Crap articles

[Hex]

the idealized phallic parent of the same sex

Quite why Freudians have not universally been filed in the same bucket as all the other cranks and woo peddlers is something I will never understand.

[Kiefer.Wolfowitz]

Paris_Is_Burning_(film) (T-H-L) is an excellent documentary.

The film explores the elaborately-structured ball competitions in which contestants, adhering to a very specific category or theme, must "walk" (much like a fashion model's runway) and subsequently be judged on criteria including the "realness" of their drag, the beauty of their clothing and their dancing ability. Drag is presented as a complex performance of gender, class, and race, in which one can express one's identity, desires and aspirations along many dimensions.

The idea of "realness" usually involves wearing clothing appropriate to one's gender, with categories such as "businessman", "office worker" "military", "student", "athlete", &c. The point is that everyone is "performing" and everyone is in "drag".

The film is on YouTube here:

Cheryl Lynn (T-H-L) - Got To Be Real (T-H-L)

[Hex]

From Whittier, Alaska (T-H-L):

Buckner Building
The Buckner Building was once the largest building in Alaska but was seriously damaged in the 9.2 1964 Alaska earthquake. It is now just a large, abandoned government building.[12]

Two factors combine to make safe demolition of the building cost-prohibitive: First, there is a potentially dangerous amount of asbestos in the building. Second, the only land-route in and out of Whittier is through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, so debris would either have to go through the tunnel or be moved on ships.[12]

The building is a local hang out for kids, and is often explored by tourists. The safety of the building is marginal, due to the asbestos and questionable structural integrity. Bears are often found inside the building in the spring, and it is full of ice and precariously dangling pipes, wires, and substructure. The floors are almost completely flooded, with at least one inch or more of water on each level.[12]

There are concrete staircases in the building. One is located near the garage and the others are in the middle of the structure. There are also fire exits on both sides, visible to the whole town.[13]

The stairwell leading to the basement is in total darkness and at the bottom of the stairwell is "The Door".[12] Through the door is the basement which, although caved in, is still accessible.[12]

In the Eastern corner is access to an underground tunnel leading towards the city but be advised, it runs downhill for over a 500 yards, ends abruptly and is completely immersed in darkness.

This was uncritically merged into the Whittier article from its previous location at Buckner Building (T-H-L) in January 2009 by Beeblebrox (T-C-L), and is almost completely unchanged from that date, despite a number of experienced Wikipedians having edited the article in the last five years. Entirely unsurprisingly, reference [12] is a dead link. A slightly older version also contained this useful nugget:

The building contains the mysterious "Room of Lies", complete with a door of hearts with the word "KILL" painted over them. Many a visitor have left lies by means of spraypaint. There is other artwork in the building, including but not limited to a pterodactyl and tyrannosaurus.

[Poetlister]

the idealized phallic parent of the same sex

Quite why Freudians have not universally been filed in the same bucket as all the other cranks and woo peddlers is something I will never understand.

Because Freud was mostly right and his ideas led to the foundation of a new science?

[86Mookie]

Twirling Toadstool (Alton Towers) (T-H-L)

The best part may be the picture.

[Zoloft]

Twirling Toadstool (Alton Towers) (T-H-L)

The best part may be the picture.

The ride is in the far back, with a polka-dotted top

It is also partially obscured by trees, and it's obvious that the person taking the picture could have walked right up to it.

[Jim]

Twirling Toadstool (Alton Towers) (T-H-L)

The best part may be the picture.

The ride is in the far back, with a polka-dotted top

It is also partially obscured by trees, and it's obvious that the person taking the picture could have walked right up to it.

Heh - it's funnier than that - they have already got this crappy crop of it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Twir ... dstool.jpg

which they use on Alton Towers Resort (T-H-L)

Crap as that is, you'd think they'd...

[Ming]

Twirling Toadstool (Alton Towers) (T-H-L)

The best part may be the picture.

The ride is in the far back, with a polka-dotted top

It is also partially obscured by trees, and it's obvious that the person taking the picture could have walked right up to it.

That's because it isn't a picture of the ride; it's picture taken for a different (nerdy) purpose that happens to have the ride in the background, scraped off another site and added to commons.

[EricBarbour]

Twirling Toadstool (Alton Towers) (T-H-L)

[Hex]

You may recall Young (MCC cricketer) (T-H-L) from a few weeks ago in this thread. Well, let's take it to the next level: ... Legh (T-H-L)

Clicking through to the one reference given shows that it is possible to write something interesting about a man who is only known by a single brief reference to him by surname in 1512, but not in Wikipedia. Sadly, his colleague ... More (T-H-L) from a century earlier is not able to muster even that much.

[Konveyor Belt]

Relationships of New Girl (T-H-L)

Typical fancruft, although it's quite interesting to see someone has really put their time into this.

[AL1]

There's a blog entry in here somewhere.

We have a heavyweight fight complete with an undercard: List of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom (T-H-L) and List of British words not widely used in the United States (T-H-L) both with matching "Needs citations" and "Original research" tags. We also have Lists of words having different meanings in American and British English (T-H-L), which is merely a placeholder for these two articles: List of words having different meanings in American and British English: A–L (T-H-L) and List of words having different meanings in American and British English: M–Z (T-H-L). Guess which two tags both of those articles have?

Just check the citations on the 'American words' list. There are over 500, yet essentially nothing past the letter "J" is cited. The citations which are there are links to three separate online dictionaries, including Cambridge and the OED. Of course, whichever poor soul wasted his time with that fool's errand (off to check the lists!) clearly gave up before getting to the 'British words' list, as there are only 68 citations on that article. Adding a further layer of needless masturbatory complexity are the last two lists—I highly recommend anyone with dyslexia not to read these—which contain three separate columns, with meanings unique to either American or British usage, and with any "common" usages. Helpfully, the first entry, under "A", is for "AA", which explains that while "AA" stands for "Automobile Association" only in the UK, it can mean "Alcoholics Anonymous" in both countries. It also contains a hotlink to the US equivalent of the UK AA, the American Automobile Association. Thanks, wouldn't have figured that one out! Of course, a cynic would point out that this means "AA" doesn't actually have a different meaning in British and American usage, but let's leave that technicality aside. All in all, it's good to see people racking up edit counts on these helpful articles.

[Jim]

We have a heavyweight fight complete with an undercard: List of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom (T-H-L) and List of British words not widely used in the United States (T-H-L) both with matching "Needs citations" and "Original research" tags. We also have Lists of words having different meanings in American and British English (T-H-L), which is merely a placeholder for these two articles: List of words having different meanings in American and British English: A–L (T-H-L) and List of words having different meanings in American and British English: M–Z (T-H-L). Guess which two tags both of those articles have?

,,,and here's a 2008 AFD raised by our very own Scott/Hex:

Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Lists of American and British words

I will quote this comment from an earlier AfD:
“ From WP:NOT: "Wikipedia is not a dictionary or a usage or jargon guide. Wikipedia articles are not...[l]ists of such definitions...usage guide or slang and idiom guide". This is a list of dictionary defintions. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a dictionary. Definitions of words go in Wiktionary, encyclopaedia articles go in Wikipedia. [These are] also... unmaintainable list with OR problems. ”
These articles are indeed unmaintainable (typical size: 160+ KB) and a magnet for original research. This is in direct contrast to the articles American and British English spelling differences (T-H-L) and American and British English pronunciation differences (T-H-L), which are perfectly encyclop[a]edic in nature. — Hex (❝?!❞) 01:37, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

...and that's correct, the articles he contrasts with are, well..., articles.

So - unanimously kept per WP:BUTILIKEIT-ITSUSEFUL

[Johnny Au]

What about words used in Canada, as well as Canadians words not used outside of Canada?

Examples of Canadian words include washroom, eavestrough, two-four (in reference to 24 cans/bottles of (generally alcoholic) beverages in a case), Timbit, double-double, cottage country, regional municipality, First Nations, etc.

[thekohser]

What about words used in Canada, as well as Canadians words not used outside of Canada?

Examples of Canadian words include washroom, eavestrough, two-four (in reference to 24 cans/bottles of (generally alcoholic) beverages in a case), Timbit, double-double, cottage country, regional municipality, First Nations, etc.

I grew up near Canada, but not in Canada, and the words "washroom" and "eavestrough" were commonly used in my town.

[Johnny Au]

What about words used in Canada, as well as Canadians words not used outside of Canada?

Examples of Canadian words include washroom, eavestrough, two-four (in reference to 24 cans/bottles of (generally alcoholic) beverages in a case), Timbit, double-double, cottage country, regional municipality, First Nations, etc.

I grew up near Canada, but not in Canada, and the words "washroom" and "eavestrough" were commonly used in my town.

True that "washroom" and "eavestrough" are also used in the United States close to Canada, but both words are considered Canadianisms.

Bump:

Here are more Canadianisms:

• pencil crayon (they are coloured pencils)
• duotang or Duo-Tang (a report cover made using card paper and metal fasteners to hold looseleaf paper)
• bird course (an extremely easy course taken in an educational institution)

[Peryglus]

Here are more Canadianisms:

• pencil crayon (they are coloured pencils))

The British use "Pencil crayon".

[Poetlister]

Here are more Canadianisms:

• pencil crayon (they are coloured pencils))

The British use "Pencil crayon".

Really? I've never heard the phrase before.

[AndyTheGrump]

Here are more Canadianisms:

• pencil crayon (they are coloured pencils))

The British use "Pencil crayon".

Really? I've never heard the phrase before.

Me neither. A coloured pencil is a pencil, a crayon is a crayon.

[Johnny Au]

According to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, "pencil crayon" is a Canadianism.

[The Adversary]

The Bra (T-H-L)

Not much is known about The Bra. It's development by the cruel mind of man or it's manufacturing by the still cruel hand of man is a mystery. But there is one thing that everyone knows about The Bra.
Women who wear bras are not subject to the social and physical repercussions that come with the consumption of an obscene amount of wine or champagne.
That's just the facts, folks.

Alison! Where are youuuuuuu??

[EricBarbour]

The Bra (T-H-L)

Not much is known about The Bra. It's development by the cruel mind of man or it's manufacturing by the still cruel hand of man is a mystery. But there is one thing that everyone knows about The Bra.
Women who wear bras are not subject to the social and physical repercussions that come with the consumption of an obscene amount of wine or champagne.
That's just the facts, folks.

Alison! Where are youuuuuuu??

She got it. And I wish she'd have left it there.

Now....you can fix Male bra (T-H-L). Or not.

[Poetlister]

The Bra (T-H-L)

Not much is known about The Bra. It's development by the cruel mind of man or it's manufacturing by the still cruel hand of man is a mystery. But there is one thing that everyone knows about The Bra.
Women who wear bras are not subject to the social and physical repercussions that come with the consumption of an obscene amount of wine or champagne.
That's just the facts, folks.

Alison! Where are youuuuuuu??

Good thing it's gone, or Greg would be complaining about the use of "it's" instead of "its".

[Johnny Au]

The Bra (T-H-L)

Not much is known about The Bra. It's development by the cruel mind of man or it's manufacturing by the still cruel hand of man is a mystery. But there is one thing that everyone knows about The Bra.
Women who wear bras are not subject to the social and physical repercussions that come with the consumption of an obscene amount of wine or champagne.
That's just the facts, folks.

Alison! Where are youuuuuuu??

Good thing it's gone, or Greg would be complaining about the use of "it's" instead of "its".

Me too. It is a grammatical error so basic that someone just learning English would notice it right away.

[The Adversary]

She got it. And I wish she'd have left it there.

I don´t.
Thanks, Alison!
And Eric; the total of Old Timey Beard (T-C-L) writing in the article is preserved, above.

Now....you can fix Male bra (T-H-L). Or not.

Not: that article "belongs" to the bra-men of of Wikipedia.

[Kelly Martin]

True that "washroom" and "eavestrough" are also used in the United States close to Canada, but both words are considered Canadianisms.

I don't know of anyone who "considers" "washroom" to be a "Canadianism". It's a fairly common word throughout the United States, and using it doesn't flag you as a beaver lover. According to at least one source, the term "washroom" originated in the States around 1850; another says it originated in America between 1800 and 1810.

[Johnny Au]

True that "washroom" and "eavestrough" are also used in the United States close to Canada, but both words are considered Canadianisms.

I don't know of anyone who "considers" "washroom" to be a "Canadianism". It's a fairly common word throughout the United States, and using it doesn't flag you as a beaver lover. According to at least one source, the term "washroom" originated in the States around 1850; another says it originated in America between 1800 and 1810.

That is true. However, during the 20th century in the United States, "washroom" is slowly being replaced by "restroom" to the point that "washroom" is very much retained in Canada and some pockets of the United States (and even in Canada, "washroom" is being replaced by "restroom").

Read here about the history of the usage of the word "washroom" in the United States and Canada: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/washroom

[thekohser]

Read here about the history of the usage of the word "washroom" in the United States and Canada: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/washroom

Ah, yes... linguistic scholarship, courtesy of the esteemed Arctic.gnome.

[Kelly Martin]

Read here about the history of the usage of the word "washroom" in the United States and Canada: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/washroom

I would never simply accept without question scholarship in this area sourced to Wikipedia or Wiktionary. So much linguistic and etymological content on these sites is whitewashed "common beliefs" having no grounding in truth, or even just the idiosyncratic belief of a single editor based on their own fevered imaginings. Now, if you can find me a Language Log post on the topic, or something from a site with comparable linguistic chops, that'll I'll believe.

[Johnny Au]

List of rock formations that resemble human beings (T-H-L)
They are just a random list of rock formations that look like humans, some of which are red links.

[Poetlister]

List of rock formations that resemble human beings (T-H-L)
They are just a random list of rock formations that look like humans, some of which are red links.

Or which have been alleged to look like them. I expect you'd be hard pressed to find reliable sources (in either the Wikipedia or usual meaning of reliable).

[Ming]

Fort McHenry (T-H-L)

Written very early as a craptastic stub, and several hundred edits later, it's still craptastic.

[Johnny Au]

Now, the whole Wayside School trilogy:

Sideways Stories from Wayside School (T-H-L)
Wayside School is Falling Down (T-H-L)
Wayside School Gets A Little Stranger (T-H-L)

Much of those articles are very much plot summaries. They belong in a book report for school, not Wikipedia! Not just that, but they make very bad book reports, since good book reports also contain critical analysis as well.

[86Mookie]

1577 in music (T-H-L)

I now have everything that happened in music in 1577 memorized. Next stop, Jeopardy!

I wonder how many "articles" there are like this... Hundreds?

[Ming]

1577 in music (T-H-L)

I now have everything that happened in music in 1577 memorized. Next stop, Jeopardy!

I wonder how many "articles" there are like this... Hundreds?

About six hundred, it appears.

[EricBarbour]

I would never simply accept without question scholarship in this area sourced to Wikipedia or Wiktionary. So much linguistic and etymological content on these sites is whitewashed "common beliefs" having no grounding in truth, or even just the idiosyncratic belief of a single editor based on their own fevered imaginings.

Don't start me about Wiktionary. We never talk about it, even though its little gang is even sicker and crazier than en-WP's "insiders".

[EricBarbour]

Dunno, but since Wikipedia is in love with videogames, and Star Rider (T-H-L) is a historic game, you'd think Wikipedia would have more to say about it.

[HRIP7]

List of rock formations that resemble human beings (T-H-L)
They are just a random list of rock formations that look like humans, some of which are red links.

Let's not forget Breast-shaped hill (T-H-L).

A breast-shaped hill is a mountain in the shape of a female breast. Such anthropomorphic geographic features are to be found in different places of the world and in some cultures they were revered as the attributes of the Mother Goddess, such as the Paps of Anu, named after Anu, an important female deity of pre-Christian Ireland.[1]

[Johnny Au]

List of rock formations that resemble human beings (T-H-L)
They are just a random list of rock formations that look like humans, some of which are red links.

Let's not forget Breast-shaped hill (T-H-L).

A breast-shaped hill is a mountain in the shape of a female breast. Such anthropomorphic geographic features are to be found in different places of the world and in some cultures they were revered as the attributes of the Mother Goddess, such as the Paps of Anu, named after Anu, an important female deity of pre-Christian Ireland.[1]

I don't understand why "Breast-shaped hill" deserves its own article. Otherwise, it is just a much smaller dome over a much larger dome.

[Poetlister]

I would never simply accept without question scholarship in this area sourced to Wikipedia or Wiktionary. So much linguistic and etymological content on these sites is whitewashed "common beliefs" having no grounding in truth, or even just the idiosyncratic belief of a single editor based on their own fevered imaginings.

Don't start me about Wiktionary. We never talk about it, even though its little gang is even sicker and crazier than en-WP's "insiders".

Fortunately, nobody notices it so there's not much harm done.

[Johnny Au]

History of pawnbroking (T-H-L)

It looks poorly copied from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. It only has American and European examples. Likewise, Pawnbroker in Hong Kong (T-H-L) is also poorly written (it reads as of the authors of that article have Cantonese as their first language).

[HRIP7]

Eye Spy (novel) (T-H-L)

Self-published via Lulu. Love the sourcing and high-quality reviews!

[EricBarbour]

Eye Spy (novel) (T-H-L)

Self-published via Lulu. Love the sourcing and high-quality reviews!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:B ... Tahir_Shah

Why is he bothering with self-publishing? Did the entire book world blackball him?
(Actually, all of those articles are embarrassing. Nearly all written by Coldwinterday (T-C-L), blocked as a sock, and Esowteric (T-C-L).)

[EricBarbour]

One of the little things about looking at random WP articles, and one you're all familiar with but rarely mention:
the mechanically garbled English, which reminds me of high-schooler essays more than anything else. Or worse:

Kingda Ka (T-H-L)

Lightning strike

Kingda Ka was struck by lightning in early May 2009 and suffered serious damage.[27] After being closed for three months, Kingda Ka reopened on August 21, 2009.[28]

Hurricane Irene

On August 27, 2011, Kingda Ka suffered unspecified damage shortly before Hurricane Irene. On Saturday, August 27, Six Flags Great Adventure did not open due to the approaching hurricane. While it is unknown whether additional damage occurred due to the storm, the coaster was damaged to the extent that it could not run before Irene.[29] Kingda Ka remained closed until the start of the 2012 operating season on April 5.[30]

Human beings do not talk like that, not even teenagers. Nor do you see that stilted, machinegun style in conventional reference books.
What in the hell is wrong with using "the ride" or "the attraction" or another proper descriptive noun occasionally?

[Johnny Au]

One of the little things about looking at random WP articles, and one you're all familiar with but rarely mention:
the mechanically garbled English, which reminds me of high-schooler essays more than anything else. Or worse:

Kingda Ka (T-H-L)

Lightning strike

Kingda Ka was struck by lightning in early May 2009 and suffered serious damage.[27] After being closed for three months, Kingda Ka reopened on August 21, 2009.[28]

Hurricane Irene

On August 27, 2011, Kingda Ka suffered unspecified damage shortly before Hurricane Irene. On Saturday, August 27, Six Flags Great Adventure did not open due to the approaching hurricane. While it is unknown whether additional damage occurred due to the storm, the coaster was damaged to the extent that it could not run before Irene.[29] Kingda Ka remained closed until the start of the 2012 operating season on April 5.[30]

Human beings do not talk like that, not even teenagers. Nor do you see that stilted, machinegun style in conventional reference books.
What in the **** is wrong with using "the ride" or "the attraction" or another proper descriptive noun occasionally?

"The coaster" is mentioned once.

[HRIP7]

Eye Spy (novel) (T-H-L)

Self-published via Lulu. Love the sourcing and high-quality reviews!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:B ... Tahir_Shah

Why is he bothering with self-publishing? Did the entire book world blackball him?
(Actually, all of those articles are embarrassing. Nearly all written by Coldwinterday (T-C-L), blocked as a sock, and Esowteric (T-C-L).)

The new kid on the block is RoyalTaquito (T-C-L). Signed-out edit geolocates to Surrey, where someone in Shah's family has a houseboat, according to Wikipedia.

Earlier history for your archives, Eric: User:Jayen466/Hannibal_Fogg_Watch (T-H-L) (Esowteric actually spotted and alerted me to that hoax.)

[EricBarbour]

The new kid on the block is RoyalTaquito (T-C-L). Signed-out edit geolocates to Surrey, where someone in Shah's family has a houseboat, according to Wikipedia.

Earlier history for your archives, Eric: User:Jayen466/Hannibal_Fogg_Watch (T-H-L) (Esowteric actually spotted and alerted me to that hoax.)

So Shah or a family member was running a hoax in 2009, then started running socks to write about Shah's self-published books. First I'd ever heard of this.
Just how many socks are we talking about?? Are there any other Shah-related hoaxes you'd like to tell us about? Does "Jason Webster" even exist?

And now he's making "music videos".
http://www.maati.tv/2013/07/02/eye-to-e ... ahir-shah/

[EricBarbour]

Go to Reddit and search on "Tahir Shah".
He's running a massive sockfarm on Reddit, and repeatedly trying to start AMA threads. About himself.

[HRIP7]

And now he's making "music videos".
http://www.maati.tv/2013/07/02/eye-to-e ... ahir-shah/

That's a different Tahir Shah (both names are very common). The Casablanca one is here (posted in the intro to one of the Reddit threads):
I hadn't been aware of the Reddit threads (good find!). I stopped following the saga a while ago. (I believe Jason Webster does exist.)

[HRIP7]

At this point I should mention Kevin Morris' outstanding article, The greatest movie that never was, on the Yuri Gadyukin Wikipedia hoax.

Perhaps you've heard of Gadyukin? He was a star of early Soviet cinema before fleeing to England. You can read about his life on a fansite and a Facebook group. You can watch him melt down in a British television interview, storming off stage in spittle-spewing rage. For nearly four years, there were Wikipedia and Internet Movie Database articles about him, brimming with citations from authoritative Russian sources.

Those entries are now gone. Yuri Gadyukin did not owe money to a gangster. His final film was not swirling out of control. Weathers did not kill him. His body was not found beneath the Hammersmith Bridge.

Gadyukin never died, in fact, because he never existed.

(This is a separate story – somewhat similar, but not related to Shah.)