WP:RETENTION: This editor is willing to lend a helping hand. Just ask.
"We're not out to write a mediocre encyclopedia here. This is a resource the whole world employs, and it is not merely our duty, but our privilege to get it right ... We should all be "elitists" on Wikipedia, and we should be proud to use the appellation." -- User:Ravenswing
"Experience has unfortunately shown that most (but not all) people with experience in PR cannot be taught to write a proper article, because they are so completely oriented to writing advertisements or quasi-advertisements that they honestly cannot see the difference between that and a proper encyclopedia article." -- User:DGG
 | This user is one of the 1000 most active English Wikipedians of all time. |
I am Michael James Lowrey, called "Orange Mike" because I like the color a lot and tend to wear at least one or two items of that color on most days which are not Saint Patrick's Day.
I am a Wikipedia administrator, with a tendency to spend a fair amount of time on new-page patrol and general clean-up. I participated in the WikiProject Screencast Screen Sprint. I wrote one of the scripts, and my dulcet tones can be heard as the narrator on Script 3: "Assembling Your Materials," to be found at File:WP-Screencast-KO-Script3.ogv.
I have no tolerance for people who commit marketing (spamming, public relations, spin-doctoring, pimping, SEO, advertising, shilling, huckstering: call it what you will) within the confines of Wikipedia. You may practice your trade elsewhere, if it is lawful there; but do not attempt to do so in Wikipedia.
I am considered to be toward the "deletionist" end of the inclusionist-deletionist spectrum, because I believe that many articles here (including not only new ones but many existing ones) are violations of our standards: how-to guides and game manuals, fan trivia, in-universe fiction summaries, obscure porn actor biographies, politician self-aggrandisement, memorials, original essays masquerading as scholarship, etc. When I say I am a bit of a deletionist, I mean that I hold articles here to higher standards of notability, verifiability, etc. than some other editors. (And yes, our servers are overloaded, and the problem's not getting any better.) I'd rather see fewer articles, better researched and better written. I am really glad to help other editors in any way I can, though; and please don't hesitate to contact me.
I was born in 1953 in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1977, disgusted by the corruption and stupidity of Southern politics, I moved to Milwaukee (partly at the urging of Frank Zeidler).
I am a free-lance writer (book reviews, muckraking, and whatever suits me); I've been a member of the National Writers Union since 1985. I have worked part-time or full for Renaissance Books in Milwaukee, one of the largest used-book stores in North America (which doesn't have a website, alas!) since 1978. For most of the time since 1984, I have also worked for one agency or another of the State of Wisconsin, and been represented by (and active in) AFSCME Wisconsin Council 32. I am a graduate magna cum laude of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a B.A. in History. (I have also attended Jackson State Community College, Tennessee State University (a historically black university), the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and the University of Chicago.)
Science fiction fandom, which I discovered in the 1970s, is my primary social outlet. I have been Fan Guest of Honor at a couple of science fiction conventions. For those who are actually interested, my Guest of Honor speech from Iowa's ICon 25 is to be found here. I am the 2020 North America-Europe delegate for the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund, and was set for a Spring 2020 visit scheduled to include Sweden (the Swecon), Finland, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom (Eastercon). Due to COVID-19, that trip was postponed to a point indefinite, finally taking place in 2022! I appear in the feature-length film Finding the Future: A Science Fiction Conversation, and our child Kelly appears in the "Bonus" section of the DVD thereof. My belovéd wife Cicatrice and I were briefly interviewed on the BBC World Service programme Outlook; the broadcast may be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p017cq6l with us nearer the end than the beginning, discussing our 1971 wedding at an SF convention.
For those of you interested in the Society for Creative Anachronism, in such circles I am y-clept Lord Inali of Tanasi, GDH. I was on an episode of the game show Win Ben Stein's Money. I won $2,000, and am told that I acquitted myself well enough. Ben accused me of resembling "Z.Z. Top on acid" but said I had a good singing voice! I was listed in one edition of Who's Who in America. Whoopee. I have managed a family of virtual mutual funds on the Marketocracy site, which had a pretty good record. Like all WBSM! contestants, my Bacon number is 2 through Ben; otherwise, it would be 3 (through Forrest J Ackerman).
I have occasionally been told that I "look Jewish". I will quote the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, "I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people."
The justly deleted article about me
A local newsmagazine recently had a little profile about me, including the fact that an article was created here about me, but deleted after a quick AfD as a non-notable bio.
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My barnstars
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The Editor's Barnstar | |
| I noticed that your edits were impressive and so I've decided to award you this Editor's Barnstar! Wikidudeman (talk) 06:00, 15 October 2007 (UTC) |
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The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar | |
| For detecting IP sockpuppetry.--U.S.A.U.S.A.U.S.A. 07:02, 13 November 2007 (UTC) |
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The Barnstar of Good Humor | |
| Does this mean that I should abandon the article I'm writing about the hot dogs at the stand down the street? They have a sign that says they're world famous! Ioeth (talk contribs friendly) 21:08, 10 January 2008 (UTC) |
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The Defender of the Wiki Barnstar | |
| For covering the back of another admin. Bearian (talk) 15:18, 27 March 2008 (UTC) |
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The WikiProject Wisconsin Barnstar | |
| For all of your work developing articles about Wisconsin and defending them from vandalism, I hereby award you the WikiProject Wisconsin Barnstar. Wear it with pride! Royalbroil 19:28, 29 March 2008 (UTC) |
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The Orange Barnstar | |
| For your positive wording in here and in so many--omtay38 |
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The Original Barnstar | |
| For almost being as fast at deleting as I am at taggin! mboverload@ 03:50, 13 August 2008 (UTC) |
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CVU Anti-Vandalism Award | |
| You have been incredible neutral ,patient yet firm. Wikipedia runs only because of Wikipedians like you. Pharaoh of the Wizards (talk) 23:18, 3 October 2008 (UTC) |
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The Barnstar of Diligence | |
| for being so "on the ball" Jac16888 (talk) 04:04, 4 October 2008 (UTC) |
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The RickK Anti-Vandalism Barnstar | |
| For protecting my user page from vandalism. Bearian (talk) 19:58, 30 October 2008 (UTC) |
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The RickK Anti-Vandalism Barnstar | |
| I award this Anti-Vandalism Barnstar for your speedy efforts in protecting my page. Thanks! Blaze42 (talk) 13:43, 18 November 2008 (UTC) |
All hail Perfect Tutnum of the Encyclopedia. Thank you for your candid advice when in troubling situation and your long standing history of great contribs! You are a founding pillar within the community!
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Your Opinion is More Important than You Think Barnstar | |
| message Hell In A Bucket (talk) 21:39, 4 September 2009 (UTC) |
Happy Orangemike's Day!
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User:Orangemike has been identified as an Awesome Wikipedian,
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For a userbox you can add to your userbox page, see User:Rlevse/Today/Happy Me Day! and my own userpage for a sample of how to use it. — Rlevse • Talk • 01:35, 7 February 2010 (UTC)
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The Red Barnstar | |
| For taking out Russian pederasty... in Soviet style! Pcap ping 12:40, 12 February 2010 (UTC) |
I agree that an AfD would have been a forgone conclusion; see Albanian pederasty. Pcap ping 12:40, 12 February 2010 (UTC)
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The Original Barnstar | |
| You sir, are a patriot for being sensible and not allowing your liberal political views conflict with Wikipedia's goals and interests when dealing with User:Keegscee. PCHS-NJROTC (Messages) 19:44, 16 March 2010 (UTC) |
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The Guidance Barnstar | |
| For your invaluable assistance and guidance on my first Wikipedia page Harmonia1 (talk) 19:09, 16 May 2010 (UTC) |
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The Original Barnstar | |
| Many thanks for your work with Wisconsin related articles-RFD (talk) 23:05, 22 May 2010 (UTC) |
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The Admin's Barnstar | |
| For swiftly blocking spam/promotional accounts I reported at UAA, it is appreciated :) Acather96 (talk) 15:31, 9 June 2010 (UTC) |
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The Special Barnstar | |
| I hereby award you, Orange Mike, the Special Barnstar for being an all-around amazing editor. You are a remarkable admin, particularily with dealing with both promotional accounts and articles, and a great editor as well. Keep up the great work! :) --Meaghan :) ≈ 01:54, 21 August 2010 (UTC) |
Barn star!
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The Editor's Barnstar | |
| I think you've been doing a marvelous job tagging articles for deletion. I really think you deserve this. Good job! :) Endofskull (talk) 21:25, 16 October 2010 (UTC) |
Barnstar
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The Barnstar of Diligence | |
| I hereby award thee this barnstar in recognition of your tireless efforts. PoinDexta1 | Talk to Me 00:57, 4 January 2011 (UTC) |
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The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar | |
| I award this Barnstar to Orangemike for helping me with my researchMulgaEscu (talk) 11:53, 12 May 2011 (UTC) |
A barnstar for you!
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The Tireless Contributor Barnstar |
| RadioFan (talk) 02:26, 8 July 2011 (UTC) |
A barnstar for you!
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The Writer's Barnstar |
| For being one of the most active mambers of Wikipedia.
by Romanski1996 Macedon 20:16, 23 October 2011 (UTC) |
Barnstar
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The Original Barnstar | |
| This barnstar is awarded to everyone who - whatever their opinion - contributed to the discussion about Wikipedia and SOPA. Thank you for being a part of the discussion. Presented by the Wikimedia Foundation. |
Thanks, Mike!
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The Barnstar of Recovery | |
| I've never seen a deletion nominator work to improve a piece to help pave the way for Keep before, and I just wanted to credit you for very positive action on the L.J. piece. The new content creator, despite having survived a week of trench warfare at AfD, is now contemplating a new page on a philanthropist whom she sees as worthy. Maybe something will come of it, maybe something won't, but your decision to move from a (valid) initial critique of the piece into a positive force working to help to save a "Keeper" has had a good effect for The Project and I just wanted you to know that. Carrite (talk) 02:18, 12 March 2012 (UTC) |
For User:Orangemike
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The Second Orange Barnstar | |
 For your positive viewing. Enjoy! ```Buster Seven Talk 14:09, 25 July 2012 (UTC)
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A barnstar for you!
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The Teamwork Barnstar |
| Thanks for your help at Wikipedia:Edit filter/False positives/Reports. -- Cheers, Riley Huntley 21:19, 9 October 2012 (UTC) |
The Admin's Barnstar
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The Admin's Barnstar | |
| For all your hard work, contributions and administration of the Wikipedia project. Cheers. --Hu12 (talk) 00:26, 8 November 2012 (UTC) |
| This is a Wikipedia user page. This is not an encyclopedia article or the talk page for an encyclopedia article. If you find this page on any site other than Wikipedia, you are viewing a mirror site. Be aware that the page may be outdated and that the user whom this page is about may have no personal affiliation with any site other than Wikipedia. The original page is located at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Orangemike. |