User talk:Paul

launching on the 5 Nov hopefully or a week or so later?

--David 15:03, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Zionism

Hi, I have started a page on this : http://www.spinprofiles.org/index.php/Zionism

I think this may be the way to state what exactly is meant and allow us to get past any issues on the use of the term.

--David 10:29, 22 October 2008 (BST)

Socialist Action

Interesting stuff. We probably need some more background on this. Any of this of any use?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Action_(UK)

Also are we sure that 'most' of Livingstones people were SA? Is there a source for that? or should we say 'many'? And is it really true that Livingstone wroites under a pseudonym? We also need sources on the pseudonymous writings...

--David 10:43, 23 October 2008 (BST)

scan

would be good

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rather less than friendly

I am still working on the Claire Fox page. I agree that it is not, yet, a particularly interesting page, but, I don’t think that by taking out the fact she was born in Wales in 1960 that I have ruined the page. There were lots of brackets and it looked untidy making it difficult to read. Furedi is not mentioned yet, but the RCP connection is. The stuff about her sister, Fiona, being “more catholic” and the RCP being uncomfortable about her stance on abortion are, as far as I can see, without a source. If you have one, please, stick it back in. If you can help me please do, the page needed updated and there is still loads of GM stuff to add. It might indeed be "a rather bland trite article" but as you can see it hasn't changed that much. Claire

HI Paul

in Henry Jackson Society Project for Democratic Geopolitics

--can you unpack the following sentence a bit pls? i.e. in what way is the subtitle of the org suggestive of force/steel fist?:--

During a lecture hosted by the HJS Carl Gershman, the NED's president, noted the subtitle of the organization: Democratic Geopolitics, i.e., a forceful foreign policy with a hidden steel fist.

thanks! Claire

What I mean is, it is not clear that this is (incl. the i.e. bit) a quote from him--if it is, it should be made clear that he said the whole thing and it should be in quotation marks and should be referenced. Even if a paraphrase of what he said, it still needs a ref. I did not know if it was his view or whether the "i.e." bit was a comment from you. That's one thing that needs to be clarified. The other thing is: Why should the words Democratic Geopolitics mean a hidden steel fist?

During a lecture hosted by the HJS Carl Gershman, the NED's president, noted the subtitle of the organization: Democratic Geopolitics, i.e., a forceful foreign policy with a hidden steel fist.

Thanks! Claire

Re: During a lecture hosted by the HJS Carl Gershman, the NED's president, noted the subtitle of the organization: Democratic Geopolitics, i.e., a forceful foreign policy with a hidden steel fist.

Thanks for clarifying origin of quote/paraphrase. Re the quote being said at a public meeting, we have some of those in our GM Watch profiles as well and I’d like to keep them. I’m clarifying our editorial policy on that with other Spin eds at the moment. In the meantime we need a ref saying that this was said in a public meeting and give the date (or at least month and year) of the meeting, and the place of the meeting. Also who organized the meeting, or any other identifying details.

My only remaining problem with the quote is that I don’t understand what the words “democratic geopolitics” have to do with forcefulness or a hidden steel fist. The words "democratic" and “geopolitics” have no meaning of force or covert aggression. The “i.e.,” in yr sentence means “that is” or “in other words”, so there is implication that democratic geopolitics means forcefulness/hidden steel fist. This could be got around by saying someth like “He added that the organisation stands for a forceful foreign policy with a hidden steel fist.” Anything that decouples the democ. geopolitics from the force and hidden steel would be fine.

thank you! --Claire Robinson 12:30, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

OK, we have the policy on quotes from our target at public meetings etc.

If the quote is taken down word-for-word at the meeting by a person who can be cited as the authority, that is fine. We need to name the witness (person who took down the quote) in the ref. If we are asserting that this was the gist of what the target said, then we would need to give the person (in this case, you, if you were at the meeting) as the authority for that interpretation/recollection.

For the future, we should only rely on quotes rather than recalled paraphrasing though.

Also include date and place of meeting, who organised it, etc. and include a link in the ref to show that the target spoke at the meeting.

I'll write this into the guidelines...

thanks --Claire Robinson 13:23, 9 November 2008 (UTC)