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Hello Cyclopia and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

The Signpost: 5 June 2023

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Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee Building Committee Commences Command By Convening.
Also: Goog gets delist ask for en-wp yt-dl ar-ticle, wacky football fails.
Now is not this ridiculous, and is not this preposterous? A thorough-paced absurdity - explain it if you can.
Plus mortalities, and movies about mermaids.

The Signpost: 19 June 2023

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Problems with emergency emails sent to WMF.
... and an AI writer explains why he just bought a paper encyc.
Poetry still present.
And other new research findings.

The Signpost: 3 July 2023

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... and a new Elections Committee.
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Are you now, or have you ever been, a Wikipedia editor?
In which featured pictures have a pleasing orange/blue colour scheme for some reason.
Don't worry, they are mostly harmless.
Mission to ensure stability in conflict-ridden area.

The Signpost: 17 July 2023

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Gitz666 unglocked, Wikimania scholarships given and a new admin anointed.
Ruwiki on the Ruinternet, Rauwerda on TEDx, and Jimbo on Fridman.
Philadelphians and Tanzanians say goodbye.
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Wikidata queries investigate nepo babies.
A summary of various tools designed over the years.
And various other research on large language models and Wikipedia.
Bold move intended to "get some variety" into Wikipedia arguments.
The annual report that tries to understand the Signpost through data, written in 2020, which never saw the light of day until now.
In which choices have been made™.
Sex, drugs and violence, English, math and science.

The Signpost: 1 August 2023

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And French gov't proposes legislation to slam Wikipedia, others.
Or just another brouhaha?
Hot damn, it's damned hot!
Three editors have departed.
You don't really want to do this stuff by yourself, do you?
A serious visual investigation.
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Possible solutions after being re-harassed.
Due to unfortunate events, this issue is published as is, in its unfinished state.
Oppenheimer, Barbie, and a couple other scandals.

Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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The Signpost: 15 August 2023

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Jimbo promises more transparency, Wikimania in Singapore, move away from Tides still planned, and Wikifunctions rolls out.
Harsh words from problematic fave Glenn Greenwald.
Rigorous Review of Content for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Wikipedia.
Damn kids need to get off our lawn and onto RfA.
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The innards of the Signpost received a major overhaul in March/April 2019. Here's how we reduced behind-the-scenes busywork and improved writers resources.
For whom does the Creative Commons enforcement clause toll?
An announcement of 335,000 new images on Wikimedia Commons.
Some improvement on last week.
Case request cited misuse of tools by administrator who last used tools in 1661.
Barbenheimer, Pee-Wee Herman and the Women's World Cup.
[edit]

An automated process has detected that when you recently edited Chaetognatha, you added a link pointing to the disambiguation page Photoreceptor.

(Opt-out instructions.) --DPL bot (talk) 06:07, 16 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 31 August 2023

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News for the editoriat. Stuff that matters.
Wikipedia really comes into its own, editorially and artistically.
"Poli", which means "many", and "tics", which means "under-the-table Wikipedia article whitewashing campaigns".
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The good, the bad, and the nonsense.
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I just poured HOT GRITS down my pants ohh yeah

The Signpost: 16 September 2023

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Plus: Africa news, funding report, U4C draft, roads fork and another ChatGPT block.
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A Wikipedian and a friend.
Non-flammable, BPA-free, and really whips the llama's ass.
Covering all of August. Pretty much.
The Signpost brings you the latest from the source.
Sports, film and singers. We've got it all!

The Signpost: 3 October 2023

[edit]
Finances during Tides Foundation management of the endowment are shown for the first time.
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The first issue to feature two poetry article
Material must be written with the greatest care and attention; the level of detail and commentary regarding the antlers of living persons is to be kept to a minimum.
Tamzin reflects on the hunt.
Taylor Swift with an NFL tight end and Lauren Boebert with a Democrat?

Always precious

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Ten years ago, you were found precious. That's what you are, always. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:50, 9 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Uh, I see this only now. Thanks, I guess! :) cyclopiaspeak! 15:00, 5 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 23 October 2023

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Long time passing
Also: High fives, Wikipedia as a guide for counterfeiters and crossword makers, and Iskander at the UN.
The benefits of research.
These titles never make much sense even at the best of times, so why not be random?
They are still fighting.
Sounds good!
"Cite altered state" to join the distinguished ranks of CS1 templates

The Signpost: 6 November 2023

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"Is this an ArbCom case request or an M. Night Shyamalan movie?"
Plus Gaza bias, Speaker Johnson, Maher, the music of websites, and antisemitism.
And three new admins!
You should learn some of our rules!
The winner is...
Do you ever wonder where Wikipedia articles come from?
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Only literally.
A systematic approach.
Plus Kollywood, Killers of the Flower Moon, and ongoing war.

The Signpost: 20 November 2023

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Comic-con, Media summit, and a classic!
Plus: Sockpuppet investigators asking for help.
Or if it's Indian sport or cinema.
And other new research findings.
Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2024 are now open!

ArbCom 2023 Elections voter message

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DYK for Seasonal hyperacute panuveitis

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On 2 December 2023, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Seasonal hyperacute panuveitis, which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that white moths are suspected to cause seasonal hyperacute panuveitis in Nepal? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Seasonal hyperacute panuveitis. You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Seasonal hyperacute panuveitis), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

RoySmith (talk) 00:02, 2 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 4 December 2023

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Just as his term was ending!
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Continuing years of efforts to improve free-to-read access.
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This page in a nutshell: Whether or not someone has denied unsavory allegations — though such a denial may not merit being given equal weight in an article — a worthless shitpost should still be included.

The Signpost: 24 December 2023

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Wikipedia article histories are public records that can be easily examined, so unlike other websites, we can answer this question thoroughly.
Not the best of times for Wikipedians across the world, but there are still glimpses of hope...
Forky on forky on forky, plus a strange donation scheme and other interesting bits of news.
Wiki goes dark and adopts Palestine flag logo; intellectual property rumblings from the bowels of the law.
Wikimedia Russia closes after founder is declared a "foreign agent".
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The Signpost Crossword is a 2018 online multiplayer social deduction game that takes place in space-themed settings where players are colorful, armless cartoon astronauts.
Bollywood, Hollywood, and both kinds of football to close out December.
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The Signpost: 10 January 2024

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The Signpost can now drink beer and chant slogans in Canada. What slogans should we chant for the next nineteen years?
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Let the games begin! The 2024 WikiCup is off to a strong start. With copyright enforcement, AI training and freedom of expression, it's another typical week in the wiki-sphere!
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What are the editorial processes behind covering some of the most politically polarizing and contentious topics on English Wikipedia?
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Getting down to brass tacks &c.

The Signpost: 31 January 2024

[edit]
Plus WMF child rights impact assessment, Chinese Wikipedia changes admin rules
A stream of consciousness about plagiarism on Wikipedia from the perspective of a user who directly witnessed it.
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Another wobble, more Ackman, our usual pathological optimist, and football in dirty pants!
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Writing a good subheading for a one-sentence joke is basically like writing an entire second joke so I'm not going to do it.
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The Signpost: 13 February 2024

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The Signpost: 2 March 2024

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If you say it loud enough the views will come your way!
135 battle it out; 67 advance

The Signpost: 29 March 2024

[edit]
Much effort was spent drafting a movement charter about becoming "essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge". How much is spent maintaining it?
Signpost interviews Wikimedia Foundation leadership on fundraising banners
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Worldwide women turned blue and controversies on Serbian & French Wikipedia.
Let me take you to the movies.
The only worthwhile grievance is the one that prompts satire.
margin: 0 auto !important;

DYK nomination of Destruction of the Moon

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Hello! Your submission of Destruction of the Moon at the Did You Know nominations page has been reviewed, and some issues with it may need to be clarified. Please review the comment(s) at your nomination's entry and respond there at your earliest convenience. Thank you for contributing to Did You Know! BlueMoonset (talk) 23:12, 11 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Hey, apologies - Due to unexpected circumstances am extremely busy at the moment, so I cannot work on the article now. It's okay if the DYK didn't work. Many thanks for your pings and sorry for any inconvenience! cyclopiaspeak! 10:47, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 25 April 2024

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The Signpost: 16 May 2024

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The Signpost: 8 June 2024

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The Signpost: 4 July 2024

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The Signpost: 22 July 2024

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The Signpost: 14 August 2024

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The Signpost: 4 September 2024

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The Signpost: 26 September 2024

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ANI (but probably not the one you're thinking of), bias and bans, crisis and Clover, Engelhorn's euros, and will the zoomers inherit the project?
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Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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The Signpost: 19 October 2024

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The Signpost: 6 November 2024

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Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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There must be a difference on our systems

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On my system, I was SHRINKING the lead photo, by a significant amount, at Penis with both edits. Were my edits making it larger on yours? Very odd. Frankly, your reducing it a further 20px wasn't much of a change but I'm fine with it. Must have been a system difference though, since every time you said I was enlarging it, it was shrinking on my copy. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:10, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

On my browser (Chrome) it was definitely larger. The 20px reduction put it in the same width of the infobox. What is your system? We could share screenshots and, if there is actually a difference in rendering, ask what is going on technically. cyclopiaspeak! 16:15, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm, that's interesting. I'm using Edge Chromium so wouldn't have expected much of a difference. I'll do a test revert so I can capture a screenshot, hang on. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:17, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
You don't need to revert, just use the history. cyclopiaspeak! 16:20, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Here you can find the difference. cyclopiaspeak! 16:20, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ah thanks! I wasn't actually going to revert; I was just capturing screenshots from the previews. That's handy, thanks. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:22, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Available here https://easyupload.io/2vm2ly. I suspect the "original" image (with no width specified, last image) was at a 495px width as that's the preview size. Current version of Edge is 130.0.2849.80 64-bit. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:28, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I don't understand. On your file, it is clear that your 440px edit is clearly larger, exactly as I saw. cyclopiaspeak! 16:37, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ah no sorry, missed the last page! Ok that's indeed different from my case, and weird. I wonder if it is also because I use another skin (Monobook)? cyclopiaspeak! 16:38, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm, that could be...I'm still using Vector Legacy. Maybe that's the difference? Eh, regardless, it's resolved now! Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:41, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The skin seems to make no difference. Firefox on my system (Ubuntu Linux) shows the original image in this edit small as well. cyclopiaspeak! 16:42, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
OK, then that IS weird. Maybe something particular to Edge Chromium or my specific setup? I checked the image differences on my iPhone (Safari) and the 440px and no-width images appeared the same there also. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:45, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Just tried Chrome on my system; 440px and no-width are the same size there too. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:46, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think it's Edge. The images I posted were on my work computer; when I switch to my personal, 440px and no-width appear the same there also. The work laptop is used heavily for graphics editing and publications, so perhaps there's some atypical default setting that's mucking with the browser? I'll have to do more exploration. Jtrevor99 (talk) 16:51, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 18 November 2024

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ArbCom 2024 Elections voter message

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Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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The Signpost: 12 December 2024

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FYI

[edit]

Tardigrade is going through GAN now. I'm responding to the reviewer's comments. Chiswick Chap (talk) 15:20, 22 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I'd better add (not sure if you saw the above, maybe not) that the concern is that the text has drifted from the cited sources. Over the years a very large number of sources of variable quality have been added, and many parts of the text have been edited at random so that it is close to impossible to see what text came from which source, if indeed some of it wasn't WP:OR. Anyway, I am now in the process not just of GAN but of fixing the OR/years of editing/wobbly source issue in the middle of the review, so it'd be much appreciated if you could hold off for now. After the review we can of course discuss further improvements. Many thanks! All the best, Chiswick Chap (talk) 15:25, 22 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, sorry! cyclopiaspeak! 15:32, 22 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Gosh, that was a sharp intervention in the GAN. I've replied there, but in future it'd really be appreciated if you'd have discussions like that on my (or your) talk page as it's less likely to disrupt the GAN. Reviewers are hard to find, the GAN queue is long (often many months), and the last thing one wants is to have to start over. All the best, Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:49, 22 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I understand the concern, but I believe -for transparency and consistency- that discussions about article content belong to the article talk page, and given that your recent substantial edits were related to the GAN process, I felt the discussion belonged there. After all, we have no deadline. Thanks! cyclopiaspeak! 22:00, 22 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed the changes were well justified by the GAN process. You may like to know that I've restored the materials deleted from Tardigrade in the new article Environmental tolerance in tardigrades, where there is scope for more coverage as the area is further researched than is feasible in the parent article. All the best, Chiswick Chap (talk) 10:21, 29 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
thanks a lot :) cyclopiaspeak! 11:30, 29 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Signpost: 24 December 2024

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What the VLOP – findings of an outside auditor for "responsibilization" of Wikipedia. Plus, new EU Commissioners for tech policy, WLE 2024 winners, and a few other bits of news from the Wikipedia world.
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Feedback request: Maths, science, and technology request for comment

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Book on de-extinction and why some do not consider backbreeding true de-extinctions?

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Hello, I saw your comment on why the now deleted Necrofauna page should be removed, and I have a few questions about it.

  1. What is the name of your book?
  2. Why is backbreeding not considered a true method of de-extinction in species like aurochs, rastreador Brasileiro, and Floreana giant tortoise by some? The animals produced from these breeding programmes ressemble the original extinct species physically and genetically, have the same capabilities, and play the same ecological and societal roles that the original species did.
  3. Do you consider the tsori, Judean date palm, and Montreal melon to be de-extinctions, or do you consider them Lazarus taxons? None of these species die out for good. unlike other current de-extinction candidates like the thylacine or woolly mammoth, as they were still "alive" in a dormant state as seeds. However, they were incapable of naturally growing without human intervention.

Edelgardvonhresvelg (talk) 21:42, 13 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Hi! Sorry for the late reply!
  1. My book is this one: I see you know Italian, therefore perhaps you can have a look! (unfortunately it has only been translated in German so far)
  2. Backbreeding does not generate a genetically similar breed to the extinct one, only somehow phenotypically similar mocks. The auroch is an example I discuss in the book - the breeds generated by the Heck brothers are not really genetically similar to aurochs (and even their phenotypical resemblance is highly doubtful). See breeding back where there is a discussion. This doesn't mean building ecological substitutes of extinct species is worthless, they might have a positive impact, but it's another matter. Honestly I do not think there is anything near a consensus for backbreeding to be considered de-extinction, but I admit it's a while I do not look at the issue.
  3. That's a very good question! I guess it's matter of semantics. To me they are "de facto" de-extinctions, since while there were alive individuals, technically, they were dormant seeds and no reproductive individual has been alive for centuries. However I understand they are on a twilight zone compared to e.g. the Pyrenean ibex de-extinction attempt or the mammoth de-extinction projects.
cyclopiaspeak! 10:59, 15 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you so much for the reply! I personally consider backbreeding de-extinction, as they ressemble the original species physically and genetically, fulfil the same societal or ecological niche, and have the same capabilities in most cases. For example, the back breed Brazilian dogs have the same high sense of smell that the originals possessed. However, I can understand why other may not consider it true de-extinction when compared to cloning (Pyrenean ibex), genome editing (Woolly mammoth), or assisted reproduction (Northern white rhinoceros).
It is really up to the IUCN, WWF, or local wildlife organisations to determine whether the back breed, or any de-extinct animals are the originals or not though. Rewilding Europe and Tauros plan to have their aurochs evaluated by the IUCN and similar organisations as recognised species sometime this year, it will be their decision to whether they will be considered aurochs or a new species.
I actually started studying German recently for academic purposes. I am a native Castilian Spanish speaker, but I have studied many other languages such as English, French, Mandarin, Arabic (Darija), Italian, and now German. I will definitely read your book once I reach an intermediate understanding of German. :) Edelgardvonhresvelg (talk) 01:57, 16 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

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