NIU rules the MAC!

Userboxes

I'm actually not a big believer in Userboxes, as my history will show, but I felt compelled to eliminate the extraordinarily slight chance that someone would mistake this account as an alternative account (or sock) of User:Keepscases, and thought that adding a couple of userboxes would do the job.

—	This user has NO personality.

This user is a Christian, but tries not to be a hypocritical, judgmental, Bible-thumping idiot.

This user believes the world would be a happier, safer and saner place if everyone respected everyone else's freedom of belief.

en

This user is a native speaker of the English language.

Stuff I don't want to have to look for again

{{talkback|HuskyHuskie}}
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Articles I created

Sometimes, I will admit, I create a page that, while accurate and worthy of an article, is complete crap in terms of quality. This is generally because I don't care about the subject, but saw that the article needs to exist. My hope is that someone will come along who cares as much about the WCC as much as I cared about NIU (which, as you can see, is not a "HuskyHuskie creation") and bring it up to respectability. Is that so much to ask?

On Common Sense

As a rule, I abhor the use of the term "common sense". Criticizing another for his actions, and saying that he or she demonstrated a lack of "common sense" is, to me, almost offensive, and often tells more about the critic than the object of disdain. Why? Because, after many years, I have come to the realization that nearly everything that one person regards as common sense is completely the opposite of common sense for some other person. (Probably my greatest accomplishment in life is convincing my wife of this fact.) I just don't like it when one person derides another for a lack of "common sense".

So for this reason, I never read a guideline that I had seen referenced several time, namely, WP:COMMONSENSE. I was sure that it would just annoy me with its parochial thinking. But yesterday, I finally read it after probably the eighth time I'd seen it referenced in my three years or so on Wikipedia. And I was surprised.

It does have a section reflecting thoughts very similar to what I just expressed above, so it wasn't so narrowminded, after all. But more importantly, it contains a reflection on WP:IAR that I thought was wisdom, pure and simple:

Instead of following every rule, it is acceptable to use common sense as you go about editing. Being too wrapped up in rules can cause loss of perspective, so there are times when it is better to ignore a rule. Even if a contribution "violates" the precise wording of a rule, it might still be a good contribution. Similarly, just because something is not forbidden in a written document, or is even explicitly permitted, doesn't mean it's a good idea in the given situation. The principle of the rules is more important than the letter. (emphasis added by HH)

Hmmmmm. The principle of the rules is more important than the letter. Now that's a thought that I can get behind.

Now what I also learned is the WP:COMMONSENSE is merely an essay, not a guideline. So I don't plan to be using it in any debates. But I think that someone who can read the above paragraph and doesn't see and appreciate its wisdom, is a person who just "doesn't get" what Wikipedia is all about.

And that's all I have to say about that. HuskyHuskie (talk) 23:59, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

Barnstars I have given

To User: Bongomatic

		The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar
		I know that there were many other barnstars that I could have given for your fine work these past two days, and I considered both The Editor's Barnstar and The Barnstar of Diligence, but really what it comes down to, is that you have almost single-handedly maintained the purity of our beloved encyclopedia from those with misguided opinions, from people who think that rules are made to be broken, and who really, really, need to reconsider whether they and their error-filled ways even have a place here. *You, Bongomatic, are the* Defender of the Wiki.** Again, congratulations. HuskyHuskie (talk) 23:29, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

To User:DeCausa:

		What a Brilliant Idea Barnstar
		For coming up with the solution to the long-standing problem regarding the titles Pro-life and Pro-Choice, I award you, DeCausa, this Barnstar. I've never seen anyone deserve it more. HuskyHuskie (talk) 21:59, 22 May 2011 (UTC)

To User: Chicago 2011

		The Copyeditor's Barnstar
		For your fine attention to detail, particularly in regards to capitalization and spelling, I award you this Copyeditor's Barnstar. HuskyHuskie (talk) 06:32, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

To User: Fishal

		The Geography Barnstar
		For first of all, seeing a previously unrecognized lacuna--the historical evolution of the 102 counties of the Great State of Illinois--and then, secondly, for filling the same, I award thee, Fishal, the Geography Barnstar. HuskyHuskie (talk) 01:31, 23 June 2010 (UTC)

To User: StringRay

		The Copyeditor's Barnstar
		I award StringRay this Barnstar for his fine eye to detail. Keep up the good work! HuskyHuskie (talk) 22:36, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

To User: Propol

	The Working Man's Barnstar
	Good job on all the high school and conference pages in Illinois, especially in creating the NIB-12 article and then updating all the necessary pages! You beat me to it, and covered it well. HuskyHuskie (talk) 22:32, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

To User: Dual Freq

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		For giving up countless hours of sleep, as well as who knows what other opportunities afforded by life, all so that the world can have the most accurate information on Illinois possible, I award you this Tireless Contributor Barnstar. HuskyHuskie (talk) 23:28, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

Barnstars I have gotten

		The Original Barnstar
		For making great contributions to several articles on Wikipedia. Keep up the good work! Eustress (talk) 22:21, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

		The Original Barnstar
		Too often great editors like you are overlooked and not given the credit deserved for all their great contributions. So I am awarding you this barnstar to let you know I greatly appreciate all you do for Wikipedia, and please keep up the outstanding work!! CTJF83 chat 03:15, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of Integrity
		Thanks! Omnedon (talk) 12:08, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

		The Editor's Barnstar
		For HuskyHuskie, great catch on DeKalb, Illinois, good eye, keep it up..IvoShandor (talk) 07:14, 18 January 2011 (UTC)