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So, every so often I check out wikiHow to find out how to do some odd stuff, like How to Build a Rainwater Collection System or How to Make a Simple Claymation With a Webcam and Windows Movie Maker. Fun stuff until …

I read about How to Experience the Pinocchio Effect. With two people, you can make yourself experience the illusion that your nose is a meter or so long. Try it sometime. Freaky. Like having a phantom limb or something.

I often find the “Warnings” section on wikiHow particularly amusing, and this one was too. It read:

• Gently tap your friend’s nose. Don’t play around and hit him or her, as the nose is very sensitive and liable to break.
• Avoid putting your finger into the nostrils of your friend. This is not only un-hygienic, but will also dampen the Pinocchio Effect.

Well, that’s funny, but it’s missing something very obvious and crucial. Something every schoolboy should know. One of life’s more important lessons. So here’s what I added to the second point:

Remember, “You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you really shouldn’t pick your friend’s nose.”

Apropos, no? Sage advice too …. Apparently someone (Garshepp!) did not think so, and yanked it from the article only a minute later. If you’re lucky, you can see the revision history here.

Yeah, these guys are vigilant about policing bad information from their pages. I applaud them for their work at maintaining the integrity of this resource.

But, c’mon try to have a sense of humor when it comes to some of these more “fluffy” entries. Geez.