Wikipedia the worlds oyster...

After reading recent criticism about accuracy of Wikipedia I find myself in an interesting position. Currently I am finishing my second Masters degree and over that time I have written countless articles on a wide range of topics from a few pages to over fifty. When asked by my professor to utilize credible sources and "peer reviewed journals" I think nothing over it. I have learned to navigate the educational abyss of the the university library like a busy street during rush hour downtown. However, this doesn't mean I always begin my search flying blind and disregard the wealth of information available on the internet. Thus this brings me to Wikipedia the self regulated largest collection of knowledge with over a couple million english articles. Although I agree that you should never find a wikipedia entry as your primary source it can be a great spot to start your search as it offers a good overview of almost any topic imaginable and if it current doesn't have an article by the end of your research you can author one. Often I have read an entry in Wikipedia as an overview of the topics I am going to examine to help me drill down to that next level and to begin to make sense of what constraints are for the topic.

So the next time you need to research a topic don't shy away from the opportunity to begin your search on the internet using Wikipedia as a starting point. Although remember that it's not a good idea to quote directly from a wikipedia page and it's worth the extra ten minutes to find the original quote from a reputable source.

Pondering the World - 1

Things that make me go "huh." One of the biggest items I ponder are why other people do the things they do...

Here are some examples...

- Went to a local restaurant that has a buffet and clearly at the start of the line it clearly states "One bowl please." Yet there are still those people (big, small, old, young, etc) who choose to take two bowls. What in our human nature causes us to disobey a simple guideline. I would imagine its the fact that there are no penalties for anyone who violates this norm and that because others are doing it, it must be OK.

- A second example is where I watched as a car pulled into a parking lot that was full and because there was no room decided to park next to another car (not in a spot) and make their own new row. Even better was they guy in the expensive BMW who pulled up and actually moved a set of cones restricting people from parking in a spot to use the spot for himself.

Where in our history have people found the need to feel entitled to these items?

The Dude Abides.