July 3, 2009: Everything You Want To Know, Simplified

Nearly everyone knows Wikipedia, that treasure trove of knowledge occasionally corrupted by knuckleheads with more typing skill than sense. And we've all seen the various non-English versions on the http://www.wikipedia.org/ page.

Now there is the Simple English Wikipedia. Like traditional Wikipedia, anyone can add or edit articles; however, the guidelines restrict each article to the 1,000 most common and basic words in English. This avoidance of technical jargon and complex concepts makes the information resource perfect for children, or adults learning English as a second language.

As a huge fan of Wikipedia, I feel this is wonderful -- a tool for the generations who will have broadband before they develop their full vocabulary. However, as a cynic, I'm hoping that same generation quickly catches on to the fallibility of their fellow netizens.

-- Paul Chapman

Randy's Road Trip Update

Randy's back on the road! Today's another double-header, with his first stop in Louisville, KY, to hang out at The Louisville Game Shop from 2-5pm. From there, he'll head down I-65 to Nashville, TN, for some games at The Game Keep, from 8-11pm.

For Randy's complete itinerary, check out our Where's Randy? page.