Shagbark - The Scavenger

Shagbark has become the 16th person to be awarded the coveted Scavenger badge, having successfully rescued five or more articles from the Flea Market.

Interview with a Scavenger

To celebrate his success, who else could we interview but Shagbark? His Flea Market Rescues to date are:

1. The Big Bang
   Original:  The Big Bang Theory by Calroth
   

2. Constellations: Ursa Major 'the Great Bear' by Shagbark et al
   
   Original:  Ursa Major by Tango
   

3. Constellations: Corona Borealis 'the Northern Crown'
   Original:  Star constellations: The Nothern Crown by Cefpret
   

4. The US Electoral College
   Original:  Reform in the Electoral College by Proboscis
   

5. New Hampshire, USA
   Original:  New Hampshire, USA by RevKeltina
   

6. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
   Original:  Grand Rapids, MI, USA by Kyhron1144
   

7. Vegetables
   Original:  A33568842 by U10938147
   

Bluebottle: Hello Shagbark you're the first person to have earned a Scavenger badge since I took over running the Scavengers. Well done! So, What made you decide to rescue the articles you have?

Shagbark: I try to look at the flea market once a week, sometimes like when Olddsmobile hit the Flea market I have other problems to deal with and say I am not prepared to do a rescue at this time. Other times I say this looks like a good time I will give it a shot.

Bluebottle: Would you like to tell about each article that you have rescued?

Shagbark: The constellation entries are different from my other rescues. Ever since my childhood I have been an avid amateur Astronomer. When the constellation project first came up I wanted to be a part of it but was unhappy with the way a certain physicist dealt with what I had written.
You may note a difference in the original which was mine and what he made of it. I was hurt at the time and so asked my name be removed. So when it got to the flea market it had only his name amnd mine had joined my delete stack. GB's efforts on the other hand seemed to add rather than change information.

New Hampshire and Grand Rapids were both geographical, but different in that I have personally been to Grand Rapids, while all I knew about New Hampshire came off the internet. The Big Bang and the Electoral college were me trying to push the envelope a bit and see what would come up in PR.

One problem with the Article Vegetables is that researchers in PR wanted things that can be eaten like gold-leaf added so I had to say those are not vegetables. Even in solo articles I have had that problem of PR trying to take the article in another direction. So sometimes I set my foot down and say It is my name on the article, I will decide what gets included and if that means the article never gets approved so be it. Usually some scout will decide to pick it anyway if it meets all the guidelines.

Bluebottle: I see you have a Flea Market rescue attempt, 'Cartoon Genius' in Peer Review¹.

Shagbark: The current effort just caught my eye and I thought before this disappears into obscurity I will get it out and into PR.

Bluebottle: Would you only rescue articles about subjects you know well?

Shagbark: I would want to know a certain minimum about the subject but if I could quickly learn more I wouldn't need to know it "well" or better than the original author.

Bluebottle: Have you approached a Flea Market Rescue any differently to how you write an article from scratch? Is it easier or more difficult?

Shagbark: It is easier in that the original author gave part of the info already. It is harder in that I have to figure out if the info (or links) still are current and are they correct.

Bluebottle: When you write a Flea Market rescue, how do you decide what to keep and what to edit, and how much of a right do you feel that you have in making decisions about the article?

Shagbark: I try to make the article more readable and add to the commendable effort someone has already made to contribute to the guide.
I feel I have the right to correct errors but not to completely suppress what the original author was trying to say.

Bluebottle: Would you recommend doing Flea Market rescues to other researchers?

Shagbark: Of course I would. Find one you can put a little time in and see if you can make it shine. Be sure to snatch it up before someone else does.

Bluebottle: How do you think you would feel about being on the other side, about someone else making changes to an entry you had written, if someone tried to rescue entry? You've already mentioned Galaxy Babe did some curating changes to your Ursa Major article - how did that feel?

Shagbark: A good example is chickory. I don't feel I can bring that up to what an approved Article should look like. If someone else has more inspiration or more knowledge and does a good rescue I would graciously step aside and let it become theirs.

Bluebottle: How does it feel to have been awarded a nice, shiny scavenger badge?

Shagbark: I generally work in classic goo. The badge there is anything but shiny- in fact it looks like an old rusty shield. I appreciate having the badge but wish it looked more like the 2 colour badge in Pliny.

Bluebottle: Thanks Shagbark for all of your comments.

Edited Flea Market Rescues

This month we are proud to announce that a Flea Market Rescue has been Edited!

This brings the total of Flea Market Rescues to 238!

Florida Sailor has written How to Star Gaze rescuing How to Star Gaze by JadedGoddess.

Recommended Rescues

Since the last issue, two Flea Market Rescues have been recommended from Peer Review!

• The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway by Bluebottle, based on Keighley & Worth Valley Railway by montyonthebonty
• Cartoon Genius by Shagbark, rescuing Cartoon Genius in the US by MantraRay

We look forward to seeing these on the front page soon!

New Entries to the Flea Market

Good News! These five entries have entered the Flea Market, all ready to be rescued, since the last issue:

• Chicory - Common chicory (Cichorium intybus ) by Shagbark
• James Bond: A Quick Film Guide by toosmartforbond2
• The Blue Öyster Cult: America's Hawkwind? A Discography by AgProv2
• The real life Galatea - Amy Winehouse by AgProv2
• German Army officer selection by AgProv2

Flea Market Rescues Currently in Peer Review

These are the articles being rescued from the Flea Market that are currently in Peer Review. Why not help by reviewing the new version of the article?
Aricles in Bold are new entries which have been submitted since Issue IV of SuperMarket was published.

Everyone who reads through and comments upon these articles helps to make it the best it can be!

Articles about Musicians

Here is a selection of Articles remaining in the Flea Market and awaiting a rescuer. This month's theme is Musicians.

Why not rescue one of these?

And Remember...

, the Flea Market needs You!

Bluebottle

10.06.13 Front Page

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