Another paid editing service, Gnosis Arts Options

[thekohser]

What is this guy's deal, and how has he been faring with the paid content creation for Wikipedia?

This is him on Wikipedia: User:Petrosianii.

So, is editing for payment okay now?



He seems to offer a bunch of varied services:

Services

Initial Piano Consultation - $35.00
During the consultation, the teacher will evaluate the student's musical readiness and ability. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
30 Minute Piano Lesson - $35.00
Half Hour Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
45 Minute Piano Lesson - $40.00
45 Minute Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
1 Hour Piano Lesson - $50.00
One Hour Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
Writing Consultation - $34.50
During the writing consultation, we will discuss your writing needs and begin the process of creating a proposal for a specific writing project.
SEO Site Asessment - $29.95
We will provide 10 hours of website assessments (a $400 value) and conduct a 30 minute walk through of your site' Internet marketing potential.
Web Dev./Graphic Design - $37.50
Need a website? A CMS or CRM to perform web edits? Logos, brands or other graphic elements? Flash or other video advertising? Meet with a skilled web developer, graphic designer and branding specialist.
I Ching Consultation - $70.00
During the I Ching Counseling Session, the counselor will meet with the client to work through personal issues using the I Ching as a guide.
Initial Counseling Assessment - $37.50
This is a short, 25-30 minute consultation between the counselor and the prospective client to meet and discuss the client's counseling needs.

I'm really liking these two articles:

Edward Longley

Braun Mincher (absolutely LOVE the photo)

It's really refreshing to see that Wikipedia has come full circle regarding paid editing of PR puff content!


This post has been edited by thekohser: Mon 1st June 2009, 5:52pm

[Kato]

Paid editing was always OK. It's just when you're called Wikipedia Review, when you clearly state your intentions, and when you accidentally cross the wrong people on Wiki, does it becomes off limits.

[Somey]

So, is editing for payment okay now?

Well, you have to remember, he's from New Jersey. So that, like, makes it okay, right?

Besides, he's exploring new vistas in wiki technology, whereas you were just writing articles. (That links to this, which to be honest I'm not so sure about.

You have to think big to get past the exterior layer of self-righteousness and hypocrisy these days!

Here's more:

That's where we can help. If you want your business to be included in Wikipedia, chances are you'll need a professional writing agency to assist you in the composition, editing and coding of the article. But not just any writing company, one which has special expertise in writing, research & annotation, Web development and Internet marketing.

Chances are, indeed!

[CharlotteWebb]

This is him on Wikipedia: User:Petrosianii.

So, is editing for payment okay now?

He'll probably be banned now that you've called attention to him. Or if you hint that that's what you want to happen, he might not.

10 hours of website assessments (a $400 value)

Fuck, I'm in the wrong business.

[thekohser]

The Braun Mincher article is truly hilarious. I love this part:

Criticism and Controversy

In December of 2008, Mincher came into conflict with Colorado State University and the Larimer County Commissioners when he was denied media access to a financial literacy summit funded by taxpayers. [20] Mincher had been accused of self-promotion and covert advertising of his book and documentary film. As it had never been his practice to use any similar seminars as venues of self-promotion, he was justifiably disturbed by this unprovoked ostracism. Moreover, that he was denied access to the event for the purpose of filming his documentary was suspect, as he had received warm welcomes at similar symposiums in Los Angeles (MoneyXLive.Com) and New Hampshire (NHJumpstart.Org). He was interviewed by the Fox News Radio KCOL-600 Morning Show about the brewing controversy, and received an outpouring of local support from the community. He was finally granted limited media access by organizers after engaging attorney, Kevin Houchin, who successfully argued that access was required due to the “open meeting” statute for public events. [21]

This post has been edited by thekohser: Mon 1st June 2009, 6:04pm

[carbuncle]

What is this guy's deal, and how has he been faring with the paid content creation for Wikipedia?

Perhaps his best work is in the Kegel Male Exercise Trainer...

[thekohser]

What is this guy's deal, and how has he been faring with the paid content creation for Wikipedia?

Perhaps his best work is in the Kegel Male Exercise Trainer...

Indeed!

Al Dana is the inventor of the Kegel Male Trainer. Dana created this Kegel muscle device after experiencing problems with urinary incontinence in his late 40’s. His study of Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, in which the phallus is depicted as the Sun and was considered central to the whole and flourishing man, was the impetus leading to the Dana's invention.

Reminds me of something that would inspire Dr. Ronald Chevalier:

[CharlotteWebb]

Hmm, he uses the flickr upload bot to copy images from his own flickr account, wherein he can adjust the license settings even though he most likely does not hold the rights to this picture.

Take for example Edward_E._Longley.jpg from here.

The rest of his flickr gallery seems to be taken by a "T-Mobile Dash", but the one above was copied from here.

Somehow I doubt they discussed image licensing at their business luncheon.

Regardless of the underlying motives I'd say there's almost no chance this article would survive AFD.

Edit: I wonder if he has a refund policy.

This post has been edited by CharlotteWebb: Mon 1st June 2009, 6:17pm

[thekohser]

Take a gander at the traffic on that Kegel Male Exercise Trainer article, between April 3-18. Looks like once it was "injected" into Wikipedia, it was probably the target of a PR or link-clicking campaign.

I like how Rootology is trying to go about this "the right way", by dealing with each article and instance of paid promotional conflict of interest, rather than just the sledgehammer "indefinite block" that was my experience.

[CharlotteWebb]

I like how Rootology is trying to go about this "the right way", by dealing with each article and instance of paid promotional conflict of interest, rather than just the sledgehammer "indefinite block" that was my experience.

Actually he seems to be framing it as a "BLP problem" issue which would be quite ironic if he didn't know better. But since he's obviously reading this thread in real-time it's seems disingenuous as he does not mention the likelihood that Mr. Longley paid good money to have this BLP problem. But I'll agree it's a clear "delete". As far as real estate agents go he's probably less notable than Karmafist.

This post has been edited by CharlotteWebb: Mon 1st June 2009, 6:46pm

[Achromatic]

What is this guy's deal, and how has he been faring with the paid content creation for Wikipedia?

Services

Initial Piano Consultation - $35.00
During the consultation, the teacher will evaluate the student's musical readiness and ability. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
30 Minute Piano Lesson - $35.00
Half Hour Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
45 Minute Piano Lesson - $40.00
45 Minute Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)
1 Hour Piano Lesson - $50.00
One Hour Piano Lesson. (NOTE: 15% additional gas surcharge for home visits)

Completely irrelevant, but geez... $35 for an initial consultation? $50 an hour? $7.50 for gas (what's he driving?!?)

Not that these rates are inherently bad, but he'd better be good My piano teacher has multiple master's degrees in music from Juilliard, plays for the Seattle Symphony, etc, didn't charge a consultation, and charges what this guy charges, sans gas.

Anyway.

[emesee]

perhaps if this human is being treated more reasonably.. more in a way that if you were treated similarly in the past, you would not have the bad taste about the big wiki that you might have now

perhaps, just maybe though, this is a sign of some sort of reform, or some sort of systemic change/evolution that has taken place... maybe you will be treated more fairly in the future, in future endeavors.

[thekohser]

So, is Rootology telling us that paid editing is not grounds to delete a paid article?

If that is truly the case, could someone explain to me (once again) why I am community banned from the English Wikipedia? Better yet, could ArbCom please explain it to me?

[carbuncle]

WHOIS for GNOSISARTS.COM

Administrative Contact:
Eric Bryant
Eric Bryant
137 W. 5th Avenue
apt. 2H
Roselle, NJ
07203, US
(908)7873475
()

Petrosianii adding New Jersey practitioner Eric Bryant to an article. I think it's safe to assume that this particular edit was unpaid.

[EricBarbour]

* "Paid editing" is not against any rules, and how could it be? Unless you told us, we'd have no idea, and once told... so what? Once you publish the article here, you have zero control over it more than any other editor, and neither do your clients--we get a nice free article, hopefully with sources, hopefully that passes WP:N. If not... we delete it. I hope that helps. rootology/equality 20:08, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

Why, that's very sweet of you, Rootie.

Now, as long as you're Wiki-judging the propriety of paid editing.....
why is Greg Kohs still banned for life??


(Just wondering....)

This post has been edited by EricBarbour: Tue 2nd June 2009, 7:18am

[The Joy]

* "Paid editing" is not against any rules, and how could it be? Unless you told us, we'd have no idea, and once told... so what? Once you publish the article here, you have zero control over it more than any other editor, and neither do your clients--we get a nice free article, hopefully with sources, hopefully that passes WP:N. If not... we delete it. I hope that helps. rootology/equality 20:08, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

Why, that's very sweet of you, Rootie.

Now, as long as you're Wiki-judging the propriety of paid editing.....
why is Greg Kohs still banned for life??


(Just wondering....)

The funny thing is that I read on the wiki that the community can't unban someone without ArbCom's permission. So it all come's down to ArbCom to let the banned return. Go figure.

As for paid-editing, as long as an article is good, does it really matter? I've never understood the derision from Wikipedians. Good content should be the goal for any encyclopedia!

[TungstenCarbide]

He'll probably be banned now that you've called attention to him. Or if you hint that that's what you want to happen, he might not.

10 hours of website assessments (a $400 value)

Fuck, I'm in the wrong business.

Looking at it another way, how much do you think this guy is worth? Say you're a movie producer who is considering dvd revenues and merchandising and advertising, how much would you pay a proven editor to FA your movie? What's it worth?

[thekohser]

User:Hipocrite has taken to applying the "COI" template tag to several of our intrepid entrepreneur's articles:

Braun Mincher

Jack Gulick

Still I Rise

New Yorker Hotel

So, if a COI flag is imprinted on an article, what sort of remedy would it take to get it removed? Would, for example, Guy Chapman coming in and "re-writing" a plagiarized version of the article that is beyond a doubt not written ab initio, with the original (paid) author's version admin-deleted, be sufficient remedial practice?

It is very interesting to me to see how this Eric Bryant's enterprise from New Jersey is being so tenderly handled.

Greg

[zvook]

He'll probably be banned now that you've called attention to him. Or if you hint that that's what you want to happen, he might not.

10 hours of website assessments (a $400 value)

Fuck, I'm in the wrong business.

Looking at it another way, how much do you think this guy is worth? Say you're a movie producer who is considering dvd revenues and merchandising and advertising, how much would you pay a proven editor to FA your movie? What's it worth?

Relative to a few others, AT is a bit slow at going through the process. What you'd really want is one of the existent guys and gals who can work against the clock to produce a Featured Article for a book in time for an adaptation release, or better yet a biography for a biopic (as Moni did with Harvey Milk), or perhaps a film article for a big anniversary DVD release. These dates can then be used to secure TFA so you get main page coverage for the release day of your product. Hard to put a price on that.

Remember, Raul's system is to add points towards gaining TFA against competitors if your selected date is relevant to the article. Hence that incident where a video game based on the Columbine shootings looked like it was going to be scheduled for an anniversary of said shootings.

This post has been edited by zvook: Tue 2nd June 2009, 2:38pm

[Hipocrite]

User:Hipocrite has taken to applying the "COI" template tag to several of our intrepid entrepreneur's articles:

If I had buttons I would have blocked him also for editing unbecoming an encyclopedia.