Tag Archives: supervisors

Congratulations to our Wammy winners!

general_Wammy_logoPlease join us in congratulating the 2012 WAmmy award winners! The WAmmy awards (WikiAnswers Awards) are presented annually in recognition of outstanding talent on Answers.com.

Supervisor D4est, this year’s winner of Answer of the Year, is no stranger to the WAmmys, winning eight in her four years on the site! Prolific supervisor 4Jays took home the Most Answers of the Year award, an honor he also won in 2010. It’s no surprise that the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Rudiful2, who has racked up an impressive 3+ million contributions since 2007. Busy bee Stupid Little Genius was honored with the most contributions and the most category changes. See the full list of winners (and honorable mentions) here.

Thank you to all who participated in nominating and voting! Don’t forget, we’ve already begun taking nominations for the 2013 WAmmys in the Community Forum. Nominate yourself or any other registered user all year long.

P.S. As we continue to update and improve this program, we ask for your input. Please leave your feedback on our WAmmy Feedback Survey.

If you want to know about US coins, Coinlvr11 is your man!

Coinlvr11 (aka Jake) is a very active member on Answers.com. In less than a year, Jake has already made 10,000 contributions, completed 20 missions as a Special Project Assistant, and has earned a variety of badges that he proudly displays on his bio page.  His favorite categories include Coins and Paper Money and the Amish! Read his interview to learn more about him.

First Name:

My first name is Jacob but people just call me Jake.

Occupation:

I don’t have a job, but I guess my occupation would be a student.

What is your Answers.com username and how did it come about?

My username is Coinlvr11.  I thought of it because I like coins and the 11 makes it unique. It’s also easy and quick to type.

Where in the world do you hail from and what makes this place special?

I hail from Wayne County in Ohio. This place is special to me because I have a lot of good memories from when I was younger.

What accomplishments on Answers.com are you proud of?

I’m proud of my 10,000 contributions badge.

Do you see the glass half full or half empty?  Why?

I would say I see the glass as half full because that is what comes naturally to me. Half empty sounds unappreciative.

You are going to open a restaurant or specialty food shop.  What kind and why?

I would open an ice cream shop. Ice cream is so refreshing on hot summer days and it is a very good and quick snack.

Growing up, what was your favorite cartoon character and why?

I didn’t really have one but I liked anything that was funny.

What are your special interests, hobbies, or collections?

I like dogs. We have a hyper Miniature Schnauzer at home. I also like to play sports and go swimming.

Where is one place in the world you would love to visit and why?

I would love to go someplace in the western part of the United States. I always wanted to see the west and all the scenery it has to offer.

Do you have any final words about the site? Your role? The community?

I really enjoy the site and the Community Forum on the site. The users and Supervisors are very kind.

The 300th Protégé: RoddLuna

The Mentoring Program has announced its 300th graduate, and he goes by the username RoddLuna. As you may know, the Mentoring Program is a chance for Supervisors, new and even not-so-new, to pair with an experienced Supervisor and get a deeper knowledge of the Super tools and policies. The program has been around now for a few years and has proved successful and effective.

A few words from the Mentoring Program Graduate himself:

I was born and raised in southern California. My family hails from Yuma, Arizona. I come from a long line of lawmen on both sides of the family so I‘ve been around guns all my life. I served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war as an Air Crash Rescue Fireman on the Island of Okinawa. The majority of my adult life I worked in the telecommunications industry. When I retired I went back to work as a contractor and have worked everywhere from Boston, Massachusetts to Honolulu, Hawaii. In March of 2008 I stumbled onto WikiAnswers (Answers.com) and became hooked on answering questions about air guns and rifles. I’ve been collecting air guns for several years. In November ’09 my wife and I attended our first WikiAnswers conference (Answers Summit) in Atlanta, GA where we met other Wikiholics like ourselves.

Previously, I had been asked to supervise a category about firearms but declined as I was not sure what that entailed… A few months ago Topbuilder asked me to supervise a new category which is Air Guns & Air Rifles. This time I was ready. Mike.2 became my Mentor and was very helpful in answering and assisting me with my questions and problems. I found the mentoring experience to be a real asset. I never realized how many tools are available to a supervisor and it does help to have someone assist you with everything. I still feel I can ask Mike.2 for help when I need it. Overall it’s been a great experience.

The next step for a Protégé is to become a Mentor themselves; so stay tuned for whether RoddLuna takes the leap…

He IS Quirkyquantummechanic!

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There’s a little bit of quirkiness in all of us – you know; some little oddity that makes each of us, who we are – our little quirks. But how many people have the unique distinction of proclaiming that they’re not only quirky, but Quirkyquantummechanic? We know of only one! And lucky for us, he happens to be an out-of-this-world WikiAnswers.com contributor and Supervisor. You might know him as Quirky, The Mechanic or even QQM. All other names aside, he will forever be the Quirkyquantummechanic -an enigma in his own right.

Here’s more from the legend himself:

How do you participate on WikiAnswers.com?

In case you’ve wondered, my user name is derived from frustration attempting to find one that wasn’t in use already. I’m a Floating Supervisor here on WikiAnswers.com, and have been one for a bit over a year. I’ve opted to avoid a specific Category because I then have the freedom to rove the length and breadth of the Community to answer and edit questions. (One other Supervisor suggested I might be a bit of a Ranger at heart, and his insight is probably dead on target.) I’m not involved in any other activities (save Mentoring) directly, like the WikiGuides, Vandal Patrol, WIT, Bug Catchers or the like. But when I encounter a vandal or bug, I usually act to help get things back on track. I’m certainly always ready to help a Contributor by answering questions or advising on issues as regards WikiAnswers. And I can’t imagine any Supervisor who is not.

Please share some random facts about yourself, special thoughts, etc.

Though I am “petless” at present, I am a critter person deep down. I’ve had dogs, cats and many other pets all my life. The neighbor’s cat, the beast that leaves white hair on almost everything I wear, can attest to the fact that I’m critter friendly. She probably spends as much time here as there. I’m familiar with the outdoors, having been raised in Colorado. It could be said that I grew up in the hills and mountains as my family camped or hunted often. This makes me comfortable in wilderness settings and the out of doors in general. I am a vet from the Viet Nam era, and served on nuclear submarines.

What is your key area of knowledge or expertise?

My work here, which is largely in the Science area, speaks to my technocratic nature. I’ve always worked in a technical capacity, often in electronics engineering. I’m deeply interested in what makes the universe work, and I often read through articles and posts to “keep up” with the advancements in science. I’m a lifelong learner, and believe everyone should be. In contrast to my scientific bent, I’m a believer in a higher power I call God. (Read anything you like into that-or not.) There is no conflict in my belief system and my understanding of the way the world works, and my posts in Science and in Creation suggest this.

What do you like to do for recreation?

As a resident of the left coast, I’ve come to like the scenery as well as the weather. Soccer is big here, and I’ve played, coached, and officiated soccer matches aplenty. I’ve been “off” for a while, and I need to get back out and referee a bit before I forget how. (With games numbering in four digits under my belt, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch, should it?) The game, the officiating, affords me the opportunity to give back to the sport that my two children (who are grown) and I enjoyed so much. And giving back is why I’m here on WikiAnswers.com. I had superb teachers, coaches and mentors growing up, and even on the job as a “working adult” in the real world. What I know and share here is as much a tribute to and a way of honoring their efforts as anything else.

What brought you to WikiAnswers.com?

I originally came to WikiAnswers.com when searching for something technical. It was electronic in nature, and, though I cannot recall specifically what it was, I found an answer here that pointed me in the right direction. That answer was not quite what it “might be” as it was posted, and I created an account and edited it. My memory had been refreshed, and I shared my understanding (and appreciation) with the Community in the form of the edit. I was hooked. Since then I’ve applied my knowledge and my modest writing skills to making the site a better one. A few awards and badges on my Bio Page speak to the small successes I’ve had and accomplishments I’ve made here. I appreciate the recognition, but perhaps not as much as I treasure the compliments of peers. But anyone who knows me from notes and posts knows I’m not here for awards or Recommends. I’m here to help by sharing what little I know while expanding my own knowledge.

In post after post I attempt to turn on the lights and roll back ignorance-including my own. In sharing knowledge, I find that there is a lot of incorrect information floating around. When we post to enlighten and correct less-than-current knowledge, it is important for us to present what is “correct” and “true” as best we understand it. That includes admitting what we don’t know, too. Does that sound like teaching? We sometimes hear that you never really know a subject until you teach it. I’ve taught it, and there is more than a kernel of truth in that axiom. I’ve written lots of labs and outlines and such, and it is probably through those activities that I was able to hone my English skills. More than a couple of individuals have complimented me on my ability to write. I’ve done a bit of creative writing (though I don’t want publication), and that and the teaching have allowed me to make the best of the language skills I gathered in school (again, with the help of good teachers and professors).

What is your favorite WikiAnswers.com activity?

What I like here most is answering and editing questions, particularly in the Science category. I also do a lot of Recategorization, which is important. Certainly I’m willing to help others improve their abilities to make the Boards better, and as a Mentor, I can share what I’ve learned with new Supervisors. I report bugs and get involved in efforts to curb vandalism, and I’m more than ready to do that and any other tasks that need doing. But I have limited my involvement in “other things” here to do what I seem best at, which is answering and editing questions in Science. Certainly I’m not “too good” to take on other chores; I clean around the house because I’m best at it. But here I tend to cruise Science and hammer the Q&A there because I like it, and because of all the things I can do to help, my skills are probably a “best fit” there.

What keeps you coming back to WikiAnswers.com?

WikiAnswers isn’t about me. It never has been. It’s about you. At this point I’d like to share my gratitude. I’d like nothing more than to thank the other Supervisors here for their support. You are uniformly bright, powerful and empowering individuals, and I care about you more than my simple ability to express it. And a big thanks to the Community Advisers and those working behind the scenes to improve and expand WikiAnswers, too. We almost never hear about all the ground you cover in your assignments. My hat is off to you all. Lastly, I’d like to thank the Contributors here. And not because the Contributors are least important. Quite the contrary. It is the Contributor that makes the Community what it is. And we are all, in the end, Contributors, are we not? That’s why I’m here.

May you all find your true path, and the courage and strength to walk it. See you on the Boards.

the Mechanic

WikiAnswers: now with over 10 million questions!

Here’s a fun fact: In the little over two years since WikiAnswers.com was acquired, the number of questions on the site has increased 35-fold. On March 6th – last Friday – the site was asked its 10 millionth question.

10 million questions on WikiAnswers!

Here’s another fun fact: The 10 millionth question was – drum roll please -

How long is the flight from Newark to Sydney?

That ought to awaken the travel bug in you!

Some other fun facts:

  • According to comScore, WikiAnswers.com US unique visitors reached nearly 19 million in January 2009, compared to 729 thousand in December 2006.
  • During this time period, WikiAnswers.com’s market share increased from 4% to nearly 35%, vs. Yahoo! Answers, based on US unique visitors.
  • There are over 500 volunteer Supervisors and millions of contributors from around the world asking, answering and editing across the site’s 4,712 categories.

As quoted by Bruce D. Smith, who leads the Community Development team: “We aim to make WikiAnswers.com the best place for users to find answers to all their questions.”

So that’s the challenge put forth to you: What are your questions? Have they been asked at WikiAnswers.com yet? And how long before 15 million, 100 million, a billion questions?

Fun, farms and friendships: Part III.

For the past two weeks, we’ve read about Jadeacres and ThatwouldBme, self-declared WikiNeighbors who reside on their cozy, friendly farms in Ontario, Canada. This week we’ll bring it all together with a deeper look into how the relationship between the two Wikiholic Supervisors runs deeper than just the actual WikiAnswers website… It’s a WikiWorld full of neighborliness, t-shirts… and eggs.

In their own words, Jadeacres and ThatwouldBme share some highlights of their WikiWorld:

On being WikiNeighbors.

ThatwouldBme: It seems that Jade Acres and Snugglefoot Hollow are a fascination within the Wiki-community. With the e-verse the way it is, people make friends worldwide, and yet, sometimes, fate passes you wonderful people and puts them right next door.

Jadeacres: Jade Acres is not only a refuge for us. The coffee is always on and the doors remain unlocked 24 hours per day. Family and friends drop in from hundreds of miles distant on a whim and there is room for all.

ThatwouldBme: When my husband and I returned to Canada we settled into this place like we were born here. That’s very nearly a miracle considering Galad is from the city (New York, New York) and we are now living (as he says) half way to the back of beyond. We got a great place, with lots of property and a nearly new house, but there had been very little done to “tame” the place.

Jadeacres: The day Deborah and I drove up to the house with the moving truck, we had barely started unloading our possessions when a shout from the long laneway caught our attention. Up the drive trudged a couple of “hippies” in the most traditional sense of the word. Both had long gray hair, tied in ponytails and bandannas, Ty-dyed retro clothing, work gloves and the worlds friendliest smiles. Within minutes, we were the best of friends and today they are “family.” Both Galad and Shell share their hearts and home as readily as we do and better neighbours could not be found in a lifetime of searching.

Shell is often found sitting at our dinning table making use of our high speed internet connection and soon became as much the Wiki fanatic as myself. It was not long before I had convinced her to become a Supervisor. As a “Veteran” of WikiAnswers (all of a few months) I asked and was allowed to become possibly the first face-to-face Mentor in WikiAnswers history and help guide her through the rules and Terms of Use policies.

As of this writing, the ‘couple of hours per week only on Wednesdays’ promise by Shell has fallen by the wayside. It is not uncommon for her to be here, happily Wiki’ing on Monday, Tuesday, always by 10AM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The story behind the T-shirt.

Jadeacres: A small bit of background info on Shell. She is an artist, somewhat well-known in the area and beyond our borders. She is often commissioned for her work and can command high prices for her skills.

Within a few days of becoming her Mentor, I found a green T-shirt folded on our table. It was to become the WikiT I would wear each Wednesday at our regular weekly Wikithon. Front and back it is decorated by hand, announcing to all who see, that the wearer is empowered and assisted by SuperPowers and aided by two dogs and a rooster.

ThatwouldBme: It has been my personal pride to say I will paint very nearly anything on very nearly anything, and T-shirts are an old favourite, I‘ve done dozens.

James is so pleased with his connections with WikiAnswers, and proud of being asked to become a Supervisor. So when his birthday arrived I needed to do something special. It doesn’t take long for ideas to percolate from my imagination into a full blown finished project, so the day before his birthday I hooked a ride with him and his Deb into town.

Anyway, we did our usual round of buying, laying mash for the chickens, groceries for both households, as a retired chef, grocery shopping with James is a true experience, (but that is another story), then on to a department store to pick up a couple of things, including a green T-shirt as the “ground” for his present.

Back home, the shirt was washed and hung to dry while I sketched out the rough draft. Then I ironed the shirt, opened the bottles of paint and painted the pocket.  When the folks of Jade Acres arrived the next evening for cake, ice cream and celebrations, the T-shirt was sitting on the table next to a birthday card. I wish you could have seen James’ face… he couldn’t believe I had managed to do the work in such a short time – after all, he’d seen me buy the shirt the day before and here it was, done.

Come WikiWednesday I set it on the table for him, and it has become a formal part of our days at WikiAnswers.

Friendship through… eggs.

ThatwouldBme: When James started raising chickens I found the perfect canvas for a new project. From Jade Acres came an array of the most fascinatingly-coloured eggs, which I took and painted on. At first it was wildlife, then after painting a butterfly on one for a client, I had the wild idea of painting my “Butterfly Divas”. They are tiny little fairies, with wings that look like real butterflies, and they are dressed in “high fashion” clothing from different eras. I even did a series of eggs with belly dancers on them for a local shop (a chance to combine my art and my weekly diversion of ethnic dance).

Of course, Jade Acres has a good sized collection of painted eggs, not to mention the hand-painted Christmas balls I’ve done over the years. James and his family have become so much more than just neighbours, they are dear friends.

Jadeacres: Breaking News! I breed Araucana hens and occasionally some Cochin chickens, and on a whim this summer I bred a few for egg colour variations, hoping for some interesting variations. Araucana chickens give us the blue/green eggs and Cochin hens lay rose/light brown eggs. Well it seems to have worked. This past Christmas Eve, while gathering eggs, one of my new girls (hatched in July) gave us her first egg. Wait for it… A GOLD egg! Under artificial lights, the egg appears a deep khaki colour not often seen by breeders. When under natural sunlight… these eggs are GOLD.

I will give some to Shell for special artwork.

A big thanks to James and Shell for so enthusiastically sharing their story with the rest of us! Hope to hear more great things from this Wiki-duo soon.

Missed part of the story? Click for Part I and Part II.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

Fun, farms and friendships: Part II.

Picking up where we left off last week: After getting to know a bit more about Jadeacres, it’s time to learn more about his partner-in-WikiCrime and that would be… ThatwouldBme (or Shell).

On her bio page, Shell says:

I can tell you that I’m an artist. The pencil/pen/paintbrush/canvas kind of artist. I don’t remember a time I didn’t draw or paint. When I talk to clients & friends, wait in airports & doctors’ offices, make plans & even keep a diary, I do it in images.

…And artist she is. Shell sometimes uses t-shirts as a billboard, or her neighbor’s eggs as a canvas, or WikiAnswers question as an open space to paint the perfect answer. With whatever she does, she displays her dedication to helping people as vividly as she does her artwork.

But more about Shell’s artwork (and James’ eggs!) next week… For now, a word (or more) with ThatwouldBme:

How did you originally hear about WikiAnswers?

My next-door neighbour came over for coffee one morning and said he’d encountered a Paganism question on the new site he was visiting. He admitted it was something a bit more than he felt qualified to answer and asked my input. After a lengthy conversation he suggested I log on and check out the site…

I did, with the intention of answering one or two questions and then just fading away. But the question was complex, and while working on it I found another question that although it had a simple enough Pagan answer, had been “bashed” by someone whose opinions differed widely from my own. I got involved with that one, then another, and another, and finally did my first dispute resolution before I even got my Super Powers.

After that, as they say, “the rest was history…”

Explain your username.

My parents are snowbirds, have been for 20+ years.  I don’t get down to Florida to visit them as often as my sisters. They have the added incentive of Canadian winters to make the trip down.  I lived 10 years in Arizona so my winters were wonderful, which translates out to… I visited them in Canada during Arizona‘s crazy hot summers.

My folks have long-standing neighbours and friends in their winter home, and they have all heard about me, but very few have ever met me.  This past winter Daddy bought himself a little sports car, claims he only wanted it because of the gas mileage, but I have my suspicions otherwise.  Bringing a car through the American/Canadian customs is not exactly a stroll in the park, and as I’d done it before, (when I returned to Canada five years ago) they asked me to come along and make sure everything went smoothly.

That put me in Florida for two weeks, and in a position to meet an awful lot of people who knew me, or at least knew of me.  Seemed every time I met someone they would say, “So you’re the artist daughter.” or “So you’re the daughter from Arizona” or “Oh, so you’re the oldest girl…” My standard answer became, “That would be me.”

It sort of stuck.

What motivates you to volunteer your time to the WikiAnswers community?

The dissemination of information is a grand ambition and a personal passion for me. I hate to admit it, but what initially drew me to this was finding a “loop hole” in a gees placed on me by my shaman when I was in my teens.

As with most teens, convinced they know it all, I was so sure of my path I spent a lot of time arguing theology with very nearly anyone I encountered.  To bring me back to practicing as opposed to preaching, he told me I was not allowed to give anyone answers unless and until they asked.

Now, I give one afternoon a week and an hour every night I can to answering what questions I can.

I grew up looking for my answers in libraries and obscure books and at the knees of wise men and women wherever I could find them.  The whole e-universe is still a wonder and a challenge for me. But now I can put my years of gathering facts and notes and bit of information to a use that transcends my little 500 book library in my small corner of the world.

What are your areas of expertise?

Being a Leo, I can honestly say I don’t do anything I don’t do well.  Now before you go considering me the most arrogant person you have ever met, you need to understand, that also means there are things I don’t do at all.  The best motto for a Leo is: “If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence you ever tried.”

That said, I’m a self taught artist who learned everything the hard way (trial & error).  I have worked in construction, in one form or another, since before it had a place for women. I learned my pagan path from a Native American Shaman, and my Scottish-Celtic grandmother at a very tender age. Then put it to use first in my solitary practice and eventually with my eclectic circle in Arizona, and now I total over 50 years of accumulated learning and teaching of a spiritual way.

I love to cook, garden, read, write, tell tall tales, and if I have one thing I do better than anything else, I make a fantastic friend, because I accept everyone exactly as they are, and never try to turn them into someone else.

What is your favorite WikiAnswers feature?

The bio pages. I get a glimpse into what others want me to know about themselves.
Sometimes I get a picture to go with a name, sometimes I get an insight into the mind behind the answers.  Even a blank page tells me something. I always come away from a bio page knowing something I didn’t when I got there.

What has been your funniest question/experience on WikiAnswers?

Since I have become a Supervisor, I have been spending WikiWednesdays with my neighbour, mentor and really good friend, James of Jade Acres. He works with his head in a closet (that’s a whole other story) and I work at the dining room table on my lap top. On any given Wednesday we will usually bump into one another on the WikiAnswers page repeatedly, it has come to the point where we advise one another where we are going to be so that we don’t keep stepping on one another’s toes.

However, the funniest experience I can think of was a couple of weeks ago, James and I were so busy working on a collaborative effort at WikiAnswers that we lost track of the time.  In the door walked WikiWidow (James’ wife, Deb). She walked over to him, placed a large coffee next to him, said “Hi, Hon,” and kissed him on the top of the head, then turned around, put a large tea next to me, kissed me on the top of the head and said, “Hi, Other Hon,” and went on into the kitchen.

I swear it took James and I a full minute to realise what she’d done, and the odd thing… I was half way through typing a message on his board about it before it dawned on me I could simply speak to him, he was sitting six feet away.

Share a random fact (or two) about yourself.

I debated this one a long time, couldn’t make up my mind if I should tell you that I have been struck by two cars (once walking across the street in Ottawa and once when I was on the back of a friend’s motorcycle). Both were major accidents, both times the car actually struck me (not a vehicle I was in or on) and I survived both, more or less intact.

…Or if I should tell you I have moved diagonally across the continent of North America twice.  Once moving from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to Apache Junction Arizona, USA and then, ten years later, back from Apache Junction, Arizona USA to Camden East, Ontario, Canada.  Both trips were done in a car, with my husband, Galad (Quicksilver11), my most prized material possessions and our cat (Foley, he was five years old on the way down and 15 on the way back). And I arrived at both destinations more or less sane. (You try five days in a moving vehicle with an unrepentant old hippie and 15 pounds of grumpy cat, and see how your sanity does!)

…But I settled on telling you that Galad and I bought the house and property we now call Snugglefoot Hollow (after Miss Snugglefoot, a pet name Galad used to call me) while we were still living in Arizona.

We did it, sight unseen, (we did get a dozen photos via e-mail) on the advice of my parents and with an electronic handshake.

Papers weren’t drawn up until the old owners had built a new house and we had moved into this one. Which goes to show you there are still some trusting and honourable people in this world.

Stay tuned for next week, when we explore the third part of the series, a tale of two neighbors.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

Fun, farms and friendships: Part I.

Jadeacres

This is the story of two neighbors brought together by their adjacent farms, their love of wiki and their generous spirit. Jadeacres (James) and ThatwouldBme (Shell) live on neighboring farms in Ontario, Canada and have found that their shared values have brought together their families, their farms and even themselves – by working together on WikiAnswers. This week we’re presenting Part I of their story; stay tuned for the next installment in a week.

To begin the story, we must first begin with Jadeacres: The rainbow (literally!) of badges on his bio page is only part of what can attest to his dedicated activity on WikiAnswers  for over a year now.  He supervises eleven categories and works on the Community Outreach program, Vandal Patrol and Mentoring program. He’s also a recent winner of the How-To AnswerThon (second place).

But enough introduction; Jadeacres has plenty to say and says it well:

How did you originally hear about WikiAnswers?

I came across WikiAnswers long ago… We were living in an area where dial-up internet was super slow. I was searching for information under the Crohns Disease category. I was soon to undergo a Methotrexate treatment and was looking for answers. I remember thinking, what a great concept, ask everybody, get multiple answers and narrow down the facts from the fiction. However, the internet connection was so infuriatingly slow that I gave up. I actually returned in November 2007 once we got high-speed and signed in looking for an answer to a chicken question.

Explain your username.

When my wife Deborah and I bought the farm we had not thought of naming it. Our neighbours – Galad and Shell – are aging hippies and artists and we were searching through some pinewood slabs to use as woodworking projects when Galad suggested we both make signs for our two properties. They came up with Snugglefoot Hollow for theirs. Deborah and I took a few hours and put our two first names together – James and Deb, blending the concept of the old TV show Green Acres into JADE and it fit. She is the “city girl” living in the country and I am the country guy making a dream of farming come true.

What motivates you to volunteer your time to the WikiAnswers community?

I truly believe that the only way to make life better is through education. The sharing of knowledge and experience is, after all, what education is all about. Even a question well-answered often leads to more questions. Answers from a single source can lead you down a narrow path. We should explore the many paths to reach understanding. As I get older, I want to share my experiences in life – and what a perfect forum WikiAnswers is for that!

What are your areas of expertise?

I grew up as the oldest child of a military officer. He instilled a strong work ethic into all his children. My dad taught us that any job worth doing was a job worth doing well. We traveled throughout the world moving every three years. You learn to adapt to different societies, make and lose friends very quickly.

Change became part of my life and I craved change even after I started making my own way in the world. I tried my hand at many jobs. Cooking was my first real passion, it allowed the artists soul in me a way of expression. I was also very good at interacting with people so I tried food sales. I have built cottages, installed fireplaces. Worked security, done first aid at a steel mill, been a hunting guide, taught outdoor survival skills, search and rescue. I eventually decided I wanted to be a police officer like my dad but medical issues prevented that so I did what I thought was the next best thing, At twenty four years old I learned to scuba dive, within a year I was teaching it to others and focusing my own training on specialized diving skills. Through my various community services, I became known to various law enforcement agencies and was offered a position as a contract instructor. I taught basic diving, underwater search and victim recovery, evidence preservation and several other specialized diving courses.

I did much of this diving in my “spare” time and worked several jobs to provide for my family. I ended my career as a supervisor for a distillery sales team. I retired earlier than expected, as my struggle with Crohns Disease finally became a priority. Jadeacres was purchased soon afterward and I set my skills to renovating, expanding the farm and raising chickens.

What is your favorite WikiAnswers feature?

I love the whole concept. The idea that, any individual can ask “the world” a question and get many perspectives on an answer is exciting. Having knowledgeable Supervisors sorting the trash and managing a collective sober second opinion is wonderful.

What has been your funniest question/experience on WikiAnswers?

I guess the questions that really can have no answers – at least not factual ones. I love letting go and making up a story because you just know it is some child, probably given a “homework” assignment by a teacher wanting them to use their brain at digging up an answer and expand their literary skills. The idea that my humorous answer may end up being marked in a class is just hilarious. For example: Who decided to eat chicken eggs first?

Share a random fact (or two) about yourself.

Random fact #1:

My wife Deborah puts it best: on the outside I can appear unshaken and uncaring. Years of bringing closure to families who lost loved ones to drowning accidents, my personal fight with disease and death and my views on life and mortality all give me a somewhat different perspective on how we live and treat others. I have a low tolerance for those who are cruel to children and animals. Not too far under that hard shell is a human being who wants to make the world a better place.

Random fact #2:

The following was one of my first entries as a Supervisor and it gave me a chance to use one of my own poems. It was funny as both An8thg and Zanbabe messaged me when I posted the poem that I needed the permission of the author to use it. LOL! I have been writing poetry since I was in grade school in the 60′s. This one was written after the passing of my Deborah’s Siamese cat Max… Originally titled, ‘For Max’: Is there a dog heaven? Our vet asked permission to use it years ago and now has it printed on a card sent out to clients who lose a pet.

Stay tuned for next week, when we explore the second half of the Jadeacres-ThatwouldBme duo.

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

Face to face with Wikiholics.

As you could not possibly have forgotten, there was a WikiAnswers Supervisors Conference back in September, where folks from deep inside the trenches – whether on the product development side or the active wiki side – got together in New York City to discuss, debate, laugh and cheer on the wonderful world of WikiAnswers.

At the time, a few of the ‘Wikiholics’ present volunteered to be interviewed and videoed in a quick documentary of their Wikiholicism for all of internet eternity. Now that we’re all back in our computer chairs/couches/beds with our laptops on hand and our browsers pointed to WikiAnswers, I thought it might be nice to review the footage and be inspired over and over.

Warning: this video contains explicit Wikiholicism. If you yourself are a Wikiholic and don’t think you’ll be able to last watching  a video instead of answering and editing, then this video is especially for you.

Like what you saw? Pass it around to your friends and family. This addiction can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere. And who are we to stop it?

Today’s moment of awesome.

WikiAnswers was rated as one of “four awesome instructional DIY websites” on Web Upon yesterday. Here’s an excerpt of what the post’s author had to say:

“This is a better quality version of the same forums as set by Yahoo! Answers; however, the moderation of this site tends to weed out more of the scam artists and internet thugs. I also find that Wiki Answers has slightly less traffic than Yahoo! Answers, but that traffic is of a more expert nature.”

It’s really cool to hear someone recognizing two of the major points I like to boast about WikiAnswers:

1. WikiAnswers really works hard on its moderation system; the over 400 Supervisors are volunteers from around the world, working around the clock to clean, organize and keep the site’s community running smoothly.

2. Expertise is the game! From doctors to lawyers, mechanics to teachers, WikiAnswers boasts all kinds of professionals who are dedicated to adding accurate answers to all kinds of questions.

Thanks for the recognition, Web Upon!

The first-ever WikiAnswers Supervisors’ Conference.

So this past Sunday was an incredible experience. It was the first-ever WikiAnswers Supervisors’ Conference, held in New York City. Supers from the United States flew in to the Big Apple for some Big Wiki craziness.

The day started off with meeting and greeting, and of course, breakfast New York style (can you say bagels!?).

After hearing a few words from Answers Corp CEO Bob Rosenschein, the feedback began. Supervisors covered all kinds of areas, including:

  • All new contributors to WikiAnswers should not go a month or so without a welcome message from someone (thanks, Hooweestik!)
  • WikiAnswers must expand its growth in countries where participation is high, like it has done for the Philippines. India is a good place to continue this trend (thanks, Doditov!)
  • Clearer process for asking questions (thanks, Dlmick!)

Supervisors also want to see more in the way of filtering, trivia games on the site, a more interactive homepage and much more. No matter where they hailed from, or which categories they supervise, each participant had so much to offer the group. It was a real treat to sit in the room and listen to the excitement and creativity.

The day was not all WikiBusiness, however. We went to dinner after a long day of idea-sharing, and then took a boat tour around Manhattan.

Bob addresses the group.

The official WikiAnswers coffee mug… Talk about enablers.

Bruce has tickets for the boat tour of NYC.

Pninab models the new WikiAnswers Superheroes t-shirt.

As one Supervisor said, the only thing missing from the conference was a little Wiquilla…

Thanks to all the participating Supervisors and employed WikiAnswers folks:

Neila222, Ksmail, An8thg, Dlmick, Myrab51, Doditov, Hooweestik, WikiRicki, Rrosenschein, Jeffs, Gilr, cfoman, Lexagon, Leahsg, Renar, Nirel, Pninab, Pickleshy, Bruce, Brave3, Zanbabe, Deb, Robin, Eliesheva

Looking forward to meeting more Supervisors at the next conference!

Public service announcement: Get the %$@# off our site!

I’m talking to you, vandals. What the &^$@, anyway? Why do you have to come on to WikiAnswers with your &$@% words and waste our precious time having to revert answers?

Not that we’re going to let you spoil our fun. We’ve got Supervisors working ’round the clock to make sure everyone who comes to the site for answers gets them… And not any, well, y’know – %@$#*^%$&…

Vandals, go find a wall.

A word from Zanbabe: Putting the ‘community’ in Q&A.

And now I present thee with a homemade reflection from Zanbabe, a Senior Supervisor and Mentor on WikiAnswers:

You know, one of the things that we talk about a lot in education is Inquiry-Based Learning. The basic idea is that when you get students (of any age) to ask questions, then they are driving their own learning, and those questions can take people way past the minimum requirements of a subject into complex (and fascinating) areas where they can excel… because they are motivated to learn through their own questions.

It's a Q&A community for all of us.When you are the one asking the questions, you integrate the concepts into your conceptual view of the world instead of popping them into short-term storage for the test, and then dumping that information later. We learn much more about the interrelationship of ideas as we question as well, because we are fitting it all into our heads as the way we understand life.Puzzled much? Ty WikiAnswers

This is one of the reasons that a place like WikiAnswers is amazing. It provides an area where anyone, from anywhere, can learn. And where anyone, from anywhere can teach… and the labels cease to matter, because we’re all learners and all teachers. I answer someone’s question about a science fiction story, and someone else answers my question about how to replace my broken door handle… and everyone wins, and everyone learns.

Sure, some people ask silly questions… and some people post silly answers. But we get a chuckle out of the first, and supervisors monitor the site trying to ensure that people get quality answers.

Looking for answers? You know where to go.The great thing is that, despite the existence of vandals, and despite not always having enough Supervisors to keep the site pristine all the time, we really do have a learning community. People who are dedicated to knowledge… to teaching, to learning, and to helping each other. … that is a great group to be a part of, in my book.

-Zanbabe

Why librarians are important.

Elisabeth at Web 2.0 newbie diary lends her opinion on librarians participating on Q&A sites like WikiAnswers:

“I think it is very important that libraries get involved in answering questions, so that people remember that this is what we do. The difference in quality between the librarian’s answers and other answers was interesting.”

The WikiAnswers folks couldn’t agree more, as commented by Ksmail, one of WikiAnswers’ top Supervisors. WikiAnswers has become a top destination for the librarians participating in the Slam the Boards project. We hope librarians continue to contribute their knowledge and expertise to the fastest growing wiki Q&A site!

Itamar Medical and WikiAnswers: improving your health… Q&A.

Itamar Medical: cardiovascular healthWikiAnswers has teamed up with Itamar Medical — a world-leading developer of cardiac diagnostic equipment — to spread cardiovascular awareness by pumping the Cardiovascular Health category with new questions, answers and edits. The experts at Itamar Medical are officially Supervising the category, contributing their professional knowledge to growing cardiovascular Q&A.

Here are some of Itamar Medical’s contributions so far:

This is an excellent way to get experts on a topic to contribute to WikiAnswers Q&A: You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. When you use your Bio Page to promote yourself, and then answer questions in your field, you gain credibility and a fresh audience. Not to mention that all the curious people waiting for information are getting quality, thought-out answers directly from the experts.

Are you a professional who might be interested in covering a WikiAnswers topic in your field? If you’d like this kind of opportunity, leave a comment.

WAmmy Awards 2007: The only awards that matter!

WAmmy Awards 2007

Last week, Crystal announced the 1st Annual WAmmy Awards winners here on no.stupid.answers. In this season of constant awards shows, I thought I’d take a step back and explain why we at WikiAnswers wanted to show our appreciation through an online awards ceremony of our very own.

First of all, the WAmmys concept was developed by no other than Brave3, one of our most involved Supervisors. The idea was to share our appreciation so that everyone on and off WikiAnswers can see and understand all the hard work our dedicated group of Supervisors do throughout the year.WAmmy badge

This is not your ordinary awards show, either; we’re not bogged down by writers’ strikes or heavy ball gowns. Instead, our winners wear their user names with pride as well as their own award badges.

In addition, winners got to leave their ‘acceptance speeches’ on the awards page – without having to worry about time running out!

It was a fun process to get these awards up and running, and, of course, you can see all the winners here.

Click on the names of the winners to see their bio pages and award ribbons.

Meanwhile, start racking up the answers for next year. Congratulations, all!

A Little Bit of Nice…

Our fantastic, wonderful Supervisor WikiWand posted a series of questions and answers on the site this past week that all have something to do with communicating and wiki-ing effectively with other Supervisors.

One of the questions I really like is: Are there rules of courtesy between WikiAnswers Supervisors?

The simple answer is, no. There are no written rules, as we have always tried to maintain a fun, community-driven site; a site built on collaboration and free from endless policies and guidelines. Boxing gloves have never been required and we certainly don’t plan on promoting any ring action in the near future. So remember to keep it real… On and off WikiAnswers, a little bit of nice goes a loooooong way.

Oh Where, Oh Where Does That Question Go…

…oh where, oh where does it go? If you’ve been singing the blues over WikiAnswers categorization, you’re not alone. We all have those moments when we ponder over where to place a question. Should it go in Grilling, Recipes… both? Would it be better to place it in Miscellaneous, and just let someone else tackle it? What if there is no perfect category?

Don’t fret. Here are some pointers on getting that question into the right category (or categories) the first time around:

  1. Familiarize yourself with the current category tree. Do not assume that a category does not exist as the tree is constantly growing. At first, this might be a little overwhelming, but as time passes you will become more familiar with the tree and recognize immediately what might be a good fit for a misplaced question.
  2. Explore possible question placements from different angles. For example, if you have a question about the human body that doesn’t seem to fit into Health, take a look at Science. It might be perfectly suited for Human Anatomy.
  3. Leave a message for the category Supervisor or post a message on the Super Forum. Note: Always link the question of concern to better assist in this process.
  4. Often using AnswerTips™ can point you in the right direction. Just double-click on any keyword in the question and see what comes up.
  5. If the question truly has no home and there are many others with similar qualities, request that a new category be added to the tree.
  6. In most cases, Miscellaneous should be used as a last resort. For those questions that are harmless yet will most likely never have a topic that they fit into – opt for Harmless Nonsense – Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?. Unanswerable Questions to Edit, is reserved for questions that cannot be answered in their current condition and when there is not enough information included for someone else to fix – Why did this happen in WW2?.

Once you’ve found a logical ‘home’ for a question:

  1. Place it in the most specific topic as possible. For example, a question about Zebras should be placed in Zebras, not Animal Life, Mammals, Land Mammals, etc.
  2. If a question fits logically into two separate unrelated topics feel free to add both. “What is the estimated Zebra population in Ethiopia?” should be placed in Zebras and Ethiopia.

(A big thanks to our wonderful Senior Super Ksmail (Ken) for collaborating with me on this important post… You da’ man, KS!)