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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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

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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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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