Wikinews:Writing contest

Over the 50 days of the competition some 224 articles were written for the contest! Congrats to all participants!

The Wikinews Writing Contest is a competition among Wikinews authors which aims to increase the overall output of stories. It is primarily a contest of quantity and only secondarily one of quality.

The contest opened on March 21, 2005. The rules are simple:


 * 1) There is an ever-growing pool of money and prizes contributed.
 * 2) Contestants have to start at least one Wikinews article every day (at least 3 paragraphs of their original writing per article). For this contest, "every day" means one article for each day of the week in your timezone (i.e. a submission on 00:01 on Thursday and 23:59 on Friday would still count).
 * 3) The articles should strive to follow conventions. Articles which the community decides to delete cannot be counted.
 * 4) The last person who is left writing one article per day takes all the prizes.

No excuses: If you don't meet your one article per day requirement, you're out. In other words, this is a contest of endurance. It is possible, but unlikely, that it will never end.

Contest Ending
Since Erik has resigned and we have passed the May 1st deadline; I as the only active remaining judge officially end this writing contest. As Pingswepts proposal attracted near universal acceptance the disbursal of prizes is as follows:


 * Alan gets $50 from DV, a stolen possession of SJ's from me, and a postcard from Pingswept.
 * Simeon gets $50 from DV, a stolen possession of SJ's from me, a postcard from Pingswept, and the Gmail invites.
 * Pingswept gets $20 from Davodd and enough $CA from Amgine to total $50, and a postcard from the Bellman.
 * DV and Odigity each pay the Wikimedia Foundation $41 ($1/day).
 * The "strange, bizarre gift" gets sent by DV to Jimmy Wales on behalf of Wikinews.

Congrats to all on a highly successful contest, the contest generated a total of 224 stories - that means more than 1 in 8 Wikinews articles are direct results of this contest! → CGorman (Talk)  17:18, 2 May 2005 (UTC)


 * Phew! Thank god that's over! It's surpisingly taxing to file a story every single day by the deadline without fail, without break. Thanks to all involved for their efforts! DV, what do you need in order to transfer $$$? And I guess CGorman will want to know address to send dirty old sox from SJ ... I will email it. - Simeon 12:38, 3 May 2005 (UTC)

Registration
If you want to participate in the contest, sign your name below (type " # ~ "). Please also indicate your timezone (if you don't know it, the country / state you live in are sufficient).


 * 1) I'll give it a try as I normally write one a day. CGorman 21:09, 6 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * CGorman dropped out on March 23 as a personal choice, he wished to participate as a judge (see comment on Eriks talk page.) CGorman 20:12, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) Heh, why not! This should be fun! IlyaHaykinson 09:46, 8 Mar 2005 (UTC) (I'm in the US, PST &mdash; UTC-8)
 * 2) Heck, why not (part 2). We'll be getting a lot of U.S. law and TV-related stuff from me. -- Davodd | Talk  00:45, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 3) This ought to be a cakewalk (famous last words). Can I build a surplus by writing more than one article per day so I can take a break on the weekends? &mdash; DV 06:20, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * I'm filing stories for each day using server time, so please count me in timezone UTC 0 &mdash; DV 21:06, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) I'm in, until I set sail (you're all going to drop out then, out of honour and the goodness of your hearts then, right?) - Amgine 06:39, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Amgine dropped out on March 27 because no article was submitted. → CGorman (Talk)  16:26, 28 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) come on ppls ill take ya... until i get a whole heap of uni assignment that have to be done all at once... The bellman 10:41, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 2) To all my devoted fans, i would like to say i tried as hard as i could... i just ended up not being able to cut the mustard.  ~The bellman | Smile  09:05, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * 3) This is such a cool idea! (But why the hell am I always last to know?! :) ) Dan100 (Talk) 17:38, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Dan100 dropped out on March 22 because he did not submit an article for March 21.--Eloquence 08:23, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Sadly work caught up with me the week this started (yeah yeah, any excuse I know :) ) Dan100 (Talk) 22:34, 31 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * 1) I hope deletion requests count!   edw 02:04, 16 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Ed dropped out on March 23 because he did not submit an article for March 22.--Eloquence 07:49, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) I will defeat all of you in hand-to-hand combat if necessary. Pingswept 04:44, 16 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 2) Let the best man win. And rest asured I will. Amsterdam time = GMT+1-- Redge (Talk) 12:50, 17 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Redge dropped out on March 26: no article submitted.--Eloquence 12:44, 27 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) Sounds interesting. (PST=UTC-8) VF 06:31, 19 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * 2) If I don't do this, I'll forget to keep my guard up while ping's in da house.   Sj 03:46, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Dropping out.  But barring the windows... Sj
 * OK, I'm in, but I think it could have done with a little more publicity - I only found out today! My timezone: GMT +10 Melbourne Australia Simeon 05:57, 22 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Late entry: article debt
It is possible to join the contest after March 21, but you will have accumulated an article debt for the days you have not participated. For example, if you join on March 25, you have an article debt of 4 articles. This debt can be worked off over time, but while you still have it, you have to write at least 2 articles per day instead of just 1.

April 30

 * Simeon finishes: First photo of a planet that orbits another sun
 * Alan crosses the finish line: New drug from lizard's saliva
 * Cheers all around from Pingswept: BBC News website expands RSS license terms to allow commercial use

April 29
Alan says I'm still kickin': Grenade attack on fellow soldiers puts sergeant on death row and I need a second on my motion to end the contest on it's talk page.
 * Simeon still in: Vindicated Thai GM activists face gaol all the same
 * Pingswept: FOX News previews Grafton Street restaurant and "voice collector" in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts

April 28

 * Simeon still in: UK govt concealed Attorney General's doubts over Iraq invasion
 * Pingswept! Woot!: Indiana Pacers beat Boston Celtics again to lead series 2-1 in US basketball playoffs
 * Alan: Berlusconi warns U.S. on agent's killing
 * Rare woodpecker discovered in Arkansas

April 27

 * Simeon's entry: CIA gives up search and interrogation on Iraq WMDs
 * Alan stays: Dorothy's dress from Wizard of Oz sells for 140,000 pounds
 * Pingswept goes hyperlocal: Harvard University officials update Agassiz Neighborhood Council about local construction in Cambridge, Massachusetts

April 26

 * Simeon stays in: Argentinian workers preparing to defend control of factory
 * Grade: 4/5 (well-written, detailed, many sources)--Eloquence 08:40, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Alan stays: UAL jet diverts in bomb scare 
 * Grade: 2/5 (good, short summary, but doesn't add to the original text)--Eloquence 08:40, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Pingswept stays in: Wikipedia founder speaks at US law school
 * Grade: 4/5 (great example of original reporting, but -1 because it's self-referential)--Eloquence 08:40, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

April 25

 * Simeon stays in: Study: Children who socialise more, get cancer less -- few minutes over deadline perhaps .. blame the slow server ;)
 * Grade: 3/5 (detailed, but second to last paragraph is a bit weak, and source annotation shouldn't be written in the first person)--Eloquence 08:35, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Alan hangs in, but his story has no legs: Skydiver dies after legs severed in jump
 * Grade: 2/5 (succinct)--Eloquence 08:35, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Pingswept stays in: Indiana Pacers beat Boston Celtics by 3 in game 2 of US basketball playoffs
 * Grade: 2/5 (original reporting bonus, but reporting component is not explained, and source not properly formatted at time of submission)--Eloquence 08:35, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

April 24

 * Simeon stays in: 5-year-old girl arrested and handcuffed by Florida police
 * Alan stays: Bush nomination to UN post faces bi-partisan problems
 * Pingswept doesn't go: Violence, allegations of fraud disrupt election in Togo

April 23

 * Simeon stays in: Controversial Queensland Premier of 19 years dies at 94
 * Pingswept adds: Google translates Gmail to 12 languages, asks for volunteers to target 144 more
 * Alan continues: Judges rule patrons may sue nude bars for lap-dance overcharges

April 22

 * Simeon definitely beat the deadline this time: Advertising contract scandal could bring down Canadian government
 * Alan stays in: NASA study: warming and snow melt chokes sea life 1000 miles distant
 * Pingswept adds: Elite Boston Marathon runner Emily Levan discusses life and running

April 21

 * Simeon's submission: Melbourne's tram-driving teen faces more charges
 * Alan offers: Hundreds of thousands to lose 'fresh start' as Bush signs bankruptcy bill and New England Senators brawl over imported pharmaceuticals as an extra in case I must miss a day (? without objections?) or simply as a second article for today.
 * I've tried this before. It doesn't work. Judges ruling: can't submit articles in advance. :\ Probably just as well or this comp. would never finish. - Simeon 08:38, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 *  no problem...it could get dicey I agree. --HiFlyer 15:58, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Pingswept proffers: Boston Cyberarts Festival opens with Hotel@MIT gala (please note Stephen Wolfram photo!)

April 20

 * Pingswept stays in: Radioactive soil from Maine reactor refused at landfill in Utah
 * Simeon stays in: Australian blitz on fish poaching
 * Alan stays in: Italian PM Berlusconi resigns to form stronger coalition

April 19

 * Simeon stays in: Teen tram thief may yet work as tram driver
 * Alan in: Associated Press changes online fee structure to meet Internet demands
 * Pingswept still in: Associated Press will charge for online content in 2006 (What happened to the judges?) (And sorry about the duplicate, Alan)
 * No problem, my friend. Just keep 'em coming in ;-)) --HiFlyer 14:37, 21 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Judges are still here, not much to do other than verify you are following the rules... and you all are. → CGorman (Talk)  20:22, 21 Apr 2005 (UTC)

April 18

 * Simeon stays in: Unconfirmed: 20 dead, 500 hurt after protest in Iranian city of Ahwaz
 * Yes, it's very very early on April 18, Melbourne time :)


 * Alan stays in: Survivors gather to remember 1906 San Francisco quake
 * Congrats, Alan, for riding out your article debt! - Simeon 14:55, 19 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Pingswept: 109th Boston marathon takes place

April 17

 * Pingswept is not giving up: Kenyan aviation union threatens government with strike
 * Simeon stays in: Internet censorship study group reports on China
 * Congratulations Alan if you made it this far! Simeon 18:05, 17 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Thank you my friend. And congratulations to you with your new Admin responsibilities. I think it's wonderful to watch WN go thru a growth spurt. --HiFlyer 21:24, 17 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Alan:
 * Russian Soyuz docks with International Space Station for crew change
 * Freak wave rocks luxury liner--4 hurt
 * Article Debt Reduced To ZERO

April 16

 * Pingswept survives another day: Harvard University declines to discipline professor who plagiarized
 * Simeon stays in: Paris hotel fire kills 21
 * Alan's contributions:
 * "Levitra" ads pulled by FDA
 * NRA meets in Houston--Beleaguered Tom DeLay will speak
 * Article Debt reduced to ONE

April 15

 * Pingswept stays in: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, releases study of local emissions
 * Simeon stays in: Australian police seize one tonne shipment of ecstacy
 * Alan stays in:
 * Utah Man puts murdered wife in dumpster
 * Two astronauts blast off to their new home--International Space Station
 * Article debt down to 2.
 * David Vasquez drops out. (DV has chosen to use UTC as his timezone, no article submitted by 0:00 UTC.) We still love you, David!
 * Thanks for starting this contest, Eloquence. I was taken out by last minute running around for tax day here in America. Even though I'm out of the contest, I'll keep writing stories. My hat is off to the remaining contestants. &mdash; DV 10:56, 16 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Second weekend of protests begins in China
 * Wendy's doubles reward for 'chili finger' info to US$100,000
 * Thanks for participateing! You were unbelieveable - setting up the Wikinews broadcast and still managing to submit an article or so a day! Fair play to you. →  CGorman (Talk)  20:16, 16 Apr 2005 (UTC)

April 14

 * Simeon still in? Timing may require adjudication - filed at 06:10, 14 Apr 2005, perhaps 10 minutes past my deadline .. is this close enough? I have not taken daylight savings into account at all, btw, due to no idea what the relevent ruling is on that.
 * Chinese authorities question genetically altered rice allegation
 * Actually, you're well within the time limit -- it's 0:00 your time which is the final deadline.--Eloquence 07:22, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Alan stays in:
 * U.S. Federal Judge overturns ephedra ban
 * U.S. Federal Agents arrest two Houston men in UN Oil for Food scandal
 * Article debt now 3
 * Pingswept stays in: AARP claims US prescription drug prices continue to rise
 * DV stays in: China calls Japan's gas drilling plan 'a serious provocation'

April 13

 * DV stays in: Police investigate new lead in 'Chili Finger' case; Ayala abandons lawsuit
 * Simeon still in: India-China border-treaty hoped to improve ties, facilitate trade
 * Alan:
 * Indiana businessman held hostage in Iraq
 * German cannibal seeks review of manslaughter conviction
 * Article debt reduced to 4
 * Pingswept stays in: Torvalds codes temporary replacement for Bitkeeper

April 12

 * Simeon still in: Australian Immigration denies issuing banned drug
 * DV stays in: US trade deficit soars to new high of US$61.04 billion
 * Alan stays in:
 * Tom DeLay raises Republican hackles as ethics charges dominate news
 * Britney Spears announces she is pregnant
 * Debt reduced to 5
 * Pingswept stays in: Visiting students detained in Louisiana, USA, while photographing ExxonMobil chemical plant

April 11

 * Simeon still in: Arsenic and Thalidomide may be used to fight cancer
 * Pingswept still in, or so he thinks: (article in stealth mode until event warrants publication)
 * DV stays in: Las Vegas 'chili finger' woman has history of lawsuits
 * Alan:
 * NASA announces daily video feed for new Discovery mission
 * 'Sahara' opens as top film in U.S., Canada
 * Article debt to 6

April 10

 * Simeon stays in: Australia unemployment at 30-year low, but under-employed also at 5.1%
 * DV stays in: Anti-Japan protests spread to more Chinese cities
 * Alan stays in:
 * FDA recalls "Mama's" brand smoked salmon
 * Scientists proudly display oldest crystal on Earth
 * Article debt reduced to 7
 * Pingswept stays in: Runners, fans prepare for 109th Boston Marathon

April 9

 * Simeon still in, and writes off penalty debt:
 * Who's the richest entertainer in Australia? The Wiggles of course!
 * Angola: Marburg virus still spreading, 180 dead
 * Alan stays in:
 * Bush EPA nominee abandons insecticide-on-children study after Senate hearing
 * U.S. Postal rate increase proposed
 * Debt to 8
 * Pingswept stays in: Hard drive technology breaks storage density record (get perpendicular!)
 * DV stays in: Chinese rioters storm Japanese embassy in Beijing

April 8

 * Alan stays in:
 * Eric Rudolph pleads guilty to avoid death sentence
 * Spam mailer gets 9 year jail sentence Article debt:9
 * Pingswept stays in: Maine, USA, Land Use Regulatory Commission approves reconstruction of camps on protected Allagash River
 * DV stays in: Police search home of Las Vegas woman who found finger in her chili at Wendy's
 * Simeon in, article #1: Sex, mental and physical exercise, fight dementia

April 7

 * Pingswept stays in: Cambridge, Mass., city council recommends construction firm W. R. Grace remain under DEP supervision for asbestos contamination
 * DV stays in: US House committee approves daylight saving time amendment
 * Simeon in or out, here's my submission: Western Australia apologises to abused wards-of-state
 * Davodd drops out - law classes are a b*tch this quarter. Sorry folks. -- Davodd | Talk 06:08, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Hard luck... hope you keep writing now and then though! → CGorman (Talk)  14:46, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * I will - it only takes me about 90 minutes from beginning to post to write a story (probably why so many other folks need to copyedit them and spell check). :-) -- Davodd | Talk 18:18, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Sorry to see the departure... good wishes on the courses! - Amgine 04:41, 9 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Alan stays
 * Appeal launched for Australian citizen facing execution over marijuana charges
 * FDA mandates "black box" for Celebrex, pulls Bextra off market
 * Article debt down to 10

April 6

 * Pingswept stays in: Bitmover ends free Bitkeeper, replacement sought for managing Linux kernel code
 * DV stays in: Japan announces moon program
 * Simeon stays in: Study: cognitive therapy as good as medication, but lasts longer
 * Oppose this being entered as April 6, for all of the reasons elucidated elsewhere. It was a story accepted for the contest yesterday, April 5. --HiFlyer 20:11, 6 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, Alan, you can't have it both ways. The two articles have been un-merged at your request, and I am told by Amgine that wikinews policy allows multiple stories on the same issue. To have the article I wrote discounted, you would have to get someone to delete it. - Simeon 06:07, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * I say (as one of three judges) that Simeon stays in - however should Elequence comment otherwise, furture discussion may be needed. → CGorman (Talk)  16:53, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Simeon stays, but for submitting another dupe, I hereby sentence him to an article debt of 1, to be worked off in the next 3 days :-).--Eloquence 17:20, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Good idea! → CGorman (Talk)  17:21, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Alan stays in and reduces his article debt to 11:
 * NASA's Mars rovers exceed all expectations
 * Space Shuttle Discovery resumes rollout to launch pad
 * Davodd stays in: FBI starts investigation of charges of shoddy work on new SF Bay bridge
 * The bellman departs - no story submitted.

April 5

 * Simeon stays in: Triple limb-reattachment fails - boy loses foot
 * The bellman stays in: Arinze and Tettamanzi equal favorites as new Pope
 * DV stays in: China responds to US plan for import quotas
 * Alan stays in and reduces his article debt to 12:
 * Miles-long queue to view Pope John Paul one last time
 * Talk-therapy a promising first response for severe depression: study
 * Davodd stays in: ABC to move Internet news network back to U.S. TVs
 * Pingswept stays in: Harvard University divests $4.4m of PetroChina stock

April 4

 * HiFlyer (Alan J Franklin) joins with an article debt of 14. He needs to write at least two articles per day until the debt is zero.
 * Alan stays in, debt reduced to 13:
 * NASA prepares to roll orbiter Discovery to launch pad
 * Royal wedding delayed as Prince plans for Pope's funeral
 * Simeon stays in: 13 pilot whales returning to sea, off Western Australia
 * The bellman stays in: Desmond Tutu calls for election of African pope
 * Duplicate of Archbishop Desmond Tutu calls for African Pope. Maybe we all should vow to at least glance at yesterday's stories before we start writing? ;-) -- Davodd | Talk
 * An even better plan would be to engage brain. I looked at the country collaboration of the week page before i started writing (where CGorman had put a link to his article) and STILL didnt realise. Oh well, I'll try to be more switched on in the future. ~The bellman | Smile  12:57, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * DV stays in: US blocks use of mapping technology in China
 * Davodd stays in: Al Gore-owned cable news channel to relaunch August 1 with viewer-created content
 * Pingswept stays in: US Highway Administration releases interim report on Boston's Big Dig: press release claims tunnel safe, but report does not
 * VF drops out: No article submitted.

April 3

 * DV stay in: Chinese protesters smash up Japanese market
 * Simeon stays in: Aussie rescue chopper down: 9 dead
 * Hmm .. turned out my article was a duplicate. I have since merged both stories to Australian rescue helicopter crash in Indonesia: nine dead. Am I still in? - Simeon 03:08, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Well as a fellow contestent i have no prob with you remaining in. Your pre-merged article was quite good, and so is the merged one. Do any of the other contestents have a problem with him staying in? ~The bellman | Smile  05:38, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Dupes happen - no reason to throw you out.--Eloquence 12:23, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 * Fine with me. Pingswept 14:14, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * The bellman stays in: Names of Australians killed in helicopter crash released
 * Davodd still in: HBO plans expansion of TV channels in Asia
 * VF stays in: Akayev signs resignation agreement
 * Pingswept stays in: MPAA's Valenti signs Betamax tapes for EFF protesters as Grokster case continues in US Supreme Court

April 2

 * VF stays in: Abbas orders more security reforms, hundreds of security officers to be forced to retire
 * David Vasquez stays in: Inspectors close landmark Healthy Food restaurant after finding dead mouse in cooler
 * Pingswept stays in: Google doubles Gmail storage, adds text formatting
 * Simeon stays in: Australia, NATO, enhance ties
 * The bellman stays in: Australian Treasurer told to 'try harder on welfare'
 * Davodd: Marketing blitz begins for final 'Star Wars' film
 * IlyaHaykinson drops out because he did not submit an article.

April 1

 * David Vasquez stays in: Witnesses saw truck "rev up and race" before Texas blast
 * Simeon stays in: Iraq: Uneven voter turnout elects women who push sharia law while anti-woman violence rages
 * The bellman stays in: Bus drivers to strike in Auckland
 * Davodd stays in: SBC teams with Scientific-Atlanta for cable TV rollout
 * Ilya stays in: Telescope takes first image of planet outside our solar system
 * VF stays in: Abbas fires security chiefs for failure to curb lawlessness
 * Pingswept stays in: American comedian Mitch Hedberg dies on tour at 37

March 31

 * Pingswept stays in (or so he claims): Google starts prefetching top search results for Mozilla and Firefox browsers
 * Simeon stays in: Dresden city council wants DNA matching for doggy-doo
 * The bellman stays in: Pressure building on Myanmar to decline ASEAN chair
 * David Vasquez stays in: Chlorine spill in China's Jiangsu province kills 28, injures hundreds
 * Davodd stays in: Maine passes gay rights law
 * Ilya stays in: The Vatican: Pope's heart briefly stopped beating during treatment
 * VF stays in: EU, Canada impose duties on some US goods in retaliation for Byrd Amendment

March 30

 * Davodd starys in: Fox TV executive takes reins at Paramount studios, New Doctor Who quits series, BBC searches for replacement actor
 * Pingswept stays in: UN Secretary General Annan cleared of influencing oil-for-food contracts by Volcker report
 * Simeon stays in: Monday night's Indonesian quake toll appears less than first feared
 * The bellman stays in: New Zealand praised by NATO Secretary General
 * VF stays in: U.S. flight logs back Maher Arar's claims, The New York Times finds
 * David Vasquez stays in: Taiwan Nationalists leader visits Beijing
 * Ilya stays in: Voting in Zimbabwe starts amid accusations of rigged outcome

March 29

 * IlyaHaykinson stays in: Laura Bush takes a quick trip to Afghanistan
 * Davodd stays in with: Chico fraternity suspended for making frat house porno flick (a blatant attempt to use sex to get more traffic to the site)
 * Pingswept stays in: US Transportation Security Administration "made inaccurate statements" about passenger privacy, says Department of Homeland Security report
 * VF stays in: Upper house of former Kyrgyz parliament steps down, Bakiyev pledges to fight corruption
 * David Vasquez stays in: Japan asks "Where's the beef?"
 * Simeon stays in: Surgeons reattach three severed limbs to boy
 * The bellman stays in: Australians more concerned by global warming than terrorism, says Lowy report
 * Sj is booted out, no story.

March 28

 * VF stays in: New Kygryz parliament backs Bakiyev, lower house of former parliament steps down
 * DV stays in: China and Taiwan react to "326" rally
 * Pingswept stays in: Stanford women's basketball knocks three-time champion Connecticut out of NCAA tournament
 * Simeon still in: Australia silent on UN racism committee condemnation Simeon 04:59, 28 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Davodd stays in: IRS goes after eBay sellers
 * The bellman stay in: First bird flu case in North Korea
 * Ilya stays in: Cure for cat allergies may be close, with help from some mice
 * Sj stays in?: Sudan preemptively rejects Security Council resolution on war crimes extradition

March 27

 * VF stays in: Kulov declares newly elected parliament legitimate, Kyrgyz parliamentary conflict deepens
 * Davodd stays in: Doctor Who returns as UK Saturday night timeslot lord
 * Sj stays in: Harvard women's hockey loses NCAA title to Minnesota for second straight year
 * Pingswept stays in: Risk of major US shipyard Bath Iron Works closure termed "substantial" by Maine Congressman
 * David Vasquez stays in: Wendy's sales down in Northern California
 * The bellman stays in: Chinese government to safeguard old Beijing (i wrote this between 0.30 and 1.30am this morning canberra time, so hopefully it counts since i plan to be away from the computer for the rest of easter. Good night and a happy easter to all. ~The bellman | Smile  14:13, 26 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Simeon stays in if he wasn't eliminated yesterday ;): Guards uncover 600 ft escape tunnel at US prison in Iraq Simeon 05:03, 27 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Ilya stays in: Zimbabwe church leader calls for uprising against Mugabe
 * Amgine departs... - Amgine 06:19, 28 Mar 2005 (UTC)

March 26

 * Simeon stays in: Gender imbalance in Tsunami deaths
 * The bellman stays in: Protests continue at Baxter detention centre
 * Pingswept stays in: Morogoro Plastic, funded by Barclays, to open $2m network of recycling plants in Tanzania
 * Davodd stays in: Dick, Spielberg among Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees
 * David Vasquez stays in: Land conflict mars Good Friday in Jerusalem
 * VF stays in: U.S. unveils plans to help India become a "major world power"
 * Ilya stays in: Togo opposition wants election delayed
 * Amgine stays in: Canadian union, railway reach last minute accord
 * Sj stays in: New Kyrgyz election scheduled after lightning coup
 * Redge drops out. No article submitted.

March 25

 * Davodd stays in: Jerry Springer joins U.S. liberal radio network
 * Redge stays in: Scientists discover soft tissue in dinosaur bones
 * VF stays in: Five dead, over 200 injured as looting continues in Bishkek
 * Pingswept stays in: Yahoo adds Creative Commons search for locating reusable content
 * The bellman stays in: UN Security Council approves peacekeepers for Sudan
 * Simeon stays in: Tsunami toll update
 * Amgine stays in: Canada considers Copyright Act changes
 * David Vasquez stays in: Taiwan Democratic Alliance for Peace plans massive rally on Saturday
 * Sj stays in: IBM releases free software for visualizing document histories
 * Ilya stays in: NRA official suggests arming teachers to prevent school shootings

March 24

 * IlyaHaykinson stays in: Entrepreneur's RFID chip implant to open doors, start car
 * VF stays in: Akayev flees Kyrgyzstan as protesters seize control of Bishkek
 * Davodd stays in: PBS cancels 'Wall $treet Week' after 35 years
 * Pingswept stays in: Ground broken on Northpoint development in Cambridge, Massachusetts
 * David Vasquez stays in: Explosion at Texas refinery kills 14, injures more than 100
 * Amgine stays in: Canada set to rule on U.S. Army refugee
 * The Bellman stays in: Arab summit comes to an end
 * Redge stays in: New company to research artificial brain
 * Simeon stays in: India signs on to chemical patents to comply with WTO order - Simeon 03:01, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Sj stays in: Harvard's Berkman Center blog group develops blogging tutorials
 * To vouch for SJ: (diff) (hist) . . N Harvard's Berkman Center blog group develops blogging tutorials; 04:58 . . Sj (Talk | block)-- 2 minutes before midnight EST Pingswept 05:47, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC)

March 23

 * Amgine stays in: Harp seal hunt approved by Canada, activist call to boycott Canadian seafood
 * Simeon stays in: 96 dead of Ebola-like Marburg virus in Angola
 * Davodd stays in: Parker shown the door as Gap spokeswoman
 * Redge stays in: Kazaa Trial concluding
 * VF stays in: New Kyrgz interior minister says force may be used, riot police clash with protesters in Bishkek
 * The bellman stays in: Chess legend avoids 10 year prison term
 * David Vasquez stays in: U.S. federal marshals seize killer beds
 * Sj stays in: Google launches Google Code project, showcasing open source code, APIs
 * Pingswept stays in: Minuteman bike path iced out through Arlington after 4th snowiest winter on record
 * Ilya stays in: Woman finds human finger in bowl of chili at Wendy's restaurant
 * CGorman drops out. Personal choice.

March 22

 * Sj enters with an article debt of 1, and stays in: American Thom Mayne snags Pritzker architecture prize and Surfwax releases "quick index" to 600k Wikipedia terms. The article debt is now at 0.
 * Pingswept stays in: Ourmedia.org project launched to provide global repository of "grassroots media" (article was started with an IP, which was verified by Eloquence as belonging to Pingswept)
 * Davodd stays in: U.S. TV networks look to past for future programming
 * David Vasquez stays in: Ten dead on Minnesota Indian reservation after school shooting
 * The bellman stays in: EU looks set to continue arms embargo on China
 * Redge stays in: Large creature loose in London suburb
 * VF stays in: Kyrgyz government declares elections valid, refuses to declare state of emergency as opposition cements control of the south
 * Amgine stays in: Train derailed by collision with semi in Saskatchewan, Canada
 * CGorman stays in: US interest rates rise to 2.75%
 * Simeon stays in: UN Reform: China, South Korea question seat for Japan on Security Council, AU$1.25M reward offer for proof of living Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine), Australian Govt to lessen numbers of immigrants detained indefinitely
 * (note: Simeon misunderstood the article debt, so he is allowed, even though he missed his first day's entry, by virtue of having written three articles) -- Eloquence
 * narrowly missed maybe - I thought it would be up to submission of first article, not registration, or I would have registered the next day ;) Simeon 08:41, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * Ilya stays in: Symbian licenses email technology from rival Microsoft (finished close to midnight at Ilya's time)
 * Ed Brown drops out. No article submitted.

March 21

 * VF stays in: Violent protests break out in Kyrgyzstan over allegedly rigged parliamentary elections
 * Pingswept stays in: Cambridge, MA, landmark "Gas With a Smile" requests waiver in conversion to Hess Express
 * Amgine stays in: Yahoo! snaps up Flickr
 * Redge stays in: EU concerned about Microsoft compliance, $5 million daily fine possible
 * The bellman stays in: Kofi Annan unveils UN reform plan
 * Ilya stays in: Car maker DeLorean dies at 80
 * Davodd stays in: WSJ: Diller close to $2 billion deal for Ask Jeeves
 * David Vasquez stays in: Bush signs historic Schiavo bill into law
 * Edbrown stays in: Jury deliberates immigrant smuggler case
 * CGorman stays in: Bank of Ireland to axe 2,000 jobs
 * Dan100 doesn't even make the start line, d'oh

Judging
Contest judges are precluded from participating in the contest. Their role is to decide whether written articles meet the requirements above. If you would like to be a judge, you can nominate yourself below. Other users can comment on the nominations, similar to the process on Administrators.

Fuzheado
Would be willing to serve. Fuzheado 01:31, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)

CGorman
Decided to drop out of the contest due to a few unavoidable commitments coming up. Hope to help with the log. CGorman 20:14, 23 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Prizes
''No prizes contributed yet. To pledge a prize, which can be a physical object or cash, just add the prize pledge below, together with your signature ( ~ ). You can add prizes at any time.''

''The organizers will try to help with transferring the prizes to the contest winner. The winner can decide which prizes they want to accept. The prizes they decline can be entered into the next contest.''


 * A Gmail Invite. 50 Gmail invites Doubt this counts as a physical good... so its probaly not valid (plus it is effectively worthless), but I might as well get the spirit of giving going. CGorman 21:14, 6 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Not to undermine CG's generosity :), but if anyone wants a Gmail invite, see my user page! Dan100 (Talk)
 * Well I suppose I was a bit mean only offering one - i've 50 to give away! CGorman 19:47, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * A strange, bizarre gift of my choosing, which will be mailed to you in a plain, unmarked package, with a barely legible return address, which may or may not clear customs depending on your location and the local laws in your community. (Less adventurous winners may decline the gift by simply refusing to supply a mailing address to the prize coordinator at the end of the contest.) &mdash; DV 06:30, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * CA$50, and we're working on how to put a cash prize together - we might be able to set up an account so others can contribute to a bigger pot. - Amgine 06:37, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * A postcard from oh so exotic *cough cough* Canberra. Come on ppl this is something which anyone can contribute, come join with me, and offer a postcard from your home town. The bellman 10:34, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * If the winner is in Europe I'm sure I'll post them... something! Dan100 (Talk) 17:52, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * US$20 via PayPal. -- Davodd | Talk 18:22, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Something stolen from the home or personal effects of SJ by Pingswept 04:38, 16 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * US$100 via PayPal, US postal money order, or US bank-certified funds. The winner can choose which payment method is best for him or her. (This prize is in addition to the strange, bizarre gift of my choosing, offered above.) &mdash; DV 06:45, 19 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * $1/day x duration of contest donated to Wikimedia Foundation pledges:
 * DV 07:14, 19 Mar 2005 (UTC)
 * Odigity 09:03, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Prize ideas

 * A donation to the Wikimedia Foundation in the name of the winner. The amount of donation in US dollars will be equal to the number of days the winner succesfully lasts in the competition. (Kind of like a Walkathon) (<-- unsigned comment by Fuzheado)
 * Support. Good idea Fuzheado! Wikimedia should get something out of this - because it's their site. I will donate one US$ dollar per each day the contest continues, up to a limit of 365 days. If the contest lasts longer than a month, I will institute a routine of donating the accumulated pledge at the end of each month the contest continues. Is there a way to donate to Wikimedia in a way that is publically verifiable? (This prize is in addition to the prizes I have pledged up above.) &mdash; DV 07:14, 19 Mar 2005 (UTC)

es:Wikinoticias:Maratón de escritura nl:Wikinews:Nieuwscafé/Archief/2005/01 ro:Wikiştiri:Concurs de scriere