From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This user contributes on Opera. |
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This user believes it is every citizen's duty to vote. |
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This user supports the state of Israel. |
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This user is an expert on the machinations, rise, and fall of the Third Reich. |
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This user is aware of the Cabal. |
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I would say I'm a cynic but I bet you just wouldn't believe me. |
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This user enjoys reading anything. |
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This user wonders who is watching the Watchmen... |
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I eventually teach John Titor everything he knows. |
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This user plays Risk. |
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This user prefers to side with the Terrans. |
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"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." - Stephen Hawking
[edit] Terrorist leader killed in Iraq
Target: Zarqawi. Status: terminated.
[edit] Personal
I'm a twenty year old from outside of Boston. I work shipping/receiving at Barnes and Noble, but hope to someday make a living at writing. I am an autodidact, and formerly attended Emerson College for a degree in creative writing. I have an intense interest in history, especially that of the Second World War, which borders on the obsessive.
[edit] My take
Wikipedia, as a whole, suffers many biases, and has many problems because of this and other criticisms. Though the articles dealing with varied political subjects purport to be NPOV, they are not. Editing certain articles, even in a NPOV manner, causes those users of a certain bias to cry out POV. The objective nature of the encyclopedia is nearly a joke in respect to those users (which aren't a minority) who consider anything that doesn't conform to their ideology or worldview as NPOV.
Because of this underlying POV, a lot of articles suffer from concensus beliefs rather than objective truth. This is a major problem when dealing with an encyclopedia.
As a moderate (in terms of American political thought), I notice the Wikipedia leans to the left.
This is also apparent in articles such as the one about Che Guevara, which is a hagiography rather than an objective biography.
No original research hurts the encyclopedia, and I'd rather be able to include my own personal research in articles I edit.
I have restricted myself to copy-editing whilst reading articles, but I hope to improve or rewite many articles. I am wary of this, because of the fear some ignoramus will come along an hour later and ruin my changes.
[edit] Objectivity
Objective, for the record, does not mean politically correct. Ridiculous ideas can be derided whilst being objective. I see a big problem with this confusion, especially in articles dealing with Scientology.
[edit] Skepticism
I am very skeptical by nature. Occam's Razor is one of the most important principles in dealing with anything.
My skepticism is especially obvious in my dealings with conspiracy theories, especially the ones dealing with a certain 35th president of the United States. (For the record there is zero concrete evidence for any shooters but Lee Harvey Oswald). Those who buy into illogical conspiracy theories with little or no concrete evidence bug the hell out of me. Actually, this annoyance and frustration carries over to any ideas lacking concrete evidence.
[edit] Politics
I believe in traditional liberalism. I strongly oppose the hijacking of the term "liberal" by the Left in America. They stifle the free exchange of ideas, and are just as guilty as their Rightist enemies of opposing free speech of critics, and for having ridiculously foolish ideas.
Specifically, I support many ideas that some would interpret as conservative.
Israel deserves its right to statehood, and also should not be viciously attacked by its critics in terms of keeping those areas deemed "Palestinian". All of the territory was captured in preemptive strikes against nations massing troops, who had previously tried to wipe Israel off the map. Had the Arab nations wanted to keep their land, they should not have attacked (or prepare to attack) Israel. Also, the day after Israel withdrew from the West Bank, a suicide bomber killed civilians in Israel. Which brings me to my digust towards apologists for Palestine, especially the hero-worship of Yasser Arafat. Yasser Arafat would say he wanted peace in English and then turn around to his people and say "Jihad! Jihad! Jihad!" in Arabic. He was a terrorist of unbelievable influence, and the world eulogized him as a peacemaker.
I am absolutely against abortion in its present form. The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade was based on a legal fiction (an invisible "right to privacy") that was invented out of thin air in an earlier case. I would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned someday, but I do not think abortion should be completely illegal. It should never be used a form of birth control, we have enough contraceptives nowadays that people should have to live with the consequences of their actions.
It's ridiculous how worked-up everyone gets over Bush. He's not even close to being the worst president of all time, and you show yourself to be both a moron by saying so. I can't take anyone seriously who considers Bush all that dangerous, for it shows an ignorance of history. Move to Canada? What a defeatist attitude.
Communism was a grand failed experiment, and the fact people still cling to it or related ideologies is laughable.
Queer theory is bunk.
[edit] Favorites
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Tours
Siege of Vienna
Battle of Normandy
Operation Downfall
