Wikipedia Knows More About You Than You

Every once in a while, Phillip K. Blakely of Gary, Ind., likes to Google his name, to see what information about himself has been posted on the Internet.
"Usually it's just my property records, high school reunion list, stuff like that," said Blakely, 28, a mail room supervisor at a law firm.
But last week Blakely was shocked to see that the third item on his search results page was a link to a full biography of Blakely on Wikipedia, the fast-growing online encyclopedia.
"I didn't submit it," said Blakely. "My wife or parents didn't submit it. And yet they know everything about me."
The entry for Blakely included his accurate birth date, a list of schools he attended from nursery through Ivy Tech Community College in Gary, as well as his wedding date and some rather lurid details about his sex life, which Blakely tried to amend. That portion of the entry now reads "portions of this section are disputed."
Blakely was also intrigued to learn that he was adopted and that his 11th grade girlfriend, Missy Hollander, cheated on him with the captain of the varsity basketball team.

Lieberman To Form His Own Senate

Pushed out if his own party by Democratic primary voters and opposed by the Republicans, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman said he'll form his own Senate if he fails to be elected as an independent in November.
"It's time for new ideas and new directions," Lieberman told an audience at a campaign stop in Norwalk. "If the Democrats, Republicans and independents aren't ready for those ideas and directions, then we'll have to take an even bolder initiative."
That means starting a new Senate, possibly a new House of Representatives and even a new presidency, Lieberman added. "I know that may seem like a problem constitutionally," Lieberman said. "But my new Supreme Court will fix that right up."
Lieberman said he'll begin seeking candidates for the Lieberman legislature on November 9 if he loses his seat in what he called "the old Senate," shortly after swearing himself in as majority leader.
Lieberman, a three-term incumbent who lost the Democratic nomination to novice challenger Ned Lamont, insisted he was not out of step with his constituents for voting with Democrats on most domestic issues while supporting President Bush on the Iraq war and foreign policy.
"I've been a proud Demopublican my whole career," Lieberman said, "although sometimes I've not hesitated to be a Republicrat."

Mel Gibson To Campaign With George Allen

After hearing that Republican Senator George Allen of Virginia disparaged a Democratic operative of Asian descent by calling him "macaca" at a campaign event, Hollywood actor and bigotry poster boy Mel Gibson this week promised to campaign with him.
"I'm not an anti-Semite just because I slur the Jews," said Gibson in a statement released by his publicist, Sy Goldberg. "And by the same token, Sen. Allen isn't a racist just because he calls a guy with dark skin an epithet used by French colonials in Africa to deride the natives.'
Gibson said it was "time for people to lighten up and get a sense of humor. Or do the Jews own that, too."
In other Gibson news, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- who has sworn to eliminate Israel with nuclear bombs -- has reportedly banned the actor from visiting his country, saying that hosting Gibson might make him look bad.

Passengers Now Required To Fly Naked

All passengers boarding domestic flights will be forced to disrobe at the security gate and fly naked, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Agency announced today.
The complete clothing and carry-on luggage ban will virtually eliminate the possibility of smuggling dangerous objects aboard planes, said Homeland Security director Michael Chertoff. "Plus," he added, "it might make long flights a bit less boring."
The new rules, said Chertoff, would also eliminate the need for x-ray and metal detector machines, although some passengers would still be subjected to cavity searches.
A spokesman for United Airlines this week noted that the new guidelines were likely to enhance security, but expressed concern that health considerations would now require that airline seats be replaced after each flight.