Changes

*'''''Conservapedia''''' posted [[Flaws in Richard Lenski Study|errors and flaws]] in a pro-[[evolution]] article by Professor [[Richard Lenski]] (published after a mere 14-day peer review), but [[PNAS]] [[Letter to PNAS|refused to correct the errors]] and Lenski responded with [[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog|petulant rants]] insisting his critic lacked "expertise".

*'''''Conservapedia''''' posted [[Flaws in Richard Lenski Study|errors and flaws]] in a pro-[[evolution]] article by Professor [[Richard Lenski]] (published after a mere 14-day peer review), but [[PNAS]] [[Letter to PNAS|refused to correct the errors]] and Lenski responded with [[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog|petulant rants]] insisting his critic lacked "expertise".

*design of the distinctive Coca-Cola glass bottle, which resulted from a public contest in 1915.

*design of the distinctive Coca-Cola glass bottle, which resulted from a public contest in 1915.

*Internet blogs.  Anyone can start a blog, and readers read the best blog posts.  Such blogs have been responsible for breaking crucial news stories well before the "experts" of the traditional media--for example, the [[Monica Lewinsky]] story and [[Rathergate]]

*Internet blogs.  Anyone can start a blog, and readers read the best blog posts.  Such blogs have been responsible for breaking crucial news stories well before the "experts" of the traditional media—for example, the [[Monica Lewinsky]] story and [[Rathergate]]

*Layman Allen devised games like "WFF 'n proof" and Equations which reduced absenteeism, increased math achievement and achieved voluntary integration in the segregated Chicago school system. [http://o.b5z.net/i/u/6035566/f/pdfs/articles/chicagoreader.pdf]

*Layman Allen devised games like "WFF 'n proof" and Equations which reduced absenteeism, increased math achievement and achieved voluntary integration in the segregated Chicago school system. [http://o.b5z.net/i/u/6035566/f/pdfs/articles/chicagoreader.pdf]

*[[Homeschooled]] students tended to dominate the annual Math Counts competition to such an extent that the competition changed the rules to ban teams of homeschoolers from participating. <ref>http://theaquilareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2760:homeschoolers-count-national-math-competition-bans-homeschoolers&catid=49:people&Itemid=132</ref>

*[[Homeschooled]] students tended to dominate the annual Math Counts competition to such an extent that the competition changed the rules to ban teams of homeschoolers from participating.<ref>http://theaquilareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2760:homeschoolers-count-national-math-competition-bans-homeschoolers&catid=49:people&Itemid=132</ref>

*In 1939, George Dantzig, a graduate student at [[Stanford University]] solved two problems in statistics that were previously considered unsolvable after mistaking them for a homework assignment. Until Dantzig's professor told him what he had done, he was unaware that there was anything special about the problems.<ref>http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/unsolvable.asp</ref>

*In 1939, George Dantzig, a graduate student at [[Stanford University]] solved two problems in statistics that were previously considered unsolvable after mistaking them for a homework assignment. Until Dantzig's professor told him what he had done, he was unaware that there was anything special about the problems.<ref>http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/unsolvable.asp</ref>

*All wikis, such as [[Conservapedia]], are an example of the 'Best of the Public' because their accuracy depends upon the premise thet the public can outdo encyclopedias written by experts.

*All wikis, such as [[Conservapedia]], are an example of the 'Best of the Public' because their accuracy depends upon the premise thet the public can outdo encyclopedias written by experts.

*[[William Penn]]'s approach to colonial [[Pennsylvania]], which even advertised to attract hard-working settlers of all ethnicity and religious beliefs; as a result [[Philadelphia]] quickly became the most prosperous and highly populated city in colonial [[America]]

*[[William Penn]]'s approach to colonial [[Pennsylvania]], which even advertised to attract hard-working settlers of all ethnicity and religious beliefs; as a result [[Philadelphia]] quickly became the most prosperous and highly populated city in colonial [[America]]

*[[Ronald Reagan]] embraced and embodied the best of the public in his speeches and political philosophy, and personified it by his own political ascendancy outside of the party establishment

*[[Ronald Reagan]] embraced and embodied the best of the public in his speeches and political philosophy, and personified it by his own political ascendancy outside of the party establishment

*the recall of the governor, the attorney general, and another top official in North Dakota in 1921 -- who were corrupt politicians devoted to state ownership of industry -- was organized and achieved by someone who never held public office<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/23/opinion/recalling-the-first-recall.html?pagewanted=1</ref>

*the recall of the governor, the attorney general, and another top official in North Dakota in 1921—who were corrupt politicians devoted to state ownership of industry—was organized and achieved by someone who never held public office<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/23/opinion/recalling-the-first-recall.html?pagewanted=1</ref>

*the "[[common law]]" developed over centuries based on many day-to-day judicial decisions, relying on logic, custom and precedent, and such law was considered better than a statute drafted by one or a few experts

*the "[[common law]]" developed over centuries based on many day-to-day judicial decisions, relying on logic, custom and precedent, and such law was considered better than a statute drafted by one or a few experts

*the [[U.S. Constitution]], in its prohibition on nobility and religious tests for office, its frequent elections of House members, and its term limitation on the president.

*the [[U.S. Constitution]], in its prohibition on nobility and religious tests for office, its frequent elections of House members, and its term limitation on the president.

It is important to note the difference between "Best of the Public" and "mob rule."  Simply allowing the loudest or most numerous voices to prevail is not the same thing as allowing the best of the public to drive achievement.  Sites such as [[Wikipedia]] operate on the principle of mob rule, and as a result, are plagued with bias, inaccuracy, and an inability to differentiate between significant insights and trivia.   

It is important to note the difference between "Best of the Public" and "mob rule."  Simply allowing the loudest or most numerous voices to prevail is not the same thing as allowing the best of the public to drive achievement.  Sites such as [[Wikipedia]] operate on the principle of mob rule, and as a result, are plagued with bias, inaccuracy, and an inability to differentiate between significant insights and trivia.   

One of the most pointed illustrations of this difference is the [[United States]] itself.  The [[Founding Fathers]], despite not naming it, applied the "Best of the Public" principle in their attempts to craft a new government.  Realizing the danger of mob rule, they rejected a pure democracy in favor of a democratic Republic--a system designed to ensure that, while all of the public would have a voice in their new government, the best of the public would guide that government.  To insure that only the best of the public was selected, with the exception of members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], officials in the federal government were not directly elected.  The framers of the [[U.S. Constitution]] conceived of the [[Electoral College]] as a body of men who would exercise independent judgement in choosing the [[President of the United States|President]] and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]], not merely cast their ballots as directed by their state's voters. Moreover, electors in most states were initially appointed by state legislatures. Likewise, members of the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] were originally selected by state legislatures.  Judges, ambassadors and other federal officials are chosen by the President and subject to approval by the Senate.  Thus, although the people would directly choose their Congressmen, they would only indirectly choose other officials, and this filtering mechanism would ensure that only the best of the public was in charge of the government, rather than having mob rule.  

One of the most pointed illustrations of this difference is the [[United States]] itself.  The [[Founding Fathers]], despite not naming it, applied the "Best of the Public" principle in their attempts to craft a new government.  Realizing the danger of mob rule, they rejected a pure democracy in favor of a democratic Republic—a system designed to ensure that, while all of the public would have a voice in their new government, the best of the public would guide that government.  To insure that only the best of the public was selected, with the exception of members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], officials in the federal government were not directly elected.  The framers of the [[U.S. Constitution]] conceived of the [[Electoral College]] as a body of men who would exercise independent judgement in choosing the [[President of the United States|President]] and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]], not merely cast their ballots as directed by their state's voters. Moreover, electors in most states were initially appointed by state legislatures. Likewise, members of the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] were originally selected by state legislatures.  Judges, ambassadors and other federal officials are chosen by the President and subject to approval by the Senate.  Thus, although the people would directly choose their Congressmen, they would only indirectly choose other officials, and this filtering mechanism would ensure that only the best of the public was in charge of the government, rather than having mob rule.  

By choosing this compromise, they clearly affirmed that they believed the best of the public was better than a group of experts; in contrast, the nations of Europe still firmly subscribed to the notion that government should be in the hands of elite "experts" (the ruling families and nobility.)

By choosing this compromise, they clearly affirmed that they believed the best of the public was better than a group of experts; in contrast, the nations of Europe still firmly subscribed to the notion that government should be in the hands of elite "experts" (the ruling families and nobility.)