More Wikipedia Trouble

Longtime readers, listeners, and viewers of my humble communique may recall my fued with wikipedia. For those who don’t remember, use the search box; but basically I got banned from touching information on my own life and work, and then the entry about this blog and related activities was completely deleted. Course, then came the podcast with the editor from wikipedia where we officially learned that they do alot of picking and choosing about what IS important and what ISNT.

I decided it didn’t matter. I like wikipedia for some information, and I don’t like it for other things. I figured life would go on this way, but they’ve shown more signs of poor judgement. Read Tony Pierce’s experience; a man who has been blogging and blogging hard, forever. He’s had aventures, and all sorts of trials and tribulations, he has groupies, and all sorts of run-ins with trouble, but somehow wikipedia decided he’s no good and they’ve banned him too, I think. (update: madge weinstein is on their target list as well!?!)

I went back to look at what happens when you use my name as BM or simply my fullname, and what comes up. It seems, apart from having been part of Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, more of my past projects have been deleted, including the big entry that was up for over 3 years about One Cool Guy, a once beloved third wave ska band from New Jersey.

This bothers me not only because it is about me, though I will confess to being too nascisitic with this stuff.. but hell.. I am a blogger. But what really bothers me is being erased. I can’t remember half the stories that were compiled in those entries, and with my birthday coming up on Sunday, I’m sure to forget lots of the small details that are so fun and interesting to have recorded and reported on the internet. I can imagine others will suffer the same fate, because this hugely popular and highly useful site is so plagued with counterproductive rules and incompetant editors.

What do to? Many will say — dont use it! And I like the idea, but Ill still use it.. its much too handy for some things.

I am interested in an alternative. So i googled… alternative to wikipedia. And what do you know… I present to you.. Citizendium! Odd title. yes. And yes.. it isn’t quite ready. But it has some important differences, I think. Actually I still don’t know what to think. But Im ready to sign up to participate in the pilot project. In their founding text it states:

we want to create a responsible community and a good global citizen.

Sounds like my kind of project.

bm132 Summer of Yeast 2006, Madge Weinstein and the MacDocMan Take on Circumcision

A break from my usual style of podcast. Madge Weinstein passed through Amsterdam yesterday, before eating her way to Hungary, she and I went to visit the famed Dutch vlogger and pro-foreskin crusader, the MacDocMan. I should note that he didn’t know he was being recorded initially, but I thought the conversation was interesting and fun and hopefully he agrees because otherwise I’m sure he can afford a lawyer and I certainly can’t. If you’re fragile and you can’t stand talk about genitals, this show is not for you… wimp.

Useful Links:

MacDocMan’s Vlog on Male Circumcision
Madge Weinstein Yeasts Across Europe
Is the Stock Market on the Verge of Collapse?

 

Open Source Anniversary

As I write these words, the internet’s most beloved Lesbian and former manager of the Grrl Band Goddess Riot Juice is flying over the atlantic on route to Amsterdam. She’s no doubt scrunched into a coach seat, cursing the polyester clad stewardesses, and complaining about the small portions of food. As soon as she lands, she’ll no doubt buy a bag or 20 of stroopwafels and make her way over to my neighborhood. It feels like the night before a big holiday…especially since we’ll have a houseguest and we’ve tried to fill the fridge.

If you’ve never listened to Madge, I don’t know what more to say to you. Some might say it’s an acquired taste, not for the easily offended or those who get caught up on certain words that embarress or challenge the average media language you’re used to hearing. Unless of course you listen to satellite radio or podcasting, then you know better than to get hung up on words.

But I digress, I feel like I’m selling what doesn’t need to be sold. I’m excited to see my friend and run around the city we both love.

Lastly today I got a mass email from Chris Lydon at Radio Open Source, which in the last year put out 200 shows. They’ve added audio comment options to their blog and I fully intend to use that option from now on. Maybe I’ll add one here someday too. Happy Birthday to Open Source, one of the biggest inspirations to me in the podosphere.

**Update — Not sure what the weather is doing in New York, but the flight has been delayed. So the fun begins on Sunday.