Difference between revisions 13045934 and 13360893 on enwiki

Hello there, I'm BDD. You may remember me from other places on the web, usually with a similar name. If you'd like to get in touch with me, [[mailto:[email protected] drop me a line]], or you may be able to catch me on AIM at blackdiamonds486.

This fall, I will be attending the [[College of William and Mary]]. Once I'm settled, I'll be more than happy to speak with any high school seniors about the college application process, whether you're going for W&M or not. Feel free to ask now if you'd like.


'''''My Wikipedia Motto'''''

I formerly doubted the adage "You learn something new every day," when reflecting on some days before falling asleep. Then I found Wikipedia, and I have never had that problem since.

Feel free to have the above motto on your own page, if you feel that it is appropriate for you too. In the Wikipedian spirit of free information, you may, but need not, reference me as its creator.

==My Thoughts on Wikipedia==
You know how sometimes people will ask you what musical album you would want to have with you if stranded on a desert island? If every single Internet page but one had to be annihilated, I would choose to save Wikipedia. Sure, we're not perfect. But Wikipedia is still a largely reliable and highly inclusive effort that any encyclopedia or online project should very much envy. To me, Wikipedia represents everything good about the internet.

If Wikipedia has any sort of political spectrum, I would be on its left. I would consider myself in support of...
*Tolerance towards vandals, and the use of blocks only when other options have been duly exhausted - I believe few people who know the trut spirit of Wikipedia could possibly stand against it.
*Full inclusion of the arcane - if you can write an article based on actual medieval writings dealing with the properties of and legends surrouding [[Satan's left big-toe toenail]] (but please cite your sources!)
*A studious and dedicated approach to the project without it completely usurping a sense of humor - sometimes a good comment for the Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Nonsense page is a good antidote for hot tempers, and plenty of articles (like [[Unitarian Jihad]]) are funny by nature.
*Community organization - give willing Wikipedians every chance to participate in the day-to-day business of Wikipedia, in addition to the editing of articles.
*Open minds towards fellow Wikipedians - I am a liberal Christian, but I can stay cool if a conservative atheist accuses me of a biased edit. I know I'm not always right and am always willing to hear an intelligent, respectful rebuttal of anything I do. I would, of course, appreciate others taking the same approach.

Thus are '''BDD's Five Pillars of Wikipedia'''.

==Services==
As of April 7, I am now a proud member of Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:Association of Members' Advocates|Association of Members' Advocates]]. Feel free to call on me for any help with [[Wikipedia:Dispute resolution|dispute resolution]]; I'm more than happy to help.

I also have 50 [[Gmail]] invites. I highly recommend Gmail and regard it as the best public email system out there. I will gladly extend invites to polite and respectable Wikipedians.

==Frequently Asked Question==
'''Q''': Why do you "fix" vandalism rather than "revert" (or "rv") it?

'''A''': I... um, I... I don't know how to actually "revert" an article, or if it even consists of anything different from copying and pasting the old version's coding. So I just "fix" vandalism instead. If anyone could throw be a bone here, tell me on my talk page or something. I ''have'' tried to find that out for myself.

==Pages Started==
''also includes pages expanded from a sentence into a real stub or articlewhich I significantly expanded, i.e. doing more work than the creator; incomplete list due to dreadfully short memory''
*[[Cadence to Arms]]⏎
*[[Darth Bandon]]
*[[J. Hamilton Lewis]]
*[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]⏎
*[[William R. Brody]]

==Politics==
'''Do not continue reading this section unless you care about (and won't be offended by) my political views. What follows is the internet equivalent of talking to hear yourself talk.'''

I have an unhealthy interest in politics. Anyone who has taken a look at my contributions page can probably tell that I look at a lot of political articles on Wikipedia. I may or may not major in political science (called "Government" at William & Mary) in college, but I remain more enthusiastic about politics than any 17-year-old really should be. :)

Bipartisanship is the most impressive feat a politician can attain, in my view. Whereas some bitter partisans assert that the other party is 100% wrong or actually is seeking to undermine America, I am not so naïve as to think conservatives have nothing to offer the nation, and I believe that the more legitimate political voices in this country, the better off we will be as a democratic republic. I would be ecstatic if overnight the Green and Libertarian parties suddenly grew and we had four major parties of more or less equal size.

Of course, I realize that a politician can be bipartisan and still be an inefficient or "bad" one, but I am generally forgiving of such shortcomings when dealing with someone who has the common sense and reasonability to listen to and work with the other side. In the same manner, I like a politician who is not afraid to accurately represent his constituents or himself without treating party views like immutable dogma. Pro-life Democract? Pro-choice Republican? Gun rights Democrat? Gun control Republican? Good for them - good for all of them!

===Favorites===
My favorite...
*Politician: [[Ralph Nader]]
*President: [[Bill Clinton]]
*Governor: [[Mark Warner]]
*Senator: [[Russ Feingold]]
*Representative: [[Dennis Kucinich]]
*Attorney General: [[Eliot Spitzer]]
*Pundit / Advisor: [[James Carville]]
*Republican: [[John McCain]] (''who else?'')
*2004 Democratic presidential candidate: [[Wesley Clark]]
*2005 Virginia gubernatorial candidate: [[Tim Kaine]]
*Pick for president in 2008: Anyone previously mentioned on this list

===Alex the ''Republican''?===
It takes a brave warrior indeed to admit his weakness openly in such a manner! I have given some thought to how, if at all, I might ever become a Republican. Barring major shifts in party ideology, I could only be brought to the "dark side" via my faith. I categorically reject the idea that Christians must vote Republican (and would contend that more Democratic policies are Christian in nature than Republican ones), but if there were increasing Democratic action against public religious expression - I think we take the separation of church and state too far at times - I would be inclined to seek political alternatives. A persuasive, attractive Republican wife could also be an important factor. :) However, I would more likely vote for a third-party candidate than a Republican if I had a falling-out with the Dems.

That said, even though I haven't voted in my life yet (but am excited about getting to this November), I already know that while I'll be voting mostly Democratic, my mind is not closed to a reasonable Republican option. I would vote for McCain over some shoddy Democratic choices, such as [[Joe Lieberman]].

===Issue-Specific Views===
====Abortion====
I don't consider my stance on abortion very firm; it is a difficult issue and one that I will probably never have to face personally. I don't think a ban on abortions or "abortions on demand" would be very good ideas. First of all, with three trimesters of pregnancy, there should be a time for a woman to make up her mind. Third-trimester abortions are not cool; if it has to be done, best that it's done in the first. "Partial-birth abortion" is an Orwellian term - I don't care who you are, ''that'' is infanticide.

====Death Penalty====
Should we really presume to judge people so harshly? I certainly don't think anyone who hasn't killed should be executed. A good rule of thumb would probably be more than three killings can merit death, less than that would be life in prison. Has anyone else ever found it ironic that the two worst legal penalties are life and death?

====Environment====
The environment should be respected and tended to, including by the government, and emissions from vehicles and industry alike should be reasonably but aggressively regulated. To the same end, developing an alternative automobile fuel should be the top priority of civilized nations today. However, I am not like some radicals who place the environment before humanity. We shouldn't let that disrupt human progress, but we should also be very careful that we never burn any bridges, hence the respect and tending for the environment.

====Free Trade====
I'm ambivalent. On one hand, I want to say America should just be completely open economically. In industries like the automobile industry, I hope that would force American companies to make products that rival Japanese or European ones, in the true spirit of capitalism. On the other hand, Americans should have jobs. Like the situation with the environment, we should care about global livelihood but we cannot and should not place it above American livelihood. Just like the oxygen masks on commericial air flights, let's see that we are secure before we secure others.

====Legalization of Marijuana, etc.====
Although there are many things which I personally disagree with or would never take part in (Satanism is my typical example here), I think the government should let citizens make their own personal decisions in most matters. However, illegal drugs are ''not'' illegal because of some crazy conspiracy. They're illegal because they hurt people, directly or indirectly. They bring out the worst in people. They are harmful. We can't let any loon run around with a bazooka just because it's fun. Neither can we let everyone run around high - especially since they ''wouldn't'' just be running around, but ''driving''. I think many of the facts used by pro-legalization groups are shaky at best, rosy outlooks that they embrace simply because it supports their goals.