Blog P.I.

Today Blog P.I. launches a new feature, or what I hope will actually become one: a look at the Top 10 most-edited pages on the English-language Wikipedia for the past week, with an explanation for why each page made the top ten. Some will be obvious to anyone who keeps tabs on current events, so rather than giving a terse “duh” I’ll endeavor to pull a non-obvious detail or amusing factoid from the edit history.

This would be completely impossible without WikiRage, an online resource keeping track of the most-edited pages for various time periods and categories. We’ll be using the previous week and the raw number of edits. Also, credit for the concept goes to the podcast Wikipedia Weekly which has done something similar before. However, as I count just three episodes 2008 YTD, it is weekly in name only. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to us. With that, let’s look at the list for the week of March 16-22:

1. Article: Arthur C. Clarke
   Why: The celebrated author of “2001: A Space Odyssey” and many other science fiction stories passed away this week at age 90.
   Detail: His death loosed a number of obituaries and many, many edits clarifying many aspects of his life and stories.


2. Article: 2008 unrest in Tibet
   Why: It’s more than a current event; it’s the worst political turmoil in mainland China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations.
   Detail: Despite China’s attempts to keep the lid on news coverage it has generated plenty, and no small amount of disagreement about what belongs in the article.


3. Article: Deaths in 2008
   Why: Among the notables passing away in the past week: Science fiction writer Clarke, film director Anthony Minghella, actor Paul Scofield, former child aviator Vicki Van Meter.
   Detail: Not currently evident from the page, an editing skirmish over whether to include Abigail Taylor, a six-year-old Minnesota girl who drew headlines when her intestines were partially sucked out by the drain of a public swimming pool.


4. Article: Britney’s New Look
   Why: It was the new episode of South Park this week. It was also about Britney Spears, which must count for something.
   Detail: Fans of the show take the plot summaries very seriously.


5. Article: Bear Stearns
   Why: Facing imminent collapse, the brokerage firm sold to JP Morgan Chase for $2 a share, down from $30 the week before and $172 at its height.
   Detail: Bear Stearns has its defenders; the “Controversy” section dealing with the crisis itself is still yo-yoing between deletion and re-inclusion. Who will win? I’d bet on a slightly toned-down and retitled version of that section. One can’t argue the plunge in share price and sale is not a key event in the company’s history.


6. Article: David Paterson
   Why: Not only is he the new governor of New York, but he’s already embroiled in a controversy over whether he abused state resources in conjunction with admitted romantic affairs.
   Detail: Prior to taking over for Eliot Spitzer this week, Paterson was said to be the first legally blind governor of any U.S. state. However, that may be a matter of dispute.


7. Article: 2008 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament
   Why: Productivity plummets (not really) as March Madness sweeps office spaces across the country.
   Detail: This page is amazingly detailed. Whomever designed the bracket templates, I salute you.


8. Article: Horton Hears a Who! (film)
   Why: It was the number one movie at the U.S. box office this week. Detail: Now that the film has been released, moviegoers are building out the entry. Oh, the things some people see fit to add to Wikipedia entries.


9. Article: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
   Why: This staple of college-level English courses hasn’t changed in 500 years… right?
   Detail: Turns out there is a new translation of the poem out. At least, that’s where I think what is causing a number of edits aiming to emphasize Freudian and homoerotic subtext in the tale. However, other Wikipedians disagree — and both have been debated on the discussion page. Literary fight! Then again, some vandals want others to confuse it with Monty Python.


10. Article: Brian Posehn
    Why: On March 19, the comedian and actor mentioned editing his own Wikipedia entry on Late Night with Conan O’Brien
    Detail: It’s amusing how would-be Wikipedia editors can’t even agree on what Posehn actually said.

Well, that’s it for this week. If you have questions or comments about this feature, please let us know.