View source for User:WGFinley

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<big>'''Guy Finley''' is:</big>
*A proud dad.
*Owner of a so-called life and family.
*A libertarian and retired elected official.

==About Me==
<div style="position: absolute; top: 3.5em; width: 150px; right: 10em;">[[Image:Cabal approved.svg|150px|right|link=WP:TINC|alt=There is no Cabal]]</div>

[[Image:Clarence Darrow.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Clarence Darrow]]]]
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I got started with Wikipedia after I was constantly coming to it for research reasons on various issues.  Before long I saw areas where I could contribute and have done so.  Lately my focus has been on the [[Watergate scandal]] and trying to get bios up for all the figures, correct articles that need it, expand them where needed.

Also I get very interested in photos and trying to ensure they are verified and pass muster to be included.  I spend a lot of time locating [[public domain]] versions of non-free images, usually concerning [[U.S. Presidents]].

Spent most of my professional career in insurance before moving into tech and web design.  Guess that degree from [[University of Southern California|USC]] will never get finished!!

I'm a strong believer that some of our claims on fair use stretch too far, especially when we don't at least try to secure permissions for copyrighted works.  I think my success here demonstrates you can be successful, even with two of the most famous photos in the world.

As an advocate I certainly emulate the great [[Clarence Darrow]], maybe it's because we're both from [[Illinois]].  I particularly love one of his famous quotations:

:<big>'''''"Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for."'''''</big>

==The Tao of Wiki==

A long time ago someone said I understood the "[[Tao]] of Wiki".  Now she may be wrong since she has left the project but maybe she was on to something.  Here is how I approach things, especially as it relates to my role as an admin.

===Every editor has interests and thus, bias (yes, even admins)===

[[Image:Santi di Tito - Niccolo Machiavelli's portrait headcrop.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Sorry [[Machiavelli|Nick]], no room for you here!]]As listed below I have things that I like, if you look at my contributions outside of admin duty you will see them pretty quickly.  I avoid using my admin tools on things I have an interest in and try to avoid any admin duties there.  Sure, if someone vandalizes an article in my interest area and it warrants use of admin tools I will use them.  Otherwise, I try to stay out of it.

'''There is nothing in the world wrong with bias.'''  We all have bias and we all have a perspective we edit from.  Where is the line drawn?  When the way you edit starts to affect others.  Where does this usually happen?  In things we care passionately about.  Therefore, I try not to edit in areas I care passionately about.  Good luck finding an edit of mine in libertarianism, there may be one here or there early on but I learned it's best to avoid topics where your judgment can get clouded.

===How you say something is just as important as what you say===

During discussion of a block or a ban, particularly in [[WP:GS|general sanction]] areas the call of "didn't you read my edit, how could you not support that!" or something along those lines is heard.  I can honestly say "no".  Why?  I don't analyze content in areas where I'm serving in an admin capacity for one and even if I do agree with it, if the way it was done was wrong I will take action each and every time.  In topic areas that are subject to sanction there is no room for [[Machiavelli]] in my mind.

I'm a major fan of explaining reverts.  Many experienced admins have used this theory when crafting sanctions for pages that are involved in disputes.  Basically edit wars are fermented by the revert particularly the unexplained revert or the revert with a curt or nasty comment.  If you find yourself in dispute with others you may want to hold yourself to a [[WP:1RR|1RR]] or ask others if they would likewise do it.  Discussion can be encouraged when the power of the revert is off of the table.

===Don't get bunkered===

[[Image:Hirtshals_DK_2005_by_tsca_09.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|Don't get bunkered!]]It's clear that over time in sanctioned topic areas the partisan camps begin to bunker. 
*They dig in, they begin to pick up many bad habits like failing to [[WP:AGF|assume good faith]] and do the opposite more often then not.  
*New editors coming in can frequently find themselves labeled as part of a certain camp or there for a certain cause as their contributions are going to be subject to scrutiny by the partisans on both sides of the issue.  
*Reversions are made without explanation and without discussion as if assuming anyone who ever edits the article should be familiar with the 3 or 4 or more years of history on that article.  
*They make edits they know are going to be roundly criticized by the other side or, worse, they reintroduce edits that were left for dead in previous discussions with the same people.

I call this bunkering, don't get bunkered.

===Drowning is generally a bad idea===

I see editors get immersed in Wikipedia, so much so that they drown.  Drowning is bad.  If things are getting too tense, just [[WP:DROP|walk away]].   The sun is going to rise tomorrow, the world will go on as it was even though the article may not reflect exactly what you would like.  Chances are millions of young minds have not been polluted by the obviously and blatantly false material that your opposition has put up, right?  Seriously, if you get to these ways of thinking, if you find that you can't just walk away from it easily any more then a [[WP:BREAK|Wikibreak]] is in order and I highly recommend them (I know, I've taken a few!).

==Current Projects==
[[Preston Tucker]]

[[1948 Tucker Sedan]]

[[Watergate scandal|Watergate related articles (still)]]


==Info & Boxes==

[[Image:The Wrong Version.svg|right|thumb|200px|My user page may be [[m:The Wrong Version|the wrong version]] I welcome any sysop to fix this travesty.]]

==Barnstars==
[[Image:Original_Barnstar.png|thumb|111px|I, [[User:Blankfaze|blankfaze]], hereby award you this [[Wikipedia:Barnstars on Wikipedia|Barnstar]], for your great work securing permission from the [[Associated Press|AP]] to use [[:Image:TrangBang.jpg]].]]<br>
{| style="border: 1px solid gray; background-color: #fdffe7;"
|rowspan="2" valign="middle" | <!--[[File:Resilient Barnstar Hires.png|100px]]-->[[Image:Resilient_Barnstar.png|100px]]

|rowspan="2" |
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 0; vertical-align: middle; height: 1.1em;" | '''The Resilient Barnstar'''
|-
|style="vertical-align: middle; border-top: 1px solid gray;" | It was extremely good form in your comment about the block on Iblis page. Thank you [[User:Hell in a Bucket|Hell In A Bucket]] ([[User talk:Hell in a Bucket|talk]]) 05:01, 25 September 2010 (UTC)
|}

{| style="border: 1px solid gray; background-color: #fdffe7;"
|rowspan="2" valign="top" | [[Image:Userpage_barnstar.svg|80px]]
|rowspan="2" |
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 0; vertical-align: bottom; height: 1.1em;" | '''The Excellent User Page Award'''
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|style="vertical-align: top; border-top: 1px solid gray;" | A model that more wikipedians should follow. [[User:WookieInHeat|WookieInHeat]] ([[User talk:WookieInHeat|talk]]) 20:49, 14 October 2010 (UTC)
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{| style="background-color: #fdffe7; border: 1px solid #fceb92;"
|rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: middle; padding: 5px;" | [[File:Administrator Barnstar Hires.png|100px]]
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 3px 3px 0 3px; height: 1.5em;" | '''The Admin's Barnstar'''
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|style="vertical-align: middle; padding: 3px;" | For your efforts. [[User:Shrike|Shrike]] ([[User talk:Shrike|talk]]) 16:33, 5 December 2011 (UTC)
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{| style="background-color: #fdffe7; border: 1px solid #fceb92;"
|rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: middle; padding: 5px;" | [[File:Administrator Barnstar Hires.png|100px]]
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 3px 3px 0 3px; height: 1.5em;" | '''The Admin's Barnstar'''
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|style="vertical-align: middle; padding: 3px;" | Thanks so much for being a great admin! [[User:SuperWikiLover223|SuperWikiLover223]] ([[User talk:SuperWikiLover223|talk]]) 16:42, 11 September 2019 (UTC)
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