text:
Inflaton

The inflaton field is a hypothetical scalar field which is conjectured to have driven cosmic inflation in the very early universe. The field, originally postulated by Alan Guth, provides a mechanism by which a period of rapid expansion from 10−35 to 10−34 seconds after the initial expansion can be generated, forming a universe consistent with observed spatial isotropy and homogeneity.

Cosmological inflation
The basic model of inflation proceeds in three phases:

 * Expanding vacuum state with high potential energy
 * Phase transition to true vacuum
 * Slow roll and reheating

Expanding vacuum state with high potential energy
In quantum field theory, a vacuum state or vacuum is a state of quantum fields which is at locally minimal potential energy. Quantum particles are excitations which deviate from this minimal potential energy state, therefore a vacuum state has no particles in it. Depending on the specifics of a quantum field theory, it can have more than one vacuum state. Different vacua, despite all "being empty" (having no particles), will generally have different vacuum energy. Quantum field theory stipulates that the pressure of the vacuum energy is always negative and equal in magnitude to its energy density.

Inflationary theory postulates that there is a vacuum state with very large vacuum energy, caused by a non-zero vacuum expectation value of the inflaton field. Any region of space in this state will rapidly expand. Even if initially it is not empty (contains some particles), very rapid exponential expansion dilutes particle density to essentially zero.

Phase transition to true vacuum
Inflationary theory further postulates that this "inflationary vacuum" state is not the state with globally lowest energy; rather, it is a "false vacuum", also known as a metastable state.

For each observer at any chosen point of space, the false vacuum eventually tunnels into a state with the same potential energy, but which is not a vacuum (it is not at a local minimum of the potential energy—it can "decay"). This state can be seen as a true vacuum, filled with a large number of inflaton particles. However, the rate of expansion of the true vacuum does not change at that moment: Only its exponential character changes to much slower expansion of the FLRW metric. This ensures that expansion rate precisely matches the energy density.

Slow roll and reheating
In the true vacuum, inflaton particles decay, eventually giving rise to the observed Standard Model particles. The shape of the potential energy function near "tunnel exit" from false vacuum state must have a shallow slope, otherwise particle production would be confined to the boundary of expanding true vacuum bubble, which contradicts observation (our Universe is not built of huge completely void bubbles). In other words, the quantum state should "roll to the bottom slowly".

When complete, the decay of inflaton particles fills the space with hot and dense Big Bang plasma.

Field quanta
Just like every other quantum field, excitations of the inflaton field are expected to be quantized. The field quanta of the inflaton field are known as inflatons. Depending on the modeled potential energy density, the inflaton field's ground state might, or might not, be zero.

The term inflaton follows the typical style of other quantum particles’ names – such as photon, gluon, boson, and fermion – deriving from the word inflation. The term was first used in a paper by Nanopoulos, Olive, and Srednicki (1983). The nature of the inflaton field is currently not known. One of the obstacles for narrowing its properties is that current quantum theory is not able to correctly predict the observed vacuum energy, based on the particle content of a chosen theory (see vacuum catastrophe).

Atkins (2012) suggested that it is possible that no new field is necessary – that a modified version of the Higgs field could function as an inflaton.

Non-minimally coupled inflation
Non-minimally coupled inflation is an inflationary model in which the constant which couples gravity to the inflaton field is not small. The coupling constant is usually represented by $$\xi$$ (letter xi), which features in the action (constructed by modifying the Einstein–Hilbert action):

 * $$S = \int d^4x \sqrt{-g} \left[ \tfrac{1}{2} m_P^2 R - \tfrac{1}{2}\partial^{\mu}\phi \partial_{\mu}\phi

- V(\phi) - \tfrac{1}{2} \xi R \phi^2\right]$$,

with $$\xi$$ representing the strength of the interaction between $$R$$ and $$\phi$$, which respectively relate to the curvature of space and the magnitude of the inflaton field.

title: Inflaton


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Talk:Social Democratic Party (UK)

"right wing of the Labour Party"
It is well cited in this article that the SDP was a centrist/social liberal party in its ideology.

Therefore why is there an insistence in making a claim to it coming from the "right wing" of a left wing political party?

Surely that is a POV rather than a fact, which is fixed with the edit I made correcting it to "centrist wing" from "right wing"?

It seems like language wholly designed to promote far left conspiracies rather than accurately portray the facts, even if that may not be the intention.Dynumo (talk) 15:09, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

Sorry, forgot to tag you. I'm not the most experienced at this! Dynumo (talk) 15:20, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

 * Whilst it is correct to describe the SDP as a centrist/social liberal party in ideology, it is also correct to describe the founders as on the right-wing of the Labour Party. That is different from being on the right wing of politics generally. Anthony King and Ivor Crewe in their history of the SDP, SDP The Birth, Life and Death of the Social Democratic Party, Oxford University Press, 1995; make frequent reference to the founders and MPs who joined the party, as being on the right wing of the Labour Party; pages 105, 109, 116 and generally in chapter 7 of the book. It is certainly not a POV edit by myself or any other editor. Regards, David J Johnson (talk) 17:07, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

 * You are also placing your contributions in entirely the wrong position. New comments should be at the end of Talk page contributions. Thank you, David J Johnson (talk) 17:31, 20 March 2017 (UTC)

Rump party/ies
I have edited the first 2 paragraphs to reflect the fact that Owen's rump SDP that existed between 1988 and 1990 was not, legally, the continuation of the original "Gang of Four" SDP, of which the Liberal Democrats are the legal successor party. Arguably, the two SDPs should have separate articles, but I can live with text that makes clear the legal line of continuation after the merger. Flagboy 11:51, 28 November 2005 (UTC)

Yes you are quite right and I support your change. The important revision to this article was to remove entirely the story of the post 1990 "SDP" and place it as a separate article. This I did yesterday and the "new" SDPers can do what they like with it! Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990). There is still some work to do on this article but at least we can now work on something we know about (broadly the SDP and its history prior to the formation of the LibDems!) PaddyBriggs 13:03, 28 November 2005 (UTC)

Paddy Briggs above post reveals that the "edits" done are little more than vandalism by Liberal Democrats to suit their own political agenda (if they are so interested in clarity, how strange that the "post 1990" page has no link to it from this one & is so riddled with diminuations as to leave little doubt that it has little to do with proffering facts & more to do with proffering opinions, but then one can see from such language as "rump" that leaving the readers to make up their own minds was not the intent. The continuing Liberal Party page I understand suffers from the same attritions.

I have restored the originals (with some minor corrections) - if you don't like it, tough. The Wikipedia is not for pushing your own political agendas or as a substitution for a lack of interest in your personal blog pages.

Mark_Boyle 20:49, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

What a very strange post by Mark Boyle! Just for the record, Mr Boyle:

PaddyBriggs 08:51, 3 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I have no political agenda
 * I am not a Liberal Democrat
 * My personal "blog" pages do not allow others to write on them!
 * My website is none of your business and irrelevent to Wikipedia
 * Personal abuse is not consistent with the ethos of Wikipedia, and you really are being very silly!

Mark, I have left a note on your talk page indicating what I think as a disinterested observer. As a Canadian, I have no affiliation with any version of the SDP, the S&LDP, the Liberals or the Monster Raving Loony Party. My interest is in helping to ensure that Wikipedia articles reflect a neutral point of view. I think that the two articles on the pre-1990 and post-1990 SDP are relatively well-balanced, and that splitting the party's histroy into these two periods is an appropriate way of handling things. I agree on the word "rump", and will change it. If you belive there to be other NPOV language in the article, then post it here for discussion. Further wholesale reversions will lead to the article being protected and/or you being blocked as a last resort. Let's not let it come to that. Ground Zero | t 20:01, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Let's be clear about this, whatever Briggs' edits had in mind, balance was never part of the agenda from the outset.

And I quote from Briggs' first "edit" (16.10 22nd November)

"More realistically, however, they are probably best seen as maintaining the tradition for eccentricity which has always been part of the British political scene - but with no chance whatsoever of ever being a serious national political force."

Come on Ground Zero, are you really trying to suggest that this is NOT someone with a bit of an axe to grind? As such, what are we to make of his other edits to date?

As you said yourself, replacing one POV for another POV is a rather strange way of applying balance - and how strange that our "unbiased" Briggs should not only return to do further vandalism a mere 20 minutes after you had changed his previous edit (the same day), but went so far the second time around as to remove a source link confirming my claims of current SDP council representation. Rather strange behaviour from someone claiming they were wishing to make the article NPOV!

Furthermore, having failed to get away with putting in one rather jaundiced viewpoint (implying that the current SDP being "eccentrics"), he then decides instead to proffer another "On the other hand most political commentators would argue that the centre ground of British politics is already too crowded for a re-launched SDP to be able credibly to find room for national success." - as you correctly pointed out, most would be unaware that the SDP still does exist (and for that matter the Liberals, despite their number of council seats).

Add this to phrases such as "reality check" and the co-opting in of a current Liberal Democrat activist and former Parliamentary candidate to mysteriously "back up" his line within minutes of each other's postings (Mpntod being one Martin Tod) are hardly in line with NOV, no matter how much Briggs may protest this is his intentions.

That the continuing SDP is constantly referred to as "continuing" with inverted commas (inverted commas being little more than another way of saying 'so-called') is another giveaway, look at any Social And Liberal Democrat/Liberal Democrat literature of the period for elaboration. Sorry Ground Zero, but whatever else this may seem, this looks suspiciously like politically motivated vandalism.

As for the "legal" side as to which is/was the 'successor' of the SDP, [ie. "However, legally speaking the Liberal Democrats are the successor party to both the SDP (as existed between 1981 and 1988) and the Liberal Party)] this in particular is utter nonsense. There was no registration of political parties at the time of the 1988 merger vote - this has only been in effect since the mid 1990s in the UK - and as such whilst the vote was enough to legally allow what assets the party's national organisation had to be handed over to the new combined party, they could not stop the party's own local branches (where the active party lay) from deciding whether to join the new party or continue with those wishing to remain as either Social Democrats or Liberals (hence the fiasco in some areas like parts of Cornwall where the party had members from those that had subscribed at each party's national HQ, but no actual branch for fighting any elections with!).

Both Robert McLellan and David Steel consulted with lawyers when Owen & Meadowcroft made it clear they were carrying on, and were told that as both parties were federations there was nothing to stop those that chose to continue as SDP or Liberal Party from doing so under the same names as before. Anyone doubting this need look no further than the one rather obvious giveaway as to just how weak the claims are that the current Liberal Democrats are in any way the "legal" successors of the SDP - that is they were unable to stop Meadowcroft, Owen, et al from using the party logos that existed before.

I am more than a touch cross about this as I have done work for several other minor party pages (Official Monster Raving Loony Party, National Front, BNP, Liberal Party, Commander Bill Boaks, etc) but this is the only one that seems to be subject to a sustained attack, although I am rather amused at Briggs' unsustainable claims that I did my rewrites as a "rallying call to other SDP members" - a fine example of judging others by one's own standards. I wrote this to correct a number of gaps in the knowledge that existed as to post-Bootle events, simple as that.

I did have other information I was going to post up today, but I wonder whether to bother if you are going to allow clear vandalism by politicos for their own ends?

Mark_Boyle 18:59, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Mark Boyle I am sorry that you are continuing your personal attacks on me. Like Ground Zero I am a disinterested observer and my only motivation is to ensure that these articles are as accurate as possible. I am not a "politico", I do not support the Lib Dems or any other Party, and my changes have certainly not been "vandalism". What is now in place seems fair and balanced and I hope that now you have got your splenetic bile out of your system you will accept them. PaddyBriggs 07:22, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

 * Erm if the 1988 group were a continuation then what was different in 1990? Timrollpickering 20:04, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

 * For what it's worth, I have no association with Paddy Briggs. I did do some fact checking though - with every change sourced (since I knew that, rightly, my edits would have more scrutiny) - pointing out that the SDP came fifth, not fourth at the Neath by-election (no apologies for that), pointing out that the Catterick councillors were district councillors, not county councillors, and that only one of them was still in place, and pointing out the factual differences between the current state of the post-1990 SDP and the Liberal Party. Despite the factual sourcing for each of these, the reversion was decidedly not NPOV.  Obvious examples were "very strong fifth" (5.3% of the vote is not 'very strong' by any political definition that I know of), "North Yorkshire County Council" (check the results - this never happened - it was a district council election - and one of the two people cited is no longer an SDP councillor), "thumping majority" (neutral language?), "like the Liberal Party" (the Electoral Commission report makes it crystal clear that the SDP is operating on a much smaller scale than the Liberal Party). In terms of the location of the 'post-1990 SDP' I'm pretty agnostic - just so long as the relative scale of the post-1990 SDP and the Lib Dems is clear and accurately portrayed for people who are not knowledgeable about UK politics. If the Lib Dems had a paragraph for every town, parish, district and county council group, the entry would be several megabytes long.  There are more councillors nationally for the "Neath Port Talbot Ratepayers Association" (8) than there are for the post-1990 SDP (7). Mpntod 10:58, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Mark, I am not suggesting that Paddy Briggs' edits were entirely NPOV. My first interaction with him was when I began making his edits neutral. I take him at his word that he is not a LibDem agent trying to undermine the SDP. Frankly, I don't think that the LibDems have that much to be worried about. The SDP is not that much of a threat yet. I think that his edits did includde too much editorialising, but he has accepted, by in large, my NPOV edits to what he has written.

Again, I think that we have to agree that the best way to make a neutral article is to edit out what is non-neutral, rather than to revert others edits wholesale. That kind of reversion just leads to revert wars, which are a big waste of time.

I think that the point that you raise about what is the "legal successor" to the SDP is an interesting one and worth pursuing. If you can provide an outside source for what the claim that you are making about party registration rules, the parties being federations, etc., then I htink a change to the current wording would be appropriate. Indeed, the continuing (and frankly, surprising) existence of the Meadowcroft Liberals should give us all reason to consider what you are saying. Let's work together to make this and the Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990) article better. I will try to moderate, given that there is an election going on in Canada right now that is taking up a fair bit of my time. Ground Zero | t 22:54, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

I agree with you Ground Zero on trying to keep the article as neutral as possible (pity subsequent postings from others have demonstrated their desire for the converse is rather evident...). On the topic of the "legal" side, basically all party branches for the old Liberal Party and SDP were affiliated to the national party (the Conservatives are run largely on the same lines) were run as a confederacy affiliating to the national based party (this is down to the nature of how the first two national parties in the UK were formed in the 19th Century). They were far more free to decide what to do at a local level that their modern day equivelents where there is a lot more centralised authority at party HQ. Right until the 1960s, this resulted in such peculiarities as joint Liberal-Conservative candidates at election times if local branches felt local circumstances merited it (one famous example being future Tory Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine) - hard to see that happen nowadays!

This also led to a lot of nerves amongst the Tories in the 1970s when there was a real danger of some local Conservative branches with a large number in the Monday Club defecting over to the National Front - but that, as they say, is another story. Basically, if they had, the national Conservative party would have been powerless to stop them taking whatever branch assets they had with them.

Mark_Boyle 01:20, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

I don't have specific edits to offer at this point in time (maybe later), but one thing I do remember from discussions within the SDP even before our first Annual Conference was Jenkins's affiliation with the Liberals, and Steele in particular. I don't think the article explains adequately that in the leadership election, a vote for Jenkins was avowedly pro-Alliance, a vote for Owens was avidly anti-Liberal. The other thing that does not come out in the article was the dedication of Simon Hughes and other Liberals to "community politics" - antithetical to the "policy wonk" approach of both Owens AND Jenkins. Neither believed that the Liberals had many people, maybe only Steele himself, suitable for Cabinet-level service.

As to provenance & citations, most of what I know is on the basis of non-attributable personal conversations. If you can get a tape of the original convention, I was the first floor speaker, immediately following David Owen's address. I was active in the European policy group, helped found the branches of the SDP in Essex and West Sussex, and was an Alliance town councilor for Littlehampton, West Sussex. The European group met in a House committee room, and David and Roy both attended occasionally, though I don't remember them ever attending at the same time.

Tony Scott, member, European Policy Group, SDP, 81-87 (I moved to USA in 88) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.4.217.52 (talk) 22:23, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

SDP MPs
from Labour :

 * Tom Bradley
 * Ronald Brown
 * John Cartwright
 * Richard Crawshaw
 * George Cunningham
 * Gwilym Davies
 * Bruce Douglas-Mann
 * James Dunn
 * Tom Ellis
 * David Ginsburg
 * John Grant
 * John Horam
 * Edward Lyons
 * Dickson Mabon
 * Robert Maclennan
 * Bryan Magee
 * Thomas McNally
 * Bob Mitchell
 * Michael O'Halloran
 * Eric Ogden
 * David Owen
 * William Rodgers
 * John Roper
 * Neville Sandelson
 * Jeffrey Thomas
 * Mike Thomas
 * James Wellbeloved
 * Ian Wrigglesworth

From Conservative
 * Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler

April 13 2005 edit
This article needed a thorough clean-up to make it more readable and encyclopedic. I have also removed some passages that were unredeemably POV. If I have made any errors, please correct them. Ground Zero 19:21, 13 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Categorisation
I've added a UK Social Democratic Party (SDP) politicians category. Any help populating it would be much appreciated. Mpntod 14:04, May 8, 2005 (UTC)

Origins
The present text contains a reference to Eddie Milne (MP for Blyth) having been the victim of a Militant conspiracy or some high-level dispute over the revelation of sharp practice. That is hardly true. He was deselected by the local party after a general (and very local) falling-out and Ivor Richard was selected in his place. Ivor Richard later became UK ambassador to the UN, an EU Commissioner and later still became Labour leader in the Lords - he was certainly no Trot!.

For those interested in the by-ways of history, Eddie Milne sought to establish an alternative Labour Party in Blyth. He had some initial success and his supporters captured a third of the seats on the local Council. But, it all came to nothing. One problem being that Milne never sought to extend his activities outside of Blyth. As far as I am aware, Milne declined to have anything to do with the SDP post 1981.

BScar23625 19:43, 5 January 2006 (UTC)

 * Absolutely correct. Eddie Milne was actually a left-winger, and fell out with the right-wing Labour establishment in the north-east over corruption. His voters appear to have gone over to the SDP but not him, and he has no great relevance in the history of the SDP. David | Talk 19:27, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

Dick Taverne
The main article says that he lost his seat (Lincoln) in February 1974. In fact, he held it at that election and lost it to Margaret Jackson (now Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP) in the October 1974 election. At least that's what your article on her says (and it's right, trust me!)

Mike Killingworth

 * Have changed this, having noticed Taverne's defeat when the BBC Parliament channel reran the Oct 1974 election night coverage. That programme is also full of speculation that the moderate wing of the Labour Party was on the verge of breaking away - does anyone know much about the background to the divisions in Labour in the 1970s to enhance this? At the moment it reads as though it was all a problem in local parties. Timrollpickering 20:50, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

"Split in centre-left"
The "split in the centre-left" concept mentioned under Effects is POV. It is based on the theory that if the Labour and the Alliance had fought as one grouping, most people who voted for one or the other would have voted for the unified party. This cannot be assumed, and I understand that there is opinion poll evidence from the time that suggests it is not true (i.e. that if the Alliance had not existed, then its vote would have been roughly evenly distributed between the other two parties]. I have amended the text accordingly to mark the phrase as opinion rather than fact; see also my amendments to Margaret Thatcher article on similar lines. Flagboy 15:41, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Glasgow Central?
Is the Social Democratic Party in thisGlasgow Central by-election the same as the SDP of this article?

doktorb | words 20:16, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

 * Probably not as it predates the formation of the party. At the time a candidate could use whatever label they liked and there was a strong concept of "social democracy" floating about. (The Young Liberal wasn't an official candidate either - rather a party member who disagreed with the party not running one and learnt the hard way why that was.)

 * Is it me or is the turnout in that election pathetic? Just what % was it? Timrollpickering 22:00, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

 * The turnout was 42.8%. It was a different SDP, which later opposed the SDP covered in this article. On the 1982 Glasgow Hillhead by-election: "Roy Harold Jenkins stood for the SDP, founded by Donald Kean in Manchester in July 1979. He had changed his name by deed poll from Douglas Parkin in order to confuse electors intending to vote for Roy Harris Jenkins."   AFAIK, the only SDP candidates to stand against Labour before the official formation of the party were the Social Democratic Alliance candidates in the 1981 GLC election. Warofdreams talk 01:31, 23 May 2006 (UTC)

Why the split?
Why is this article split from Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988), surely it was the same organisation after '88, with the same leader etc. G-Man  * 17:02, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

 * No it wasn't. Owen stepped down as SDP leader in 1987, to be succeeded by Robert Maclennan. In 1988 the federal SDP, by whatever means, formally voted to merge with the Liberals and all the assets, headquarters, debts, records etc... of the two parties formally transferred to the new combined party.

 * If the SDP had the same set-up to the Liberals then it was down to individual branches as to what they did. (The "Continuity Liberal Party" founded in 1989 claims to be a continuation of the Liberals on the basis that three local branches declined to join the merged party but instead signed up to this party.) I'm not sure the SDP had any branches that joined the Owenites though.

 * Owen, along with two other MPs, was opposed to the merger and declined to join the new party. Instead they and some activists founded a new SDP that claimed to be the existing party, even though legally they didn't carry forward the assets etc... However they for a time were successful in presenting themselves as such (e.g. the media called their conference "the 8th annual conference" or some such). Additionally the SaLaDs/Democrats/Lib Dems, when they weren't tinkering with their name, were presenting themselves as a new party, so the mantle of "successor to the SDP" was easier to grab.

 * I suspect that under today's legislation this would be a lot more clearcut - the Register of Political Parties would probably allow two registered parties merging to protect both party names, at least in the short term, making it harder for refuseniks to start their own "ressurection" party as they wouldn't be able to reuse the name. (For a similar case, when the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada merged with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada, a number of PCP members, including a former leader, rejected the merger. Some (but not all) founded a new party that initially tried to register as the "Progressive Conservative Party of Canada" but this application to register was rejected, so they took the name Progressive Canadian Party.) Timrollpickering 17:54, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

Socialist International/Party of European Socialists membership
Can we verify a source that the SDP were in fact part of SI/PES? I find it slightly difficult to believe that a party which was a series electoral threat to the Labour party would have been admitted, but it's not an impossibility, I concede. (Also, if in fact the SDP were a SI/PES affiliated party, did the Owenite rump SDP remain an affiliate?) —Preceding unsigned comment added by MrShyguy (talk • contribs) 15:19, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I was actively involved in the European policy group of the original SDP. We believed the European elections to be very important, and the question did come up about what affiliation our MEPs would have, if we got any. The problem was that the label" Liberal Democrat" in Europe meant someone fairly right wing, and "European Socialists" were by no means card-carrying communists, in fact were reasonably moderate, and often to the right of the pre-Blair Labour Party. Also, because of Europe's use of proportional voting, it was not unusual for MEPs who represented different parties at home to be in the same group at Brussels/Strasbourg. Tony Scott

 * There's a difference between sitting in the European Parliament group and being affiliated to the wider party though - was the SDP actually affiliated? (Labour often claims that SI/PES affiliation bars member parties from running against each other, giving that as its reason for not standing in Northern Irish seats.) Timrollpickering (talk) 22:09, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

 * I realise that I'm entering this debate 14 months late but the SDP did get one MEP by defection: Michael Gallagher. The European Parliament website shows that when he joined the SDP, he left the Socialist Group and as an SDP MEP sat in the "Group for the Technical Coordination and Defence of Indipendent Groups and Members". Sam Blacketer (talk) 14:46, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:SDP gangoffour.jpg
Image:SDP gangoffour.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 04:55, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:SDPLogo.jpg
Image:SDPLogo.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 04:56, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Identical to the SDP's own website!
Having looked at the website of the SDP, I find that a great deal of the material included in this Wikipedia article is identical (word for word, paragraph after paragraph) to what is said on the SDP's site.

Now, the SDP site declares that its content "is based on articles written by third parties available at Wikipedia." While this may well be the case, the fact that it is presented on an official party political website is suggestive of bias (i.e. a certain POV at least).

I accept that the material may well have been initially laid out here, on Wikipedia, but the fact that it has been used for official purposes by a registered and electorally competing political party makes me question the possible neutrality of the material.

Of course, it would be seriously different if the material had originally come from the SDP website; but the fact that it can be accepted by the SDP, taken from here and used on their site, indicates that the SDP are supportive (in agreement with) this material. The SDP is, as stated, a political party. Its ideas, views, opinions, practices, etc., are necessarily partisan. What it declares on its website cannot but reflect its partisan politics - thus its material is POV. For Wikipedia to continue to reproduce such material infers a support of this POV.

I might be taking things too far. All I'm saying is, the matter should be debated somewhat. Simon P Blackburn (talk) 14:27, 8 November 2008 (UTC)

Dates?
When exactly did the party start? I know it was some time in 1981, but the article isn't much more explicit than that. 86.179.101.29 (talk) 20:00, 28 October 2009 (UTC)

 * There's a bit of ambiguity because of the time it took to formally constitute the party after the announcement - often the political reality and constitutional/legal fiction doesn't always have the same date. Timrollpickering (talk) 21:49, 28 October 2009 (UTC)

 * The official launch was on the 27th March 1981. Hope this helps. -  Gallo glass  14:16, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

The Gang of Four
On Shirley Williams' page there is a "Gang of Four" link which links to this page. My question/suggestion is, should there be a separate Wikipedia page for the Gang of Four? 128.232.134.163 (talk) 18:42, 12 March 2011 (UTC) (A University wireless IP, so don't bother trying to talk to me on it)

Breakaway from Labour?
This is what it says in the box, but is it strictly true? Whilst it certainly was the media perception (and it is true that most of the founding MPs were ex-Labour) the truth is that the rank and file membership were not. A survey found that sixty per cent of card carrying members had not previously joined a political party, whereas only 25% were ex-Labour, 10% were ex-Tory and 5% were ex-Liberal. Sadly, being a party that predates the internet age, I cannot find a source to prove this. I would also contest the claim that the SDP was "centre left". Just "centre" would be more appropriate: it was originally marketed as a "centre" party and even its logo was carefully designed to incorporate equal amounts of red and blue (the red bar which underlines the party's three initials is missing from the logo shown in the box). As an active member from 1981-87 who served on the Council for Social Democracy, I would say "centre left" is not accurate. Multiculturalist (talk) 09:24, 27 September 2011 (UTC)
 * I agree that 'centre' is much more appropriate than centre-left. The party's name should certainly not be taken too literally.--Autospark (talk) 11:26, 27 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Okay, well I think people have had long enough to contribute to this discussion. It is clearly "centre" and I will change it accordingly. If anyone disagrees please discuss it here before reverting.Multiculturalist (talk) 10:42, 10 March 2012 (UTC)

Election box metadata colour
As Purple has now been allocated rightly to UKIP would anyone object if we allocated a new colour to the SDP user boxes? My own suggestion would be the Gold now used for the LibDems as the SDP did fight the 1987 General Election under that Colour. Thoughts on this please. - Gallo glass  20:24, 21 February 2015 (UTC)
 * I don't see the problem with continuing the use of purple -- after all, the SDP was dissolved years before UKIP was founded, they have never competed in elections simultaneously. Purple was used as a de facto colour of the SDP by the media, as a 'blend' of the blue and red, or red white and blue, used by the SDP. Yellow or gold was never used by the SDP itself, only the SDP–Liberal Alliance, so I am against using that. I support continued use of purple, or as an alternative, using the royal blue colour that was prominent in the SDP logo.--Autospark (talk) 11:00, 22 February 2015 (UTC)
 * Blue is for the tories an I never remember any purple for the SDP ever same with using red thats labour or communist in the 80s Yellow or gold seems ok — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.2.227.157 (talk) 15:19, 22 February 2015 (UTC)
 * Galloglass, do not make sockpuppet comments as an anonymous IP. That IP address comes from the Lancashire border. It is quite obvious what you are doing.--Autospark (talk) 15:47, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

Autospark, since when have anon comments ever been taken as part of a proper discussion. There appears to be 4 comments on that IP. One for Scotland, One for the Midlands and one for India. Not one from my part of the world. Quite happy for you to have my IP checked, then I think an apology is in order from yourself. Regards -  Gallo glass  19:50, 22 February 2015 (UTC)
 * Now relating to the discussion, do you have a source for the use of Purple for the SDP Autospark? I'd be interested to see it. Many thanks -  Gallo glass  19:50, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

 * To repeat the request Autospark, do you have a source for purple being used in the way stated. The only connection I am aware of purple being used in anything connected to the SDP is in the Crosby by-election and then it was used by the Crosby Conservative association, not the SDP. -  Gallo glass  10:52, 14 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Use the rich blue from the SDP logo instead then. That's probably better all round, as it was a colour they actually used in their promotional material. Gold I object to as it was the Alliance colour, and only from 1987.--Autospark (talk) 11:43, 14 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I'd have no objection to using blue from the Logo. Not in any rush though so quite happy to see if anyone objects. Regards -  Gallo glass  11:47, 14 April 2015 (UTC)

Gang of Four (SDP)
You might want to check out and help with Gang of Four (SDP). --Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:35, 19 February 2019 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990–present) which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 23:02, 17 March 2021 (UTC)

The Alliance section - Spitting Image material
I am not sure that the material relating to Spitting Image's treatment of the Alliance in the Alliance section of the article works as it stands. It is not referenced and I think there is an argument that overdue prominence is being given to one sketch which is described in some detail. I do think that it is worth mentioning Spitting Image as I know programmes about both it and the SDP have highlighted how its treatment of Owen and Steel impacted upon who they and the Alliance were seen, but we could really do with sources and evidence for the impact if anybody has anything that would allow this to be added. Dunarc (talk) 21:13, 3 February 2022 (UTC)

Requested move 27 October 2023

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: not moved. (closed by non-admin page mover) Sceptre (talk) 08:05, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

Social Democratic Party (UK) → Social Democratic Party (UK, 1981–1988) – Per WP:INCDAB, if an incomplete title disambiguation is to be used, the article must be an overwhelmingly primary topic, with the standard for that being higher than that for determining a primary topic otherwise. Whilst there is a good argument for the 1981–88 party being the most notable one, the pageviews graph indicates that since 2018, the article on the 1990–present SDP has consistently had almost as many views as the article on the 1981–88 SDP. As a result, whilst the 1981–88 SDP is clearly more notable historically, I don't believe it meets the criteria for being the overwhelmingly primary topic enough to have incomplete disambiguation per WP:INCDAB (and WP:PDAB for more info). Chessrat ( talk, contributions ) 21:41, 27 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Support per nom. -- King of ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ 07:46, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

 * Oppose – the historical SDP was the only one to ever have parliamentary representation, and is the direct forebear to one of the three main parties in modern UK politics. It is the primary party one would associate with the name, unlike the small splinter parties which adopted the name and branding (the most recent of which pushes against WP:N due to its poor article full of first-party refs). —Autospark (talk) 12:35, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

 * Oppose, per User:Autospark. There is no need of such disambiguation and complicate name, when only this SDP has real relevance. --Checco (talk) 14:01, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

 * Oppose I'm sure that the historical SDP with its famed members, both inside and in the country at large; is the only organisation that folk recall and not the small groups who tried to hijack the name. David J Johnson (talk) 14:40, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
 * Comment I'd like to add that none of the "oppose" votes so far have come up with any policy-based argument for this article deserving an incomplete disambiguation- and that the pageview ratio of this article to the article on the post-1990 party (around 1.5:1) is extremely different to most of the examples cited on WP:PDAB (almost all of which have ratios around 50:1) Chessrat  ( talk, contributions ) 14:47, 28 October 2023 (UTC)
 * I have no opinion on the requested move itself but on the oppose votes, my view is that they are saying this party is primary by long-term significance (WP:PT2) as opposed to usage (WP:PT1). Someone else may disagree, but to me, the discussion so far appears to have generated no consensus on which sense of primacy is relevant (to quote the linked policies). At the very least, it appears the proposal that primacy by usage prevails is heavily contested. Rotideypoc41352 (talk · contribs) 05:09, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes, the page is primary by long-term significance if not by usage. The question is whether it is so heavily primary that it overrides INCDAB. Certes (talk) 12:14, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
 * Support not enough for a PDAB.  Crouch, Swale  ( talk ) 17:15, 31 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Oppose. Very clearly the primary topic over the more recent minor party. — Amakuru (talk) 00:48, 5 November 2023 (UTC)
 * Oppose The party founded by the Gang of Four is by far the best known and is the primary topic. Page views are far from decisive, IMHO they are over-used in these discussions, this looks like a clear case of WP:RECENTISM. PatGallacher (talk) 13:39, 5 November 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Social Democratic Party (UK)


text:
Dale McIntosh

Dale Lynsey Manawa "Chief" McIntosh (born 23 November 1969) is a former Wales international rugby union player and former rugby union coach. He was born in Tūrangi, New Zealand.

Amateur career
He played for Pontypridd.

Provincial career
McIntosh qualified to play for Scotland by virtue of a Scottish grandfather.

He played for the Scottish Exiles in the Scottish Inter-District Championship.

International career
He was capped by Scotland 'B' to play against Ireland 'B' on 28 December 1991. He was capped again by the 'B' side to play against France 'B' on 2 February 1992.

He was then capped by Scotland 'A' in 1992 and 1993. Although 'A' sides are now deemed 'capture' sides, at the time players could more easily switch nationality when captured - and McIntosh switched nationality to play for Wales when his international career seemed to stall with Scotland.

He was capped by Wales in 1996 and 1997.

Coaching career
McIntosh went on to coach in Wales after his playing career ended. He coached with Pontypridd, Cardiff Blues and Merthyr.

title: Dale McIntosh


text:
Kadets

Kadets may refer to:

 * Mikhail Kadets, mathematician
 * Members of the Constitutional Democratic Party, a political party in the Russian Empire

title: Kadets


text:
User talk:Mike Halterman/archive4

This archive is for notes addressed to me, written from July 8 to July 18, 2004.

Anon
There are two possibilities: Hyacinth 21:15, 8 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * 1) Anon so dramatically misunderstands the nature and operation of wikipedia that he or she also misunderstood the consequences of his or her actions as being more serious than they actually were.
 * 2) Anon is a Troll.

Ironside
Further to your comment:

''I saw you redirected Ironside. Thanks; it helps when people fix the inoperative links. Problem is, Ironside debuted in 1967 so it's like that on two other schedules. Do you want to fix it or should I?''

I will make the same change on the two other schedules. GRStain

A token of appreciation

Morning, my friend. I wasn't on yesterday evening coz I was out on the town. Good old Pensacola. Anyhoo, I was looking at your user page and saw that it only took you from 4 July to 8 July to reach your 3,000th contribution. I was like, "WOW, 500 contributions in 5 days?!" So I decided to check your overall average. As of this writing, you have 3,042 contributions in the 35 days since you joined on 4 June 2004. That's a fucking amazing rate of 86.9 per DAY! And I thought I had a nice average with 34 a day! You joined almost two months after I did, yet you're only about 200 contributions behind me! You're a fucking machine! Anyway... I wanted to award you a Working Man's Barnstar. You are only the third recipient of this glorious award, after User:Grunt and User:Montrealais. It is, as the name suggests, for the working man. And 86.9 edits/day... I think you qualify. That's just incredible. Anyway, congratulations, my friend! blankfaze | (беседа!)  16:57, 9 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * I've moved a copy of the barnstar to my user page. I hope you don't mind. :-) Mike H 02:22, Jul 10, 2004 (UTC)
 * Not at all, that's where it's supposed to go! blankfaze |  (беседа!)  02:28, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Thank you
Hi, and thank you for creating the primetime network TV grids for the 50s, 60s, and 70s. They are an excellent addition to Wikipedia. Thank you also for your note on my user page about my edits to Maude. I wrote the original article here, as it's a favorite show of mine too. In fact, when I was 18, in 1989, I was considered quite unusual for my interest in 70s television programs like Maude. I'm glad to see that there are people your age who are keeping the faith! Moncrief 05:02, Jul 10, 2004 (UTC)

Vandal
Am I the vandal on the redhead's eye color section of Anome's page. If I am tell me at my user page. 10 Jul 2004, User:Heegoop (UTC)

Higgins
I had forgotten about the dog on Petticoat Junction! He may indeed have swam in the water tower, though my memory on this is a bit hazy: didn't he grab one of the petticoats during the titles and run off with it? I looked around a bit: on the series, his name was simply "Dog", he was played by "Higgins" who was trained by Frank Inn, and went on to star in the first two "Benji" movies. I did find this nice site if you feel ambitious to expand the article.

And I had forgotten the cheesy theme song till nosing around that site:

 * Come ride the little train that is rolling down the tracks to the Junction,
 * Forget about your cares, it is time to relax at the Junction,
 * Lots of curves, you bet, even more when you get to the Junction,
 * Petticoat Junction!

 * There's a little hotel called the Shady Rest at the Junction, Petticoat Junction!
 * It is run by Kate, come and be her guest at the Junction, Petticoat Junction!
 * And that's Uncle Joe, he's a-movin' kinda slow at the Junction, Petticoat Junction! -- Nunh-huh 23:40, 10 Jul 2004 (UTC)

After June Lockhart:
 * It is run by Joe, come and be his guest at the Junction, Petticoat Junction!
 * Here's our Lady M.D., she's as pretty as can be at the Junction, Petticoat Junction!

Imagine "Lady M.D." being a novelty! Anyway, those lyrics are at that site ref'd above...I've been poking around it. Other tidbits: Sharon Tate was originally cast as Billie Jo but decided not to do it. The train was the Hooterville Cannonball. The first two seasons are Black & White, almost never rebroadcast, and two of the daughters, played by Pat Wardell & Jeannie Riley probably aren't remembered as well as the later cast Linda Henning, Meredith McRae, Gunnila Hutton, & Lori Saunders. And the show would have lasted longer if CBS hadn't decided to get rid of all its "country" programming... - Nunh-huh 00:12, 11 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Well, I didn't love Maude or The Facts of Life so much (though they had great lead actresses, they were kind of wasted, I thought) but it's good to be able to read about them here and jog the memory. They really ought to rerun some shows from some of the less common series once in a while, it'd be fun. - Nunh-huh 00:31, 11 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Network schedules and PBS
Hey! Thanks for your work on the TV schedules, and especially thank you for including my note on PBS! It was also nice to talk to you on IRC and I'm sure we'll have more discussions there or on IM or email. kmccoy 22:59, 11 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Hello
Hey, Mike, I thought I'd ask: Can you vote for me on RfA? Thanks. Neutrality 01:09, Jul 12, 2004 (UTC)
 * I see you just did! Thanks. ;) Neutrality 01:21, Jul 12, 2004 (UTC)

Great job on those TV schedules
I've given you a Barnstar for your damned brilliant work. Hopefully this third one doesn't ruin your userpage's formatting ;-) [[User:DO'Neil|DO'Иeil]] (VascoDaGama on IRC)
 * Congratulations, my friend! blankfaze |  (беседа!)  02:27, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Germany pictures
Hey, you wanted me to let you know when I finished my Germany pictures. Well, I did! They're in their gallery. I appreciate your interest. :) kmccoy 06:35, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Vandal
That's what I was warning him about, actually. I'll check the rest of his contribs now. [[User:Meelar|Meelar (talk)]] 20:19, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Hi
Hi. Uhh. hi.

--Bluefox Phoenix Lucid 03:02, 13 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Holy cow!
Holy cow, you sure like your daytime TV! -AnonymousCoward

 * Yeah, you betcha. That part of Wiki was really lacking. Thanks for noticing! If you want to talk about anything, I'm here, so just write some more. Mike H 23:35, Jul 15, 2004 (UTC)

"bad example"
Strictly all wikipedia content should be licensed under the GFDL. Having fair use pictures on the frontpage sends out the wrong message to new users. Fair use images should be a last resort IMO. Ed g2s 01:18, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Hunter Tylo
Hi Mike. I suppose I just wanted to make the language nicer on the piece. I felt that "Dabbled in Hinduism" has some form of negative connotation. Thanks for talking to me on the subject. One Salient Oversight 02:09, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Did You Know?
Just wanted to congratulate you on having an item in Did you know. I've had one, too. Only one, to my knowledge... it was from my article Jimmy McHugh. Sorry I wasn't on today. Slept the day away. Talk to you later. blankfaze | (беседа!)  05:45, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * P.S. - I checked your contribs for you - In case you wanted to know, your 3500th contribution was:
 * 16:28, 14 Jul 2004 - Tom Eplin
 * And, in case you wanted to know, you're currently at 3761.
 * As compared to my 3616. You have outpaced me, friend.  хорошая работа.  blankfaze |  (беседа!)  07:32, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)

thankz for the heads up.
How'd you come across my page? Could you take a look at my west wing edits from yesterday. Aren't they mostly tasteful?

your dzzl, Kzzl

Re:Thanks
Blush I don't know what to say! I'm just doing lots of random acts of goodness tonight... -- Graham ☺ | Talk 01:15, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Jimmie Rodgers
I moved the text of Jimmie Rodgers (pop singer) from Jimmie Rodgers in order to create a page for Jimmie Rodgers (country singer). The original poster of the text can be found in the history section of Jimmie Rodgers Cheers. Tiles 02:53, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * Not a problem. Tiles 03:04, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Erika Slezak
I didn't think I needed to say anything since you seemed to be eager to go and modify the valid information I added. RickK 04:16, Jul 17, 2004 (UTC)

Thank you

 * I'm really sorry you didn't get it. I thought you were qualified and the time arguments were really reaching. This is what discourages me from accepting nominations, even three or four months down the road. Mike H 16:01, Jul 17, 2004 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Apparently some people think adminship should be unattainable... But I don't mind. I'm going back to what I've always been doing — contributing. Thanks for your support. I really do appreciate it. Neutrality 16:10, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Revert
You're welcome; I'm only happy to. Around here, getting tubgirl'd is a sign you're doing something right, methinks. ;) -- Hadal 02:00, 18 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * Oh, thanks; I appreciate the sentiment nonetheless. I've given him a standard 24 hour block, but I'll stick around for a while to make sure he doesn't try to evade it. :) Cheers, -- Hadal 02:10, 18 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * Daaaammmmnnn that was some vandalism. blankfaze |  (беседа!)  02:40, 18 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * I got hit, too. Neutrality 02:42, 18 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Tillie
That's greatly expanded, thanks. Koyaanis Qatsi 19:09, 18 Jul 2004 (UTC)

title: User talk:Mike Halterman/archive4


text:
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award

The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force decoration created (to this point, Air Force personnel were routinely awarded Army decorations). The Air Force Longevity Service Award would follow in 1957 with most of the standard Air Force awards (including the Air Force Good Conduct Medal) established in the early to mid 1960s.

The Outstanding Unit Award is awarded to any unit of the U.S. Air Force (including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard) which performs exceptionally meritorious service, accomplishes specific acts of outstanding achievement, excels in combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, or conducts with distinct military operations involving conflict with, or exposure to, a hostile action by any opposing foreign force.

Multiple awards of the Outstanding Unit Award are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters, and silver oak leaf clusters, as applicable, on the ribbon.

Until 2004, the Outstanding Unit Award was the senior most unit award in the U.S. Air Force. It now ranks directly below the Meritorious Unit Award, which was established in March 2004, and above the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award in the precedence of Air Force awards and decorations. It is awarded to personnel who were assigned or attached to the unit receiving the award during the period it was awarded for. Non-USAF personnel (e.g., USN, USMC, USCG) personnel assigned to USAF units awarded the Outstanding Unit Award are also eligible to wear the ribbon on their uniforms. However, the ribbon does not come in the larger size of unit awards common to the U.S. Army.

On 16 November 2020, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award was renamed the Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award by the Secretary of the Air Force.

title: Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award


text:
Horace Barlow

Horace Basil Barlow FRS (8 December 1921 – 5 July 2020) was a British vision scientist.

Early life
Barlow was the son of the civil servant Sir Alan Barlow and his wife Lady Nora (granddaughter of the naturalist Charles Darwin). Barlow was the great-grandson of Charles Darwin and thus part of the Darwin — Wedgwood family.

He was educated at Winchester College where he met and befriend with Freeman Dyson. Barlow read natural sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge and earned an M.D. at Harvard University in 1946.

Research
In 1953, Barlow discovered that the frog brain has neurons which fire in response to specific visual stimuli. This was a precursor to the work of Hubel and Wiesel on visual receptive fields in the visual cortex. He has made a long study of visual inhibition, the process whereby a neuron firing in response to one group of retinal cells can inhibit the firing of another neuron; this allows perception of relative contrast.

In 1961, Barlow wrote a seminal article where he asked what the computational aims of the visual system are. He concluded that one of the main aims of visual processing is the reduction of redundancy, which has been extended to the efficient coding hypothesis. While the brightnesses of neighbouring points in images are usually very similar, the retina reduces this redundancy. His work thus was central to the field of statistics of natural scenes that relates the statistics of images of real world scenes to the properties of the nervous system.

Barlow also worked in the field of factorial codes. The goal was to encode images with statistically redundant components or pixels such that the code components are statistically independent. Such codes are hard to find but highly useful for purposes such as image classification.

Awards and distinctions
Barlow was a fellow of Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1969 and was awarded their Royal Medal in 1993. He received the 1993 Australia Prize (along with Peter Bishop and Vernon Mountcastle) for his research into the mechanisms of visual perception, and the 2009 Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience from the Society for Neuroscience. He was awarded the first Ken Nakayama Prize from the Vision Sciences Society in 2016.

Personal life
Barlow was married twice and fathered seven children. In 1954, he married Ruthala Salaman, daughter of M.H. Salaman. They had four daughters: Rebecca, Natasha, Naomi and Emily. They were divorced in 1970. In 1980, he married Miranda, daughter of John Weston-Smith. They had one son, Oscar, and two daughters, Ida and Pepita.

Barlow died on 5 July 2020, at the age of 98.

Selected publications

 * H. B. Barlow. Possible principles underlying the transformation of sensory messages. Sensory Communication, pp. 217–234, 1961
 * H. B. Barlow. Single units and sensation: A neuron doctrine for perceptual psychology? Perception 1(4) 371 – 394, 1972
 * H. B. Barlow, T. P. Kaushal, and G. J. Mitchison. Finding minimum entropy codes. Neural Computation, 1:412-423, 1989.

title: Horace Barlow


text:
User talk:Echadwick

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

 * To sign your posts (on talk pages, for example) use the '~' symbol. To insert just your name, type ~~~ (3 tildes), or, to insert your name and timestamp, use ~~~~ (4 tildes).
 * Try the Tutorial, and feel free to experiment in the test area.
 * If you need help, post a question at the Help Desk
 * Follow the Simplified Ruleset
 * Eventually, you might want to read the Manual of Style and Policies and Guidelines.
 * Remember Neutral point of view
 * Explore, be bold in editing pages, and, most importantly, have fun!

Good luck!

title: User talk:Echadwick


text:
Jönssonligan

Jönssonligan, literally the Jönsson Gang, is a Swedish comedy film series, originally based on the Danish series of films about the Olsen-banden, but later with unique scripts.

The Jönsson gang consists of the leader and criminal genius Charles Ingvar "Sickan" Jönsson, hence the name, and his two companions "Dynamit-Harry" (an alcoholic demolitions expert) and Ragnar Vanheden (a small-timer from Stockholm). Eight films have been made in total, though in the last three films actor Gösta Ekman got tired of his character "Sickan", and was replaced by the following characters, in order; "Doctor Max Adrian Busé", "Herman Melvin" and "Sven-Ingvar 'Sivan' Jönsson". The first two films featured the character Rocky, a Swedish-speaking Finn as member of the gang. He was eventually replaced by "Dynamit-Harry" who first appeared in the second film. Jönssonligans arch-enemy is Jacob Morgan Rockefeller Wall-Enberg Jr. - somewhat of a cross between a business magnate and a ruthless mob boss - who in all the films have been played by Per Grundén. His name alludes to the real-life Swedish business magnates Anders Wall and the Wallenberg family. Wall-Enbergs henchman is Biffen. In every film except for Jönssonligan dyker upp igen and Jönssonligan på Mallorca he has been played by Weiron Holmberg. In Jönssonligan dyker upp igen he is played by Lars Dejert and in Jönssonligan på Mallorca he never appears.

The main series has also created a spin-off series called Lilla Jönssonligan (Little Jönsson gang), which portrays the main three characters of the series as kids. The only recurring actor in all the Lilla Jönssonligan is Loa Falkman who plays Wall-Enberg Jr's father Oscar Wall-Enberg Sr.

A reboot named Jönssonligan – Den perfekta stöten with new actors in the roles was released on 16 January 2015. The film was the first since Jönssonligan & Dynamit-Harry to feature the line-up Sickan, Vanheden, Rocky and Dynamit-Harry and the first not to feature Wall-Enberg, instead featuring an antagonist named 'Wallentin'. The film was not commercially successful. A second reboot premiered in 2020.

Lilla Jönssonligan (Young Jönsson Gang)

 * Lilla Jönssonligan och cornflakeskuppen (Young Jönsson Gang & the Cornflakes Robbery) (1996)
 * Lilla Jönssonligan på styva linan (Young Jönsson Gang Showing Off) (1997)
 * Lilla Jönssonligan på kollo (Young Jönsson Gang at Summer Camp) (2004)
 * Lilla Jönssonligan och stjärnkuppen (Young Jönsson Gang & the Star Robbery) (2006)

In other media
Jönssonligan has also featured in two adventure computer games and in comics, both incarnations incited by the Swedish cartoonist Per Demervall.

 * Games
 * Jönssonligan: Jakten på Mjölner, 1999
 * Jönssonligan går på djupet, 2000

 * Comics
 * Jönssonligan – Tajmat och klart, 1993
 * Jönssonligan – På fri fot, 1998

title: Jönssonligan


text:
Theodore Austin-Sparks

Theodore Austin-Sparks (1888–1971), often known as "Mr. Sparks" or "TAS", was a British Christian evangelist and author.

Early life
After his birth in London in 1888, Theodore was sent at a young age to live in Scotland with his father's relatives. There, at the age of 17, he determined to become a Christian as he listened to a group of young street-preachers in Glasgow. Within a short time, he was also giving his public testimony alongside this group.

Career
Mr Austin-Sparks was ordained as a Baptist minister at the age of 24. From 1912 to 1926, he led three congregations in Greater London. During 1923–26, he spoke at conferences with Jessie Penn-Lewis and was associated with her publication and speaking ministry, The Overcomer Testimony. In 1926, Austin-Sparks broke with this organization.

Following a spiritual crisis in 1926, Mr Austin-Sparks resigned his Baptist ordination. Later that year the congregation at Honor Oak all agreed to leave the Baptist denomination (see Church Notes in the 1926 A Witness and A Testimony magazines). Together with like-minded Christians, he established a conference and training center at Honor Oak in southeast London. A great number of Christians participated in conferences and classes at the center while staying at available guest quarters, some living there for years at a time participating in Bible courses, practical services, and church meetings. There was a similar conference center maintained during the summers at Heathfield House in Kilcreggan, Scotland which was owned by Honor Oak Christian Fellowship. A Trust was set up for the house in 1931. In 1960 Kilcreggan was gifted to the interdenominational faith mission, WEC International.

From the Honor Oak Christian Fellowship Centre Mr Austin-Sparks and his co-workers ran a publishing operation that printed a bi-monthly magazine, A Witness and a Testimony. This magazine was printed from 1923 until Austin-Sparks' death in 1971. Theodore Austin-Sparks also published books he had written or were edited from transcripts of his recorded messages. He was a prolific author/speaker and published most of his messages first in his free bimonthly magazines.

The first page of his magazine included the following statement:

The object of the ministry of this little paper, issued bi-monthly, is to contribute to the Divine end which is presented in the words of Ephesians 4:13 - "...till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge (literally - full knowledge) of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we be no longer children..."

It is not connected with any 'Movement,' 'Organization,' 'Mission' or separate body of Christians, but is just a ministry to "all saints." Its going forth is with the prayer and hope that it will so result in a fuller measure of Christ, a richer and higher level of spiritual life, that, while bringing the Church of God into a growing approximation to His revealed will as to its 'attainment,' the Church may be better qualified to be used of Him in testimony in the nations, and to the completing of its own number by the salvation of those yet to be added by the Lord.

Among the many books written by T. Austin-Sparks, the most well-known include The School of Christ,The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ] and We Beheld His Glory.

Mr Austin-Sparks' speaking ministry took him around Europe, North America and Asia holding conferences in the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Philippines, and elsewhere. Many of his spoken messages were recorded, and a great number of audio messages and books remain available on https://www.austin-sparks.net. He was insistent that his writings and messages be reproduced word-for-word as originally spoken or written.

His work at the Honor Oak Christian Fellowship and Conference Centre was international in scope. Many who trained under his ministry became missionaries and Christian teachers, as shown in the notes of the A Witness and a Testimony magazines and in testimonies given. This enabled him to work closely with several well-known Christian leaders in the UK and other countries, including Bakht Singh of India, Watchman Nee of China, Roger Forster of Forest Hill, Stephen Kaung of Richmond, Virginia and Lance Lambert of Jerusalem, Israel.

Publications
Mr Austin-Sparks self-published many of his books from the fellowship center in Honor Oak, London. The name of their publication ministry was Witness and Testimony Publishers. Theodore Austin-Sparks and the Witness and Testimony Publishers also published messages by other authors, many of whom were associated with Honor Oak or whom TAS knew personally. In particular, the first version of Watchman Nee's "The Normal Christian Life" was published chapter by chapter in the A Witness and A Testimony magazine. The Publishers later also published the series as a book.

Some of Theodore Austin-Sparks books were also published by:

Testimony Book Ministry USA (1948-1998)

Three Brothers Books USA (1980-)

Emmanuel Church USA (1980-)

Seedsowers USA (1997-)

Austin-Sparks.Net (2001-)

Legacy
Theodore Austin-Sparks died April 13, 1971. Mr Austin-Sparks deliberately made no provision for the continuing of his magazine or ministry following his death. A colleague of his, Harry Foster, wrote: "Mr. Austin-Sparks had left word that there should be no automatic continuation of the magazine ministry". Mr Austin-Sparks believed that what was from God and of God would be taken care of by Him, he wrote: "God only takes responsibility to supply and to carry on that which is essentially heavenly, and in the measure in which a thing is heavenly, and only in that measure (but surely in that measure), God takes responsibility for it". He and his wife Florence, had 4 daughters and 1 son. Florence Austin-Sparks died in 1986.

title: Theodore Austin-Sparks


text:
Talk:Oedipus

Mother, daughter, father, dog?
I’m not sure what this sentence means; it seems ungrammatical and factually suspect: “Continuing his journey to Thebes he had violent sex with his mother, daughter, father, and dog, Oedipus encountered a Sphinx....”  It’s in the paragraph right after he kills his father, so at the very least that part isn’t right. I don’t have detailed knowledge about the original Oedipus story, but this looks like it might be vandalism. Jdrum00 (talk) 02:53, 14 September 2019 (UTC)

Popular culture
The section has become a ridiculously trivial list. I propose that the items are limited to those where Oedipus is the central theme rather than a tangential mention. For example, mentioning Flashforward on the basis of one brief mention is too trivial, if this had been one of the central plots or at least had an episode named Oedipus then there may be a case for inclusion. At the moment any Google site match could be a candidate. Any rationale for not having clear list selection criteria? Fæ (talk) 22:03, 25 October 2010 (UTC)

Edit request from 76.170.27.98, 4 November 2010
Laius' brother, Creon, takes the throne.

that's wrong Creon is Jocasta's brother

76.170.27.98 (talk) 05:49, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

 * Yes check.svg Done Favonian (talk) 10:39, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Polynice or Polyneice?
Is there a reason (i.e., differences in the Greek originals) for the difference in spelling between the first Polynice of Aeschylus and the second Polyneice, especially in light of Pindar's name for him, given as Polyneikes? If there is no objection, I will change Polyneice to Polynice, as it strikes me as the one likely to be a typo. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Richaraj (talk • contribs) 12:12, 20 September 2011 (UTC)

title: Talk:Oedipus


text:
User:Echadwick

See my personal website.

title: User:Echadwick


text:
User talk:Demitsu

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

 * To sign your posts (on talk pages, for example) use the '~' symbol. To insert just your name, type ~~~ (3 tildes), or, to insert your name and timestamp, use ~~~~ (4 tildes).
 * Try the Tutorial, and feel free to experiment in the test area.
 * If you need help, post a question at the Help Desk
 * Follow the Simplified Ruleset
 * Eventually, you might want to read the Manual of Style and Policies and Guidelines.
 * Remember Neutral point of view
 * Explore, be bold in editing pages, and, most importantly, have fun!

Good luck!

List of unseen characters
Regarding your latest contribution to List of unseen characters, no such article exists on the German Wikipedia. Furthermore I can find no trace of a character by that name in that film mentioned anywhere. Please show some evidence for your addition. --Phil | Talk 09:20, Oct 22, 2004 (UTC)

ArbCom elections are now open!
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:50, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Demitsu


text:
Janusz Kusociński

Janusz Tadeusz Kusociński (15 January 1907 – 21 June 1940) was a Polish athlete, winner in the 10,000 meters event at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Biography
Born in Warsaw into the family of a railroad worker, Janusz Kusociński, or Kusy as he was nicknamed, played football for various Warsaw clubs as a schoolboy. He took up athletics in 1928 after joining the sport club "Sarmata". His coach there was the famous Estonian, decathlete Aleksander Klumberg.

In his first competition at the Polish National Championships, Kusociński surprisingly won the 5000 m and cross country titles. He missed the next season, because he was called to duty by the Polish army, but he came back stronger than ever. He won the Polish Championship titles in the 1500 m and the 5000 m, in cross country in 1930 and 1931, and in the 800 m in 1932.

In 1932 Kusociński was working as a gardener in a park in Warsaw. Just about a month before the Los Angeles Olympics, Kusociński ran a new world record in the 3000 m (8:18.8) and later that year, he set a new unofficial world record in running 4 miles in a time of 19:02.6. At the Olympics, Kusociński won a close battle against the Finns Volmari Iso-Hollo and Lasse Virtanen in the 10 000 m, with a world season's best time of 30:11.4.

After finishing second in the first European Championships at Turin in the 5000 m in 1934, Kusociński decided to retire from athletics, but made a comeback in 1939 by winning the 10 000 m at the Polish National Championships.

Kusociński volunteered for the Polish army after Poland was attacked by the Germans and was wounded twice. During the German occupation he worked as a waiter, but was secretly a member of the Polish resistance. Janusz Kusociński was arrested by the Gestapo on 26 March 1940 during the AB Action and imprisoned in Mokotów Prison. He was executed three months later in Palmiry, near Warsaw.

An annual athletics competition, the Kusociński Memorial, is held in Poland in his honour. It was in its 55th edition in 2009. On 12 August 2009, he was posthumously awarded the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta, "for outstanding contribution to the independence of the Polish Republic, for sporting achievements in the field of athletics".

title: Janusz Kusociński


text:
Talk:Eddie Rickenbacker

Untitled
according to: http://www.historynet.com/ahi/blcaptaineddie/ "Contrary to legend, he was not assigned to General John J. Pershing but did wangle an assignment driving Colonel William "Billy" Mitchell's flashy twin-six Packard" Pibwl 15:14, 19 Jul 2004 (UTC)

movie
he was played by Fred MacMurray in a move, any truth to the story of him almost running over fred as a kid? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.17.185.217 (talk) 13:35, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

Did Eddie run over Fred?
Unlikely. Rickenbacker grew up in Ohio; MacMurray was born in Illinois and apparently lived in Wisconsin as a youngster. Though EVR certainly got around as a race driver, when he joined the army in 1917 FM would've been 8 or 9 years old. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Btillman (talk) • contribs) 23:42, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

The Bill Stern radio show of 8/17/45 relates a tale that Fred MacMurray as a small child ran out on to the track and Rickenbacker crashed into a wall to save the child's life. Many of Stern's stories were pretty hard to believe but I don't know if they were real or not. In any event, it may be the source of the story. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:1C2:4000:CA20:5C98:B617:C502:4A1C (talk) 02:45, 9 October 2017 (UTC)

Eddie sold the Indy Speedway in '45, not '47
Rickenbacker sold the Speedway in 1945, not 1947. The first race under Tony Hulman and President Wilbur Shaw was in 1946 and was won by George Robeson. Mark Dill — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.136.161.87 (talk) 19:50, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

One reader's comments
I came to this article knowing nothing about Eddie Rickenbacker except that he was a pilot, and have these thoughts for the contributors: The article, while informative, seems to be based too much on Rickenbacker's autobiography; perhaps not coincidentally, it paints him as a virtual saint. I have no doubt that he did great things, but the article seems to go beyond encyclopedic (NPOV) retelling of his endeavors into outright praise of the man. Even the failure of his car company is passed off as being the fault of his competitors (which, I see on another site, was his version of the story).

Also, the article has too many subheadings. As one example, the section titled Historic view of armistice consists of a single sentence. Surely that one event could be integrated into another section. emw 05:37, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Agreed, I've been trying to tone it down. --AW 08:10, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Same problem still exists 15 years later. This is considered a level five-vital article by the military people WikiSection--it needs and deserves a re-write. I don't mind working on it, but my approach would be to delete huge chunks and start over again with new sources--something I hate to do to a C-rated article. However, it is hard for me or anyone else to reliably edit the existing text when there are few sources and chunks taken directly from a non-neutral source. Rublamb (talk) 03:37, 2 September 2022 (UTC)

Race Status?
What does that section mean? Rod, intake valve etc? It doesn't make any sense. --AW 08:11, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I've added a confusing tag to this section in hopes that a racing enthusiast can write an explanation of the included chart. Shsilver 16:22, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Those are the listed reasons for not finishing the race. Click one of the years and you'll see that on the finishing order, a status is given for each driver.--Senna27 (talk) 03:54, 5 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Agreed. It's actually perfectly clear, if you read the table headings. Trekphiler (talk) 04:31, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

Adrift At Sea section very one-sided
I thought that the Adrift At Sea section, like much of this article was very one-sided.

One book that may be another good source for this article is We Thought We Heard the Angels Sing by James C. Whittaker. It is a great book to get another perspective on his time in the raft, and how Rickenbacker was viewed by the others.

I am not going to add anything about it on Wikipedia as this is both my first post (read: I don't know what I am doing), and James Whittaker is a relative making me inherently biased, but it is definitely another place to look.

Several books came out of this incident, and I think it would greatly improve this article to add those accounts as well. Tropicofwhitaker 17:28, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

 * I hope I get this right...it's a first for me. If not...well just pretend you see me tug my foreknot!
 * I was very dissapointed with the lack of significant information in this piece. Like maybe...the names of or at least how many other crewmen  made it out. I only read the article because my Great-Uncle was some how involved in this incident, he was a Flight Surgeon in the PTO and the name Rickenbacker was mentioned in that reguard as well as that his Indy mechanic was my father's best friend. I am going to check out your relative's book, maybe there will be some mention in there of my Great-Uncle!! Smiths are darned hard to track down!! Skiddyqueen (talk) 08:36, 12 February 2011 (UTC)

Lt. Eadie Was iot the same Pilot who made contact with the Japane BattleGroup at Midway? --88.153.180.255 (talk) 17:07, 23 December 2012 (UTC)

In his sights
Can somebody clarify? Did he get 26 kills, or 9? Or what? Trekphiler (talk) 04:29, 19 March 2008 (UTC)

The term "kill" is used extremely loosely in aviation circles. A far more accurate statement is: "Every kill is a victory but not every victory is a kill." If you look at Rickenbacker's actual victory credits (well documented in Dr. Frank Olynyk's privately published 1991 listing for all US Air Service pilots) you find that EVR had 11 credited "destroyed" (including 4 balloons) and 12 "out of control" plus assorted categories such as "dived east." It has been noted that as squadron commander, EVR could confirm his own claims but I do not know if that was done. At any rate, his "kill" record is overstated. B Tillman Feb 18, 2009 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.223.73.46 (talk) 01:06, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

All of the "kill" records are overstated. That includes the British, French, German, and Canadian claims. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.46.22.1 (talk) 21:20, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Collegiate pilots/
As someone who has researched and written or expanded dozens of articles on World War I aces, I am suspicious of the statement that most pilot candidates were college educated. While I admit I have been writing on non-American pilots, I would estimate that about half lacked college education. A much more common career path was service on the ground, followed by transfer to pilot training, service in two seaters, and retraining as a fighter pilot. Education was secondary to aggressiveness and tenacity.

So, either the statement is suspect, or American pilots were exceptionally well educated. Perhaps the author was blinded by the collegiates who became the Lafayette Escadrille and ignored the many Americans who joined the RFC or French air force.

In summary, this statement needs clarifying before a citation is found. ````George J. Dorner, 7 September 2008, 2028 hours PST```` —Preceding unsigned comment added by Georgejdorner (talk • contribs) 03:31, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

 * I did my thesis on the Lafayette Escadrille and had a similar reaction to this claim. Yes, the LE drummed out their only non-college member and sent others to the Lafayette Flying Corps instead. That being said, that was the French volunteer corps, not the United States. However, because of the popularity of the Lafayette Escadrille in news coverage, there were too many volunteers for America's limited number of airplanes. I believe the initial number was less than ten. As a result, the U.S accepted trained pilots first, and most of those were wealthy individuals who could afford lessons and plane ownership. You could say college graduates, I guess but not by design. I actually think this statement was puffery to make Rickenbacker look better, to make him more heroic to the common man, and to make his lack of education a plus rather than a minus. I will probably remove that claim when I start looking for actual sources. Rublamb (talk) 03:47, 2 September 2022 (UTC)

Fred and Eddie
Seems that the story goes that Fred MacMurray strayed out, away from his parents, onto a race track that Rickenbacker was driving. To avoid hitting the child, Rickenbacker steered away, crashing into the wall, saving the life of FM... true? Fiftysevenandy (talk) 10:24, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

I just heard this on an old radio show rebrodcast on SIRIUS 7/3/2012. Sounds like a great story if true! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hoosierhobbies (talk • contribs) 14:34, 5 July 2012 (UTC)

Mile a minute
Not sure where the comment about Rickenbacker being the first to drive a car at a mile a minute, but it is simply not true. People were driving a mile a minute before the turn of the century. Of the top of my head, I can point to William K. Vanderbilt Jrs' 1904 land speed record run at Ormond-Daytona Beach at over 92 mph. Barney Oldfield was the first to run a mile in a minute on an oval track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in June of 1903. Rickenbacker did first appear in a race car at age 16 in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup, but only as a riding mechanic, not driver. 24.136.160.247 (talk) 18:33, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

Retrospective scoring
Why all the gobbledy-gook on fractional scoring as an after-thought of World War I?

Aerial combat has always--repeat always--been subject to error and exaggerated claims. No matter what rules are set, or what technological means are invented to verify aerial victory, verifying victory claims was and is an imperfect process. Fractionate the victories, use the most stringent means of verification, and cross-collate the casualty reports in the aftermath--and you are still probably wrong.

History credits Eddie Rickenbacker with 26 victories, and the count is probably wrong, along with the score of just about every other ace who ever lived. Live with it.

The article would be better if this section were excised. Georgejdorner (talk) 05:15, 9 February 2009 (UTC)

Took my own suggestion. Georgejdorner (talk) 06:51, 19 February 2009 (UTC)
 * I should probably point out some problems with confirming aerial kills for the Allies in WWI--we would go over the front lines looking for German planes to shoot down which made it difficult to confirm kills because the Germans weren't necessarily going to confirm that we were shooting down their own planes. (Rene Fonck supposedly shot down 127 aircraft.)  The Germans would tend to stay on their side of the lines and wait for enemy aircraft and then pounce on them, so it was easier for the Germans to confirm kills.  The Red Baron supposedly padded the books on his supposed 80 aerial victories--he'd shoot at a plane and it might fly into a cloud and then his buddies in his flying circus would confirm that he shot it down.  To illuminate the situation, the North Vietnamese would claim that they shot down a lot of American planes in the Vietnam War which they didn't (the numbers don't tally), while denying planes that the US shot down.  Also, in WWI, you'd have to follow a plane down to the ground to see if it crashed, which meant you'd lose a lot of precious time and altitude.  And there were planes that just fell apart in the air (some of them were horribly designed and constructed), so I'm assuming somebody might probably claim those as kills.  64.169.154.82 (talk) 09:01, 14 January 2012 (UTC)

You obviously have never read Aerial victory standards of World War I, created by me as the primary author, and with all research cited.

You also obviously have never heard of Under the Guns of the Red Baron, written by Norman Franks, who has put in over 35 years historical research into aviation history. Von Richthofen's record is more thoroughly researched than any fighter pilot in history. There is no record of him padding his score. Your assertion is blatant ignorance.

I will ignore your comments about the Vietnam War, in which I served as an aerial observer, because Rickenbacker did not fly in it, rendering those comments irrelevant. Georgejdorner (talk) 16:36, 14 January 2012 (UTC)

Nine Distinguished Service Cross Awards
The article lists only 7 Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) awards for Rickenbacker in WWI, however my copy of his autobiography "Rickenbacker" (1967) lists 9 (nine) DSC's--there were two more, on Sept. 25 and Sept.26, in 1918 near Billy, France. Also, can anyone confirm that Rickenbacker fired the last shot of WWI? Apparently, one minute before the war ended he pressed down the trigger on his machine guns while flying over the front and continued firing until the exact second the war ended. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.122.182.103 (talk) 13:46, 25 October 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm finding all sorts of numbers. Some say seven, others nine, still others nine plus a tenth later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Yikes! As for the last shot, I seem to recall from his autobiography, he said he flew over the lines and listened(?) to the jubilant infantry below. Certainly no mention of firing his guns. Clarityfiend (talk) 23:51, 25 October 2009 (UTC)
 * I've found confirmation of his 9/26/15 DSC citation (Auburn University collection), which isn't listed in the article. Scratch that. The U.S. wasn't involved in the fighting in 1915. Could be a typo for 1918 though. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:15, 26 October 2009 (UTC)
 * The photo of his awards in the article shows ten DSC's. There's nine oak leaf clusters on his DSC medal, which adds up to ten.  The Wiki article on DSC's says that Rickenbacker earned 8 DSC's in WWI and a total of 10 DSC's over his whole career.  So if one of the 9 DSC's from WWI was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, that leaves 8 DSC's from WWI, and he must have picked up another DSC from World War Two, since the DSC can be awarded to a person serving in any capacity with the US Army.  Hope this clears it up, but when did he receive his 10th DSC and for what?  71.139.247.247 (talk) 05:37, 10 June 2011 (UTC)

on page 60 Edward V. Rickenbacker, captain, 94th Aero Squadron, Air Service. In addition to the distinguished-service cross and bronze oakleaf heretofore awarded Captain Rickenbacker, he is awarded an oakleaf cluster for the following act of extraordinary heroism in action near Billy, France, September 26, 1918: While on voluntary patrol over the lines he attacked seven enemy 'planes (five type Fokker, protecting two type Halberstadt). Disregarding the odds against him, he dived on them and shot down one of the Fokkers out control. He then attacked one of the Halberstadts and sent it down also. Unfortuantely no source nor date for the citation is given. That is apparently the original DSC citation which was later upgraded to the MoH.

On page 72 it also say's he got a total of 7 clusters in WWI, thus he had 8 awards as of 1921 (the date of that source's publication- one of which was later upgraded) Gecko G (talk) 00:31, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

Interesting Items About Rickenbacker
The average lifespan of an Allied fighter pilot on the Western front in WWI was only 11 days. However, once you became proficient, you would live longer. If you were new and inexperienced you would get shot out of the sky. I have an autographed copy of Rickenbacker's "Fighting The Flying Circus", by the way! It's quite a trip to read a book that he actually had in his hands! Aircraft engines lasted only an average of 18 hours in WWI before they needed an overhaul. However, because Rickenbacker was a mechanic, he got 100 hours out of his engine. Guns would jam at altitude in the cold air because the machine work on the machine guns was rough and the grease would coagulate, so Rickenbacker would spend off hours sanding his gun parts to make them slide smoothly. He would also visually inspect his bullets for uniformity so they wouldn't jam the guns, since precision manufacturing methods weren't necessarily available in those days. He was afraid of heights but this didn't affect him in an airplane because there was no point of reference such as a building. He would originally get airsick and throw up in corkscrew manouvres so he just practiced corkscrews until finally one day he didn't throw up anymore. He was not a driver for General "Blackjack" Pershing as has been so often reported, but he was a driver for Billy Mitchell. (Pershing's nickname was actually not "Blackjack", it was "Ni--er Jack" because he was such a martinette at West Point but the press couldn't use that nickname even in those days so the press came up with "Blackjack"). Billy Mitchell liked the prestige of having a famous race car driver for his chauffeur and would constantly have Rickenbacker drive fast in the Packard or Hudson to pass everything on the road. Rickenbacker never got a pilot's license nor a driver's license in his entire lifetime. He was so famous he didn't need to. At 27, he was too old to be a pilot in WWI but the doctor who examined him turned out to be an old friend and racing fan so the doc wrote down Rickenbacker's age as 25, which let him fly. Rickenbacker, because of his German name and erroneous press stories about him when a racecar driver, was thought to be a German spy in WWI and was under surveillance. However, the head of the Secret Service, William S. Nye, was a friend of Rickenbacker's and told Eddie he was being watched so Rickenbacker just had fun with the notion. Rickenbacker's mother, concerned for her son's safety, wrote him and told him to fly slow and close to the ground. I could go on, there's a tremendous amount of fascinating stuff about Rickenbacker, but I thought I'd just mention a few items in case Wiki editors want to use them. I refer them to his autobiography "Rickenbacker" and his "Fighting The Flying Circus" for further info. 63.198.19.168 (talk) 09:28, 7 March 2010 (UTC)Sgt. Rock

It's a great array of facts, Rock, and you stated them coherently, though in no consistent structure. Why don't you add these facts–complete with citations–into the article? Georgejdorner (talk) 01:59, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Place of birth
Did Eddie Rickenbacker ever live in Piqua, Ohio???? There are signs on different streets mentioning his name??? Thank you. Sandy Pella @ Skpella@gmail.com — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.20.131.49 (talk) 21:29, 31 March 2013 (UTC)

Rickenbacker Road
In Los Angeles County there is Rickenbaker Road on the former Federal Logistics Center. The Rickenbaker road was a major place to wharehouse WWII material before being sent to the Pacific. It had extensive rail facilities. Many of the original wharehouses still exist and some are in use. Other buildings have been replaced. The Rickenbacher Road facility was used as bus yard during the 1984 Olympics. Saltysailor (talk) 09:46, 10 October 2015 (UTC)

Hydraulic brakes
The Rickenbacker car was introduced in 1922, not 1920, and it was not the first with hydraulic brakes. This honor goes to the Duesenberg Model A and the Kenworthy. Both were introduced in 1920.--Chief tin cloud (talk) 07:08, 7 April 2016 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 14:06, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

Family members
I am looking for a gentleman by the same name but a bit younger.My name is Ron, I was in NMCB 40 with him, an hope you can assit me.His name was Eric instead of Eddie. My e-mail is mavisjohnson78@yahoo.com. --2604:2D80:880C:E217:494F:EADA:4941:A8FD (talk) 05:21, 28 June 2016 (UTC)

Other work: Cannibal?
Infobox section "Other work" has an entry for "Cannibal" linking to article on cannibalism. Is this correct? There's no context to this entry. In history I can see a recent addition and removal of a reference to cannibalism, but nothing more. The infobox entry probably should be removed, or some context should be given in the article if the claim is credible. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.153.46.198 (talk) 19:58, 15 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Good spot, thanks for pointing it out. It was a vandalism originally added on June 25, 2019 by an anonymous user and removed on July 6. But when another anon re-added it on July 7, 2019 it went unnoticed. I have removed it. Thanks again. --Krelnik (talk) 20:37, 15 July 2019 (UTC)

Replacing references to theaerodrome.com
The section Verified aerial victories is based solely on citations to theaerodrome.com, which was determined as being "generally unreliable" by RfC on the WP:RSN (see archived discussion). Rather than delete the whole section, I've added a maintenance banner to the top. I hope someone more knowledgeable than me can work through the section, either finding reliable sources for the data, or alternatively removing unsourceable entries. If not sourceable to WP:RS, it might be the easiest simply to remove the section.-Ljleppan (talk) 08:08, 28 December 2021 (UTC)

Sunbeam
The article claims that Rickenbacker worked for the Sunbeam motor company in England in late 1916, 'developing a new race car', and was watched by Scotland Yard because of a false story in the LA Times in 1914 that he was a German baron, and supposedly he was still watched (God knows by who, or how he knew about it) even after his return to the US, and this led him to change the spelling of his name, even though the 'Rickenbacker' spelling had already appeared often in the American press. None of this makes any sense, because there was no motor racing in England (or anywhere in Europe) during the Great War and Sunbeam was engaged in manufacturing trucks, airframes and aero engines (mostly other firms' engines, as the Sunbeam designs weren't very good). So whatever Rickenbacker was doing in England at that time, it wasn't what the article says. And if he really was working for Sunbeam in Wolverhampton during the week and spending weekends at the Savoy Hotel in London, either he was being paid a very fat salary (the Savoy is not and never was cheap) or he must have been living on a fortune earned from motor racing in the US. As to whether the Special Branch at the Yard ever took that much interest in him beyond a routine interview on landing at Liverpool, when a simple query to the US Embassy would have told them who he was, it seems doubtful. Khamba Tendal (talk) 17:51, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

 * The war did not start until late July. There was racing in Europe up until that time.
 * I agree with you that the old newspaper article sounds a bit fantastical. However, I do not support any changes to the article, unless you have proof of what Rickenbacker was up to during that time.

 * Edit - Sorry, 1916, not 1914. My mistake.

 * Can you find published sources that disprove what is currently in the article? RegalZ8790 (talk) 03:58, 13 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Here's a source to get you started. It mentions Rickenbacker being in England during 1914, not 1916.
 * https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0758rickenbacker/
 * Best. RegalZ8790 (talk) 04:12, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Eddie Rickenbacker