Wikipedia Reporting is fast

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Wikipedia reporting is quite fast. The given link is about Miss World 2009 Kaiane Aldorino. The result was there by 10.57 pm IST (+5.30 GMT).

I am also watching Copenhagen UN Summit. The updates are coming regularly.

However, in case of BIMSTEC, the taking of Myanmar as the next chairman, was not updated even after 24 hours.

On the whole, the reporting is quite fast and must be giving the regular media run for their money.

I have found that even the bloggers are quite fast in reporting the new events. They are there with news just missing couple of seconds as compared to regular media. Wikipedia remains third but it is there within in couple of minutes.

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Check the news item:
Miss World 2009 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia is DOWN

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I was browsing as per my general pattern of surfing the net on December 10, 2009. It was 6.17 pm in India, when I tried to check a detail of a personality. I tried to learn about Shyamala Gopinathan, one of the existing Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India. When I tried to further explore the links of the page I received a message that Wikipedia is down now. I made a print screen copy of the message which I reproduce below.

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European Surveillance of the Curator

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This blog has remained a fascinating experience for me. I was amused to watch that the day I launched it, I received the visitor. It was from city Sofia, State Grad Sofiya, country Bulgaria. It was hardly a week old blog at that time. I had developed the idea of making this blog because of my experiences with Wikipedia browsing. It was later I learned that it was not only me who had started such a blog, but there were many like me who had been doing it before me. Well, that I will discuss in a different post.

The Bulgarian visitor had watched the post titled "Georgi Lozanov ", the apostle of the idea of Suggestopedia. The very term on Wikipedia had attracted my attention. I had read the whole of the article. I even visited the official site of the author. The day I posted and that was September 10, 2009, I received the return visit the next day on September 11, 2009. I believe that it was the administrator of the site who might had checked the back link. The language of the browser was German and machine was Macintosh.

Then, as it happens, if you post a photograph on your blog, you get visitors. I wrote another post on Bhajji (Bhajan Singh, a cricketer from India), whose article had appeared as a featured article on the Main page of Wikipedia. Well, that brought visitors from different continents. However, a more interesting features had yet to appear and that I report below.

I posted another article titled 'Over enthusiast forgets the country'. I never knew that this very post would again get visitors from Europe. Now this time, the visitors were again from the Northern side of Europe. The first visitor was a normal type of a search seeker. I had talked about 'Isle of Man' in the post and made the comment about the overall nature of the contents but also about one feature which I observed. The visitor was from United Kingdom itself. I did not know about Isle of Man and it seems even the Briton did not either. The visitor was from Douglas, South Lanarkshire. (It is how it is spelled on the sitemeter.). Then came the surprising rush of visitors. They were from Norway. Their language was Norwegian Bokmal. I did not know about that language. It directed my attention to the list of the languages available on Wikipedia itself wherein it appeared with full pride and honour. They actually came searching for the term Wikipedia on blog search engine. They did not come once but many a time. I do not know what had actually attracted them. I again visited the post of Isle of Man and explored further. I learned that it was a place which was also known for the apostle of witchcraft, a tradition which I believe was frowned upon in Europe and England. I am not relating it to any discovery or detective activity but it was how I went about making searches when I kept receiving visitors from Norway who were using Norwegian Bokmal.

Even Jimmy Wales might have visited my blog. I wrote a post about his talk page. The visit came from a email link. It was from San Francisco, California. The machine was Macintosh with MacOSX. The browser was firefox. The domain was speakeasy.net. The European visitor kept on watching the same post and they continued even when I had made more postings on different aspects of wikipedia. The latitude longitude remained the same and it was 62, 10. The domain was ice.on in most of the cases. Another visitor came through google.com with direct query of the url of the blog itself. The lati/long was 47, 8. After the visitor from the google.com Europe, I started receiving the visit of the googlebot from Mountview California and there were many such visits through out the month of October 2009. The visitors from Norway kept visiting me. Apart from the Norwegian visitor, I received visitor searching for Georgi Lozanov. I believe that the scholar is quite popular among the people in Europe because of his learning technique. There was even a visitor from Russia who came searching for him to my blog. There was a visitor whose language was Portuguese Brazil. What was that? I do not know. Though he had used a google search with a tag or Br.

Then came the demanding visitor from Barendrecht, Zuid-Holland. (I have copied these words as I can not even pronounce them.) The language was Dutch. I am having a feeling that I have not maintained etiquette while writing his name in my post. The post was titled 'Startling Concept Essay but Bemusing Background'. I used the word 'incongruity' which the person from Netherlands did not relish. I was embarrassed. I just wrote back to him in bit apologetic manner. I was just wondering that it was Dutch before English who had entered India. They did not remain in India for long. Then Denmark made colony in India and left it for England to fight with France. What would have been the fate of India, had France or Netherlands or Denmark remained in India. Anyhow, I believe that the issue which had cropped up due to the last post has been settled. But all these visitors (by now there 64), were mostly from Europe. 

My blog is under European Surveillance.

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Startling Concept Essay but Bemusing Background

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I believe that the users of Wikipedia will approve my observation that many of the philosophy, arithmetic and concept articles are really of good quality. One can learn from them. It is very difficult to learn and imbibe the actual meaning of concepts in the field of sciences. You have to read again and again the same thing and as many elaboration on a concept in order to fully appreciate the meaning behind the concept. Some of the articles in these categories on Wikipedia are worth praising.

However, today I came across an article on Open System and Closed System which covered the definition for different field of knowledge. I was really impressed by the opening lines. I reached this article while I was trying to search for Reinhart Koselleck, a theorist in History. But this article has studied the relevance of concept of open system and closed system for all the sciences. Before, I read further, as it is a practice with me, I tried to check the discussion and also the edit history. There was no discussion as such. However, in edit section, I found that it was a fresh article which was just started in the month of April 2009. The writer is one Nbaig. I tried to check the User link. I found that the same article appears there also. Similarly, in the Discussion section of the User, I found that he was well received by one Marcel Douwe Dekker but again below his invitation and welcome message the article again reappeared. It is surprising. Should the Wikipedia veteran Editors look into this incongruity!? It must be taking unnecessary space on their server. I have yet to read the whole article but this feature has diverted my attention.

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Open and closed systems in social science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Wikipedia as a Grievance Board

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The article in question is Orissa IIT Controversy. As per the edit records, earlier probably it was called 'Educational Neglect of Orissa'.

The most aggressive editor writes or signs himself as SDass.

Even on the Discussion panel, a very feeble protest as well amazement have been registered about the purpose as well as the propriety of such an article on an encyclopaedia even if it is wikipedia.

There are nearly 62 references in the article. There is one theme. The theme is that the Government of India is bend upon ruining Orissa. The person who has written the article has really done a job. I do not know about the authenticity of the data which he has provided even if there are 62 references. I just look at the data and find that Goa, Tripura and Sikkim are more neglected states as compared to Orissa. However, the way it is written only in favour of one state, it is really deplorable because the author feels that they are the smaller states. It is bad if Orissa is given step motherly treatment but it is equally unjustifiable to make an argument in your favour by underrating the existence of other states with in the same country.

I am amazed to find such an article here on Wikipedia. Wikipedia has well worded and well laid out guidelines about the choice of topics. But in case of India, it is trying to play new BBC which always sees slums in India. (Recently they also see Patels.)

There is a charter of citizens on Indian Image site. It invites the grievance of the citizens which can be lodged with Ministry of Personal Affairs, Public Grievance and Pension.

Then there is Indian Media which is quite active in such type of Muckraking reporting. There are numerous pressures groups which could be approached.

However, the person has found Wikipedia also as a place of showing his angst. He really suffers pain for the poverty and educational neglect of the Kalinga. The Indian Government must get attentive because soon such a person may go out and start a separatist movement even in the name of Kalinga or Kharvela as his hero.

Wikipedia has allowed such a writing on its site. Wikipedia is presently rich with such articles for which it is being sought. There are hidden advertisement attempts also but they could be overlooked. There are some objectionable and unjustifiable presentation of facts and figures concerning India which are allowed in name of allowing counter views. (Kindly check the map of India, especially the state of Arunanchal Pardesh which has been shown as disputed.)

The article should be removed. There is clear POV.

For reference check that following link if it remains there.

Orissa IIT Controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Mary Toft - The Hoax of 18th century, Featured Article

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Mary Toft was a featured article on October 21, 2009. It is a nicely written article. It makes a good reading as the substantiating links further provides you insight into Wikipedia and influence of Wikipedia. No doubt, the statement may convey contrary notions but it is how wikipedia has developed. Criticized by all but accessed mostly by those who access it the most. Well it is my view.

Before writing anything related to contents of the article, I must suggest that this article has appeared on Timesonline under 'The 10 best wikipedia enteries' written by Daniel Finkelstein. It also makes a good reading. It is from there again one can reach 'The 10 biggest Wikipedia Hoaxes' by Michael Moran again on Timesoineline.

I do not know who is promoting whom? Is it wikipedia promoting Timesonline or the other way around? But is what one of the major dimension of Wikipedia which I believe is behind the survival of portal for such a long period.

As far the contents of the article Mary Toft (or Tofts) are concerned, it is really written by a professional. The issue which is taken up in there also is an important issue and that this, how far the society can treat the experts from professional fields as seers or final words. Are they not fallible?

The story goes somewhat like this. The lady in question, Ms. Mary Taft had reported in 18th century  that she had delivered animal parts. The doctor who attended to her was convinced of the genuineness of  the  deliveries. Even a Royal surgeon visited to check the authenticity of the claim and he also returned convinced. I believe the rest should be read by the interested reader at the main site itself as the authors and editors on Wikipedia have done a marvellous job.

Also read the Discussion section. It has raised some vital issues about the scientific world.

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Mary Toft - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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James Bowie -Featured Article

On October 19, 2009, the featured article on the Main page is James Bowie who was famous for his Knife fight in the history of United States of America. I am always interested in the articles related to American history because it form the part of my professional duty as a teacher. I found this article more significant because it had helped me to get an authentication and evidence for a statement which had been regularly made by the historians on American history. I had been reading about the westward movement of the Americans. I was not able to convince myself that how that had happened. There were only assertions that Americans kept moving towards west. But How? I have never found any convincing explanation. However, in this article, I have found a paragraph which gives historic account on how the senior Bowie kept moving after every five to eight years from one plantation to other plantation buying and selling and making profit every time. I now need a authentication of this information as there is no citation. I do not know whether those who have written it had the perception that they would be explaining and describing one of an important point in American history. I do not think so. I have made a note of this article and going to borrow the references about the practices adopted by people who were moving westward during the Antebellum Period of American history.

This article also shows the gap in writing of history. Herein, there is another case which demonstrates that the psychological profiling of the period and personality which is described is must for history writing. The Ranke  school of historians would be happy to find such articles wherein only the mater of fact content is given and the content as a whole conveys the meaning. However, it is not that simple. I had a question. I was not satisfied with the reading of American history wherein mere facts that Americans moved towards west was given and repeated again and again without elucidation. I wanted to read and learn about those forces and the processes that went along with them. The question was with me. If any other casual reader read this article, he may not able to appreciate the significance of the data provided in there. On the other hand, if the author of the article just hinted at the dimension which could also be derived from here, then it could have been a more fruitful exercise. Anyhow, I understand that my argument will be rejected as a matter of one's opinion.

If interested then read the whole article. There are interesting details especially about speculation and high level manipulation which is presently called the Business. Also read the discussion section. There is heading about the actual pronunciation of the word 'Bowie'. Anyhow, as the Mumbaiya Mafia world or Ram Gopal writers would say, Ganda Hai per Dhanda hai. It is dirty but it's a business.

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James Bowie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image Source: In the link given above

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Writing Style Make You Stay and Read

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The article is about Western Australia. I did not have any interest in the information but even then I stopped to read it. The thing which attracted me was single assertive sentences. Each sentence gives a fact. The paragraph are not big.

The way it was presented just made me to read. When I read the title further reading, it has an amusing entry. I quote it.

* (1830) Account of Peron's Peninsula, in Shark's Bay, Western Australia : with remarks on its capabilities and fitness to receive a small fishing settlement : compiled from various sources by a gentleman in the service of the Hon. East India Company. From the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science, Vol. II, 1830, pp. 249-257.

(available as a photocopy at

I hope the readers may identify the amusing feature of the reference. The person who started this article is an experienced person with four years standing on Wikipedia. S/He is probably a student or research scholar and definitely in field of academics. The person teases by calling his reference as a result of efforts by "a gentleman". Probably, the person has forgotten to record the name of the author as the source material has appeared in a journal.

Further, there is an innocent sincerity in revealing that the article is available in the library (Battye Library) in form of photocopy. So Sweet. I just remember that when Google tried to make available the books online under the heading Print Google (Now it is Book Google) there were flood of litigations and uproar of infringement of copyright. But I just ask all such people, that getting a photocopy and then referring the contents in ones own material is an offence. Is it? Should it be?  A book, sitting like Daffodils in virgin forest, untouched by any reader, if gets attention because some research scholar ventured to pick it, becomes an act of crime. Was that book laying eggs for you? (If you do not understand the preceding line then in Hindi and Punjabi, it is quite a pugnacious taunt bordering limits of an offence!!!)

Just Check the following link to substantiate the comments above.

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Peron Peninsula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Can Wikipedia be Entertaining?

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Wikipedia is an online community effort to compile a store house of information. The Wikipedia had tried to acquire the batch of an intellectual activity by calling itself as an encylopedia. The people from the intellectual world, especially the researchers from the Universities and the Research organisation have raised doubts about the creditibility of the contents of the online arranging of set of information and do not call it a part of knowledge. I may be wrong in my assessment but there had been objections against the actual nature of the Wikipedia.

Anyhow, I am here on Sideline talk about Wikipedia. A Sideline Talk is my own idea which I cover under a heading Sideline Comments and have made it as one of the category.

Can Wikipedia be Entertaining? Now if you are not in habbit of reading, then answer is no.

Well, if you are interesting in gathering information, then wikipedia has by now risen to a level that even its opponents sneak in to steal the contents. But can it be entertaining?

What is Entertaining? Well I am not going to take up the dictionary meaning for it and quote Oxford or Webster. For me, the thing is entertaining which arrest your attention and keep you riveted for some time. You find that the state of your mind was calm during that phase and you find yourself in a different phase of mind. That is entertaining. Look at an attractive damsel or for that a flower. Take tea or whisky. Just go on a long walk alone. All such things are entertaining for one person or other. It is different from relaxing.

I am interested in learning about the people who make the films. I am interested in watching movies but not meeting the actors. When I find that a 30plus man or woman doing acting, I find it highly deplorable act. For me, it is a director and writer, behind those people who are performing , actually doing the work. I am always interested in learning about them. But, you may not find good articles on them in print media. The print media writes about the actors who appear on the screen. Secondly, the people behind such magazines and write ups are not all that good in disecting the work of art. They may have good command over the language but there is a streak of banality and depravity in overall mind matrix. They are good at spreading rumours or indulging in gossips. The Rakhi Swant types would have never got the attention of the audience had such banal reporters not been there. Now here comes Wikipedia. Wikipedia has a write up on Rakhi Swant on one hand, and then there are write up on Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray, Bhagwan Dada, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor and all such stalwards who will definitely be remembered in the field of cultural development of humanity in the later part of the twenty first century. The write ups on them are developing gradually. One can find a brief and authenticated biography from their early life to the end of their existence. The main body of the article consists good level of content on their creative activity.

One thing I must emphasize here. The people from the western world talking about their world have done a better job about the topics related to their geographical area. In case of America, even the details about a small village are such that one is amazed to learn and see the clarity of the activity which they perform. There are details about the number of families living there. There are details about the racial structure of the people of the village. ( It is facinating to learn that how racial profiling is being done for public administration in America). Similarly, in case of people from Cinema and Theatre world, the creative activity of the leading stalwards has been given in detail. In case of Indian Cinema personality, there is an appreciable attempt but the gap is quite glaring as far as the quality of the contents is concerned. It is a community activity therefore, here question is not that how the Wikipedia trust is managing it. It is the act of the individual contributor from different geographical regions which matters. The Western contributors talk so passionately about their artists. The Asians and especially Indians are also contributing a lot to the work. But, as far the final output, and quality of the output are concerned, the difference is quite qualified and clear.

Finally, if you find that reading about the Cinema world is entertaining and you are Bollywood buff, then Wikipedia can be highly entertaining.

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To be concluded

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Venkatraman Ramakrishnan - 7th Indian to get Nobel Prize

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Check the biography of Venkatraman Ramakrishnan on Wikipeida. He is a structural biologist who has been awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Thomas A. Steitz and Ada Zonath.

(Nobel Prize, Nobel Prize organization and United Nations are two such topics which have regularly given questions in Prelims GS. That means 150-2=148. Got it)

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Link to be used (Kindly note that the contents keep on changing in case of persons who are in news recently. Hence, try to maintain an update by revisiting the link.)

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Anti-social behaviour - A Concept: First here: Random

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Anti-Social Behaviour: Well it is a concept for Sociology and Psychology. It is categorised as such by the Wikipedia editors. For this blog, I believe that it is the first 'Concept' to be reached through Random article. I am not sure how I reached this article. I was actually doing my own work and had left the computer. When I again accessed the computer, I found it here. Generally in between my reading and writing I give gaps, a type of recess, a type of rest to self. It is then that I open news boards, newspapers and Wikipedia. It generally happens that I do not care to check out that on which sheet what result has appeared as my ultimate task is something else. Anyhow, I was soon attracted towards it.

For we teachers in the social sciences, concept are very vital. For the common man, they convey some meaning but for the scholars in the field of knowledge, they have a specific meaning as they are the terminology in which the scholars deal the knowledge in their field. Hence, this article qualifies to be on this blog.

From the discussion, which is presently very less, it seems that it is a product of the editorial team itself who have used Wikitionary to write this concept. No doubt, it lacks a peculiar content standard.

On the other hand, it has given me new meanings also. Anti-Social as a concept is mainly a sociology concept. In sociology, the anomaly group activities and harming activities are seriously studied. However, herein some new dimensions, like the activities on internet have been suggested. Further, they have also covered it under a third category about which I was not aware and that is Law and here especially UK law.

There is need to improving the content standard of this article.

Link to the article as follows:

Anti-social behaviour - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Vulca - Flip Flop

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It is about Roman history. In India, you do not read much about Roman and Grecian History. Darius and then Alexander invaded India. Ashokan pillars were influenced by Grecian Art and now the Ashoka Chakra is emblem of India on her flag. The Kushan art during Kanishka period is enough proof of influence of Grecian art and its require no further testimony even if there are pleaders against it. If one has to understand the historiography, then he is bound to understand that how the history writing developed and how history, which was merely a part of grammar contents walked out and breathed as an identity. Then, there the seeker may learn that how during Renaissance history tried to find its feet and matured soon so that the 19th century could be declared as the century of historians. You may like it or not but as one scholar has said that it was the kings who ruled the past and they rule the history. Europe was the king when history was made a subject of serious study and you have to learn the rules which rule the history to learn what actually the history is.

But, who is Vulca?
As I have already said that I am weak in Roman history. But I have also given my view that why it is to be studied. It is a small article and an article about a person who probably worked for the last Roman Emperor. The last and the first in history are the categories for which history is most sought by the quiz masters and well even for that criteria, it deserves to explore this one paragraph based article.

The link is as follows:
Vulca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Slave Community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South by John W. Blassingame is the featured article on October 2, 2009.

The article is a review of a different kind. It has referred to different reviews of the book. Personally, I am not able to appreciate reviews much. I have not been able to read the reviews and abandon them moment the writer alludes to some other fact, or start praising the book or just question the content. I have never been able to read long reviews. The book reviews which generally appear in newspaper are not reviews per se. They seems to be serving some motive. However, in this article, I have completed the reading of the whole article. I even borrowed some references for my personal notes.

The Slavery in Antebellum America, Slavery as a cause of American Civil War, the Abolitionist activities, all such issues interest me. I am yet not clear about many dimensions related to them. I have many questions about them which require answers. Therefore, moment I located it, I opened the article.

The slaves had survived the plantation life and had their own culture borrowed from their African ancestors. The books which I have read, especially the Great Republic by Baylyn, the issue of Slave culture has been nicely dealt with in there. However, this review has helped to have a glimpse of the methodology adopted by the historian. The brief detail which is given in the review is quite impressive and attracts the attention of the reader towards the book. Unfortunately, the publisher has not allowed google books to display any pages. The publishers should review their policy of allowing the display of the contents of the book. In case of Limited Preview, I do not think any reader could get enough out of it that he would not buy the book. If a reader requires a book, and few pages are shown to him, then I believe, that it is a good marketing strategy as you have very discretely converted a mere onlooker to a probable buyer.

As a teacher of history, I must appreciate the writer who has written this review. The history begins with sources. Then comes the methodology. The reviewers has taken care of discussing both the factors apart from discussing the subject of the book.

I read with great interest about the psychological tools to which the sources have been subjected to by the historians. I remember, that I learned about this aspect of evaluation for inference in V. N. Dattas thesis on Madan Lal Dhingra. I myself sometime believe that a historian must undertake psychological interpretations of the period under review. Mere economic or social evaluation are incomplete work as such. The Statistical Thinking impresses but a human being is more than a mere hunter of food, cloth and housing. Similarly, Man in the Society has to be studied if the society is to be studied. Therefore, it brings in the need of psychological interpretations.

Another peculiar feature of this article is that it has a very less discussion. Even then, the quality of discussion is quite relevant and scholarly in nature. There are only two people, one writer and other who is interested in studying the Slave factor in Antebellum America.

The Article is Worth reading. (Provided one knows the American History)

To visit the article, use the following link:

The Slave Community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Texas A&M University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Today is September 30, 2009, the date of birth of Sharadha Ram Phillauri. Today, the featured article is TAMU or the Texas A&M University.

I am attracted towards Texas. I teach American History in an Indian College and therein I teach the Civil War and Reconstruction period. I am not satisfied with the material with which I teach the history of America. There are numerous questions and area of interest about which I remain attentive. Among such quests, I am interested in learning about the Texas. For me, it was the part of the American surge towards the south. It has a fascinating history atleast for me as how it was incorporated as the one of the states of America from being a Lone star state. My curiosity is also about the people behind the Declaration of Secession, as it was the second state to pass that resolution during Civil War. While reading the article I read the sections about its president L S Ross who is mentioned as one of the Confederate General.

Anyhow, it is quite a long article about the university at College Station in Brazos County Texas. The whole article is very nicely written as there are many aspects which are covered. No doubt, it has been rated as one of the best article written by Wikipedia community.

Comment: A Peculiar Feature: Edit War is quite Aggressive

However, in the discussion session, I find that there were no issues about this article debated on the discussion page. On the other hand on View History page, the whole page is having log of edits which has taken place today itself. It means that this article is under great pressure and there is ongoing war between the main editors and those who want to edit it. It is a peculiar feature of this article which I have not observed earlier.

Texas A&M University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kessler Foundation - Random Article

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Kessler Foundation has turned on Random article. For my exercise, it becomes the first article for humanitarian and social activity organisation on Wikipedia.

The article can be considered as the recent one as it was created on September 11, 2008 only where as the organization is working since 1985 and even before that in its previous format.
There is no discussion as such. Even it has been not be tagged under any editorial category.

There are usual links to the official site and a limited number of references.

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The link to the article
Kessler Foundation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof - Random Article:

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What is Hauptbahnhof?

I can not even pronounce it. It is probably a German word which means Central Station. There is an article on such Hauptbahnhofs as well central stations in Europe, which can reached through interlink in the article itself.

It is nicely written article. However, there is no discussion as such.

It has taken up some controversies about the renovation, also about the change of names and the financial planning going on in maintaining the terminus.

I have found that many railway stations in Europe, highways in Europe and also in America and Canada have found good representation on Wikipedia. I consider it as a important feature. I believe that it is reflection of present level of understanding of the earth as well developments which are taking place. Try to evaluate my statement from historic perspective. An insipid statement given about will soon acquire great significance if one remembers that how the discoveries of new continents, how the blockade of established trade routes from Arab countries brought about historic changes in the world. History is basically about consciousness in collectivity. One does not know how to look for such a collective consciousness. For me, mere taking nation, nation does not make one a patriot. It is required that one should have concrete information about the spatial spread of his country. Such understanding as the rail networks, road net works, air flight schedules etc are definitely considered as in important check point while evaluating the intelligence and activism of a person. Similarly, it shows that how far a person is mobile. Anyhow, it is one the feature of Wikipedia which I like. I generally skip such articles, but as now the policy is that even if I do not intend to pass any comment on the contents, I must record the articles which I have visited. NO doubt, I still skip reporting many of them.

One more thing, the numerous articles on transportation made me jealous and I thought of checking similar article on India. I found the article on Shivaji Terminus. Though it is one of the World Heritage Site identified by UNESCO, it is nicely written.

The link referred:
Bremerhaven Hauptbahnhof - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Video Games Entries: Random

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Alternative Heading: Is Wikipedia a Magazine or a Marketing Agency 

One may come across many video games entries on Random Article. They are numerous. As I have commented earlier, probably in case of Noble M15 car, they seem to be a part of marketing strategy. They virtually reduce the level of Encyclopaedia. I know that there are arguments against my statement. Let me delve some more what I say.

Check any of such entries. It is about one product and that is a commercial product. Secondly, it discusses the contents of the Video Game and nothing of long lasting nature. Try to understand, that when next set of games come, the previous games go out of favour. It is a fad, a mania, a fashion, a curiosity and nothing else. Give any game to a child or a teenager. He may get hooked to it for some days. Then he will become bored and reluctant. He may seek some new games.

Secondly, it is a commercial product. It is just a  product on the market just like any other white goods. If it is there, then every white goods company should be allowed to tell about the features of their product and the exhibits they are showing elsewhere. Then it will not be an encyclopaedia. Then it will be Wikiadvertisement Agency.

On the other hand, there are some good points also. All the new games are coming with animation and they are gradually coming near to realism. Hence, it is a demonstration of development in the field of animation through computers.

Secondly, every video game discusses the System Requirement which specify the hardware needed to run the new graphics. It helps you to learn about the new changes in the field of hardware of computers. It helps to understand that if you are going for a new computer then what should you get assembled or buy for the present.

On the whole, you find numerous articles on Video games. Wikipedia becomes a magazine describing such products. Even in the external links, at the maximum, you may find the link to the official site of the game or the developer where in you are asked to pay for the product if you are interested. They are getting audience without spending money on advertisement and Wikipedia is asking for donation. Got the point.

It is not that I am totally against such articles. Even, in my field of study which is history, even the leading brains in our field have taken notice of the development in the field of animation in Video games. They are observing that how the story plots are being based on some historic stories and used in the Video games. They believe that it is promoting the sense of historicism. But, there is need to review the paradigm of articles which generally refers to a commercial product.

I am not promoting the link as giving below. It is just that I have been finding many articles on video games while using the Random click that finally I decided to comment on them. The link below is that article after which I made this comment.

Death to Spies: Moment of Truth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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William Offield - A Stub of Stub

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William Offield!! Who was he?

He was probably the first settler of Indiana.

I teach American history in Punjab India in college affiliated to Punjab University. I am interested in the American history articles. Therefore, movement, I reached this article, and read the date 1821, I read the article. There is nothing in it. Is it a biography? No.

Is it trying to record one and only one event in the history of America that a settler (was a title holder or mere a squattor) came to a new place?

There are quite attractive photographs of wild on display. There are references to book of histories. But, the content does not qualify the heading William Offield.

There is no discussion as such. Even the editors have not found it a Stub class article.

It is a stub class article which tells only one event about a person and the person as such remains unidentified.

Check the link

William Offield - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Mohammed Alim Khan : A new browsing

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I reached the article through a different route. I call it a new route. However, I am not going to make a category for it.

Well, there are other links on the main page which can also be used for general browsing. There are categories displayed on the upper side. Among those categories, there is link to Biography.

Being a student of history, biography attracts. Biographies are generally accepted as a part of literature of the language in which it is written and historians use it as source. Mere biography is not considered history as such. That is other thing that in some definitions, History is generally rated as a subject which is based on biographies. Well, that is now fully discarded and such an approach is generally adopted while writing political history.

The article was shown under selected portrait.

Is it really a photograph of Mohammed Alim Khan?

I was attracted towards it because in a small snippet it was written that Emir ruled over Bukhara. Bukhara as a name of a place appears during the Medieval History of India. But, we generally do not find much details on the background of the people of that period. In case of A L Srivastva, I read with full attention the activities of Babar before he became the ruler of Kabul. However, similar details are not found as such.

I was highly disappointed with the contents of this article. The discussion virtually reflects the objections of even general readers who had participated in developing this article. First of the details of the family background of Emir is doubtful but it is displayed. On the discussion section, the right objection has been raised. Similarly, the very authenticity of the photograph is questioned and there is a point. However, there is no one there to authenticate it. Rather great stress is given to the caption or rather detail provided under the photograph. It is shown to have been clicked in 1911. But, the quality of photograph seems to be result of latest technology. Even Wilson, or for that Churchill or any other leader from 1910 to 1945 were not lucky to have such a photograph.

The contents are highly doubtful in nature.

Mohammed Alim Khan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dance and Dancers in Ancient Egypt - Flip to Selection

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Dances and Dancers in Ancient Egypt seems to have many 'firsts' to it.

It has a different formatting.

It is a long article but does not have a single interlink.

There are references but all of them are from online digital sources. There is a book in reference and even that has a link on books.google.com.

There is no discussion at present.

It is a recent article which started on July 17, 2009. It is a long article but very few edits. It is started by editor N.said which does not have given any biodata about himself.

The article has only one category and that is Ancient Egyptian Culture.

The opening paragraph is very nicely written and shows that it is original writing written by a person who has good understanding of the topic from historic perspective.However, the rest of the detail is not all that impressive. It lacks the quality because there are very less number of references and quotes. Secondly, interlinks are not there.

On the whole, I have found it a unique article.

This link is as follows:
Dance and Dancers in Ancient Egypt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Louis Boullogne - and one Random

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Louis Boullogne was a Frnech painter. It does not have any discussion. It has few lines on the person as the subject.
Louis Boullogne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Dance and Dancers in Ancient Egypt
The title attracts. I must read it and make a separate posting on it. I change the heading of the post to one Random

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Noble M15 - First Vehicle on Random Click

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I am definitely interested in cars. I desire to learn more about sports car. However, I do not have much knowledge about them. Secondly, I do not know about the leading European car manufacturers.

This was the first such article on Sports Car or at least on a motorized vehicle which appeared on using Random article option. Noble M15 is a sports car of Noble automotive of England and designed by Lee Noble.

The article was created on July 31, 2006 by Jaganath, a word which sounds like an Indian word Jagan Nath.

There is no discussion on the talk page. Even the edit page is confined to one age only since 2006. In external links, there is link to the Homepage of the manufacturer.

Comment

There is only one link under External link category. The suggested link is the official page of the manufacturer. I have not visited the manufacturer page. I have developed this feeling that the Wikipedia is very discretely used as a Public Relation Device and advertisement board. I have collected some examples and developed an impression about their collective nature. I think that those who are in the filed of marketing may be interested in that. Or rather, they are already on the job and I am just discovering their game which is going on Wikipedia.

The link to the article is hinged below:

Noble M15 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Italian War of 1542–1546 : Main page Featured Article

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Today, it is September 25, 2009. It has again happened that the featured article has attracted my attention. I have not got the chance to open the Wikipedia for any purpose as the erratic electricity supply does not allow you enough time to spend on the computer and exploring net becomes a far cry for that. However, it is evening in India, an hopefully, the electricity will continue for couple of hours.

My interest is in Renaissance period. I am actually infatuated by this period of European history. It is the reading of this period, which has fixed my faith in the subject which I teach for my living. Renaissance as a cultural revolution had taken place when there was political instability. It is something which is opposite to established view that the cultural renaissance take place when there is political stability. Secondly, it was the reading of Hayes that raised my faith in the reading of history. Therefore, whenever I come across anything related to Renaissance period or any part of High Middle Ages or the Early Modern Age, as it is being now identified, I get attracted towards it. My interest is generally about 19th century, the age of Historians as Lyall would love to call it. It is not by the calendar reading that the history is generally studied. It is just a norm to study history after periodization. I should say that I am generally interested in anything between 1710 to 1910. For me, that is the nineteen century, the age of historians. The 1710, the age of Enlightenment, the age of Plutarch, just make you to look behind further and you are interested in Middle Ages.

Anyhow, it is Renaissance, the cultural revolution interest which made me to hurriedly go through the article. The main interest is that I have tried to read, with the constraint of not knowing European languages except English, anything about renaissance. One of the feature of Renaissance was the political instability. When you read about renaissance, every feature of it is found clubbed at a place in a book, but the books which I have read, there is reference to political fluid nature but the wars are not discussed as such. Therefore, here, were I read that there was a war between 1542 to 1546, the obvious thing was to get the peep into the whole article. It was a hurried reading. I found that it was not the only war but it had been preceded by another Italian war. Secondly, the references there were from titles which carried the term 'Renaissance'. However, the writers have used a specific set of sources only and one name repeats again and again.

In discussion section, there is a debate. It is for the first time I have observed that the debate remains among the people who want to discuss. The debate is short though under one heading there is a long dialogue. Secondly is among the best written article by the Wikipedia community as stated there.

I have yet to read it and read it with my approach of getting into every interlink. I needed an article wherein in wars during Renaissance period are discussed. I believe and hope, now I have one of it.

I will further add to it.

Link Structure:
One thing more I have identified in this case. It is the first url on Wikipedia which has a number in it.

The link is given below.
Italian War of 1542–1546 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Ross Sea party

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Ross Sea Party is today's Featured Article. I was not much interested in reading this article but the world Antarctica attracted my attention. I did not have conceptual clarity of both the poles. Therefore, I entered into the article. It was a story of adventure which took place in 1914-1917.

My interested was also evoked because India is establishing her third station Materi. Therefore, apart from reading the opening paragraph, I also went for interlink on Antarctica as well as the fresh sheet of North pole. All the three articles were worth reading but they are quite long. As far as the Ross Sea Party is concerned, it has equally interesting details which I have yet to read.

For reference check the link which follows: 

Ross Sea party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


COMMENT:

It is interesting to note that article is quite long. Even the article on Antarctic is equally a lengthy affair. No doubt, the first comment in the discussion section of the Ross Sea party refers to that feature. It seems that this stands as it is now after the editing. Previously, there might have been some more details. It seems that those details were about the hardships and the related stories which the editors have pruned to bring it to the level of  encyclopaedia. However, for me, what actually is Encyclopaedia level? There are numerous references even.

On the other hand, Antarctica article is equally a long article but highly substantiated by graphs, maps and photographs. Secondly, the discussion is so alive that it has been archived. Some times I feel that Wikipedia is actually being used as Public Relation exercise and also a propaganda shout board and Wikipedia Foundation is just allowing that. I am going to write a post that how it is being used as a marketing place. I am having this plan for some days but it just happens that I am delaying it. On the whole, this article has not allowed me to push the Random button.

In addition to that, I have found that there is need of stating one more policy decision. It seems to be policy announcement day here on this blog. Most of the articles are having interlinks. Interlinks are those which take you to another article available on the Wikipedia itself. It is a very useful feature. I had even tried to develop my notes like that by using interlinks between various Word files and Paste Special Feature. Now, I am also going to make another category and that is Article of Interlinks.    

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Flip Record and Sideline Comments

I add two new categories namely FLIP RECORD AND SIDELINE COMMENTS

FLIP RECORD
I have not posted for some days. It is not that I have not used the Random Button. However, I have not made any entries on the blog. I have added to zotero addon number of articles with note on what I am suppose to right on them. I am not lethargic. The main problem is long hour cuts and erratic supply of electricity. The Punjab Government is really following a wrong economics. It is giving free electricity to the farmers but make the urban lower Middle class income group to pay for them while their activities are being reduced. It is hampering my activity which is to study for my job. Whenever there is electric supply, the priority is to attend to the professional job. I am facing the same problem again. I am writing on what I am reading. The writing pads are piling up. They are to be preserved in electronic form so that I may use them when they are needed. It here that Wikipedia is having its value. I do not how people from other trade value the significance of Wikipedia. But for a teacher, research scholar and those who have to get the information at the shortest possible time, idea behind wikipedia is a blessing in disguise.

In any case, I have not stopped from flipping through wikipedia even in the time which is short for this activity. But, I am not able to read, evaluate and develop my classification on the basis of the information which I gather from the portal.

Hence, now onwards, I will make noting of all such articles, where I would have read few lines. It is goes against the earlier policy decision where I have envisaged that I will write only on those topics which attracts me when I locate them on wikipedia. That policy is still their but there is a corollary to it now. I believe that both the policies could go side by side.

SIDELINE COMMENTS.
Presently, there is a letter by Jimmy Wales and Michael Show displayed on the core section of the wikipedia and it is displayed on all pages. They have invited the readers to participate in Wikimedia project. There are many more sections on Wikipedia like Wikiuniversity, Wikiquotes, Wikidictionaries etc on this portal. However, I would like to remain confined to Wikipedia as an open encyclopaedia. I am not closed to their offer but I will like to concentrate on Wikipedia for the time being. But, there is a side story also. There is a controversy going on about the actual pioneer and founder of Wikipedia. In the letter, the Jimmy has shown himself as the founder. Now, there is story behind it. It is there on the main article on Jimmy Wales itself.

Similarly, there are many blogs which are spinoff of activities of Wikipedia. My blog can be cited as one of the example. Similarly there are other blogs also which can be located with the help of blogger search engines. They also deserve attention but they are not part of wikipedia. However, they are definitely related to the Wikipedia in one sense. I am sure that the officers of Wikipedia are watching them. I can discern from the details of my site meter that even my blog which is hardly three weeks old by now, is being visited by some specific visitors. I believe that my entry on Jimmy Wales has been visited by Jimmy or someone authorized by him on a mobile device. Such things are Sideline Comment categories.

Hello! Welcome! My name is Jimmy Wales

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There is a link given below to the User Page of Jimmy Wales (Jimbo).

Who is he?

Well, if you do not know him or read his name for the first time then I suggest that you may visit wikipedia.org and search the entry Jimmy Wales.

Or You may check the following link
User:Jimbo Wales - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Influenza prevention

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Influenza prevention is a note which must be prepared as it is a pandemic. Such type of questions are good both for Mains as well as interview.

I have already given a link earlier. There was a good article on TOI but I just skipped to make a repeat entry in the list. However, on the Wikipedia, there is an article which remained fixed on the Main page of Wikipedia. It came under criticism also as the American people among whom Wikipedia seems to be now a one of the major reference source and they on the discussion page of the Main page made recommendation on how and what should be contained on this page. As a result, they have given good links which can be one stop place to develop a good note.

If time permits and the Influenza is in the list of your probable, one can visit the page given below, explore the blue shaded interlinks and prepare a good note.

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Influenza prevention - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Bhajji Selected as Featured Article on Wikipedia

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Harbhajan Singh, the sportsman from India, playing cricket has appeared as the featured article on Main page of Wikipedia today that is September 17, 2009.

It has been found that there are numerous football player who have been the subject of entries on Wikipedia. Most of the articles on the players are stub category articles. However, there is a respectable length of content on the player. Secondly, even the Discussion section is quite alive. The controversies around Bhajji, his bowling style et al have form the part of the write up.

The icing on the top is that it is rated as one of the finest article created by the wikipedia community. It is fascinating and amusing. During the browsing of the wikipedia, I have found that all the possible names in football, boxing etc have found place on the portal but all generally they are stubs. However, the Wikipedia Community has a special liking for this gentleman who bowls balls in cricket and uses his hand quite often for multitasking acts. (Khatak)

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Harbhajan Singh the Featured Article:
Harbhajan Singh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Over enthusiast forgets the country

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While browsing the Wikipedia through Random Article route, you may come across such places and towns on the earth about which you could have never dreamt of or heard about. To your surprise, you may learn that such places are hidden heavens on the earth and probably they were kept hidden from you just for that reason.

Anyhow, there are many places mentioned on Wikipedia, about you may have no idea. One thing which sometimes struck you is the absence of any reference to the country within the article where they are located. I have made entries on such articles on one or two places. However, I have generally desisted from doing it for every such place as it can be wrong entry as I have already mentioned they are such places about which you learn for the first time. When you come to learn about them for the first time, I believe, the right approach should be to receive the information than to become critical.

Castletown entry was such an entry wherein I found that one should not show over enthusiasm in editing any or every article with your own established mind sets. However, when I visited the Casteltown page, I tried to explore the article in order to know the location of the place. There was a clue that it was on the Isle of Man. But, where is the Isle of Man? It was again a new information to me. There was an internal link. But I went for the next step which has become a practice with me. I opened up a search engine and sought for Castletown entry. Again, I did not find any satisfying result as five of the results out of 10 (I have intentionally kept my preference for only 10 results on one page.) were from Wikipedia group itself. I went for the third option as it was a geographical identity and the option was to explore the Google Earth. I soon landed on the town at 100 m eyelevel. I just got infatuated by the place. I actually landed at a football ground. It was quite clear as the glimpse was from 100m. Then I realised that it was on an island between UK and Ireland. Now, I went for the entry on the Isle of Man. Then and there I came to learn about the actual status of the Isle. Well, in this case, it was not desired to mention the country as such. This is how I felt after reading the contents of the place. There can be an objection to what I have just written above. I can understand.

The geographical coordinates are given. I can guess that if people from Wikipedia read this, they may counter me with such an argument. Well, that is right that giving coordinates of the place is more scientific way of telling the location of a place. Even then, I believe that it communicates to lesser people. If there is an entry that it is politically associated with UK then it may sound good. On the other, there are many places mentioned on the Wikipedia, wherein, the country of their location is not mentioned. You have to make extra efforts to locate the name of the country. They are sometimes mentioned in the categorization given at the end of the article or on the side bar.

On the whole, it was an experience to watch the place on Google Map. It has given me a desire and I wish that someday I may visit that place. But, alas, I do not have the passport. To get the paper work done in India is a big problem. For a person like me, I do not swallow it that I have to seek services of a government office and to give bride bribe to agents and a polcia or spata would visit me for verification and I have to persuade my neighbours to provide authentication for me by providing Photostat of their documents. Nilkani, When are you going to spend those 15 lakhs crore rupees on IUIDs?

Well, till then, Hail the Wikipedia and Google Map.

The Link to the Castletown entry on Wikipedia is given below.

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Castletown Link on Wikipedia:
Castletown - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Lewis Lord Russell : Just for the Photograph

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I am making this entry only because of the photograph. I hope it will be liked by the viewers and they could guess that it could have attracted the blogger. When I landed on the page, my attention was arrested by the photograph. Instead of reading the contents of the article, I enlarged the photograph. Later I came to the contents. I learnt that the actor had played the role of a villain.
Secondly, I find, that Pran, then the father of Amjad Khan (I am forgetting his name and there is quite a resemblance except Khan's face was more round.) and some of other actors from Bombay film industry had modelled themselves somewhat in similar fashion. May be, they had access to the print media of America and London related to film industries there even in their own days.
I think more than the articles and their contents, Wikipedia is also a big store house of old photographs. I am going to create a new entry as 'Photographs' in the label section. It is a good hunting ground for antiquarians.

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If interested then visit:
Lewis Lord Russell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Abstraction principle : First Law Related Random Article

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Abstraction principle is exclusive to German legal system. The principle as such is definitely in itself an interesting principle. However, I have made a noting of it because during the browsing through the Random article section on Wikipedia, it happens to be the first Law related topic in my case. The article other is written in a very communicative mode. I hope, on visit to the link, the reader will not be disappointed provided s/he has the liking for the legal knowledge.

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Random article:
Abstraction principle (law) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Georgi Lozanov - Suggestopedia

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I would first like to make a policy statement. Only those post will be reported from the Random article which attracts my attention.

Today and yesterday, I had been clicking the Random button and browsed through the articles but I did not report any of them. Even today, some articles attracted my attention. Like there was one on Milyee, a name which is very popular in America. It is also a name of the a singer there. There was an article on IUPAC name which I posted on my other blog.

The Georgi Lozanov attracted my attention. It is a stub category article but even then, with its brief content material, my attention was directed to two terms namely Suggestopedia and Biofeedback, a teaching method. I also visited the official site of Georgi Lozanov. There is displayed a photograph of Georgi Lozanov. I hurriedly browsed through the site reading fast the contents. Then the main article on the wikipedia, there are two pdf files. I have yet to read them as they are downloading and seems to be bulky files. The very content, even if it is brief, attracted me. While doing my main task, I will snatch out some time to read it. I believe it is worth visiting the page.

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Georgi Lozanov page

Georgi Lozanov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Manmohan Singh (director) Random

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Manmohan Singh Director. Did I know him? However, it is for the first time that an Indian oriented article has appeared at Random Click. As per the entry, Manmohan Singh is a cinematographer in Bollywood films and directed his first film in Hindi titled Pehla Pehla Pyar. Rest he is more popular as the director of Punjabi Films, of Indian Punjab and a good lst is given on the sheet. The latest one is Munde U.K. De released in 2009.

As far as the External link is concerned there is universally popular link to the Internet Movie Database at www.imdb.com. There is an entry at Internet Movie Data Base to his name. Further, he had even won filmfare award for Cinematography for Chandni and Darr. Hence, there are good authentications and the name deserve to be on Wikipedia.

On thing which I identified that the Manmohan Singh query directly takes to the sheet on Manmohan Singh the Prime Minister of India. It is not disambiguated. However, I am not going to make that edit on wikipedia.

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Manmohan Singh (director) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Luxeuil Abbey -The Random Article

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Luxeuli Abbey was the first Random Article of the day. It is what I had been doing for the last two months and the result is this blog.
Random article generally do not give any substantial article. I do not say that it is a norm but whenever I had been clicking Random article on the main page, generally a stub article or a commune in France, or a village in Poland,or a new music cassette, or a football players or similar such topics were landed upon and there were merely two to three lines on them. However, today in the very first click I landed on Luxeuli Abbey. I did not know anything about it. I do not know much about the Christian history. However, I am interested in Renaissance period. I am in India, and here to my dismay I find that here Dark Age concept preceding Renaissance is still prevailing. There are very few books which have referred to Middle Ages as the new concept but they do not explain that why was Dark Age concept was abandoned when it was proposed by Petrarch, the father of Humanism, who had himself introduced the term and in European Historiography itself it had remained there for all along this period. It was somewhere in 1980, the period of Postmodernism in History (Postmodernism in art is identified with 1960s) the whole concept was reviewed.

I was convinced with the review of the concept and introduction of Middle Ages concept but did not have enough examples to show that how the middle ages were a period of intellectual growth on which the Renaissance drawn upon its strength. I hardly read few lines of Luxeuli Abbey and suddenly found well here is another example which showed the changes taking place in Gaul.

However, nothing much in detail is given here. Even in discussion, there is a small debate by knowledgeable people but only that much is there. There is one substantiating reference to Catholic Encyclopaedia. I am handicapped by my lack of knowledge of European languages and if I am writing all this in English then British are the culprits. If there are many grammatical and diction mistake then my Indo-Islamic background in Punjab is the culprit.

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Link to the article:
Luxeuil Abbey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Amchitka to Aleutian Islands: A Featured Article of Sept 7

On the Main Page of Wikipedia, every day there is a featured article. They are articles available on Wikipedia. I do not know the basis on which they are being nominated for 'featured article'. I may go for self praise but not a genuine one about an article on Shradha Ram Phillauri. Actually I had written a section on Shradha Ram Phillauri in the article Phillaur. However, a full fledged article on Shradha Ram was later written and it was well written. It remained a featured article for a day. Now it has been developed further. I may add some more details after counter check as one of the descendent had sent me some information. I have otherwise given a short addition in the article based on that information.

Well today article was on Amchitka. Well, generally I am not attracted to these article but the very opening sentence attracted my attention. It was definitely a new discovery for me. I learned about Aleutian Islands which form the part of Alaska State, bought by America in 1867. American Imperialism and expansion has a peculiar feature. In addition to conquest they have bought out the territories and the finest one was Louisiana Purchase by President Jefferson in 1804. They bought it for 15 million dollars, an amount which was once asked in bride by France in 1799. From corruption to real deal that was really something. I keep on gathering points on that till this day. I teach American history from 1860 to 1973 but in order to explain 1860 you have to study Antebellum America and during that period framing of the constitution and buying of Louisiana Territory have just left me amazed and as my understanding of history is improving, I am getting more intrigued by that deal. The purchase of Alaska during Johnson period actually turned out to be culmination of that affair. Before it, they even purchased Florida in 1834. Anyhow, this article just plucked me away towards itself when in second line I noticed Aleutian islands, formed out of active volcanic eruptions, recorded as part of Alaska.

However, there is another entry which directed my attention and that had an internal link (Internal Link in wikipedia are those links which take you to articles on wikipedia itself.) It was Shelikhov Company. However, on exploration I found that it is marked Russian American Company. This is an entry which has to be pointed to the editors. and I am going to do that after giving some links.

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Heman Humphrey

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Heman Humphrey is a stub on Wikipedia. He was a clergyman and headed Amherst College. I reached this personality while preparing notes for Missouri Compromise. It was on books.google.com search I found a full length book which I downloaded. It was an address to the Mass delivered on February 26, 1854. It was on the occasion of passing Kansas Nebraska Act. However, the address is titled "The Missouri Compromise: An Address". It was published in 1854 itself in Pittsfield. As per the content, it was presented to the Congress at that time. It was requested by the citizens of Pittsfield to Rev. Heman Humphrey on March 1, 1854 to furnish them a copy of his address for the publication. The copy was delivered by Rev. Heman Humphery on the same day.

There is no discussion as present. It is categories under the title Biography. It was created by Boston on August 12, 2008.

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Heman Humphrey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Unexplained Drosoulites

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Unexplained it yet not over for me. After writing the previous post (That is pushed down now; this is the phenomena of blog) before closing I clicked 'Sfakia' where I was able to watch 'Drosuoulites'.

Unexplained Phenomena atleast for me.

There was a news item today on Google News that some people in European countries and Australia were amazed by the phenomenon which they had watched on the search page of Google. The logo of google at its one of the alphabet 'O' suddenly got kidnapped by a UFO. If you are amused then forget it. There was a news at http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25856&Itemid=62 at least.


Now coming to this blog, this sets on a chain activity which can be called the main basis of the framing of this blog.

It is now a usual procedure for me that if I come to locate a word, I immediately go to google search and simultaneous click the Wikipedia icon on bar of the browser.

On Wikipedia, I did not find any article dedicated to "Unexplained Phenomena". However, the search result showed that the term as such was used in some other articles. All them were weird in their own right. Now, the search result, which took away nearly half an hour were as follows.
UFO : It is really a long article. Before I could read full part of it, as it was not something which was explaining Unexplained Phenomena, I opted to click open another result also. It was "The Spontaneous Human Combustion". Now that was a new information to me. I did not know about it much. I read a part of it but another term here at Electronic Voice Phenomenon. I read it. It was amusing to learn and a new information in way for me that such activities were quite popular with the revival of spiritual reforms which took place between 1840s to 1920. In addition to that even Thomas Edison was made to comment on it. One thing I have observed that the people from the science field tend to give answer to every question. No doubt, it has given rise to the concept of 'Rhetoric of Science'. In India, when I find Yash Pal, answering funny question seriously, I was amused to read under article Spontaneous Human Combustion that there was one explanation that it happened because of excessive release of Hydrogen and Oxygen from the body in a trance stage. Bull Shit!!!

Well apart from that I also learnt about Rob Simone of CAUS. It is amazing to learn that talk show people always go for research before they say anything but why do they sound funny many a times? I thing that research and acting funny are two right methods of attracting attention and they do it just to get the audience. Is Blogging a funny ACt?

Motive and policies of the Blog

It is my eighteenth blog. As per Hindu rituals, 18 is definitely an auspicious number. However, today the date is September 5, 2009. On one hand, it is a Teacher's Day in India which commemorate the birthday a highly illustrious of son of India, Sarvapali Radhakrishnan but on the other hand, today, during this samvat, it is the first Shradhas. The Hindus do not start anything on this day but I am doing it.

The idea of making this blog had already germinated few days back. I am adding a new blog title after regular intervals. Is there any game plan behind it? No. It is Zotero behind it. Zotero is a add on available on Firefox. It was blogs on HNN at www.hnn.us which directed my attention towards this add on. I learnt about digital history and soon I learnt about Zotero being highly promoted by digital history exponents. I was bit reluctant to use it but while for one up-gradation, a selected it and it was there on the browsing window. I am not fully conversant with it. However, it has given me a facility which I always sought during my visits to library. I believe who are in the field of teaching and research, they know one thing, that when you come across a book, even if you are not searching for it, but find it interesting, then it should be the right thing to do to make a note of it and go through it at the first available opportunity. If you get a book, make sure that you go through it at the earliest or it will remain untouched on the shelf. Something similar happens on internet. You explore internet for a particular piece of information. While digging out the information using search engines, blog search, books, articles etc. which ever mode or paradigm you have used to undertake research on internet, you come across many sites or piece of information which attract you and you feel that the information can be useful at some time if it is not of immediate interest for you. However, if you try to find the information at a later stage, you may never get back to the same site or same target. It is something which happens in a library. You leave a book on the shelf to get it latter. You go back to locate it, you do not find it. You talk to the librarian, they show reluctance in locating it. Well I know, it does not happen in American and European universities but it happens in India and I have stopped going to library because of that. However, coming back to internet browsing for find information on the task at hand, I used to make word copy and that generally became unmanageable because while you are browsing, you are not able to categories the collection of data when you just stumble upon it without the desire to reaching it. In case of Zotero, a facility is there to click the new folder icon, name it depending upon the content of information and then click photoshot and within in less than a minute, you have a record on your hard disc. You may access it later even without going on line. It has become a practice or rather a habit with me.

Now the folders on Zotero are increasing everyday. However, there are some folders which get entries regularly. Some of the folders have so many entries that they give me a set of data which can be a raw material for making a blog. I have made some blogs because of such a collection. I never thought of making those blogs. I made a folder on Zotero. The heading which I gave to the blog turned out to be such a heading that when I sought to categorize a piece of information which I have come across with intend on the internet, I opened the Zotero and the category itself appealed to me and I added that link to that folder. Soon, some folders become more use able. I did not have intention of adding to them. But the new information which I located could be added under that category. Soon I found that some of the folders have a large number of entries. Then, I found that it could be a good material for a blog and I started a blog for that. The best examples of such creations are the History in News Blog and Crime-proceedings. I do not have much knowledge about Crime reporting. But, the news items which I have started collecting after making a note of Arushi Double murder case in a separate folder, suddenly collected so many news items, that I just created the blog out of it. Similarly, I never thought of History in News title. It was just on the spur of a movement, I read a news item online. I found that it was related to history. I wanted to keep in record a link. Instead of adding it to daily news item folder, I just made a new folder as History in News. And that gradually itself evolved into a blueprint of a blog and definitely that blog is getting regular entries.

Why This Blog:
Well, for a year or two, I have found that whenever I seek information about something, there was usually a search result which took me to the Wikipedia. Now it has become a norm with me that I open a search result sheet as well as Wikipedia sheet also. I am regular contributor to wikipedia also. But the search result has shown that there are numerous fields on which there is some information on wikipedia also. For the last three months, I am visiting Wikipedia more frequently. Now on Wikipedia, I prefer to look into discussion tab as well as external links before reaching a decision to gather any information from that source. Such an activity sometimes take you to numerous other links. In addition to that, the internal links, which is a policy of Wikipedia content development, are also checked. This has helped me to explore wikiepdia more and more and there is lot more on Wikipedia which I have yet to learn to explore. Anyhow, if you get sucked into such point to point diversion, you can not complete your task. So, what I did then? The same thing which I have mentioned above. I made a folder on Zotero and called it Wiki Article. But the story did not end there. Even then, there was need to further categorize and classify the information which I was collecting. Hence, there is a folder American Wiki. I teach American history in my college therefore it is there otherwise I do not have passport even and I have not even moved out Punjab of India. Then, as per the requirement of my subject, there is a folder, Wiki Historians. Then, again, there are some more folders. Now addition to that, I located a button on Wikipedia which is 'Random Article'. Now, nearly for two months, I play with that button. Most of the time, the articles which comes before you are stub articles. Secondly, they are either about music albums, sportsmen or communes in France, or a village in Poland and so on. But after every ten to fifteen clicks, there comes an article which attracts your attention. I created another folder titled 'Explore wikipedia'. Soon, it was receiving two to three links every day. It is now a long list there. Now, there was enough raw material there and the idea of creating a blog about the articles as gathered from Wikipedia had already there at place. But I did not make the blog. Actually I was thinking about the name of the blog. I was actually thinking about naming the blog as Exploration of Wikipedia. Then I thought on Magellan on Wikipedia. Then I thought of Random Wikipedia. None of the titles appealed to me. In the meantime, every day, I was adding new articles from the wikipedia to Zotero. Secondly, I was also making edits to the contents. I am locating some incongruities also. I am confronting too bold editors also. I am reading the discussions also. Suddenly, I came across this word Digital Curation. I has appealed to me so much that I have created this blog. But, by this time, Exploring Wikipedia had also been selected as a term to be used. It actually reflects the actual nature of the activity which has created this blog. I did not want to loose it. On the other hand, I can not claim to call myself digital expert and a curator. However, somewhere the nature of activity has affinity with something which is digital and some thing which is generally considered as a task of a curator. So, name was there and terms for url were there now. The idea and desire for this blog was already there for sometime. Actually I had thought of launching it after September 15. But the term Digital curator has attracted me and somewhere acted as a solution to my dilemma. As far as the Shradha factor is concerned, well, this aspect of Hindu life, or these ethics and moral of Hindu life is a topic which now I just do not want to discuss. I will keep on learning about them because it is part of my study for teaching social history. But I am not going to pinned down by rituals, superstitions, and morality as professed by Hindus. Well, the blog is there. Soon, I will start making the entries and check this post for mistakes as I am just writing whatsoever coming out here. I had thought out of the policy statement when I was planning to launch it as Explore Wikipedia or something like that. On the whole, I am near to what I had thought of writing.

Now, it is Random Articles, Comments on discussions, incongruities, bold editors, new learning from Wikipedia. The rest of policy statements will be outline gradually.