No subject


Sat Jan 6 13:53:56 UTC 2007


Your user name or IP address has been blocked by PierreAbbat. The reason =
given is this:
Vandalized World Trade Center, William I of England. Removed large =
section of Napoleonic Code,=20

You may contact the administrator to discuss the block.=20

Return to Main Page.=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

I am new to Wikipedia.  The time I first saw this page, I had not yet =
registered a user name on Wikipedia.  I plead innocent to these crimes.

To accuse me or anyone else of "vandalizing the World Trade Center", is =
just fuckin [at a loss for words here].  Especially since I was born in =
NYC and now live in DC and am acquainted with people who collectively =
knew many of the victims of the WTC "vandals".  We are just now =
recovering from the "sniper" who shot up the DC area, apparently as part =
of a custody dispute.

We are far more likely to be victims than vandals, individually.  It =
seems that almost every month I am reading about some place that I have =
visited that was blown up or shot up in the name of someone's agenda =
(this includes the spot the sniper got his last victim, a bombing in =
Israel last week, the WTC, etc.).  Some day they may catch up with me.  =
Any one of us.

"Vandalizing the World Trade Center" may be an unfortunate, unthinking =
choice of words, but I am still deeply offended.  I apologize to anyone =
else who reads this flame.

(As for removing large sections of the Napoleonic Code: there are large =
sections of the IRS Code and the US Code I should like to delete and =
replace, but under our Constitution my opinion on this doesn=92t =
matter=97when we vote Tuesday, DC will once again choose a Non-Voting =
Delegate to Congress.)

To block my IP number is to tar me by guilt by association.  I still =
communicate with the outside world through modems hooked up to the =
public switched telephone network, as we called it back in the Bitnet =
days.  My ISP, Starpower/RCN, assigns me a dynamic IP address, which =
belongs to a server physically located in the Maryland suburbs.  I tried =
to logout from the Internet and login again, hoping that a different =
dynamic IP address would work.  No such luck.

You may be blocking many, perhaps all Starpower customers from the 202 =
area code, and at busy times from many other places as well.  =
(Apparently one Wikipedian agrees that the people of DC do not deserve a =
voice.  At any rate, his actions have this effect.)

I think you need to rethink the practice of blocking dynamic IP numbers. =
 Not everyone lives in an area served by cable modems or DSL.  Many of =
those who do cannot afford the additional expense of a high speed =
connection that is always on.

The message advises me to "contact the administrator to discuss the =
block."  This is nice.  It would have been nicer if a hyperlink to the =
administrator's "mailto:" address were included.  Unlike most websites, =
the Wikipedia home page offers no hyperlink to the webmaster.  This is =
why I joined and wrote to this list.  Probably there is a better place =
for this msg.  If so, please forward this, and tell me.

There are four things that need fixing here:  my access to Wikipedia, =
your handling of dynamic IP addresses, an easy way to contact the =
Wikipedia webmaster or administrator, and DC's voting rights.  I trust =
that someone on this list can deal with the first 3 problems.  Those of =
you who are US citizens should write to your Senators and Congressmen =
about the last one.

Please, someone, fix this.  Otherwise I will have to be a passive =
Wikipedian (if that is not an oxymoron).  As it stands, I cannot even =
write to my own user page.

Again, I apologize for sending such a long and personal msg to a List.  =
Please forgive.

   =97The Solo Owl

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<DIV>[Probably not the right place for this plea.&nbsp; Please forward =
to the=20
right person.&nbsp; (See next to last paragraph below for my reason for =
using=20
this forum.]</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I am a new user of Wikipedia.&nbsp; It seems like a great =
project.&nbsp;=20
Since about 1963, I have believed that the world needs a really big =
encyclopedia=20
to access all knowledge about everything (before the internet, I=20
estimated&nbsp;thousands of&nbsp;printed volumes).&nbsp; In the '80s I =
learned=20
of the idea now called "hyperlink"&nbsp;and I knew, theoretically, how =
this=20
could work as a continually updated virtual book.&nbsp; Nupedia and =
Wikipedia=20
promise to fulfill this vision.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>But the very second time I tried to add a suggestion I was referred =
to a=20
page with this content:</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</DIV>
<DIV>User is blocked<BR>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Your user name or IP address has been blocked by PierreAbbat. The =
reason=20
given is this:<BR>Vandalized World Trade Center, William I of England. =
Removed=20
large section of Napoleonic Code, </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>You may contact the administrator to discuss the block. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Return to Main Page.=20
<BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I am new to Wikipedia.&nbsp; The time I first&nbsp;saw this page, I =
had not=20
yet registered a&nbsp;user name on Wikipedia.&nbsp; I plead innocent to =
these=20
crimes.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>To accuse me or anyone else of "vandalizing the World Trade =
Center", is=20
just fuckin [at a loss for words here].&nbsp; Especially since I was =
born in NYC=20
and now live in&nbsp;DC and am acquainted with people who collectively =
knew many=20
of the victims of the WTC "vandals".&nbsp;&nbsp;We are just now =
recovering from=20
the "sniper" who shot up the DC area, apparently&nbsp;as part of&nbsp;a =
custody=20
dispute.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>We&nbsp;are far more likely to be victims than vandals, =
individually.&nbsp;=20
It seems that almost every month I am reading about some place that I =
have=20
visited that was blown up or shot up in the name of someone's agenda =
(this=20
includes the&nbsp;spot the sniper got his last victim, a bombing in =
Israel last=20
week, the WTC, etc.).&nbsp; Some day they&nbsp;may catch up with =
me.&nbsp; Any=20
one of us.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Vandalizing the World Trade Center" may be an unfortunate, =
unthinking=20
choice of words, but I am still deeply offended.&nbsp; I apologize to =
anyone=20
else who reads this flame.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>(As for removing large sections of the Napoleonic Code: there are =
large=20
sections of the IRS Code and the US&nbsp;Code&nbsp;I should like to =
delete and=20
replace, but&nbsp;under our Constitution&nbsp;my opinion on this =
doesn=92t=20
matter=97when&nbsp;we vote Tuesday,&nbsp;DC will once again choose a =
Non-Voting=20
Delegate to Congress.)</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>To&nbsp;block my IP number is to tar me by guilt by =
association.&nbsp; I=20
still communicate with the outside world through modems hooked up to the =
public=20
switched telephone network, as we called it back in the Bitnet =
days.&nbsp; My=20
ISP, Starpower/RCN, assigns me a dynamic IP address, which&nbsp;belongs=20
to&nbsp;a server physically located in the Maryland suburbs.&nbsp; I =
tried to=20
logout from the Internet&nbsp;and login again, hoping that&nbsp;a =
different=20
dynamic&nbsp;IP address would work.&nbsp; No such luck.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>You may be blocking many, perhaps all&nbsp;Starpower customers from =
the 202=20
area code, and&nbsp;at busy times from many other places as well.&nbsp;=20
(Apparently one Wikipedian agrees that the people of DC do not deserve a =

voice.&nbsp; At any rate,&nbsp;his actions&nbsp;have&nbsp;this =
effect.)</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I think you need to rethink the practice of blocking dynamic IP=20
numbers.&nbsp; Not everyone lives in an area served by cable modems or=20
DSL.&nbsp; Many of those who do cannot afford the additional expense of =
a high=20
speed connection that is always on.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The message advises me to&nbsp;"contact the administrator to =
discuss the=20
block."&nbsp; This is nice.&nbsp; It would have been nicer if =
a&nbsp;hyperlink=20
to the administrator's "mailto:" address were included.&nbsp; Unlike =
most=20
websites, the Wikipedia home page offers no hyperlink to the =
webmaster.&nbsp;=20
This is why I joined and wrote to this =
list.&nbsp;&nbsp;Probably&nbsp;there is a=20
better place for this msg.&nbsp; If so, please forward this, =
and&nbsp;tell=20
me.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>There are&nbsp;four things that need fixing here:&nbsp; my access =
to=20
Wikipedia, your handling of dynamic IP addresses, an easy way to contact =
the=20
Wikipedia webmaster or administrator, and DC's voting rights.&nbsp; I =
trust that=20
someone on this list can deal with the first&nbsp;3 problems.&nbsp; =
Those of you=20
who are US citizens should&nbsp;write to your Senators and Congressmen =
about=20
the&nbsp;last one.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Please, someone,&nbsp;fix this.&nbsp; Otherwise I will have to be a =
passive=20
Wikipedian (if that is not an oxymoron).&nbsp; As it stands, I cannot =
even=20
write&nbsp;to my own user page.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Again, I apologize for sending such a long and&nbsp;personal msg to =
a=20
List.&nbsp; Please forgive.<BR></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; =97The Solo Owl<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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