Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Enforcement/Archive67

Arbitration enforcement archives:

Forsts23

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Arbitration enforcement action appeal by JRHammond

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Brews Ohare

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The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.
  Resolved
 – Brews ohare warned.

Attention: This request may be declined without further action if insufficient or unclear information is provided in the "Request" section below.

Request concerning Brews ohare

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User requesting enforcement
Headbomb {talk / contribs / physics / books} 16:37, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
User against whom enforcement is requested
Brews ohare (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Sanction or remedy that this user violated
Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Speed_of_light#Motions, Motion 6:

"Brews ohare (talk · contribs) is topic banned from all physics-related pages, topics and discussions, broadly construed, for twelve months. Passed 9 to 0 on 16:13, 22 August 2010 (UTC)"

Diffs of edits that violate this sanction or remedy, and an explanation how these edits violate it

Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/IncidentArchive633#Peremptory archiving of particular threads on Talk page Talk:Matter, i.e. starting a physics-related discussion at ANI. See comment for a more detailed explanation.

Diffs of notifications or of prior warnings against the conduct objected to (if required)

Not applicable. Brews was topic banned yesterday, and he was notified of it. He's also an ARBCOM regular by now, so this'll be nothing new for him.

Enforcement action requested (block, topic ban or other sanction)

Block, and hopefully for a long while, per topic ban.

Additional comments by editor filing complaint

Brews was topic banned for his talk page behaviour at Talk:Speed of light and others physics pages (such as Talk:Matter). After his ban, I archived a plethora of thread started by Brews, or about Brews which distracted from improving the article. (See here for the reasoning behind this).

Brews then opens a debate about Talk:Matter at ANI, by which he hopes that his viewpoints will be recognized and so on (see comments such as "These threads include a number of unresolved issues regarding the article Matter, which in my opinion, deserve to remain on the Talk page and which point out some desirable changes that should be made on that page"). This is a clear violation of his topic ban, which kicked in just yesterday. SarekOfVulcan closed the ANI as "resolved", saying Brews was banned and that archiving was a good thing. Then Brews goes on about how it's "not resolved", than rants against high-handed abuse yet again. How much wikilawyering and attempts at dodging his ban through forum shopping do we have to tolerate from Brews before enough is enough? Headbomb {talk / contribs / physics / books} 16:37, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Notification of the user against whom enforcement is requested
The requesting user is asked to notify the user against whom this request is directed of it, and then to replace this text with a diff of that notification. The request will normally not be processed otherwise.

Discussion concerning Brews Ohare

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Statement by Brews Ohare

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This motion is nonsense. My objection on AN/I was not an attempt to promulgate my views on any subject. It's object, clearly stated there, was to object to Headbomb's high-handed actions in archiving selected sections of Talk:Matter prematurely. Obviously, protesting Headbomb's high-handed actions is not advancing physics, it is objecting to high-handedness.

The present action by Headbomb is still further evidence of a concerted campaign by this editor to make life difficult for me, regardless of any and all other considerations. Brews ohare (talk) 16:52, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Response to arbitrators: To say that objection to high-handed tactics is in itself : “technically an infringement”, “no doubt a violation” and “an unambiguous violation of the topic ban” : is, excuse me, a ludicrous failure to make the obvious distinction between what was done and what it was done to. My AN/I complaint about Headbomb's archiving actions is not a topic-related activity, it is a complaint about Headbomb.

Contrary to some misconceptions here, the threads archived by Headbomb were created before the ban against me, I did not contribute to them in any way at all after the ban was imposed, and Headbomb archived these threads after the ban. My AN/I action was not about the content of the threads, it was about Headbomb's burying them.

What I have learned, not just from the above blunders of ArbCom over rudimentary distinctions, but from all ArbCom activity that I have experienced, is to stay as far away from ArbCom as possible, under any and every circumstance, no matter how ridiculous, annoying or demeaning that may seem, and no matter what the true merits of any argument might be. The maxim is: No matter what, stay away. I hope you folks find that resolution of mine quite satisfactory. If I can do anything about it, you will never see me again.

Of course, frivolous actions by Headbomb, like this one, drag me before you. Such forced appearances are beyond my control, but could be prevented by telling Headbomb to lay off, to devote himself to protection of WP from actual harm, to stop indulging his penchant for courtroom entertainment, and to renew his vows: "This above all, to do no harm to WP".

Please don't be offended by my desire to shun you all at every opportunity; some kind of administrative activity is necessary and you have chosen to do it. I'd rather contribute to the encyclopedia, and keep away from administration and administrators. Brews ohare (talk) 04:15, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Response to Slp1: You say “Your AN/I complaint was indeed a topic-related activity, as your own post (stating that there were issues in the archived threads that you felt still needed discussion) makes clear.” What you are saying is that the request that a Talk page be restored to its condition before the ban was enacted is somehow a prosecution of a topic-related activity. It isn't. It is a request that an arbitrary action be reverted. It is no different than a request to do the same thing on a page about apple cobblers. When a sanction is interpreted in a manner that defies common sense, it will lead to difficulties. Brews ohare (talk) 12:13, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You might ask yourself what is the possible purpose of a topic ban. I'd say it is a topic ban because it is judged that the particular subject area is one that I have trouble with, and my thinking about physics-related topics is somehow screwed up. It is not a judgment that I cannot tell when I am being knocked about for the sake of it. And it is not a judgment call that when Headbomb brings me here for protesting his action, that is a topic-related matter: it isn't; it's a Headbomb-related matter, about Headbomb's actions. Regardless of Headbomb's opinion of it, my AN/I action was subject-matter independent, and not a violation of the topic ban against me. Brews ohare (talk) 12:55, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Summary: Under the circumstances, I find that ArbCom will rule a violation if the word "physics" shows up in anything I say, regardless if any actual content about physics is there. So, were I to say "For 50 years I have studied physics and have a Ph D in theoretical solid-state physics from one of the best physics departments in Canada and have published numerous physics articles in Physical Review" that would be a really tremendous violation of my topic ban. Got it. More than that, if I say Headbomb has reverted some text, and if that text has in it a statement like "the constant π is used in mathematics and physics" then reference to this reversion is a violation of the physics topic ban. And this entire paragraph contains the word "physics" several times, and so it is in itself a violation of the physics topic ban. Right? Got it. Brews ohare (talk) 13:23, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Reply to EdJohnston: What exactly is the offense? Is it that page Talk:Matter was off limits, so appealing Headbomb's actions that affected that page also were off limits? And what advice, exactly, have I disagreed with? Please repeat it for me so that I know what you are talking about. Brews ohare (talk) 17:26, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What is this hearing about? I thought the issue before us was that Headbomb says my appeal of his actions was a transgression of my topic ban. I don't think so. My idea was that appealing an action was appealing an action, not an engagement in a topic-related activity. Apparently you all think differently. Why? I have asked point blank if the basis for your seeing my appeal as a transgression is this: that page Talk:Matter was off limits, so my appealing Headbomb's actions in archiving portions of that page also was off limits. In other words, it isn't the impropriety of Headbomb's action that matters, it is the venue where he did it that matters. I cannot appeal impropriety per se. No-one has replied to this question directly. Brews ohare (talk) 03:26, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Baffled: I am being given a "pass" this one time and warned not to do "it" again. No-one has explained the rules better, or just what the infraction is. Apparently "it" is so obvious no-one can believe I don't understand "it". However, my question above is not disingenuous; I'd like an answer. I'd like to know what "it" is that I am to avoid in the future. An explanation of the charge would help to avoid "it" in the future, eh? Brews ohare (talk) 13:55, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Can you understand a bit of confusion to find that using the appeal system to try to correct an action can result not only in denial of the appeal, but in a further tribunal that use of the appeal system is in itself a heinous offense? In other words, don't try to appeal, because appeal is a crime in some cases; you won't know which ones until it happens, and even then you won't be told why your particular appeal is one that will lead to retribution. Brews ohare (talk) 14:05, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

BTW, this action is brought under the remedy cited by Headbomb: Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Speed_of_light#Motions, Motion 6; If there is in your minds a different basis for your ruling (and I can't think of one) Headbomb's action should be denied and he can be invited to do this all over again under the correct remedy. In particular, there is no remedy in force that restricts me from taking an action to AN/I. Brews ohare (talk) 14:28, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comment by JohnBlackburne

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As Headbomb stated in his post if anyone wants to continue the discussions at Talk:Matter they can simply start a new thread on the topic they wish to discuss. Brews ohare cannot as he has been banned from physics discussions, and so from the page. The correct way for him to deal with this is either accept the ban or appeal it via arbitration appeal, not raise discussions at Talk:Matter on another page, clearly breaking the terms of his ban even after being reminded of it.--JohnBlackburnewordsdeeds 17:35, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

On watchlists

In reply to Count Iblis if Brews or anyone wants to temporarily suspend part of their watch list they could view it as raw text, copy it to a text file or a part of their user space, then remove the parts they don't want to see while otherwise engaged. At the end of this time restore the removed entries from the copy made, merging any new ones and removing duplicates. No need to create another account, which anyway might be interpreted badly if done by a recently banned user.--JohnBlackburnewordsdeeds 17:33, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

And now I take exception to this where under the edit summary Links to recent persecution it says "Blackburne files trumped up charge" (with a diff to one of his own edits not mine). Users in general have a lot more freedom in editing their own user pages, but I think this goes too far.--JohnBlackburnewordsdeeds 17:45, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by others about the request concerning Brews Ohare

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Rubbish. The self-appointed physics coordinator is trying to get a real physicist banned. It is not going to improve encyclopedic accuracy or reputation. /Pieter Kuiper (talk) 17:17, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hell in a Bucket

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This seems to be frivolous. I'm not seeing how Brews violated his topic ban by bringing a archiving issue to ani. I think it's fairly obvious that while brews has a vocal dedicated group that help him there is a equal group on the other side that does their best to dog him. I think that's a fair view and would urge that restrictions be placed on those that constantly dog on him. Hell if it makes them feel better reinstitute the crap on us too. There are times the committee has issued interaction bans and it only makes sense to do so fairly and on both sides. For the love of god though I swear this is really getting old. Hell In A Bucket (talk) 17:38, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comment by Count Iblis

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Without question, Brews should not use AN/I as a proxy to violate the physics topic ban, but I agree with Hell In A Bucket that Brews did not violate the topic ban by posting there. Of course, it is better to not start AN/I threads on a problem on a physics page, even if it isn't related to the topic matter.

In this case, we have to recognize that the topic ban was imposed in the midst of an ongoing discussion on the Matter talk page. Headbomb decided to archive the discussions and I can then fully understand that from Brews' POV that's provocative, because you then make the discussion effectively invisible for someone else who could visit that page later and would have weighed in. I also accept that there are good arguments for archiving the page. However, there wasn't much talk page activity going on apart from the discussions started by Brews, so I don't really see the urgency to do that.

I.m.o., this is really a non-issue, it certainly does not merit a block. To request one here with the comment: "...and hopefully for a long while", is unnecessarily provocative, i.m.o. Count Iblis (talk) 21:54, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Removing physics topics from watchlist

Slp1's suggestion looks good to me. If you don't want to remove all the items from your watchlist (e.g. because you do plan to come back eventually), then you could also create a new account, e.g. "Brews Ohare II" and then notify ArbCom that you have done this. You then log in using this new account as long as the topic ban is in force. Count Iblis (talk) 14:22, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Reply to Timotheus Canens about previous block

I remember that Brews had stopped editing physics related articles well in advance of the topic ban (there was a lengthy ArbCom case and he was only participating to that). This issue did not come up a that time. I do remember Brews getting an additional restriction for postings at AN/I and other such venues. But then that can give an impression to Brews now that a new explicit restriction like that needs to be issued. Anyway, i.m.o. this needs to be wrapped up asap because the longer one discusses this, the longer this stays In Brews' mind. Arguments, counter arguments and in case of a block, appeals to the block etc. etc. All that instead of Brews editing e.g. some math article and forgetting about all this. Count Iblis (talk) 01:03, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comment by Dr.K.

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I agree with Count Iblis's point that since the ban was imposed in the middle of a discussion on the Matter talkpage and Headbomb decided to archive the page, Brews may have found the circumstances surrounding these actions rather pointy. Given the past history of Headbomb and Brews it doesn't take much to ignite a mini drama which this is. I'd say Brews should stop reacting to Headbomb's actions, ill-advised or not, or those of any other of the usual actors and move on to a life beyond Physics and beyond his usual opponents. I still think that Brews has made many positive contributions to Physics, not least of which is his recent involvement in creating History of the metre due to raising points at the Speed of light talkpage. I therefore find the Physics-related restrictions imposed on him unnecessarily harsh because the creation of the "History of the metre" article shows that a rigorous debate involving Brews, even if lengthy or frustrating for some, may ultimately be good for Wikipedia. Meanwhile PhilKnight has offered a solution which is measured and wise. Dr.K. λogosπraxis 03:20, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Result concerning Brews Ohare

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This section is to be edited only by uninvolved administrators. Comments by others will be moved to the section above.

I agree with Count Iblis; while technically this is an infringement, a block isn't necessary. Obviously, Brews Ohare shouldn't violate the ban again, but beyond saying that, I don't believe any further action is required. PhilKnight (talk) 22:11, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is no doubt that this is a violation, contrary to several of people who commented above. Topic bans are generally interpreted liberally, to effectuate their purpose - i.e., a complete break from the topic area - and to prevent gaming. That said, I'll leave it to others to decide what is the appropriate sanction, if any, being undecided on that point myself. Timotheus Canens (talk) 22:20, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I agree that this is an unambiguous violation of the topic ban "from all physics-related pages, topics and discussions, broadly construed." Brews needs to leave the whole area behind, and trust that for the next year other editors can and will be the ones to take up important matters concerning the articles, discussions, archiving, highhandedness etc. I'll also let others decide whether this should be an absolutely final warning or result in a block. Hearing from Brews that he now better understands the limits of the topic ban, might be helpful in making that determination. --Slp1 (talk) 00:06, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
His interpretation of the restriction as "No matter what, stay away" seems about right. PhilKnight (talk) 11:01, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Except that it seems to be more a mantra about keeping away from ArbCom, and that he still maintains that he hasn't violated the topic ban and it is all HeadBomb's fault that he is here. But I agree, that "No matter what, stay away" would be excellent guidance for him about the the meaning of the topic ban. --Slp1 (talk) 11:16, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
(ec)Response to Brews: I applaud your desire to try and keep away from arbitrators and administrators, but fear that you will be frustrated in your hope unless you accept that the topic ban is a complete and utter one. The only exceptions generally made are the removal of unambiguous vandalism or BLP violations. Your AN/I complaint was indeed a topic-related activity, as your own post (stating that there were issues in the archived threads that you felt still needed discussion) makes clear.[47]. You need to unwatchlist the physics pages and leave them for others to worry about. Find some non-physics topics to contribute to, do so peacefully and productively, and you never need be bothered by administrators again. --Slp1 (talk) 11:16, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
It is far from unusual for a recently topic-banned editor to make the good faith error of assuming that various project or meta- discussions are not within the bounds of the ban. I have dealt with a number of very similar incidents in the past and have typically simply advised the editor that the matter is covered by the topic-ban, reverted any disallowed edits (if appropriate) and asked them not to repeat the mistake. I think this would be the best course of action here - with the implication that subsequent edits within the scope of the ban would draw a harsher response. CIreland (talk) 16:04, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I don't object to the concept of giving Brews one more chance. But his comments in his own section (above) give no hint that he will behave any differently in the future. If you want to give him a pass on this, why not make it contingent on a promise not to repeat the offence? His own comment section shows him disagreeing with every bit of advice anyone here has given him. EdJohnston (talk) 16:47, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Brews thinks he has done nothing wrong. If admins disagree, they need to decide how they can convince him of this, if it turns out that this case closes with no sanction. His persistence results in many, many return appearances at the various admin venues. I am fine with making a deal about his future behavior, but he has not agreed to any deal. EdJohnston (talk) 17:42, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
A warning says "Yes, you have done something wrong but we are assuming it was a good faith, naive error"; whether Brews ohare agrees is of limited relevance - topic-banned editors don't get to specify the scope of their ban. And whether or not Brews ohare promises not to repeat the offence is irrelevant - a subsequent violation should result in a block. There are no "deals" to made. CIreland (talk) 17:50, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
I can accept that a warning is good enough were Brews a newly banned user - but he is subject to the exact same ban since October save for a two-month period between ~29 June and 22 August, so I fail to see how that argument applies to this particular case. Timotheus Canens (talk) 23:18, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
A warning at this point is just saying "we really mean it". There should be some teeth behind it. Stifle (talk) 08:33, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Teeth would be a block, and while I agree that this was a violation, I see enough dissent on that point and enough dissent with its severity being worthwhile of enforcement to conclude that teeth are not appropriate here.
Brews - This would be your one and only free pass while getting the scope and terms of the topic ban straight and clear to everyone. Please understand that you should not do this again. Georgewilliamherbert (talk) 08:37, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
This has dragged on long enough that I don't see the benefit of a block now, though I probably would have supported one ~36 hours ago. Nevertheless, Brews needs to be put on absolutely his final warning, and if this happens again, be confident a block will be sure, quick, and likely as long as the decision allows. Courcelles 08:42, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Closed with a warning. Every admin who commented believes that Brews' action violated his topic ban. The admins here did not reach a consensus to block, but several of them predict that the next similar violation will produce a block without further ado. EdJohnston (talk) 17:19, 26 August 2010
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Sjudɒnɪməs

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Iadrian yu

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Lida Vorig

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Attention: This request may be declined without further action if insufficient or unclear information is provided in the "Request" section below.

Request concerning Lida Vorig

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User requesting enforcement
Grandmaster 19:53, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
User against whom enforcement is requested
Lida Vorig (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Sanction or remedy that this user violated
Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Armenia-Azerbaijan_2#Amended_Remedies_and_Enforcement
Diffs of edits that violate this sanction or remedy, and an explanation how these edits violate it
  1. [79]
  2. [80]
  3. [81]
  4. [82]
Diffs of notifications or of prior warnings against the conduct objected to (if required)
  1. [83] placed on 1RR by Nishkid64 (talk · contribs · blocks · protections · deletions · page moves · rights · RfA)
Enforcement action requested (block, topic ban or other sanction)
block
Additional comments by editor filing complaint
Lida Vorig was placed on 1rv per week parole one year ago. He was absent in Wikipedia since September 2009, and returned in August 2010, and his contribs almost exclusively consist of edit warring on AA related pages, especially the article about 2010 Mardakert skirmish, where he repeatedly violated his 1rv per week restriction. Grandmaster 19:53, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Notification of the user against whom enforcement is requested
[84]

Discussion concerning Lida Vorig

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Statement by Lida Vorig

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Oops, I totally forgot about the undo restriction. My bad, I'll stick to 1 revert from now on, I promise. Lida Vorig (talk) 00:32, 28 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by others about the request concerning Lida Vorig

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Lida Vorig was not revert warring alone, why is Grandmaster reporting him alone? Note that Grandmaster is saying that after a long period of activity Lida Vorig was back. But what Grandmaster is not saying is that after several Azeri users were banned from Russian Wikipedia because of a staged attack premedited and headed by Grandmaster, Azeri users who were innactive are back on English wikipedia continuing revert warring, other suspicious accounts being created after the ban. Check the users with whom Lida Vorig was edit warring with. BTW, I have been reporting Brandmeister at three occasions, and they were all archived without an admin reply. He had over a dozen of revert in a very shorp period of time in the same article and was previously topic banned. Do administrators endorse the AA2 rules based on whom is editing or what? Ionidasz (talk) 15:37, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Result concerning Lida Vorig

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This section is to be edited only by uninvolved administrators. Comments by others will be moved to the section above.

Russavia

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Momento

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Shuki

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