Happy Holidays to all of you.
Thanks for the notes and such, I appreciate the kindness. I haven't been around much over the last year. As many of you know, I have been designing UV lamps and products for a long time, and about a dozen years ago started designing them for cannabis growers. I don't have to tell you that the cannabis industry is exploding in the US right now, as well as in Europe, so I've been working around the clock. We have access to some rather unique patents, so we currently dominate that rapidly growing market. Thanks to a great distributor in Exeter, Devon, UK, we now cover all of the EU and all of North America, and I desperately need a vacation but can't take the time....

Any way, I hope things keep moving like this and I can hire more hands, which would mean I will have some actual spare time to spend here. To be honest, I'm not thrilled with every turn in direction that has happened here, including what I believe is too much focus on political correctness and not enough focus on neutral, quality content, but that isn't the reason I haven't been around, work is. You have to may hay while the sun is shining, and it is shining brightly. I've also had a major shoulder surgery (healing fine, thank you) and had to get back to work weeks before I was scheduled to, 4 days after the surgery, and have a new family with three "adopted" adult kids and 5 grand kids, which is new for me. In short, I've really been busy, but generally enjoying life.

I hope you all have a great Christmas holiday, a happy (and safe) new year. And keep writing articles!

We are here to build an encyclopedia, not make petty points about a sanction that was well deserved. Dennis Brown - 2¢ 13:30, 27 January 2019 (UTC)

Speaking as an admin, I don't see anything in the edit summaries that concerns me. ......Dennis Brown - 2¢ 13:54, 27 January 2019 (UTC)

We are not subjects of the WMF. We do not work for you. We are not beneath you. We owe you nothing; we are volunteers. We are trying to work WITH you to create something special, but you have to give us the same respect you demand for yourselves.

It the end, it doesn't matter. I resigned the bit, tried to talk with the CEO and like a fool, didn't realize her position was just a title. She isn't in charge of anything and has no authority. The board runs the show, Katherine is a figurehead used for fundraising. Nothing against her, I'm sure she's a nice person, but even if she had some authority, she is in over her head. Most 30 something year olds would be when it comes to dealing with this kind of problem, which is why most corporations the size of Wikimedia don't hire a 33 year otd to take over as CEO. The fact that the Board is really in charge also explains why everything has been slow in coming, and guarantees nothing will be done.

The Foundation wants more control, and they will win. They already HAVE won. A bunch of new people are running for RFA now, Ritchie's doing. I don't think he realizes how this actually hurts the movement, but it doesn't matter. He's a good guy, just making the wrong moves here. It doesn't matter anyway.

As for me, I don't care anymore. I hung up my "retired" banner and mean it. I've never done that before. After 61k edits, 13 years, over half as admin, I'm just tired and have better things to do. I have no interest in working for the Board for free, and that is what it is becoming, and it is gaining momentum. IT CAN NOT BE STOPPED. They have all the money and the ultimate control. This episode proves it. They don't want a partnership with the community, they want free labor. Since most of the heavy lifting was done years ago, they already have a fairly complete encyclopedia and they see the need for volunteers as being reduced. In a nutshell, all the admin and editors who leave are simply acceptable losses in their slow march towards taking control of the Wikis, eventually to include editorial control. They might use sweet words, but realistically, no individual or group of a few hundred individuals is important enough to matter, through the lends of their long term goals. That isn't the Project I signed up for in 2006; that Project is dead.

Pardon if I don't follow up very often, if at all, as I have a life to attend to. Getting married, have a bunch of new family now that actually loves me for some reason, I've quit all my side work to focus on my business, http://www.solacure.com, selling UV lamps to luthiers, pig farmers and cannabis growers. Wikipedia and all the surrounding drama is a distraction, and is no longer an altruistic hobby worth pursuing.

I appreciate all the kind words, and all the constructive criticism over the years. I wish you all the best.

Oh, and please full protect my user page. Being a former admin, etc etc etc, vandalism and all that. Dennis Brown - 2¢ 11:06, 30 June 2019 (UTC)

In the event of the confirmed death of a user, the user's user page (but not the user talk page) should be fully protected