Saving the World on the Great Wikipedia Strike Day

It is 18th January, and Wikipedia is closing down today to protest against the proposed SOPA and PIPA laws in the United States which will suppress internet freedoms. If you let stupid people and corporations write law, this is the inevitable end point.

So, no Wikipedia.

Several things will therefore happen:

1. Parents will be forced to interact with their children as millions of voices around the world scream out "DAD! Wikipedia's down - do my homework for me!"

2. Journalists will have to cut-and-paste stories from somewhere else, which means actually having to get out and do some actual research

Both these things being the case, it is websites such as this one - alternative repositories of ACTUAL 100 PER CENT TRUE FACTS - which will bear the responsibility of keeping the world ticking over while Wikipedia goes dark. It is a responsibility I grab with both hands.

- Facts about Books

- Facts about Science

- Facts about Cheese

- Whole bally shedloads of FACTS

And because I'm earnest in my mission, here are a few few FACTS about Wikipedia

FACT: Wikipedia gets its name from the fact that founder Jimmy Wales was a keen cricketer in his youth, and was none happier when he was catching the ball behind the stumps. Literally: Wickie-paedia

FACT: "Jimmy Wales" doesn't actually exist, being just the name given to the cloud consciousness comprising some 3,006,400 Wikipedia editors - the exact population of Wales

FACT: Building up week-by-week, you can buy Wikipedia as a partwork magazine from your local newsagent, whilst simultaneously building a life-sized model of Jimmy Wales. This week: Aardvark-ABBA, plus Jimmy Wales's beard

Glad to have been of service.

Also, I got around the block by printing off the whole of Wikipedia yesterday, so if there's anything you need to know, just ask. Double-sided to save paper, because I'm not a mental or anything.