9 ridiculous Wikipedia lists to waste away the work day – Memeburn
By Julia Breakey on 9 March, 2017 Share
For the last six years of my life, I have had teachers, lecturers and tutors drill into my brain: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source.
And for six whole years I have steered clear of the tomes of knowledge Wikipedia offers me.
No longer.
Wikipedia has a knack for distracting me from the anxieties of daily life, and there is no better distraction than its carefully curated lists.
So, for your consideration, here are the nine best lists on Wikipedia right now.
This list mostly looks at albums and songs that critics have declared the worst ever written. On it youll find classics like Justin BiebersBabyand Black Eyed PeasMy Humps.And while critics are definitely wrong about 4 Non BlondesWhats Up, the rest of the list is pretty spot on, and the critiques are hilarious.
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The lyrics, most notably F**king magnets, how do they work? And I dont wanna talk to a scientist / Yall motherf**kers lying, and getting me pissed have been noted as the worst lyrics of all time
Image: brewbooks via Flickr (CC 2.0, resized)
Wikipedia is spilling hottea withthis list, outing all popes who havetaken their rogers out for an unholy swim. And if you think its just wives and women the dear popes of yore were into, think again. A few popes have been embroiled in scandals of the homosexual nature, and its all on Wikipedia for you to see.
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thought to have diedof indigestion from eating a melon, though detractors insisted he died while engaging in sodomy with a page
Former US President George W. Bush was notorious for his difficulty withthe English language,but one thing he seemed to be very good at was doling out nicknames. Whether it was nicknamingAssistant Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and Promotion Altoid Boy or the Prime Minister of Italy Shoes, Bush really had a knack for not taking the most important job in the world seriously.
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Pootie-Poot, Ostrich Legs Vladimir Putin, Presidentand Prime Minister of Russia
Yip, thats right. There are people who sat down and recorded absolutely nothing and got noted for it. Follow your dreams, kids!
Pieces listed here include works from John Lennon and Yoko Ono, The All-American Rejects and Korn. Whod have thought those three acts would be listed in one sentence together?
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The band was going through all the motions: the swart, longish-haired leader led away; the brasses, the saxophones, the clarinets made a great show of fingering and blowing, but the only sound from the stage was a rhythmic swish-swish from the trap-drummer, a froggy slap-slap from the bull-fiddler, a soft plunk-plunk from the pianist.
Image: Ergsap via Flickr (CC 2.0, resized)
You may think you know stuff I know I did but this list will have you feeling like Jon Snow in no time. How sure are you that Adam and Eves forbidden fruit was an apple? Orthat evolution explains the origin of life? Or that humans only have five senses?If you answered anything stronger than relatively sure, you world is about to change forever.
Favourite quote:
The term Immaculate Conception was not coined to refer to the virgin birth of Jesus,nor does it reference a supposed belief in the virgin birth of Mary, his mother. Instead, it denotes a Roman Catholic belief that Mary was not in a state of original sin from the moment of her own conception.
Talkabout being a good boy! Some of these animals have done tremendous things with their lives, despite being born into a society that told them they couldnt. And, sure, maybe the degrees arelegallyfraudulent, but these badassanimals prefer not to let semantics get them down.
Favourite quote:
Ben Goldacre, a UK-based physician and science journalist, wrote in 2004 that his cat, Henrietta, had obtained a diploma in nutrition from the American Association of Nutritional Consultants; Goldacre had been investigating allegations about the qualifications claimed by Gillian McKeith.Goldacre said, its a particular honour since dear, sweet, little Hettie died about a year ago.
If a dead cat can reach its dreams, so too can the rest of us.
While erroneous reporting of famous deaths are more common in the internet age (how often have Betty White and Rowan Atkinson died?), there are some great stories on this list predating the world wide web of lies.
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On 2 October 1571, a pallbearer dropped his coffin on the way to the funeral, waking him up. His resurrection is still celebrated each year in Braughing, Hertfordshire.
Stiglers Law refers to scientific discoveries named after people who didnt discover them. Alison Bechdel didnt invent the Bechdel test, Indians discovered the Fibonacci sequence before him and not even Sir Isaac Newton discovered his first two laws. Who can we even trust anymore?
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Stiglers Law, attributed by Stephen Stigler himself to Robert K. Merton
Exactly what it says on the tin. All links here take you to another list. Endless procrastination abounds. Youre welcome.
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lists about skepticism
Follow this link:
9 ridiculous Wikipedia lists to waste away the work day - Memeburn
- The ADL says Wikipedia contains antisemitic bias, amid dispute over how the Israel-Hamas conflict is represented on the site - CNN - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- I Tried a TikTok-Style Version of Wikipedia, and It's Now My Favorite Way of Learning - MUO - MakeUseOf - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- How obscure is prospective Celtics buyer William Chisholm? He didnt have a Wikipedia page until Thursday. - The Boston Globe - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- How biased Wikipedia trashed Trumps nominees after he named them - New York Post - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Deconstructing Wikipedia: Its biased, lopsided and partisan - The Sunday Guardian - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- ADL report finds clear evidence of anti-Israel bias among Wikipedia editors - JNS.org - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- ADL: Anti-Israel Wikipedia editors colluding in anti-Israel bias on site - The Times of Israel - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- What happens when Wikipedia, Joe Biden, and Ms. Frizzle walk into a reality show? - Queen's Journal - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Wikipedia posts updated to smear Patel, Hegseth, Gabbard: Watchdog - Washington Examiner - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- John Oliver Marvels at Wikipedia Page of Mel Gibson's Father: Somehow Your Son 'Is Not the Worst Thing About You' - TheWrap - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Wikipedia disrupted by edit wars to manipulate pages on war in Gaza with at least 14 editors banned: report - New York Post - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Volunteer photographers are fixing Wikipedia's terrible celebrity headshots - Engadget - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Photographers Are on a Mission to Fix Wikipedia's Famously Bad Celebrity Portraits - 404 Media - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Wikipedia roiled with internal strife over page edits about the Middle East - Detroit News - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Wikipedia has a huge gender equality problem heres why it matters - The Conversation Indonesia - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Wikipedia Co-founder: It's Not Neutral, Needs to Be Investigated - Newsmax - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Volunteer Photographers Tackle Terrible Celeb Headshots on Wikipedia - PCMag UK - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Bored? Check out the Museum of All Things and dive into Wikipedia in 3D - GamingOnLinux - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- This free interactive museum lets you explore Wikipedia like never before - Digital Trends - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- The Wild World of Wikipedia Speedrunning - LAFM - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Wikipedia co-founder's open challenge to Musk: Which US govt branches 'paid to edit, monitor, update, lobby' the website? - Business Today - March 3rd, 2025 [March 3rd, 2025]
- Wikipedia co-founder may just have agreed with Elon Musk in his first viral post in a few years - The Times of India - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Elon Musk wants to change the name of Wikipedia $1 billion on the table to achieve it - Unin Rayo - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Wikipedia is now an endless 3D museum, and admission is free - Rock Paper Shotgun - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- This slick new service puts ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Wikipedia on the map - Fast Company - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- From agnostic to believer: Wikipedia co-founder publicly shares his testimony - CHVN Radio - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Wikipedia co-founder's request to Donald Trump and Elon Musk to probe the dubious website - OpIndia - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- User booked for adding content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj on Wikipedia - The Times of India - February 27th, 2025 [February 27th, 2025]
- Remove derogatory and objectionable reference from Wikipedia about Sambhaji Maharaj: Fadnavis - Deccan Herald - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- 'There's limit to free speech': Fadnavis orders action against Wikipedia content - The Times of India - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Why these scientists devote time to editing and updating Wikipedia - Nature.com - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Elon Musk's 'reminder' to Wikipedia: $1 billion offer for name change to ... still stands; come on, do .. - The Times of India - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Maharashtra CM directs cyber police to get objectionable content on Sambhaji Maharaj removed from Wikipedia - The Indian Express - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Elon Musk and Wikipedia are feuding - The Week - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Wikipedia UnReliable Sources: Case Study How Wikipedia is Rigged to Prevent Balance When It Comes to Religious Articles - World Religion News - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Behind the Blog: Backdoors and the Miracle of Wikipedia - 404 Media - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- What if TikTok and Wikipedia had a baby? - The Washington Post - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- How Wikipedia Co-Founder Found Faith After 35 Years as a Nonbeliever - Movieguide - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Wikipedia, Are You Ready? Musk's $1 Billion Name Change Offer Still On - Analytics Insight - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Remove objectional reference about Sambhaji Maharaj from Wikipedia: Fadnavis - The Hindu - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Zee 24 TAAS forces Wikipedia to take action on false content about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj - MediaNews4U - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Elon Musks $1 Billion Wikipedia Challenge: Reality or Stunt? - The Octant - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Fadnavis asks to remove objectionable Wikipedia content on Sambhaji Maharaj - Business Standard - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Kumbh mela among most viewed content on Wikipedia - The Times of India - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- This Web App Is TikTok for Reading Wikipedia - Lifehacker - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- An infinite Wikipedia scroll I created in mere hours went viral. I think people may be tired of curated algorithms. - Business Insider - February 14th, 2025 [February 14th, 2025]
- Wikipedia Prepares for 'Increase in Threats' to US Editors From Musk and His Allies - 404 Media - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Want to know how the world ends? Try this Wikipedia page - The Guardian - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Anti-algorithm app combines Wikipedia and TikTok to combat brain rot - Interesting Engineering - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- This website combines Wikipedia and TikTok to fight doomscrolling - Fast Company - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- A developer from the US crossed Wikipedia with TikTok using AI. Now WikiToks endless stream of useful articles cures users of boredom and addiction to... - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Wikipedia instead of TikTok the developer has created an endless feed of knowledge without tracking algorithms - ITC - February 12th, 2025 [February 12th, 2025]
- Wikipedia accused of blacklisting conservative US media - The Times - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Chamber of Commerce leading the charge for updated city Wikipedia page - KFDX - Texomashomepage.com - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Edit wars over Israel spur rare ban of 8 Wikipedia editors from both sides - The Times of Israel - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Does Left-Wing Tendency of Wikipedia Editors and Admins Contribute to Bias in the Platforms Coverage of Religion? - World Religion News - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Wikipedia rabbit holes trained me for this genealogical mystery game - Polygon - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Stanford University Introduces an LLM that Writes Wikipedia-Like Reports - IBL News - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Wikipedia blacklists conservative sources in favor of left-wing bias - Washington Examiner - February 7th, 2025 [February 7th, 2025]
- Edit wars over Israel spur rare ban of 8 Wikipedia editors from both sides - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Elon Musk furious after Wikipedia page calls his controversial gesture a Nazi salute - The Independent - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Wikipedia UnReliable Sources: Who Are These Editors and Admins Who Define Reality for the Rest of Us? - World Religion News - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- EasyJet founder used YouTube and Wikipedia in doomed trademark battle - The Times - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- 'Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale', says co-founder Jimmy Wales after Musk repeats call to defu - Indiatimes.com - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Elon Musk calls out Wikipedia an "extension of legacy media propaganda" for referencing the debate over his "Nazi" salute -... - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Elon Musk is now demanding action against Wikipedia following inauguration gesture fallout - indy100 - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- He is the worlds leading free speech hypocrite: Elon Musks battle with Wikipedia is part of his war on truth - Yahoo! Voices - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Elon Musk is now demanding action against Wikipedia following inauguration gesture fallout - MSN - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Boyfriend Only Really Needs Constant Access To Wikipedia/Google Maps And He's All Sweet - The Betoota Advocate - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]
- Wikipedia's most-read article of 2024 was about the year's deaths - Boing Boing - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Elon Musk lashes out at Wikipedia over 'Nazi salute' claims at Trump's inauguration as he calls for site to be defunded - The US Sun - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Elon Musk and the Heritage Foundation Put WIKIPEDIA In Their Crosshairs - Daily Kos - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Anti-Israel Wikipedia editors face ban for 'misinformation and hate' - The Times of India - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- Al Murray: I could be the Duke of Atholl or so Wikipedia said - The Times - January 22nd, 2025 [January 22nd, 2025]
- ADL: Wikipedia bans several editors for spreading antisemitic rhetoric, misinformation on Gaza war - The Times of Israel - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- Bigg Boss 18 GRAND FINALE: Wikipedia Reveals The Name Of Possible WINNER; And It's Not Vivian Dsena - News24 - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- BB 18's Winner's Name Gets Leaked Ahead Of Salman Declaring It? Wikipedia's Information Goes Viral - BollywoodShaadis.com - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- Bigg Boss 18 Winner LEAKED? Wikipedia Says THIS Finalist Will Win The Show - Times Now - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- ADL: Wikipedia bans several editors for spreading antisemitic rhetoric, misinformation on Gaza war - Jewish News - January 19th, 2025 [January 19th, 2025]
- AI giant's Desi CEO says pretty clear Wikipedia is biased; wants to build 'neutral and unbiased: Wikipe - The Times of India - January 15th, 2025 [January 15th, 2025]