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Friday, September 21, 2007

I wiki, therefore I am

I love wikipedia. To those who know me well, this comes as no surprise. Sometime during the past year, Wikipedia surpassed SportsCenter, Seinfeld, and John Tesh to become my number one source for information.

Terms spawned by Wikipedia have already become part of our daily vernacular. To wiki means to research or look up a topic on Wikipedia. Past tense, wiki'd. Present participle, wikiing. Plural form, wikies or wiki's.

Then, of course, there are other less known terms still waiting to make their way into common dialect. Terms like wikilicious, which is used to describe a fascinating, surprising, or otherwise extraordinary fact unearthed within the pages of Wikipedia.

Example:
"Did you know that Tom Wopat appeared in the Broadway revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross?"
"Wow! That's wikilicious!."

I wiki most everything. Some days I spend indiscriminate amounts of time wikiing just for fun. Like last week, I wiki'd Jordache, you know, hoping for some sign that they may be coming back in style.

Here is what I learned about Jordache: "The brand is known for its designer jeans that were popular in the late 1970s."

Late seventies? I was wearing Jordache jeans in 1986 like they were going out of style! Which apparently, they were.

I'm not sure from whence my Wikipedia fascination comes. Perhaps it stems from the fact that we never had a complete and current set of encyclopedias when I was growing up. Dad's World Books were the 1959 edition.

Then I remember sometime in the 80's, Winn Dixie began selling encyclopedias. Ah yes, could there be a better plan? There's no place like your local supermarket to get your reference materials from.

You could buy a different volume every week or two. So Mom would buy them when she went grocery shopping. Then one week, she forgot, so we missed a volume. Then another. Long story short, in the end I could do a report on any topic as long as it didn't begin with a D, G, J-K, M, S, or W,X,Y,Z.

On top of that, they weren't World Books. Or even Encyclopedia Brittanicas. They were Funk & Wagnalls. Sounds more like a bad 70's band than an encyclopedia.

Or perhaps my fascination with Wikipedia and seemingly useless information is inherited. After all, I remember Dad spending countless hours every day in the bathroom reading his World Books. So in a way, when I'm wikiing, I'm only carrying on a family tradition.

Here's to Dad, the sanctity of a man's bathroom, and those who spend twenty hours a day editing Wikipedia. Oh, and also to John Tesh. You had a good run, but it's over, man.

Happy wikiing!

"My ergonomic keyboard never leaves me bored. Shopping online for deals on some writable media. I edit Wikipedia..."

41 comments:

  1. To wiki means to research or look up a topic on Wikipedia. Past tense, wiki'd. Present participle, wikiing. Plural form, wikies or wiki's.

    I hate to ask it, but someone has to… did you look those up on Wikipedia too, or just MAKE them up? (I won’t even touch wikilicious.)

    Some days I spend indiscriminate amounts of time wikiing just for fun.

    I think we need to find you a new hobby, Bone… like blogging? Oh wait…

    I was wearing Jordache jeans in 1986 like they were going out of style! Which apparently, they were.

    LOL

    You and everyone else I think… isn’t some of that stuff… um, brace yourself for what I’m about to say… isn’t some of the stuff on Wikipedia incorrect? Because people edit it? So what if that’s a typo????? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

    Long story short, in the end I could do a report on any topic as long as it didn't begin with a D, G, J-K, M, S, or W,X,Y,Z.

    I laughed so hard at that. Oh wow… yeah, no good on World War II, huh? Don’t feel bad, I had a full set and almost never used it. My Mom and I were talking about that last weekend actually: she asked if I wanted it and I told her no. It’s the full set: would you like it?

    I remember Dad spending countless hours every day in the bathroom reading his World Books. So in a way, when I'm wikiing, I'm only carrying on a family tradition.

    Just buy yourself a laptop and you’ll really be able to carry on the ol’ family tradition, lol. :-P

    P.S. A song really exists with the word “Wikipedia” in it?? Seriously?? I’m a little scared now.

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  2. that was good. I need to learn to love the Wiki. I do use the internet for all my research and if I find that a wiki article comes up in my search I'm sure to try it first...but I don't have it bookmarked. I should do that right now.

    re: Darly and old people being cranky about friends...well yeah, but it still doesn't make it right. I told her that I was fine with her not liking that other girl, but she couldn't tell anyone who they can and cant be friends with.

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  3. John Tesh, *shudder* I'm going to take it for granted that you were making a lil' ole joke there. Ha ha.

    This is one of your best posts EVAR! I'm going to vote that you add it to your Selected Posts section. Pretty please with a cherry on top. :)

    Gotta go now, need to wiki something. :)

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  4. I'm going to beat Bone to the punch here and let TC know that the song Bone quoted from is "White and Nerdy" by Weird Al (which is a parody of "Riding Dirty" by Chamillionaire).

    I like Wikipedia too but I take some of those entries with a grain of salt because they are edited by the general public.

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  5. TC: I didn't look them up, but they're pretty much common knowledge.

    Actually, I went back today and the Jordache article has been updated!!! But you'll have to read it yourself to see :)

    Yes, a song exists with "Wikipedia" in it. I'm only surprised there aren't more.

    Renee: Thanks. Yeah, usually when I google, a wikipedia article comes up on the first page of search results, so I just click on it.

    Avery Laine: Hey, Tesh's "news you can use" and "intelligence for your life" segments are gold! Oh, and thank you. Actually, I do need to update my selected posts and blogroll sometime.

    Xinher: Thanks for answering the song question for me :) As for the grain of salt, it's growing smaller and smaller in my opinion. I think they do an amazing job of editing and correcting errors.

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  6. speaking of wiki... i have been seeing a lot more bloggers linking to it for info sources as well... i am wondering... is this purely informational or is this a seo tactic.. any clues????

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  7. You shall be jealous. We have an internal wiki at my company and I get to update links all day.

    Now how about that 'how many people that you know have a wikipedia entry' contest??

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  8. I didn't look them up, but they're pretty much common knowledge.

    Snap!

    Well, then, I guess I'm just not part of the "common knowledge" crowd :-P

    And I shall look up the Jordache article, pronto 8-)

    I actually wiki'd something earlier tonight... and sadly, thought of this when I did it.

    Xinher: Wikipedia existed when White and Nerdy came out??? Seriously??? Wow.

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  9. I'm a TOTAL Wiki junkie...I use it several times a week. I have too much time on my hands...I know... ;)

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  10. Wikilicious? Hmm, I think I'll go wiki that and see if it's in there.

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  11. Paisley: Um, it's purely informational for me. Not sure about anyone else.

    Katie: An internal wiki? I want one of those! And it is my goal to someday have my own Wikipedia entry.

    TC: Sadly? I don't see what's sad about that. It's the wikification of America. Assimilate.

    Jennifer: A Wiki junkie? Would that be called a Wiki-kie?

    GirlFPS: OK, let me know. Maybe I can get it added to Wiktionary, and they'll list me as inventor of the word :)

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  12. There are a whole set of wiki-words, thanks to Stephen Colbert. My favorite is "wikiality," where the apocryphal becomes truth based on general consensus (and to hell with the actual facts). Politicians use this all the time...

    That being said, I love Wikipedia, too. I'm also a big fan of Wiki-How. You can learn some good things, and some vastly entertaining things, there.

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  13. I quoted Wikipedia today in a post! We are on the same wavelength... kindered spirits... like twins with twintalk... ok maybe I am getting carried away here! lol Have a great weekend!

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  14. From this post I must determine that you have a notebook/laptop, you are an avid researcher, and you view wikipedia while in the bathroom.

    Thanks for the knowledge. :P

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  15. Well it wasn't in there so I guess you are the inventor (I can most certainly say I got it from you first).

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  16. John Tesh indeed! :-)

    My mom bought a set of World Book encyclopedias in 1972 when I was 10. I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough information into my developing, pea little brain. I never put ‘em down. And the Yearbook that came out every year was my favorite. I’d read it cover-to-cover within a day of receiving it.

    My wife had a Jordache suitcase she pulled out of mothballs for a trip to help me with some stuff in California in 2004. Yeah…it was a seventies Jordache. On the way back to Texas, it finally retired (split open). We laugh about it to this day. Why the hell had she kept that thing for so long? Jordache? Pfftt! ;-)

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  17. But how do you know what is fact and what is something that some drunk idiot put on wiki just to screw people up? You may be attempting to make a seemingly educated observation using something you found on wiki and it could be wrong. Just looking out for you! Yea, the Jordache jean wearing in 1986...you're scaring me.

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  18. Wikipedia is just such an easy source of info to grab. Jordache?! SNORT!

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  19. Now I'm glad that you don't own a laptop :)

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  20. Wiki should never be anybodies primary source. It's fun but has no authority--sorry Bone--isn't even allowed in school papers

    I like to scan Google lists--find them endlessly fascinating

    Hadn't read your comments closely enough when I left my other comment. Didn't realize it had been said already

    And think you quote Seinfeld more

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  21. Gay: Ah, wikiality, I like that. And I love watching Colbert and Stewart.

    Ingrid: As do I.

    Kate: Cool! I'll check it out :) Hope you have a good weekend as well.

    Kontan: I am an avid research, but do not have a laptop. However, if I did... :)

    GirlFPS: Woohoo! I invented a word! I need to copyright this right now.

    Carlos: Oh yeah, we had the Yearbooks from like 1960-1964 or something.

    I think luggage is one thing a lot of people just don't update. My parents had the same luggage from the time I was old enough to remember until... well... now.

    Carnealian: Well, sure you have to follow up with another source, especially if something seems odd or highly unlikely. Hopefully, they have a lot of OCD people checking for errors.

    Patois: Yes, it is. Very handy. Free. And interesting :)

    Pia: Yeah, you might not ever want to borrow my laptop, if I get one :)

    I don't think Wikipedia ever claimed to be the end-all be-all source for information. But in my opinion, it's a lot more accurate than some think. One study showed it basically as accurate as Brittanica on a small sampling of topics.

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  22. Wasn't saying that it's not accurate. Saying schools don't allow it to be used as they don't consider it to be a primary or secondary source.

    Lucia's daughter almost failed a report because I had her use a wiki reference--by the person who was being referenced

    They said he might not really have put the item in--really think they find it too easy and can see the point about wanting kids to learn research

    My desk top is set up so that one the center search automatically goes to wiki

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  23. I read the first sentence and was about to go into full on "OMG! Bone!11!! ME TOO" mode because I adore wikipedia. It's just so useful and chocked full of good information and an excellent resource if you're say, sitting around watching a Court TV documentary about a serial killer and you really just HAVE to know more about that serial killer right away.

    Which is how I spent two hours on Saturday reading about Charles Manson, Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz.

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  24. LOL! You never fail to make me laugh, Bone. Ever.

    This entry was very "wikilicious." And have you said that word out loud? It's almost naughty.

    And you mean to tell me Jordache jeans are out?!

    Dang it. There goes half my wardrobe.

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  25. So, would Luke Skywalker's sidekick, if he were online checking the intergalactic position of the death star, be called the Wiki Wookie?

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  26. I love the Wiki too. I wiki quite often, but Google is still my first search area if I'm looking for random info. For specifics and details though, I turn to the Wiki. It also rhymes with Wookiee, which I also dig.

    My grandparents used to sell Encyclopedia Brittanica. I had plenty of sets you could have borrowed.

    And I wore Jordache too. Before I hit puberty. Because I haven't been able to wear a straight-leg style ever since.

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  27. Oh, and FYI, there is a whole Wookieepedia dedicated to all things Star Wars.

    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

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  28. This was "wikid cool" to read...lol

    Long story short, in the end I could do a report on any topic as long as it didn't begin with a D, G, J-K, M, S, or W,X,Y,Z.

    That just completely cracked me up! Loved it. :~)

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  29. Your post a while back on the oregon trail video game made me think I should give you this link... have you seen it?

    Check it out - I think you'll like it..

    http://www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html

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  30. Pia Savage: My desk top is set up so that one the center search automatically goes to wiki

    Aww, that makes me happy for some reason :)

    Heather B: Exactly! I mean, seriously, I think Wikipedia has a deal with Court TV and A&E or something.

    Karen: Why yes I have. Although so far everyone just gives me a funny look.

    Charlotta-love: I'm surprised there's not a wookiepedia site for Star Wars buffs.

    Interstellar Lass: Where were all you encyclopedia people when I was stuck with a partial set of Funk & Wagnalls? :)

    Fledgling Poet: Wikid cool! I like that :) And thanks. Good to see ya around.

    Shelby: I didn't try that particular link. However, I did find an Apple emulator and download Oregon Trail and played a "few" times over the past week or so :)

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  31. I love Wiki! I'm in the same boat as you here.

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  32. I like this post. It was funny! I wiki alot too.

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  34. I had an animal version of those books...21 volumes sold at Safeway (west coast chain).

    I love Wikipedia.
    ~S

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  35. So, I never bought Jordache, glad they are out of style now.

    Our World Book must have been older than yours... and we only had a few encyclopedias of the ones sold at Publix I think...

    I rarely look at Wikipedia, but promise I will read it more often. Oh, I just did, and found out that you are important and chose this one since reading in a certain location was mentioned in your family history:

    Detoxification — Bone tissues can also store heavy metals and other foreign elements, removing them from the blood and reducing their effects on other tissues. These can later be gradually released for excretion.[citation needed]

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  36. Marcia's comment was too BonePerfect

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  37. Interesting... Winn Dixie had all kind of give aways--in the 60s they had horse races of TV and you got your ticket and if your horse won, you'd win... I thought it was the most boring thing in the world and have been saved every since from losing my paycheck at the tracks...

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  38. Joe: I only wish I'd invented it.

    OKChick: Thanks. I actually think your blog is where I first read about Wiki, long long ago.

    Shephard: An animal version? Does that mean all the articles were about animals?

    Marcia: LOL Thanks for doing that research. It is my goal to eventually be listed under Bone (disambiguation) in Wikipedia someday.

    Pia Savage: Yes, it sounded like something you would've come up with.

    Jo: Thanks for the comment :)

    Sage: You could play the horses at Winn Dixie??? Wow. I just learned something new.

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  39. And, here I thought I was the only wiki nut out there HA! Yeah, it's the greatest, isn't it??
    Fantastic post. ;)

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