Here at ATS, we have big concerns about what is truth and what an unreliable source containing misinformation (at least I hope this is the case). I
find it disturbing to see the division between facts and wiki, that the online
editable virtual paper holds more weight than an actual
encyclopedia or dictionary. These days they've implimented a colorful coding system to try to distinguish various "levels of truth"? Ladies and
gentlemen, let us use our minds, cross-references, use reliable sources and above all "deny ignorance".
"1. Robbie Williams eats domestic pets in pubs for money.
To be fair, we can't disprove this statement, which popped up on the singer's Wikipedia page in 2006. But we'll give him the benefit of the
doubt.
2. David Beckham was a Chinese goalkeeper in the 18th century.
And you thought scoring Posh Spice was impressive.
3. Paul Reiser's dead.
If you fell for this 2008 Wikipedia hoax, well -- let's just say I'm not so mad about you.
4. Sinbad's dead.
Couldn't tell ya what he's actually doing these days, but contrary to a 2007 Wikipedia claim, Sinbad is still around.
5. Sergey Brin's sexy, dating Jimmy Wales, and dead.
The Google god's Wikipedia page has seen more changes than his company's seen betas. Remarks on Sergey Brin's bio have claimed he's gay and dating
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales; he's dead, having ended his life in Moscow; and he's "sexy."
(I'll leave the judgment on the last one up to you.)
6. Tony Blair worships Hitler.
The former British prime minister was a regular target for Wikipedia tampering. That's what we read on Wikipedia, anyway.
7. The Duchess of Cornwall's Christian name is Cow-miller.
Anyone else suddenly have a hankering for a hamburger?
8. The University of Cincinnati's former president is a whore.
Former University of Cincinnati president Nancy Zimpher was listed as a "prostitute" and a "witch" on her Wikipedia page. Good thing it wasn't
true, as that would make for one dangerous combination.
9. Robert Byrd's dead.
United States Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia was pronounced dead by Wikipedia in January of this year. The senator was resurrected by a
Wikipedia correction a short time later.
10. Ted Kennedy died in January.
Months before this week's news that Ted Kennedy had passed away, his Wikipedia page reported his death. The entry said Kennedy had died following his
seizure at January's presidential inauguration.
11. John Seigenthaler helped assassinate John and Robert Kennedy.
The retired journalist wrote a full editorial about his Wikipedia ordeal, in which he was accused of being somehow involved in the assassinations of
both John and Robert Kennedy. The errant info, Seigenthaler says, was on the site for four and a half months.
12. A yacht killed British TV presenter Vernon Kay.
That's a rough way to go. Especially when it never happened.
13. Conan O'Brien assaults sea turtles while canoeing.
Stephen Colbert was to blame for this hoax. I can't decide which is more unbelievable: that Conan assaulted a sea turtle, or that he went
canoeing.
14. British TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh published a new version of the Kama Sutra.
He did, however, slap stickers on a bikini model for ratings.
15. Sienna Miller has modeled nude."
www.thestandard.com...
Crossreferences:
www.pcworld.com...
www.itworld.com...
Sites that seem to be good on fact finding are:
www.snopes.com...
www.politifact.com...
[edit on 7-9-2009 by saint4God]
