Category talk:North America
I think that http://ten.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_AZ is a false event, though the main page leads to it.--Jax 0677 06:41, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
Event in Phoenix, Arizona has NOT been legitimately proven to be SPAM
I have called the Sapporo Restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona to verify that the Phoenix event is actually taking place, and they told me that it will take place at the date and time previously specified. I have posted the emails from Christopher Warrington, Vice President of Communications and Joshua Shinar, President of Directrix on the Phoenix, AZ discussion page.
Tavistock Group is a Limited Liability Corporation owned by British businessperson Joe Lewis, who is worth close to $3 billion. The company owns over 170 companies (with brands such as Alcatraz Brewing Company, KangaROOS, PUMA and VANS) in at least 15 countries. I think if a company with a name like Tavistock Group is putting their name on this event, that it is a legitimate charity event which will send all donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. Tavistock Restaurants, who owns Sapporo Restaurant, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Reserving a venue for thousands, hundreds or even tens of people is risky, costly and difficult. In many cases, it requires that people like us pay money up front. Like it or not, the fact of the matter is, that many venues can only hold a limited number of people.
Chris said that other people are more than welcome to set up a separate event if they'd like to see a Wikipedia event that is run in a different manner. I am certain that Directrix will be pleased to allow anyone to arrange such a party on their own.
If this event is SPAM, I would like to see someone offer up ONE shred of evidence that this is the case, as I have offered several pieces of evidence that this is not the case. These pieces of evidence include references to Better Business Bureau reports of Tavistock Group and two letters from Directrix Computer Solutions. Their event page, a uniquely created URL for the event was posted in absolutely NO OTHER LOCATION THAN WIKIPEDIA, so it is likely that the people who signed up for the event who did not edit Wikipedia pages to express interest were people who read Wikipedia often, or people who edit without creating a user account. As a matter of fact, someone took it upon themselves to vandalize the Phoenix, AZ page at one point, when they more than likely, were not the ones setting up the event. I therefore believe that Christopher Warrington has as much of a right to set up a Wikipedia event as anyone else does. Thank you very much for your attention to these matters.--Jax 0677 18:35, 11 January 2011 (UTC)