From: "Tony Sidaway"
<minorityreport(a)bluebottle.com>
If I see a reference in an encyclopedia I expect it to have been verified
by the author of the article, or else the author should state if he has
attempted to verify it and been unsuccessful. This is important
information about the quality of the citation and must not be omitted.
Your expectations are not in line with reality. Encyclopedia articles use
secondary references all the time, and do not insist that the author of the
article check every primary reference. Historians, scientists, etc. are
quoted all the time.
Jay.