I see that WP's David Gerard does not have a BLP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gerard

Appears as a pundit on NPR, is Jimmy Wales right-hand man (oh my, is that right hand why Jimmy went all UK?).

Notable?

As tempting as that might be, I think many of us here try to discourage use of WP as an attack platform.

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...74&oldid=769168

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...08&oldid=774094

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...67&oldid=779612

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...46&oldid=824025

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...23&oldid=777286:



http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...93&oldid=914651

http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=...04&oldid=928585:



David Gerard apparently has more than just a passing interest in Encyclopedia Dramatica. Perhaps I should invite him to do some work on Wikipedia's ED article.

If a BLP = "attack platform", then they've got a problem at WP. Are you assuming Bad Faith?


For kicks, I selected at random from the Living Persons cat, a BLP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_Aaron

If this meets Notable, what doesn't? Mr Gerard has a very high profile one of the most important (as Jimmy just forced the world to learn!) websites, ever (breathless ever). I haven't looked at other WP Luminary BLP's yet, but I'd guess they all have one.

Yes. To both.

Is David sure that wasn't a Wikipedia page?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Ms. Aaron is about 16 or 17 times more accomplished in life than Mr. Gerard.

Don't have a bubble, greggers, and your opinion rings true, but this is WP notability we're talking about. Ms. Aaron's BLP states that she is a California Judge. A very small percentage of the list of judges on the main WP page for her cat of Cali judges aren't redlinked. Her article is a resume, and there are no media WP:RS references, and no notable cases mentioned to back up her notability.

She hasn't even been on NPR. ;-)

Why the anger, gregg? Take a WP Hate break for a year. It'll do you good.

Of all the WP BLP's that would be "protected" from Bad Faith, don't you think a WP all-star spokesman and media pundit would be amongst the highest priority?

One can't even mention the subject of one's own paid speaking engagements in a "Personal" section ("Bariatric surgery is the new Prozac") of a BLP without a G7 summit occurring.

Why aren't there tougher standards for BLP "keeps" or even "adds"? You can make a new BLP and it won't be touched for weeks/months/ever.

Why aren't all BLP articles protected equally? This site is highly frequented by admins and WP cabalistas, many of whom spend most of their time in pissing contests on talk pages over minutiae...why don't they form an "attack page" (BLP) task force to go through the "Living Persons" cat? There is no evidence that there is any activity on that front, at all, on WP. This probably points to the "WP is dying" meme.

Look at all that typing. By now, you could have the [[David Gerard]] stub up and running! Get to it!

(Oh, and only two letters 'g' in my name, not three.)

Great point, Greg! Maybe I can get paid for it too.

Contact me off-site, for payment terms.

Perm link to BBC interview in case any of the others disappear.
http://spark-in-the-ashes.net/audio/gerard-spanked

The problem is ideological. Some people can't give up on the idea of allowing anyone to edit, despite years of experience with that flawed model. In part, this is because those who are connected or have juice in WP can get their articles protected or deleted as they wish. Perhaps they do not understand that this is not the case for other people with BLPs or simply do not believe that those people deserve the same treatment.

A task force could protect all the BLPs that they want, but some admin would come along and un-protect them in short order.

"I'd like to imagine you're a UK business. One day you get a random complaint from an American competitor. Suddenly, you can't take payments any more because Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, they're all American companies. If you want to appeal this decision, you will have to go to America to do it, if you still exist."

I wonder who the American "competitor" counterparts are to LemonParty.org? I'm sure that's the "UK business" he had in mind when he came up with this fanciful, imaginary proposition.

Don't forget the David Gerard Hair Salon in Arizona......but srsly folks......

Just pile up the references. Do what the Pediots do, Google them up and toss them in. Yes, he's notable.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110319/...formation.shtml

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/06/wi...tock/print.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8156268.stm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16084861

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8222397.stm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008...s_censored.html

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/03/how-...ributor081.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16454437/ns/te...ks-posts-qatar/

http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2005/10/..._on_wikiped.php

http://mosssig.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/wi...ks-competition/

http://neurolysis.blogspot.com/2009/01/dav...bc-radio-2.html

http://ragesoss.com/blog/2007/05/07/wikipedia-under-attack/

http://stuartbruce.biz/2007/02/is_it_time_to_s.html

This one is extra-funny:
http://www.banned-in-america.net/wikipedia...govt-fraud.html

I see Mr Gerard already violated WP:AUTO here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=...&oldid=34350271