User talk:Arguss

Welcome!

Hello, Arguss, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you have any questions, check out Wikipedia:Where to ask a question or ask me on my talk page. Again, welcome! PS2pcGAMER (talk) 08:25, 19 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Kawerau

Hi - please dont keep adding stub templates to the Kawerau article. it is a lot bigger than a stub. if you think parts of it should be expanded then you can use a {{expand}} template, but its already pretty big for an article on a place that size (its as big as the Rotorua article and bigger than the Taupo one!). or if you can, expand it further yourself! BL kiss the lizard 00:29, 20 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Edits to Rotorua

Please keep NPOV on edits and include references if possible. - SimonLyall 12:11, 20 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The Coming Anarchy?

Hello from the Great White North. I think this edition is brilliant! It's a great pic: serious yet appropriate given its subject matter, yet mildly laughable (when juxtaposed with the content in the adjacent paragraph). BTW: LL rocks. Thanks! :) E Pluribus Anthony | talk | 00:23, 23 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Image:Fcy keithurban cma.jpg

Hi, I'm not sure where you got the idea that images on news sites don't use copyrighted images. Most of them are copyrighted agency photos which aren't allowed. Regards Arniep 22:53, 28 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Image copyright problem with Image:Karl_urban_2.jpg

Thanks for uploading Image:Karl_urban_2.jpg. However, the image may soon be deleted unless we can determine the copyright holder and copyright status. The Wikimedia Foundation is very careful about the images included in Wikipedia because of copyright law (see Wikipedia's Copyright policy).

The copyright holder is usually the creator, the creator's employer, or the last person who was transferred ownership rights. Copyright information on images on Wikipedia is signified using copyright templates. The three basic license types on Wikipedia are open content, public domain, and fair use. Find the appropriate template in Wikipedia:Image copyright tags and place it on the image page like this: {{TemplateName}}.

Please signify the copyright information on any other images you have uploaded or will upload. Remember that images without this important information can be deleted by an administrator. You can get help on image copyright tagging from Wikipedia talk:Image copyright tags. -- Carnildo 00:55, 1 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Request for edit summary

Hi. I am a bot, and I am writing to you with a request. I would like to ask you, if possible, to use edit summaries a bit more often when you contribute. The reason an edit summary is important is because it allows your fellow contributors to understand what you changed; you can think of it as the "Subject:" line in an email. For your information, your current edit summary usage is 0% for major edits and 0% for minor edits. (Based on the last 133 major and 0 minor edits in the article namespace.)

This is just a suggestion, and I hope that I did not appear impolite. You do not need to reply to this message, but if you would like to give me feedback, you can do so at the feedback page. Thank you, and happy edits, Mathbot 04:13, 23 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Cinema of New Zealand

We don't usually link to the same article several times within a given page. In particular, linking to New Zealand from within Cinema of New Zealand doesn't help the viewer much, as they already know where New Zealand is if they are reading the article. Linking the first time New Zealand is mentioned is sufficient. Linking to an individual film or director multiple times is likely to be more useful, as it's more relevant to the text.-gadfium 08:12, 25 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Image Tagging Image:Karl-stuff.jpg

This media may be deleted.

Thanks for uploading Image:Karl-stuff.jpg. I notice the 'image' page currently doesn't specify who created the content, so the copyright status is unclear. If you have not created this media yourself then there needs to be an argument why we have the right to use the media on Wikipedia (see copyright tagging below). If you have not created the media yourself then it needs to be specified where it was found, i.e., in most cases link to the website where it was taken from, and the terms of use for content from that page.

If the media also doesn't have a copyright tag then one should be added. If you created/took the picture, audio, or video then the {{GFDL-self}} tag can be used to release it under the GFDL. If you believe the media qualifies as fair use, consider reading fair use, and then use a tag such as {{fairusein|article name}} or one of the other tags listed at Wikipedia:Image copyright tags#Fair_use. See Wikipedia:Image copyright tags for the full list of copyright tags that you can use.

If you have uploaded other media, consider checking that you have specified their source and copyright tagged them, too. You can find a list of 'image' pages you have edited by clicking on the "my contributions" link (it is located at the very top of any Wikipedia page when you are logged in), and then selecting "Image" from the dropdown box. Note that any unsourced and untagged images will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Image legality questions page. Thank you. Arniep 19:49, 29 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia:WikiProject Rugby union

Hi, I have noticed you have have an interest in rugby union (2015 RWC etc.), just letting you know there is a Wikipedia:WikiProject Rugby union if you want to join. Cheers Cvene64 06:13, 22 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Auckland meetup

Just to let you know that a meetup is planned in Auckland for the 25th of June (see Wikipedia:Meetup/Auckland for more details), and that you are cordially invited. GeorgeStepanek\^talk 00:21, 30 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

South Africa

I just saw your post on the South Africa page and was horrified. South Africa is a wonderful country - you really need to take the expat community with a very, very, very big grain of salt. Many people are not fully honest in their reasons for disliking South Africa, a lot of it has to do with their dislike of actually living under a black government. South Africa is great, we have the World Cup in 2010 and a huge tourism industry. You will have no problems and instead have a great time. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me! Oh, and also ask that question to some of the people on the South African WikiProject - I'm sure we'll all be just as mortified. That Volksgeist guy is absolutely full of shit. Páll ^{(Die pienk olifant)} 21:48, 22 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Hi; I'm also just piling on from the same place. I'm also a white Afrikaner in my mid twenties, but I'm not at all that negative. SA has its problems, but these are no different than any other nation; crime is an issue, but not a superissue. The same goes for any other country/big city; look at how New York was and how its been improved during Giulliani's reign. You must keep in mind that expats have left after becoming disillusioned; for that very reason, they are biased. I guess the same is true for those who have stayed behind; maybe we just want to turn a blind eye to all the bad things that're happening, I dunno.

Racial segregation isn't the case in schools anymore — all schools, colleges and universities must (by law) be equally accessible to all members of all races. So we should all be equal now; in reality, this is still taking time — some people feel that after ten years the divide between the haves and have-nots have changed in make-up somewhat (normalising according to our demographics), but the divide itself is much bigger. This is one of the major issues we still have to deal with: poverty. That, and AIDS, will be the two largest challenges we'll face for the next few decades.

However, I can promise you this: you won't go back to NZ the same person after spending some time here; getting to know the rest of Africa is something my wife and I are just itching to do. To which school are you exchanging? dewet|✉ 06:29, 23 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Arguss. Well, we really seem to be piling in on this one. By the time I tried to save my addition, Dewet had already written a reply too. I (also a male Afrikaner, but a bit older than Dewet) absolutely agree with Páll and Dewet. For some strange reason expatriate South Africans feel the need to vilify their former country in order to justify their emigration ... I don't know of anywhere else where that is the case ... maybe just one of those strange national quirks.

Anyway, two pieces of anecdotal evidence that may put your mind at rest ...

I lived in the Netherlands for five years (work reasons) and returned to South Africa of my own free will a couple of years ago. While SA is certainly not without its problems, I found that, while it doesn't hurt to be a little bit more security conscious, I don't really feel any less safe in South Africa than the Netherlands (where they had the murder of a political party leader and deteriorating race relations during the period that I stayed there). (Errm ... that sounds a bit bad ... I didn't cause any of it :-) )

An Italian friend/colleague lived and worked in SA for four years. He experienced absolutely no problems with crime here. He then moved to London, where his flat was burgled. After his studies were completed, he went to The Hague in the Netherlands to work. A couple of years ago, cycling home from work, he was pulled of his bicycle by two men, kicked, and robbed. Now, which of those countries would you feel the safest in if you were him?

On the other hand, you may be risking injury if you tell a bunch of large guys in green and gold jerseys that you support the All Blacks ... ;-)

I'm also available if you have any further question. Kind Regards, Elf-friend 06:51, 23 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Well, I guess the others have pretty much said it all. South Africa, like any other country, has its troubles; but it doesn't have nearly as many troubles as some expats (not to mention some people still in SA) might have you believe. - htonl 16:03, 23 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Just a minor question, to which school is your exchange? I am sure that you will enjoy it! Contact me for more info, if you need. ---- Chris Lester ^talk 20:07, 23 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Glad to hear you're coming to the Mother City; I've been living here (or close-by) for most of my life, and I won't exchange it for any other city. It is the more laid-back and arty (even eccentric!) of our cities. I'd be happy to show you around, if you're interested. dewet|✉ 07:18, 24 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

RE: Your Exchange

Could that school be called Bishops; Bishops College or Diocesan College? These three names all refer to one school, which has a massive exchange program. If it is, you will be going to one of the prestige schools in SA. (Its my school... and so if my guess is correct, i think i have hit the jackpot!) It is English language and rather liberal.

Here are a few comments re your questions:

The school is definately stricter than in NZ. However, in an English school (which you will probably be going to), the standards are not so strict. Anyway, because you are an exchange student the staff probably wont care if you step out of line, unless the offense is major. The Afrikaner factor is not so great.
In SA, the driving age is 18. However, you may want to consult the AA for an international driver's license. I'm not sure what the regulations will be. Public transport is generally a no-no if you can afford not to use it. Taxis (basically 16 seater minibusses, which are often overloaded) and the MetroRail trains must be avoided at all costs, however, busses are slightly better. Maybe I am writing with a bias. Most parents are more than happy to drive you around wherever you want to go. Boarding houses have a matron to this effect.
English South Africans are culturally very similar to Australia and New Zealanders. Generally the English are far more liberal than Afrikaans people. I am going on exchange to AUS later this year; I also know many people who have been to Australia/New Zealand, and they tend to agree with the above.
I am sure that u will enjoy it.

If there is anything else you will need, please contact me. If indeed you are going to Bishops or any other school (like Rondebosch Boys High School, Reddam, SACS or even Wynberg Boys High School), ask me 4 more info.

Cheers 07:42, 24 June 2006 (UTC)