history when you're free. If I start reverting it's liable to touch off an edit war and prompt accusations of whitewashing, etc. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 14:24, 26 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Thanks 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD and Drmies.   ~ ToBeFree (talk) 17:56, 26 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Julie Budd

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Relentless COI. Any help would be appreciated--Melcous, Drmies? Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 15:55, 27 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Drmies, has this account reached its threshold yet [10]? Perhaps a partial block, to the one article, which is all they care about, anyway. I'm sure they'll create another account for the purpose. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 14:32, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Carl Barks

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A notable associates section? Drmies, what do you make of that? 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 13:57, 28 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Coordinated mass attack across the platform re: recession

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Here's one for you, Drmies, ToBeFree: [11]. Using article talk pages as forums for the past seven years. I don't want to put in a report at ANI and give them another soapbox for conspiracy theories, this time against them. Do as you will. By the way, speaking of forums, the Recession talk page is getting pretty weird in general. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 02:47, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Oh, I saw the notification at AN yesterday evening and wondered what I'd return to after work. Well well. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:22, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
ToBeFree, it looks like a cross-platform effort, which I suspect has been summoned off-Wiki by political actors [13]. I'm seeing this cropping up at different articles. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:25, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
ToBeFree, see also Economic growth. There may be a host of related articles under attack. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:27, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
This edit history offers a roadmap [14] to several disrupted articles. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:29, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Searobin347 has been registered for 12 years; I've now given them the benefit of doubt. All pretty strange. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:34, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
ToBeFree, also [15] for more articles. It looks like right-wing fury over the administration's avoidance of calling this a recession. These all suggest a coordinated campaign to hit Wikipedia, hence the strong political accusations at the talk page you protected. That's kind of the mothership for this right now. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:37, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
C.Fred and Bbb23 have done some blocking, and have probably noticed what's going on. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:40, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Whole lot of trolling going on [16]. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:47, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Seems to confirm what I'm noticing: [17]. Thank you for your observation, DavidCWG. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 18:51, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Beland, per the discussion at Recession, protection actions right now are no longer preemptive. The attack is coordinated throughout the platform. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 19:26, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Well, semi-protection seems to be stopping the problems at Recession and the other disruption appears to have been caught by the Recent Changes Patrol. If there are any articles that are experiencing persistent disruption, I recommend dropping a note at WP:ANI, where there are always admins available. But if that happens, I expect whoever has to keep cleaning up the mess will soon get tired of doing so and start semi-protecting more articles. -- Beland (talk) 19:48, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
It turns out these contributions are incredibly simple to filter for. They have now considerably slowed down. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 20:49, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Thank you, both. ToBeFree, that's welcome news. I suspect it slows down because you and the other admins are so effective. If I don't ping you again in the next seven minutes, have a good evening/weekend. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:F5BD (talk) 21:26, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
  Thank you, a nice evening/weekend to you too! ~ ToBeFree (talk) 22:26, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Re

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Thanks for the note. Blocking from the same pages, but this time for two weeks; maybe that'll get the message across. The Blade of the Northern Lights (話して下さい) 17:00, 29 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

Lost wifi multiple times overnight

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So, new account. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:695A:ACA6:D0AE:377 (talk) 08:10, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

And I goofed

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ToBeFree, Drmies, any assistance you can provide--I reported an account to AIV, who was, upon review, editing in good faith and without disruptive intent. Materialscientist blocked the account for three years as a result [18]. I dropped a note asking M to review the edits and lift the block. Maybe another admin can have a look. My apologies for the error. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:695A:ACA6:D0AE:377 (talk) 18:01, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

The IP address seems to have been frequently used for disruptive contributions (block log). Asking editors from this IP address to use an account for editing ({{anonblock}}) may perhaps be reasonable regardless of that specific person's edits. Messaging Materialscientist looks like a good idea, thanks for doing this; I'd just wait for their re-evaluation. The block isn't a day old yet and there is probably no unusual urgency in quickly re-enabling unregistered contributions from this specific address. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:19, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
I didn't give you much time off for the weekend, ToBeFree. Yeah, I was unduly influenced by their edit history. The latest wrestling edits weren't great, but they didn't constitute vandalism. Your take is appreciated, as usual. For better or worse, the government offices of Missouri will survive. Thank you. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:695A:ACA6:D0AE:377 (talk) 18:37, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
  No worries and thank you. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 18:49, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Materialscientist has a tendency not to respond to messages and talk page posts. Drmies (talk) 21:44, 30 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Yes. In the meantime, I've inexplicably returned to my old IP. Never thought I'd see it again. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk) 12:52, 31 July 2022 (UTC)Reply
Not really. I mistook the current IP for my old home base, 2601:188:180:B8E0:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk · contribs). Ah well. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk) 15:49, 31 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

2022 Michigan Secretary of State election and Jocelyn Benson

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Drmies, Ohnoitsjamie, would you take a look at these? In the last 24 hours they've been massaged by a partisan editor, using less than reliable sources [19] and invoking the influence of Soros, a sure dog whistle in these matters. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk) 03:50, 3 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

Kevin W. Sharer

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No hurry on this, just a long term COI puff piece. Sourced content was removed a few years ago by the 'Sharerfam" account, so perhaps some of that can be retrieved, and there may be grounds for a user block. At any rate, I got the ball rolling if Drmies or Melcous want to have a look. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:98D4:93BA:B357:8CFF (talk) 22:01, 4 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

Nimra Ahmed Khan

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Drmies, ToBeFree, your help would be appreciated. A new user is determined to make a poor article worse. Thanks, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk) 04:05, 6 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

"You can check her insta account for name etc"! ~ ToBeFree (talk) 11:57, 6 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
Oy. Thank you very much, ToBeFree. Cheers, 2601:19E:4180:6D50:65F5:930C:B0B2:CD63 (talk) 12:30, 6 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
Thanks for the notification.   ~ ToBeFree (talk) 14:08, 6 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

Brent Mishler and Species

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More eyes appreciated. WP:COI account--subject appears notable, though the article is a bit promotional and lacking sources. The addition to Species looks dubious, too--it's not clear whether this is a widely held theory or fringe. The "some scientists" line is always a red flag, even if true. Drmies, Melcous, you're both sharp on this stuff. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:6BB1 (talk) 02:35, 11 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

Thanks for the heads up - I have added undisclosed paid templates to 3 key articles - its not difficult to discover the editor's connection and this requires disclosure. Melcous (talk) 08:09, 11 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
Thank you, Melcous. Cheers! 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:6BB1 (talk) 13:31, 11 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
You're welcome- it's great to have you back around the place again - hope you are doing well. Melcous (talk) 13:32, 11 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
I am, Melcous, thank you. It's always good to hear from you. As for [21], sometimes a carefully worded denial says volumes. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:0:0:0:6BB1 (talk) 04:50, 12 August 2022 (UTC)Reply

Another incarnation

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As a brand new shiny IP. 2601:19E:4180:6D50:3CFF:190:685F:4F95 (talk) 21:31, 13 August 2022 (UTC)Reply