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It was a boy meets girl story for the web 2.0 generation. But when it all turned sour the recriminations resounded through the blogosphere while the dirty laundry was put up for sale on eBay.
She was Rachel Marsden, 33, the Canadian right-wing political pundit used to airing the tangles of her personal life online. He was Jimmy Wales, 41, the co-founder of Wikipedia, the web encyclopaedia that aims to provide up-to-date “user-generated” information.
On Saturday Ms Marsden logged on to discover that her own particular affair had also been updated. She had been dumped on Wikipedia.
Mr Wales posted a statement on the site noting that: “I am no longer involved with Rachel Marsden.”
In response Ms Marsden did what any self-respecting scorned cyber-pundit would do. She dug out the shirt and jumper that her former lover had worn during what was apparently their only night together and put them up for sale on eBay. “Hi, my name is Rachel and my (now ex) boyfriend, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, just broke up with me via an announcement on Wikipedia,” she wrote.
By last night bidding on the T-shirt, complete with stubborn stains, had reached more than £150 while bids on the jumper had climbed past £200.
She also sent a transcript of their passionate conversations on an instant messenger service to a California technology blog, fuelling a debate on whether Mr Wales had broken his own website’s principles. Among them is the policy that all of Wikipedia’s “user-facing” content “should be written from a neutral point of view” and may not contain any unpublished theories, data, statements, concepts, arguments, or ideas . . . that, in the words of Wikipedia’s co-founder Jimbo Wales, would amount to a “novel narrative or historical interpretation”.
There was some uncertainty as to whether Mr Wales could write about his past romance from a “neutral point of view”; equally, it was unclear whether his statement that the affair was ended constituted a “novel narrative or historical interpretation”.
What Mr Wales acknowledged was a “far more important” issue was the allegation that, as he became involved with Ms Marsden, he intervened to redraft her Wikipedia biography.
“Rachel Marsden first approached me via e-mail two years ago with complaints about her bio,” he wrote. It already contained plenty of points of controversy. In the late 1990s, as a college swimming star, she had accused the team coach of sexual harassment. The coach, who was fired and then reinstated, claimed that she had harassed him. In 2004 she had been given a conditional discharge for harassing a radio host.
What concerned Ms Marsden, however, was an account of her entanglement with a Canadian counter-terrorism officer with whom she had a two-year affair. On her blog she accused him of passing her secret documents; he accused her of harassment.
Mr Wales said that he reviewed the entry on Ms Marsden and discovered it was not up to standard. “We had never met,” he added. They did meet in February. An apparent transcript of their conversations before that meeting suggests that, although Mr Wales had withdrawn from the editing process, he was still influencing the editors.
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Why do so many apparently educated, successful, high-achieving people (not just these two) now choose to broadcast every tacky detail of their private lives all over the net and in what way do they imagine showing their apparently limitless immaturity, insecurity and indiscretion will make them attractive to any future partners - unless, of course, they're actively seeking equally immature, insecure and indiscreet folk? They really are no different, bar their wealth, to Jerry Springer Show guests and should be treated with the same scorn.
Rose , Salwa, Kuwait
It's true Rachel had some troubled times in the past. However, I think there is a pertinent saying: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." None of us is perfect, so stop criticizing Rachel, whose ex, in this case, was way out of line for his public breakup.
Johnboy, Coquitlam, Canada
I don't understand how someone (Wales) could have seen everything that had been on her Wikipedia profile and still think it would be a good idea to have a relationship with her. It's obvious that after one "date", that she lived up to her reputation as being scary (to say the least) and he was having second thoughts fairly early on. She is definitely the live version of "Fatal Attraction". The fact that Wales was blinded by her appearance and threw precaution to the wind is just cause for his current predicament.
Kathryn , Phoenix, USA
This woman has a history of messy break ups involving distinctly stalker-like behaviour on her part afterwards (just Google her to read all about it) so it comes as no surprise that she would do this. She just strikes me as immature when it comes to relationships and that is probably why so many men walk - nay, run - away from her. Why does everybody need to know what is happening in her relationship? So she got dumped. Big deal. She would do better to deal with it with grace. As it is, the woman is now an international laughing stock. Worse, any man with any sense will see her and keep walking!
Helen, London,
Interesting, but don't look at that particular eBay site. I did and within 5 minutes someone had hijacked my password and taken over my eBay site. It took 4 hours to reclaim it and I had to change my Password and my email password as well (as advised by eBay). Beware of sensational sites with germs attached.
Peter, Sydney, Australia
Looooollllllllllll!!!!
Dhoofy, Birmingham, UK
Pleeeeeze, oh, pleeeeeze everyone - Grow Up !!!
Chris Martin
Florida USA
Christian Martin, Lake Mary , USA Florida
Everytime I read about Rachel Marsden, I cringe when it is noted that she is Canadian. She is an embarassment to our country. Her political viewpoint would reflect perhaps 5% of all Canadians.
Mike, London, Ontario, Canada
There is no accounting for taste, or lack thereof, as they say.
TheRockofAges, Tampa, USA/FL
There is more than enough of this going on in the world. What happened to the REAL meaning of Man"KIND"???
Look at the REAL suffering out there in this world. Let's take care of others less fortunate than ourselves (humans, animals, the environment), instead of trying to one-up the other person.
YTK, New York, NY
A quick scan of the footnotes against her Wikepedia entry should scare off any guy. He must have read them. I question his sanity let alone hers.
John, Sussex,
The nutters appear to be the ones buying the stuff!
hazellove, Brighton, UK
It all smacks of falsity. Don't think there is any strategy - only unconrolled anger, aimed to extort some low emotion out of other people.
Tanya, Samara, Russia
I lived in Vancouver a few years ago and remember the Liam Donelly / Rachel Marsden case. Rachel has a track record of a mentally unstable person. The eBay photo corroborates a nutty gleam in her eyes.
I'm sure she also makes a nice rabbit stew...
Rob, London,
"Complete nutter. Get over it! "
Hell no! Why bottle it up? How British. He dumps her online, she takes revenge online. Fair enough.
He's moved his statement to his blog, by the way. The wimp.
starling, Lancaster,
Complete nutter. Get over it! You're not the first and wont be the last
Chris, London, United Kingdom
Children, children, play nicely now.
David Leslie, Perth, Scotland
He read her history and still went out with her?
For thinking with your trouser brain you deserve everything you get Jimbo.
Upstairs for thinking, downstairs for dancing.
Salty, Reading,
Has Jimbo ever heard of Borderline Personality Disorder? He needs to look it up on Wikipedia
Kathy, Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
I did a similar thing to my ex girlfriend. She treated me badly and I wrote about on several web sites. A warning to all that meet her...
Pistol Pete, Raleigh, NC
GO GIRL!!!!!!
carl, tampa, usa
do you think he's listed her under the definition of " bunny boiler" in wiki?
fi, newcastle upon tyne, uk
Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They deserve and deserved eachother.
Riki, Melbourne, Australia
Well, she has met her match, or he has met his. This has got to be the juiciest smackdown since Piers Morgan met Omarosa.
In all seriousness, this young lady sounds unbalanced. She is accusatory, yet is flimsy on the evidence. He should avoid her, and she should try a different strategy.
Carolyn Bongiorno, Glenham, NY U.S.A.
... strangest planet I have ever been on.
Geoff, Ligonier, PA
Wow, I can't wait to read her Wikipedia entry now!
Tim, San Mateo, CA
Take a look at all the bidders. There is a pattern to the bidding with the user ids ... I think this will turn out to be a fake ad and the item pulled.
Marlene, Alexandria, VA, US
Is there even proof that the eBay seller is Marsden? Or that the shirts are really Wales's? Even if they are... $405 for a sweater? My god, people are dumb.
Alex, Cleveland, Ohio, US
Judging from her past, if he was fool enough to go there, then he's gotten his just desserts. Word of advice for the future Jimbo: if your date has been accused of harassment more than once, you should leave well enough alone.
Shelley, Boston, USA
If Mr Wales has left any bunnies with his ex then consider them boiled, just hope she is not preggerz. Think about it.
andand@kent, T/Wells,
Ms Marsden has a 100 percent positive rating from buyers on ebay- but this is the result of not actually having sold anything yet.
Chris Gillibrand, Brussels, Belgium/ uncertain state
she's totally wacko man! history of psycho-nuts! poor guy thought he was in for a good time...
fiendo, Belfast,
As titillating as this story is, the underlying message is poison to the heart of wikipedia's goal of neutrality; don't like your Wikipedia entry ... Shag the boss and he'll fix it for you (or vice versa).
T.C, neverland,
Yet another nail in the coffin of wiki-credibility. Cade Metz must be laughing his socks off at this one.
moofburger, Merseyside,
Go into the school yard and play children !!!
Ian Payne, WALSALL,
Hell hath no fury like a right wing Canadian Columnist/TV Pundit with a history of angry break up rage woman scorned...
Neil, London,
How can you be dumped from a 'relationship' when you've only ever met in person once?
John, Canada,
Contrary to what this article says, Mr. Wales posted his personal statement on his own "user talk" page, and not on his own article, or its discussion page.
Making personal statements on your user or user talk page is not just allowed but encouraged. The whole point is for Wikipedia contributors to describe themselves should they wish. Therefore, despite what this article says, he did not ignore " the Wikipedia protocol he has so carefully developed"
Abioye A Oyetunji, London, UK
left wing-right wing-chicken wing, people are people.
ben barr, no wilkesboro, nc/usa
She sounds a right bunny boiler.
james , London, UK
she is definately a mess me thinks!!!
laureen, Leeds,
She sounds nuts
Phill, The Wirral, England