Wikipedia

John Hill

Joined 29 January 2005


I was born in Montréal, Canada in 1943 and raised in Port of Spain, Trinidad. I am of English and French background with a dash of Beothuk, the natives of Newfoundland, who were hounded to "extinction" in the 1820s and 1830s.

"Remember the Beothuk!".

I trained and qualified as a Field Assistant and Laboratory Technician in Virology at the Rockefeller Foundations' Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory. I started working in my school holidays when I was 9 years old as "mosquito bait" catching mosquitoes to be used in virus research from a tree platform 120 feet [37 metres] high in the jungle canopy. Over the next 11 years I was privileged to work and study with some of the world's top naturalists such as Drs. William Beebe, David Snow, Barbara Snow, and Wilbur Downs, on a variety of fascinating projects.

I worked in fisheries research in Alaska both at sea (for a full year) and ashore in Sandpoint, Alaska studying the habits and migrations of halibut through the seasons.

I first arrived Australia in January 1964. I graduated as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Sydney, Australia in 1967. I lived for three years in India (1979-83) doing research on Indian and Tibetan history, and have travelled extensively in Asia. I have worked for many years in remote Aboriginal communities in Central Australia and Cape York Peninsula in Community Development and Nursing roles. I became an Australian citizen in 1986.

I am now retired living in the bush about 25 km west of Cooktown, Australia on Cape York Peninsula, more than 300 km from the nearest traffic lights.

Involvement with the Wikipedia edit

I have been editing on the Wikipedia since 30th January 2005. I have created a number of articles on the Wikipedia (see below) and significantly contributed to many more. I have uploaded more than 700 images to the Wikipedia and WikiCommons (mostly my own photos), and have made more than 23,000 edits.

I love the basic concept of the Wikipedia and constantly encourage others to contribute.

I am particularly concerned with ensuring the Wikipedia is not taken over by fanatics or used to promote fringe theories. I also make a point of adding or updating references, external links and items in "Further reading" sections, whenever possible. I seem to spend an ever-increasing amount of time trying to reverse the constant barrage of vandalism on the Wikipedia.

Aside from the articles I have created for the Wikipedia, I have added to and edited thousands of others, uploaded hundreds of images, including many of my own photos, and I monitor and keep a close eye on edits to scores of articles of particular interest to myself.

My main interests edit

  • Asian history; particularly Chinese, Tibetan, Central Asian and Indian history and the development of trade routes both overland and maritime between East and West, and pre-historic contacts between Australia and other countries.
  • My first book was: Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. (2009). John E. Hill. (2009). BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4392-2134-1. It has now been replaced by a much expanded 2nd edition in 2 volumes with the slightly different title of Through the Jade Gate - China to Rome, Volumes I and II. The two volumes are now available for a recommended total price of US 45.00 plus post from Amazon.com and other outlets. Please note that you require both volumes as neither is complete without the other.
  • I have also published an article on the history of Khotan: Hill, John E.: "Notes on the Dating of Khotanese History." Indo-Iranian Journal 31 (1988), pp. 179-190.
  • Nature conservation and alternative energy sources.
  • The plight of the mentally-ill, refugees, the desperately poor, hungry, and sick.
  • The exploration of the potential of the mind, and the inherent as well as the learned limitations.
  • The causes of racism, slavery, sexism and bigotry.
  • The conversion of hatred and fear through the cultivation of kindness, tolerance, empathy and patience.
  • The impending demise of our species, and what we might do to delay it.

I have made some contributions in all these areas as well as many others. I look forward to correspondence on any of them. I am able to contribute with an intermediate level of French and Spanish.

My path edit

Spent a year or more:             I have also lived several years on Australian Aboriginal land.
Spent more than a month:                   
Spent more than a week:                                 
Spent less than a week:                                      
Idea and layout filched from User:Guettarda













Created articles edit

GEOGRAPHICAL
 HISTORICAL
 PEOPLE & PEOPLES
 PLANTS & ANIMALS
 MONASTERIES and STUPAS
 OTHERS


Photographs edit

Most, though not all, of my own photographs which I have uploaded are available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Photographs_by_John_Hill . However, there are also many images by other artists and photographers I have uploaded which are not listed.

"How-To" Guide to Wikipedia edit

I have found the following page a very helpful "How-To" guide to Wikipedia. →See User:Persian Poet Gal/"How-To" Guide to Wikipedia

བོད་This user is a participant in WikiProject Tibet.
 This user is a participant in
WikiProject Central Asia.
 This user is a participant in the WikiProject Indian history.
 This user is a participant in WikiProject Chinese history.
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