Wikipedia Comparison by BBC

A zero value-add pointer to this post on the Center for Citizen Media Blog which, in short, again confirms that Wikipedia can stand up to even the most rigorous scrutiny. “What!? You mean that the three shelves full of Encyclopedia Britannica that Mom bought in 1963 and have been an immutable feature in the firmament of The Living Room for over 40 years are now worthless? But I use those things all the time!” Don’t worry, love, those books were rendered worthless as of about, well, 1964; but for the function of impressing the bridge club, of course, they will always boldly represent your unwavering commitment to the pursuit of knowledge – knowledge for knowledge’s sake is, after all, immune to any expectations of relevance of said knowlege – and they will forever leave your visitors with that comforting feeling of having fellowshipped with similarly enlightened beings.

And this is a vital key to perpetuating the patriotic American tradition of convincing ourselves that we are always smarter than everyone else, regardless of the results of objective measures that show otherwise.