http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12172367
With words from Andrew Dalby, author of The World & Wikipedia, Richard Symonds, "one of Britain's top Wikipedia contributors", explains why he finds updating the online encyclopaedia so addictive ... "perhaps we should celebrate what might be termed wiki-chaining or wiki-crack, depending on one's perspective."
Not indulging in the idea of wiki-daisy chaining ... which any kid looking for daisy chain might conceivably stumble over ... there was me thinking wiki-crack meant something altogether different, noting FanaticalHeretical single contribution to the all world's knowledge. Obviously bringing light to one and all ...
Full Version: Auntie Beeb's Wiki Crack
Am I mistaken or does Richard Symonds edit as 'Chase me ladies ...'? CML's real name is Richard Symonds, and he refers to himself as a member of the Arbtration committee.
A horrifying stereotype of a Wikipedia addict. Check out the picture of his bedsit at 00:17 - mattresses against the wall, paintwork half completed, the view from his window apparently facing onto a high-security prison. This is where he spends 8 hours of each day editing Wikipedia. Unemployed, of course.
He seems very proud of the fact it took him 6 years to get onto the Arbitration committee. Why wasn't he looking for a job?
[edit] The article itself mentions a page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AbÅ«_RayhÄn_al-BÄ«rÅ«nÄ« which is one of those completely faked up by Jagged85 and which I discuss here http://ocham.blogspot.com/2010/06/avicennian-logic.html .
I left the following comment - let's see if they publish it.
A horrifying stereotype of a Wikipedia addict. Check out the picture of his bedsit at 00:17 - mattresses against the wall, paintwork half completed, the view from his window apparently facing onto a high-security prison. This is where he spends 8 hours of each day editing Wikipedia. Unemployed, of course.
He seems very proud of the fact it took him 6 years to get onto the Arbitration committee. Why wasn't he looking for a job?
[edit] The article itself mentions a page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AbÅ«_RayhÄn_al-BÄ«rÅ«nÄ« which is one of those completely faked up by Jagged85 and which I discuss here http://ocham.blogspot.com/2010/06/avicennian-logic.html .
I left the following comment - let's see if they publish it.
QUOTE
I am a medieval historian. I was amused to see the article on Abu al-Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni . Many of the 'Islamic science' articles, of which this is clearly one, are dubious and are the work of a single zealous editor. I comment on it here http://ocham.blogspot.com/2010/06/avicennian-logic.html . This was also the subject of an article by the science historian James Hannam in the Spectator last year.
Good fact checking, then. Wikipedia is excellent on articles like Boron, beware of anything in history or the soft sciences.
Good fact checking, then. Wikipedia is excellent on articles like Boron, beware of anything in history or the soft sciences.
I left the following comment, so let's see if they publish it:
QUOTE
You say, "Send us your suggestions for articles that are missing from Wikipedia and should be created."
How about an article about Carolyn Doran? She shot the father of her child clear through the chest, but he didn't press charges. She then wore a wire as part of a murder investigation, in order to reduce her sentence in a check-floating charge. Later in life, her husband (not the man she shot) who was an Air Force major, drowned on their honeymoon. She rose to the level of Chief Operating Officer of a top ten global website, but when it was discovered that she was wanted on DUI and manslaughter charges in two states, she went to jail and became the center of an international media buzz.
Wikipedia doesn't have an article dedicated to her biography -- in fact, Wikipedia expressly forbids one from existing.
Now, why would that be?
How about an article about Carolyn Doran? She shot the father of her child clear through the chest, but he didn't press charges. She then wore a wire as part of a murder investigation, in order to reduce her sentence in a check-floating charge. Later in life, her husband (not the man she shot) who was an Air Force major, drowned on their honeymoon. She rose to the level of Chief Operating Officer of a top ten global website, but when it was discovered that she was wanted on DUI and manslaughter charges in two states, she went to jail and became the center of an international media buzz.
Wikipedia doesn't have an article dedicated to her biography -- in fact, Wikipedia expressly forbids one from existing.
Now, why would that be?
Richard represents all that is wrong about the internet. A hobby that takes up 8 hours of your day, and given a role with added responsibilities after 6 years with little prestige and no pay, except for the tax payers money being doled out for being unemployed. Good luck with his delusions of grandeur and achievement from his squalid bedsit.
QUOTE(WikiWatch @ Sun 16th January 2011, 7:03pm) 
...the tax payers money being doled out for being unemployed.
Do we have any confirmation that he is receiving state money while unemployed?
Are you suggesting he is a Trust Fund Wikipedian? (Trust Fund Hippie ... Trustifarian ... Trustipedia ..?)
I suppose that is a new stereotype. Some how, I doubt it but I might be wrong. Seem a nice boy but not that well heeled.
Again, this is another case of where there really ought to be some reality checks built into their system. Is it an NPO or not? Is he a volunteer or not? (The answer is no, twice. He is a playing in an online game).
Legally, if this "Royal Navy Officer" is working 8 hours a day, and his record is up there for the whole world to see, then he is hardly "seeking and available for work".
They are encouraging each other that there is some overbearing importance to all this frenetic activity, it is obviously dangerously addictive to certain types of characters, what is the duty of care of the leadership to ensure individuals do not self-harm on the basis of their addiction?
If Richard's life was to be turned upside down because he was exposed, would the foundation care ... would "teh community" care ... would they help and support him like a proper family might? Of course not. Would God Jimbo ($75,000 a night) bail him out?
The whole of Richard's years worth of investment is just another revision in the history of the Piss Pee-dia to be oversighted if something goes wrong at the click of a button.
Terrible. The problem with these cults is, they hook people in with all the apparent trappings ... a facade of fraternal love, family, community etc ... but behind it all is nothing. Nothing.
A few make the bucks and get laid. All the rest slave.
We need a disclosure from the arbitrator himself and a comment from the leadership.
I suppose that is a new stereotype. Some how, I doubt it but I might be wrong. Seem a nice boy but not that well heeled.
Again, this is another case of where there really ought to be some reality checks built into their system. Is it an NPO or not? Is he a volunteer or not? (The answer is no, twice. He is a playing in an online game).
Legally, if this "Royal Navy Officer" is working 8 hours a day, and his record is up there for the whole world to see, then he is hardly "seeking and available for work".
They are encouraging each other that there is some overbearing importance to all this frenetic activity, it is obviously dangerously addictive to certain types of characters, what is the duty of care of the leadership to ensure individuals do not self-harm on the basis of their addiction?
If Richard's life was to be turned upside down because he was exposed, would the foundation care ... would "teh community" care ... would they help and support him like a proper family might? Of course not. Would God Jimbo ($75,000 a night) bail him out?
The whole of Richard's years worth of investment is just another revision in the history of the Piss Pee-dia to be oversighted if something goes wrong at the click of a button.
Terrible. The problem with these cults is, they hook people in with all the apparent trappings ... a facade of fraternal love, family, community etc ... but behind it all is nothing. Nothing.
A few make the bucks and get laid. All the rest slave.
We need a disclosure from the arbitrator himself and a comment from the leadership.
QUOTE(Cock-up-over-conspiracy @ Tue 18th January 2011, 12:55am)
Are you suggesting he is a Trust Fund Wikipedian? (Trust Fund Hippie ... Trustifarian ... Trustipedia ..?)
I suppose that is a new stereotype. Some how, I doubt it but I might be wrong. Seem a nice boy but not that well heeled.
Again, this is another case of where there really ought to be some reality checks built into their system. Is it an NPO or not? Is he a volunteer or not? (The answer is no, twice. He is a playing in an online game).
Legally, if this "Royal Navy Officer" is working 8 hours a day, and his record is up there for the whole world to see, then he is hardly "seeking and available for work".
They are encouraging each other that there is some overbearing importance to all this frenetic activity, it is obviously dangerously addictive to certain types of characters, what is the duty of care of the leadership to ensure individuals do not self-harm on the basis of their addiction?
If Richard's life was to be turned upside down because he was exposed, would the foundation care ... would "teh community" care ... would they help and support him like a proper family might? Of course not. Would God Jimbo ($75,000 a night) bail him out?
The whole of Richard's years worth of investment is just another revision in the history of the Piss Pee-dia to be oversighted if something goes wrong at the click of a button.
Terrible. The problem with these cults is, they hook people in with all the apparent trappings ... a facade of fraternal love, family, community etc ... but behind it all is nothing. Nothing.
A few make the bucks and get laid. All the rest slave.
We need a disclosure from the arbitrator himself and a comment from the leadership.
I'm the first to criticise an Arb when needed, but so far this one has done nothing (arbitration wise) to be criticised for.
I think the interview could have said a lot more, perhapa he did, he says he said more, and it was cut. I can beleive that happens. At the end of the day, the media will present the story it wants to, regardless of what is said. I think criticising him for spending 8 hours a day on his computer is unfair. He can hardly traul the streets all day looking for work, in fact he's more likely to find it on his computer than knocking on doors. It can't be much fun being unemployed at his age, he's obviously not stupid, in fact I should think it's bloody awful - probably a good thing for his mind that he has Wikipedia and the Navy Reserves to take his mind off it. He's obviously in the navy and has a photo to prove it. He's not very old and if a few years ago he advanced himself from reservist to officer for the sake of impressing girls and his ego - well he's certainly not the first kid to do that and won't be the last - I certainly told a few "exagerations" at 18 and 19 to make myself more alluring to the opposite sex and I expect most people here did too.
Giano
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