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=== DrL === === DrL ===
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::I'm still not sure that this belongs here. RfC seems to me a better course of action. ] ] 21:15, 24 July 2006 (UTC) ::I'm still not sure that this belongs here. RfC seems to me a better course of action. ] ] 21:15, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

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Revision as of 18:33, 27 July 2006

If you are creating a new request about this user, please add it to the top of the page, above this notice. Don't forget to add
{{Misplaced Pages:Requests for checkuser/Case/DrL}}
to the checkuser page here. Previous requests (shown below), and this box, will be automatically hidden on Requests for checkuser (but will still appear here).
The following discussion is preserved as an archive of a Request for checkuser. Please do not modify it.

DrL

From internal evidence, I feel it is likely that DrL (talk · contribs) is IRL one "Dr. Gina Lynne LoSasso", who has registered the domain megafoundation.org in Cainsville, MO, which has IP 69.6.233.161. I asked her point blank on her user page and she replied with a nondenial denial. The internal evidence is so strong that I don't believe her denial. According to a wicked 1999 Esquire profile of LoSasso, if my guess is correct, one might expect her to respond by playing with words to spin the question. In this edit it seems to me that DrL is again spinning the question to avoid a straight answer.

The problem is a suspected conflict of interest: DrL extensively edited articles on Mega Society-Mega Foundation-The Ultranet-Christopher Michael Langan and has vigorously contested their deletion in various current and former AfDs. See

Note that Langan is on the board of Mega and apparently a close personal friend of LoSasso. In fact, they have been described as a romantic couple. (Indeed, I have since been told that they are now a married couple.) They are apparently cofounders of Mega Foundation and The Ultranet. LoSasso apparently has also founded something called MegaPress; she also seems to operate a holding company called Mega International. I believe that Mega Foundation is a kind of splinter group of something called The Mega Society.

The IP address listed above was used extensively during the AfD debate over the first version of CTMU. The second version (with the hyphen in the name) was then created and also came up for AfD, and was also deleted. DrL is now one of those requesting that this second AfD be overturned.

The common denominator of the AfD noms (not by me, incidently) has been WP:VSCA-WP:NN.

In a situation like this, I don't know what to do. Please see the above pages to see why I feel that I am not just randomly "fishing". I ask that an admin try to confirm my guess that the edits of DrL come from Northern Missouri, and if possible to try to confirm that the IP addie given above has been used by the same individual as DrL, or to otherwise provide evidence for or against my suspicion about the IRL identity of DrL. Thanks! ---CH 00:44, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

 Clerk note: A checkuser will make the final determination of course, but there does not seem to be a policy violation here. Editing articles one is connected with is discouraged but permitted. See for example Misplaced Pages:Requests for arbitration/Hunger/Proposed decision#Editing your own article, which seems to be an analogous situation. It would be nice if DrL would disclose any conflicts of interest but it is not required. All editors should follow the policies of Misplaced Pages:Neutral point of view, Misplaced Pages:Verifiability, and Misplaced Pages:No original research. If the editor can not follow these policies and becomes disruptive, follow the dispute resolution process. If it seems that DrL is using multiple accounts to create a false consensus or to evade 3RR, you will have a stronger case for checkuser. Thatcher131 01:46, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Wow, we had an edit conflict. I have just added some important information which I hope will assist you. ---CH 01:50, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

no Declined I have to agree with Thatcher here. I agree that, if you are correct, there exists potential for abuse, but I'm not convinced that said abuse has occurred. If you can present edits which indicate that Misplaced Pages policy is being violated, then that would be a different matter. Mackensen (talk) 02:39, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

As it happens, Asmodeus (talk · contribs) made a mistake which has confirmed my suspicions. Since DrL (talk · contribs) has admitted knowing Chris Langan personally, together with other publically available information, I think the case is now pretty persuasive that I guessed right about the IRL identity of these users.---CH 17:07, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
User:MichaelCPrice, one of several concerned about this apparent conflict of interest on the part of DrL (talk · contribs) and Asmodeus (talk · contribs), pointed out to me that the decision of the ArbCom in Misplaced Pages:Requests_for_arbitration/Carl_Hewitt#Principles included:

Editors should avoid contributing to articles about themselves or subjects in which they are personally involved, as it is difficult to maintain NPOV while doing so.

— Writing about yourself; passed 7 to 0 at 06:53, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

Users may be banned from editing articles if there is history of editing the articles in a disruptive way.

— Banning due to disruption; passed 7 to 0 at 06:53, 17 February 2006 (UTC)
Does this affect your decision? ---CH 17:47, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
Well, Asmodeus has now tacitly admitted that he is in fact Chris Langan, as several of us suspected all along:
  1. 09:27, 24 July 2006 "When one is attacked and defends oneself, the attacker cannot call the defense a "conflict of interest" (reply to another user expressing suspicion that he is Chris Langan IRL; Langan is the author of CTMU, subject of the twice deleted article which DrL and Asmodeus are seeking to have reinstated)
  2. 07:55, 24 July 2006 Asmodeus accidently confirms that he has been using IP 216.139.113.98 (geolocated in the area of Cainsville, as expected).
I still seek confirmation that DrL is likely sharing a machine with Asmodeus, however.---CH 18:18, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
  • What on earth does that have to do with anything?? Well, I find this a little disquieting (and perhaps amusing). I absolutely contend that I represent one individual who, btw, is entitled to edit on Misplaced Pages so long as policy is followed (which I am learning and trying very hard to do). I did not engage in shilling or using multiple accounts to create support or circumvent rules. I did not think the 3RR applied when I broke that rule (I perceived the mass deletes that I was trying to replace as vandalism and did receive a temporary ban for doing that, but I never used another account to circumvent the rule. I am not "IQ prophet" and have no idea who that was). My edits always sought to maintain NPOV. I did remove Byrgenwulf's allegations of "pseudoscience", "crank" and creationism from the CTMU article (note that this article had been up for nearly a year and my first edits came a couple of weeks ago, following Bygenwulf's nonsense) and the reasons were adequately addressed (Byrgenwulf's allegations could not be verified and violated NPOV). Hillman, you should be ashamed of yourself for letting this guy manipulate you into participating in his absurd vendetta against Langan. DrL 20:16, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
For the record, I have told DrL and Asmodeus that if they are not who I strongly suspect they are, I very much wish to be corrected. But I would need to find their denials believable. I suggested that they agree upon some method of proving this, perhaps by proving their IRL identity to some mutually trusted third party who would not divulge their IRL identity to me, but who could confirm that they are not in fact the Lagnans. That offer still stands.
To sum up: For me, the key issue is suspected wikishilling. It seems that wikishilling, while reprehensible, may not be a violation of current WP policies. I do feel that there is enough evidence to proceed to an RfC and I will consider that. DrL would of course be duly notified upon initiation of any such procedure. I suggest that we all take a break until that happens, if it happens.---CH 20:59, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
  • Even if shilling did take place (and it did not), showing harm is required. That is because WP:IAR explicitly allows beneficial violations of its rules and policies. My one time violoation of the 3RR was done absolutely in the spirit of WP:IAR. Preserving the integity of information is of the first order. DrL 21:49, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
I'm still not sure that this belongs here. RfC seems to me a better course of action. Mackensen (talk) 21:15, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the Request for checkuser. Please do not modify it.
Subsequent requests related to this user should be made above, in a new section.


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