From Danny:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/business/media/25asktheeditors.html
You should all read this (you need to log in, but these things happen). It answers a pile of relevant questions for Wikipedia: notability, how to write a good bio (our best bio articles would a well-written obituary, whether the person is alive or not), research ... fantastic stuff.
- d.