Jimbo & Rachel Marsden : Scandalous, can you say WP:COItus? Options

[UseOnceAndDestroy]

Poor Jimmy. If only he'd read the uncensored Rachel Marsden article he would have known he was heading for serious trouble.

Feh. Like he would have believed a wikipedia biography was accurate.

[thekohser]

I find it quite funny and unsurprising that there is not yet any mention of this on WikiEN-l or the Foundation-l mailing lists.

Would you all say that's because the moderators are deep-sixing it before it's posted, or because they're all terrified to even bring up how this is going to be a nuclear detonation in another day or two?

Greg

[Moulton]

There seem to be quite a few mainstream journalists entangled in this WikiMess.

[Chris Croy]

I find it quite funny and unsurprising that there is not yet any mention of this on WikiEN-l or the Foundation-l mailing lists.

Would you all say that's because the moderators are deep-sixing it before it's posted, or because they're all terrified to even bring up how this is going to be a nuclear detonation in another day or two?

Greg

The latter.

---

This will (probably) be more destructive to Wikipedia's image than any previous scandal.

[The Wales Hunter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jim...rch_1st%2C_2008

Statement of Jimmy Wales

March 1, 2008

Over the last few days, a few gossip websites have decided that my personal life is somehow of interest to people and, against my wishes, are publicizing details about a brief relationship I had with Rachel Marsden. While, typically, this would not warrant a response, because my role with Wikipedia is being dragged into it, I felt the need to set the record straight on a couple of issues.

First, while I find it hard to imagine that anyone really cares about my sex life, the facts are: I am separated from my wife. I considered myself single at the time of my one meeting with Rachel Marsden on February 9th, 2008. I am no longer involved with Rachel Marsden. Gossipy stories suggesting that I have been in a relationship with her "since last fall" are completely false.

The second, and far more important, issue is this false notion which is being peddled that I intervened inappropriately to redraft her Wikipedia biography. The facts are that, in Wikipedia, I work closely with a team called "OTRS," which handles email complaints and works hard to address concerns relating to the biographies of living persons. Rachel Marsden first approached me via email two years ago with complaints about her bio. We had never met. I subsequently reviewed her bio and I found it not to be up to our standards. My involvement in cases like this is completely routine, and I am proud of it.

I decided to meet Rachel Marsden in person for the first time in early February of this year. Accordingly, three days before that meeting, to avoid any appearance of a potential conflict of interest, I disclosed my plans to OTRS and further disclosed that it was a personal matter. I recused myself from any further official action with respect to her biography.

I care deeply about the integrity of Wikipedia, and take very seriously my responsibilities as a Member of the Board and as a member of the Wikipedia community. I would never knowingly do anything to compromise that trust.

[thekohser]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jim...rch_1st%2C_2008

Statement of Jimmy Wales

...

I care deeply about the integrity of Wikipedia, and take very seriously my responsibilities as a Member of the Board and as a member of the Wikipedia community. I would never knowingly do anything to compromise that trust.

Damn, you beat me by 10 minutes or so, Wales Hunter.

I guess Jimbo wasn't "knowingly" ordering $300 bottles of wine and trying to get massage parlor expenses reimbursed through Danny Wool. Because Jimbo would NEVER knowingly compromise the trust of his Wikipedia community!

I absolutely believe that, too -- because the Wikipedia community and the success of Wikipedia are instrumental to his long-term financial success at Wikia, Inc. and on the $90,000-a-day lecture circuit!

So, what we have here is a man who absolutely and believably is unknowingly compromising the trust of his community.

Greg

[Kato]

The facts are that, in Wikipedia, I work closely with a team called "OTRS," which handles email complaints and works hard to address concerns relating to the biographies of living persons.

Ask Daniel Brandt how closely Jimbo Wales works with a "team called OTRS".

"OTRS" indeed!

"...works hard to address concerns relating to the biographies of living persons."

How much more of this crap do we need to hear?

[thekohser]

When will the [[Jimmy Wales]] article get updated with the separation from his wife and the encounter with Marsden? I imagine his article is super-protected, though, right?

Greg

[Kato]

[Derktar]

When will the [[Jimmy Wales]] article get updated with the separation from his wife and the encounter with Marsden? I imagine his article is super-protected, though, right?

Greg

I doubt this will stick.

[thekohser]

Somebody cue the "dramatic groundhog" music.

Look at Rachel's traffic!

I'll also bet that this graphic gets a lot different in the next week or so.

Also, this one and this one will probably change in the next 15 to 30 days.

Greg

[Heat]

Just wait until Marsden retaliates for being snubbed/dumped on her website. When a cop she was boinking dumped her she retaliated by posting his emails and accusing him of leaking anti-terrorist information (resulting in an internal investigation by his superiors).

My bet is this is just beginning.

Hard to believe Wales would have such poor judgment.

[thekohser]

Hard to believe Wales would have such poor judgment.

Were you born yesterday, Heat?

[Heat]

Wikipedia creator Jimmy Wales dumps girlfriend on Wikipedia

[dtobias]

The "Cyberstalking List Clique" is adamant that it is thoroughly evil to have any association with somebody involved with stalking or harassment. So I guess the clique must disown Jimmy Wales now, for his involvement with an accused stalker.

[thekohser]

In the first nine hours since the pronouncement, I think the funniest thing is that the Wikipediots seem most concerned about whether there should be a hyperlink to WP:OTRS in Jimbo's statement or not.

Jimbo has a hot, steamy wiki-meetup with a saucy brunette TV personality, and the big consequence these nerds are worried about is a blue link for journalists not to get the wrong idea about their Open-source Ticket Request System software!

[Moulton]

OTRS is a joke. Window dressing, like the legendary Customer Complaint Department that never actually resolves anyone's complaints.

[thekohser]

For those who have read the ValleyWag "sex chats", you've probably noticed the un-clickable links to the Washington DC Doubletree Hotel web page that was the site of the encounter between Wales and Marsden.

For everyone's convenience, I have made these links clickable from this page, so that everyone can see the posh hotel room which Jimbo stayed in earlier this month.

Hilton will probably appreciate the Google AdSense traffic, too.

[Doc glasgow]

In the first nine hours since the pronouncement, I think the funniest thing is that the Wikipediots seem most concerned about whether there should be a hyperlink to WP:OTRS in Jimbo's statement or not.

Jimbo has a hot, steamy wiki-meetup with a saucy brunette TV personality, and the big consequence these nerds are worried about is a blue link for journalists not to get the wrong idea about their Open-source Ticket Request System software!

Cos some of us are not turned on my salacious tales of Jimmy's sex life?

Frankly, my wikibiz, I don't give a damn.

[Moulton]

It would be helpful if there were evidence to demonstrate that WMF did not reimburse Jimbo for that posh hotel room.