Something Wiki This Way Comes

Not long ago I blogged an anecdote illustrating the unreliability of Wikipedia as a research tool (18 October). I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but within five days user 86.136.176.158, apparently a London-based BT Broadband customer, nipped onto the page about me and "associated" me with an organisation that was disbanded in 1997. (My weekly TV and radio appearances in summer 2005 were also cut from "frequent" to "some", although with hindsight, given the mindlessness of most of the radio slots, I would have settled for "some".)

The user history shows an hour spent online toying with a fleeting obsession, suggesting a pound sterling wasted on "research" in a London internet cafe. But then at close to 2 a.m., up go six factoids, suggesting both personal knowledge to do with left-leaning greens in higher education such as Derek Wall (if they are correct), and a home broadband connection. Hence the following cyber-footprint (most recent changes first):

02:01, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Institute of Education‎ (→Notable people) (top)
01:59, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Denis Smalley‎ (top)
01:58, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) City University, London‎ (→Academics)
01:57, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) City University, London‎
01:56, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Goldsmiths, University of London‎
01:54, 24 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Derek Wall‎ (→Political Career) (top)
21:51, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Entryism‎ (→In the United Kingdom)
21:51, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Front organization‎ (→See also)
21:50, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Front organization‎ (→See also)
21:50, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Front organization‎ (→See also)
21:50, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Entryism‎ (→See also)
21:49, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Entryism‎ (→See also)
21:36, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) James Heartfield‎
21:36, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) James Heartfield‎
21:35, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) James Heartfield‎
21:12, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Fiona Fox (UK press officer)‎ (top)
21:11, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Claire Fox‎ (→Criticism)
21:08, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Living Marxism‎ (→George Monbiot and the 'LobbyWatch Network')
21:07, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Brendan O’Neill‎
21:04, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Brendan O’Neill‎
21:04, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Brendan O’Neill‎
21:00, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Graham Barnfield‎
20:59, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Graham Barnfield‎
20:58, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Living Marxism‎ (→See also)
20:57, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Living Marxism‎ (→George Monbiot and the 'LobbyWatch Network')
20:51, 23 October 2007 (hist) (diff) Graham Barnfield‎

Why beat a three-hour retreat from, err, repeating information in the public domain, Woodward? Scared of missing the 10-minute freeview on the Adult Channel? Trying to catch last orders, unaware of Britain's relaxed licensing laws? Get a life or at least go to bed...

Once again the blogosphere/wikiworld is shown to be a great place for avoiding important issues. Next thing someone will have grammar-flame drama queen Oliver Kamm bang to rights, for calling Flight KAL 858 Flight 857, or some other such breakthrough ...