Please post your vote as a comment ...

And when 500 comments have been posted, the winner can post the answer
and claim the prize.

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 23 Nov 2002 09:56 PST

To Justaskscott 

All ballots can (usually) be fixed ...

Moreover, it is now almost mandatory.

Regards

Bryan

---

Request for Question Clarification by hailstorm-ga on 23 Nov 2002 20:26 PST

probonopublico,

I don't see why you need this poll..."votes" are already cast all the
time in the form of star ratings. The act of many people rating many
researchers on the basis of each individual answer seems much more
statistically valid than 500 people (and I doubt you'll ever get that
many comments...) trying to single out one name.

The "best" researcher should be the one who answers many questions
very well, so I suggest looking up all the researchers that have
answered more than 100 questions and taking the one with the highest
rating, then subtracting somewhat for refunds.

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 23 Nov 2002 23:21 PST

Hi, Hailstorm

Many thanks for your suggestion but I would need access to the Google
database to do justice to your proposed analysis.

I have done a few sample searches and Missy tops my list in terms of
number of questions answered (233) with PinkFreud in second spot
(182). Incidentally, they are both front runners in my own list of
'best' researchers.

Sadly, you are scraping the bottom with only 34 answers which - being
less than 100 - necessarily excludes you from selection by the
criteria that you have suggested.

As you know, you have only collected a 5 Star rating on 15 occasions
although 9 of your questions have not yet been rated.

Apparently, you have earned $484 for your efforts, bolstered by one
question that contributed $200. (Well done!)

Of course, using your criteria, I have absolutely no idea how much to
subtract for refunds. I am afraid therefore that, for this reason, I
shall have to warn you not to be too disappointed when the winner is
announced.

However, please don't be discouraged.

And, if you haven't squandered all the 200 bucks yet ... Is there any
chance of a loan?

Kindest regards

Bryan

---

Request for Question Clarification by secret901-ga on 24 Nov 2002 04:18 PST

Bryan,
Using the criteria mentioned by hailstorm, you should investigate
bobbie7-ga, who answered 288 questions as of now with only one refund.

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 24 Nov 2002 04:26 PST

Hi, Secret 901

Well spotted ... I'll take Bobbie 7 into account!

Many thanks

Bryan

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 24 Nov 2002 05:12 PST

Hi, All

Using the Hailstorm Methodology, three candidates have been
shortlisted:

1: PinkFreud who has been given a 5 Star rating 61 times out of the
last 100 questions that she has answered.

2: Missy 51

3: Bobbie7 49

Surprisingly, only some 60% of all questions are ever answered and
only some 30% of all answers are ever rated.

The short listed candidates are now required to come to London where
the final selection will be made. (Originally, it was going to be
Nigeria, so cheer up.)

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 24 Nov 2002 05:25 PST

CORRECTION

I should have said that only 70% of answers are ever rated.

---

Request for Question Clarification by secret901-ga on 24 Nov 2002 12:24 PST

Also, juggler-ga answered more than 260 questions as well.

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 24 Nov 2002 23:12 PST

Hi, Secret901

Many thanks for pointing me towards Juggler who has come straight into
the charts with 59, only 2 behind PinkFreud, the leader on 61.

You are remarkably well informed ...

How do you do it?

Or is that a secret?

Regards

Bryan

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 25 Nov 2002 00:20 PST

Hi, Leep

You are a clever devil!

Not only did you leap to my rescue when I was acutely embarrassed (ID:
105951) but you have now brought yourself into contention by claiming
not to be interested.

This is the oldest political ploy in the book.

Are you a politician? Or do you have political ambitions?

After all, Georgie aint gonna be around forever.

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 26 Nov 2002 23:07 PST

A new contender has just entered the Short List, a certain var-ga.

Now, var-ga has not answered any question since 21 April but during 2
days (9 & 10 April) he/she answered 8 questions in 2 days!

Although he/she only answered 10 questions in total ... He/she picked
up 5 Stars on 7 occasions.

IMHO, that is a record that will take some beating.

However, I fear that by now var may well have burned him/her-self out.

If not, please make sure that your passport not out-of-date.

I was going to vote for [mumblemumble], but I got confused by the
ballot, and accidentally voted for Pat Buchanan instead...

Aww, Bryan, can't we vote for our favorite customer instead?

--Missy

pink, that's hillarious!!! ROFLMAO!!!

I vote for... @##~~~!!~!~~@#$!@#!$@#$@#$

NO CARRIER

I was going to vote, but I think today I'll be one of the millions who
choose not to exercise their franchise due to apathy, disillusionment,
or ignorance.

Incidentally, on a more serious note, the most commented thread ever
received about 70 comments, so your hope for 500 may be a little
optimistic. Good luck nevertheless, and glad to do my bit ;-)

Can we vote for ourselves?  That way, we'll end up in a 500-way tie,
and no one will feel left out.  (Plus, if I vote for myself now, I'll
be in a (very) temporary lead.  So, OK, that's one vote for me ....) 
;-)

Bryan,

I thought about which Researcher I would select, and honestly -- there
are a LOT of fabulous Researchers, whose special expertise and skills
lie in different specific areas, such as Legal, Financial, Computer,
Philosophy, Mathematics, Science, Medicine, Languages, Literature,
Art, History, and just general Arcane Minutiae (<-- not that I'm
talking about you there or anything, pinkfreud -- no, sir!).

To select any one Researcher would be to do an injustice to the
Researchers -- and especially to the Customers, who deserve to get an
Answer from the Researcher who can best address THEIR particular
question.

aceresearcher

seizer - what about this one?

https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=50956

By the way - nice idea probono, but I don't think it will lift off... 
At least from the researcher-voting-for-other-researchers point of
view - it's awkward for us.  And, I agree - there are so many
excellent researchers!

Thus, in the spirit of an Australian (mandatory voting) living in an
American-based company, I exercise my right to not vote.

hoorah!

Good luck pro bono!

Bob

The best researcher to date? But I'm married and my SO would be very
upset if I started dating... sorry, I'll have to pass but I hope the
unattached researchers have a great time deciding...

Oh, you meant 'to date' as in time??? Nevermind...

bcguide-ga

Hmmm, best as in:
got the highest average rating?
got the most ecstatic comment with rating?
answered the most questions?
answered the widest variety of questions?
answered the most challenging questions?
earned the most money?
provided the most support to other researchers?

I'd go for the last criterion, but would find it difficult to select
just one name from out of the brilliant researcher team that has
developed over the last months.

I think that missy-ga is my favorite researcher. She answers questions
well, has a lovely attitude, and great community interaction. That
isn't to say that we don't have plenty of other really nice people,
though.

i agree with justaskscott. I'm voting for myself.

Well, I'm not sure if I really voted for myself.  I put the vote in
parentheses with a "wink" emoticon at the end.  Isn't that like
failing to punch the chad all the way through the Florida ballot?  At
best, I think I only have 1/2 vote .... (Does this comment count
towards the 500, or is the rule "one comment per Researcher"?)

I'm going out on a limb to vote for myself. After all, I'd only vote
for the winner :)

is it against the rules (either of google or this question) to sign up
for 500 accounts just to vote for yourself? Not that I would go to all
that trouble for $2 ;)

Hello Probonppublico-ga,

Thank you for your question. The information you are looking for does
not appear to be found on the web. The major polling organizations
still seem to be concentrating on parochial issues such as whether
people prefer Coke or Pepsi, while the Nobel prize awarding committee
continues to focus on the laboratory setting when considering best
researchers. I am not quite sure why all have neglected this
far-reaching question, but if you continue to frequent Google Answers,
you may find that the rest of the world will soon become more
enlightened, or more likely, that the answer will materialize here
right before your very eyes. This has been quite a learning
experience, and your question is very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

vitalmed-ga

I think PinkFreud is always so lovely and professional!

As probonopublico so eloquently made the case above, I cannot
seriously consider myself as best GA researcher. I suppose I would
have to cast my vote for missy-ga, for the mass of questions she has
answered, the high rating she has, and the amount of work she puts in
behind the scenes to help Google and the researchers improve this
work-in-progress Google Answers system.

missy-ga for president!!!!!!!

(now as our next project: why not vote for best GA question ever?)

The best interests of the party, er I mean Google Answers, would be
served for me not to become a candidate for either the Best Google
Researcher or the vice Best Google Researcher under any circumstances.

All the previously mentioned Researchers are worthy, though I'd
probably vote for Bobbie7.

BTW, some of us couldn't vote for ourselves even if we wanted to,
since Google Answers has not been accepting new Researchers for so
long, we're all out of the running automatically.

The FAQ section has said "we are temporarily not accepting additional
applications" for how long now -- six months?  C'mon, guys!  Open the
doors!

I don't believe there is a "best" researcher. I very well may be the
best on certain types of questions (I've received my share of
five-star ratings), but the same could be said of dozens of other
researchers.

"If elected, I will not run..."

And, btw, no matter what the outcome, I think it
imperative that someone demand a recount...

I vote for Albert Einstein, but since he's no longer around, the
closest would have to be MISSY-ga!!!

 Also being an Aussie I excercise my right to EAT VEGEMITE!

Cheers

gabi-ga

Hi, Gaby 7

Many thanks for your vote ... Better late than never ... You must live
in the outback ... Or Port Headland (I went there once) ... Am I
right?

Yes, Missy is VERY, VERY POPULAR.

She's in the short list and I'm certianly looking forward to meeting
her when she comes to London for the Finals.

Kindest regards

Bryan

Hi Bryan,

It's December 30, 2004 as I type.

Phil