no.stupid.answers

Here’s something you don’t see everyday… A Mentor, Supervisor, WikiGuide and Platinum Contributor. With all the mentoring, supervising and wikiguiding, how does Peterc14 manage to have time to make all those contributions?

I guess the answer is, he’s a Wikiholic, like the rest of us.

A music lover based in Liverpool, UK, Peter is perfect for WikiAnswers since he has a wide range of interests and is really dedicated to giving solid answers.

How did you originally hear about WikiAnswers?

One day last summer I was in Ormskirk, Lancashire and noticed that there was a statue of Benjamin Disraeli, 19th Century Prime Minister of Great Britain. I wondered why the town had chosen to honour him in this way - what was the connection? Searching the internet was fruitless, lots of stuff about Disraeli and Ormskirk but no clue as to the connection.

I eventually came upon WikiAnaswers via a Google search which threw up a question about Runcorn, in Cheshire. At last! I thought, a website which isn’t just about American stuff!

I still didn’t find the answer to my query about Disraeli, but I saw, and answered, a question about William The Conqueror, and then another one about Queen Victoria, the rest, as they say, is history.

What motivates you to volunteer your time to the WikiAnswers community?

I love helping people, in real life as well as on the internet.

I could tell from the wording of many questions that there are some massive misconceptions about the United Kingdom, and British History, and not only in the US, and I particularly enjoy answering those and setting the record straight.

What are your areas of expertise?

British History is my favourite, followed by Literature - I like to think my expertise is in language and the ability to write a clear, concise answer.

What is your favorite WikiAnswers feature?

Split and Merge - I have developed a an obsession - sorry - passion for splitting incorrect alternates and placing them in their correct home. If someone asks what is Princess Diana’s shoe size, they should not get her waist measurement just because that has been incorrectly placed.

What is the funniest question/funniest experience as a Supervisor on WikiAnswers?

I can’t think of any especially funny questions - I try and take them all seriously, even the wacky ones. I have seen questions about Henry VIII’s wines - “N” isn’t far away from “V” on the keyboard.

Share a random fact about yourself.

I am the father of twins and until they were born we didn’t know it would be twins - we were all ready for ONE baby!

Do you want to be interviewed for the Contributor corner? Just leave a comment below and we’ll get to work.

You know when a song gets stuck in your head and you just have to share it with everyone, just so it’ll leave you and dump on someone else? (Do you want to be my someone else?)

Brave3, one of the most awesome contributors around, shared the following music video with me, which was shared with him by Ksmail, the proclaimed Youtube King. It’s… well, let’s just say it’s somewhat relevant if you listen to the chorus:

Artist: British band Biffy Clyro

Hmmm… A WikiAnswers theme song, you say? Interesting. Anyone want to take a stab?

Who are the people who contribute to WikiAnswers? What’s their story and what drives their generous nature? And where do they get all their knowledge from?

This is the first interview for a series we’ll be posting here called Contributor Corner. It’s with Wholelotsarocker — a certified financial planner, big time music buff and rock star dad of one of our team (me).

I recently asked my dad about his involvement with WikiAnswers and why he gets such a kick out of it. He’s got a long history of volunteering his time so this kind of activity is right up his alley.

…and yes, that is a banana on his head.

How did you hear about WikiAnswers?

Well, it’s only the leading wiki Q&A site on the Interweb. Who hasn’t heard of it? And where are they so I can school them?

What motivates you to volunteer your time to the community?

My desire to give back to people who haven’t had the many advantages in life that I have enjoyed. That’s also what inspired me to join the Peace Corps right after graduation from UNC-CH.

What is your area of expertise?

Useless rock and roll trivia, primarily from the fifties and sixties. I have far too much of that stuff rolling around in my head, and it is constantly trying to get out!!

What is the funniest question you’ve seen on WikiAnswers?

When was music discovered?
Duh. Everyone knows it was May 13, 216 BCE in what is now near Burkina Faso!

What’s your favorite song? Favorite band?

Whispering Bells by the Del Vikings.
Can’t name just one band… My top three are Moody Blues, Alan Parsons Project and Little River Band.

Share a random fact about yourself.

My right eye is nearsighted and my left eye is farsighted. But that won’t stop me from contributing on WikiAnswers!