No guessing required: this is a callout

December 27, 2007 1:24 PM

Is tombola breaking the guidelines by posting a blog post from a site for which he is an editor?

The Chernobyl dry cleaning post seemed a bit off to me, so I looked a little closer. It might be an edge case, but it seems wrong to link to a blog post when you are employed as an editor by the website on which the post appears. Blogs would probably be the responsibility of the communities editor, which is tombola's position at the Times Online. That said, tombola's posting history reveals that four of his fourteen posts are links to blog posts on the Times Online site (and another contains a supplementary link to a blog post on the site), another four are other links to the Times Online site, and two are links to tombola's musicthing blog (which, I'll be the first to admit, is a great site, but is clearly a self-link).

posted by ssg to Etiquette/Policy at 1:24 PM (96 comments total)

It does seem sketchy to me, because other than his posts, he's not exactly an active member of the community. Not only does he self-link, but the number of his posts to the blue is greater than the number of comments he's made anywhere on the site EVER. It makes his priorities look extra suspicious.
posted by hermitosis at 1:31 PM on December 27, 2007

It's a shame to break the holiday spirit so prevalent lately. Accordingly, I say we forego the torches and pitchforks and only use tea lights and fondue forks on this one.
posted by yhbc at 1:31 PM on December 27, 2007 [5 favorites]

But we're still talking delete and ban, right, yhbc?
posted by nanojath at 1:32 PM on December 27, 2007

Oh sure; just with less vitriol.
posted by yhbc at 1:33 PM on December 27, 2007

This post links directly to the blog in his profile. Please Banhammer Don't Hurt 'Em.
posted by dhammond at 1:35 PM on December 27, 2007

Thanks for bringing this user to my attention. His music blog is pretty cool.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:35 PM on December 27, 2007

A kinder, gentler lynching.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:36 PM on December 27, 2007

How did Encyclopedia know that Bugs Meanie made a self link? Turn to page 15526 to find out!
posted by bondcliff at 1:36 PM on December 27, 2007 [5 favorites]

So instead of chanting, "Burn, burn, burn!" I should chant, "Singe, singe, singe?"
posted by RussHy at 1:36 PM on December 27, 2007

Tar and feather Paste and lint 'em.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 1:40 PM on December 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

We must take at least one of his toes. But not the big ones.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:41 PM on December 27, 2007

I've always wanted a vitriol powered car.

Fuck gasoline, methanol, or bio-diesel, my car runs on pure hate.
posted by quin at 1:44 PM on December 27, 2007 [3 favorites]

Pelt him with stale fruitcake! Dip him in nearly-expired eggnog and coat him in tinsel from the clearance bin!
posted by CKmtl at 1:46 PM on December 27, 2007

So this is going to be less a torches and pitchforks, and more a cheese and fondue forks kind of thing?

Because, I'll be honest with you, I've been hit with hot cheese, and I think I might prefer the tar and feathers.
posted by quin at 1:46 PM on December 27, 2007

How did Encyclopedia know that Bugs Meanie made a self link? Turn to page 15526 to find out!

Damn. You must've had the Britannica version of Encyclopedia Brown. Mine were all ~100 or so pages.

No wonder I never made detective.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:51 PM on December 27, 2007

He had the Metatalk version.

I'm just waiting for Sally to come in, flex muscle and whoop some ass.
posted by cashman at 1:59 PM on December 27, 2007

This post links directly to the blog in his profile.

Looks like he's scrubbed his MeFi profile. In his BoingBoing profile he also lists his Music Thing blog.

Yeah -- that Captain Beefheart's 10 rules for guitarists FPP is indeed a self-link. And he does have a propensity of linking to the blogs of his colleagues at Times Online.
posted by ericb at 2:06 PM on December 27, 2007

Countdown to "This account is disabled" begins now, make sure to have your cocktails and party streamers ready!
posted by baphomet at 2:08 PM on December 27, 2007

TERMINATE! With extreme nicety.
posted by The Deej at 2:09 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

You sure? Because it looks the same to me. Still has his name and website, which is pretty much all you need to figure out his self-linking.
posted by puke & cry at 2:16 PM on December 27, 2007

Well shit, I can't believe the dude who runs Music Thing is a fucking self-linking asshole.

I still like his blog.
posted by cloeburner at 2:17 PM on December 27, 2007

I wonder if Mary Beard, the author of the Times Online blog: "A don's life," to whom tombola has linked a number of times in his FPP's also has a MeFi account.
posted by ericb at 2:18 PM on December 27, 2007

My prediction for the 2008 word of the year? Banhammer.

But only after Britney Spears gets banhammered from a site in '08 and something something vajayjay.
posted by drezdn at 2:19 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

You sure? Because it looks the same to me. Still has his name and website, which is pretty much all you need to figure out his self-linking.

All I see in his MeFi profile (under Info) is: "Name: Tom Whitwell Joined: December 1, 2006." That's it -- no other text or info other than the standard comment, social info and tags.
posted by ericb at 2:20 PM on December 27, 2007

It's that other Tom Whitwell.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:23 PM on December 27, 2007

Well, shit, that's a pretty crappo track record. G'bye.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:25 PM on December 27, 2007

Countdown to "This account is disabled" begins now

And ends now. Happy Banhammering!
posted by CKmtl at 2:26 PM on December 27, 2007

I wonder if Mary Beard .. also has a MeFi account.

Unlikely.
posted by matthewr at 2:27 PM on December 27, 2007

Next time I need some detectivating work done ... I'm not going with the Three Investigators, Nancy Drew or the Hady Boys. I'm gonna go with ssg. Good work!
posted by ericb at 2:29 PM on December 27, 2007

*Hardy*
posted by ericb at 2:29 PM on December 27, 2007

Yeah, cortex, but did you push the button nicely?
posted by The Deej at 2:30 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

Guys, guys. Christmas is OVER. Why you wanna be all nicey-nicey? These aren't your ordinary self-links. These are self-links to a damned News Corp property. Dude doesn't contribute to other discussions, has posed a single AskMe which he couldn't be bothered to best-answer or provide a summarize "thanks everybody" for, has a single favorite, no contacts, no posts to MUSIC for chrissake, where he might be something of an asset... Shenanigans shenanigans shenanigans I say.

I vote for scorched earth and salted fields. Let the sun set on 10 deleted tombola posts this day.
posted by mumkin at 2:30 PM on December 27, 2007

Damn. I, too, love Musicthing and was briefly thrilled to find out (in this thread) that dude's a MeFite. Or rather, was a Mefite...until very, very, very recently. Lame.


.
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 2:30 PM on December 27, 2007

He's let Metafilter down, he's let his family down but most of all he's let himself down. This is a sad day for us all. I can't speak for everyone but I personally feel violated. It will take me a long time to get to the point where I feel I can trust anyone on the internet again. To top it all, this happens during the festive season. Words fail me. Really they do. Well, they do now. They obviously didn't earlier when I started typing because I typed quite a bit and they're not failing just at this moment because I'm still going but...

And so forth.
posted by i_cola at 2:32 PM on December 27, 2007 [3 favorites]

And ends now. Happy Banhammering!

...aww shit, and I was just finishing up my cocktail by waving my bottle of vermouth over the martini glass.

Oh well. It was a happy banhammering anyway.
posted by baphomet at 2:32 PM on December 27, 2007

has posed a single AskMe...

And I wonder if the responses to his one AskMe provided him with info for an article or blog post elsewhere regarding "heavy metal bands which have umlauts in their names."
posted by ericb at 2:34 PM on December 27, 2007

If self links were lunchmeat this guy would be on his way to one helluva sandwich. Provided of course that questionable motives were bread and banable actions were some kind of condiment.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 2:36 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

Yay!
posted by 31d1 at 2:41 PM on December 27, 2007

That's it! He's had enough. He's going.
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 2:44 PM on December 27, 2007

So you are saying that you can't link to those things of which you know? You can only surf and THEN post something that is of interest to you and hopefully others ? Seriously, is the guy making money off of this? I don't get it, and as many of you know, I don't get alot of things... Somebody 'splain it me me.
posted by wafaa at 2:57 PM on December 27, 2007

... and that linked article doesn't even mention Stephen Fry. Talk about not knowing your audience.
posted by maudlin at 3:00 PM on December 27, 2007

wafaa! Duck! DUCK!
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 3:03 PM on December 27, 2007

wafaa! Duck! DUCK!

I know. Seconds after I hit post, I had this sinking feeling in the pit of my gut. OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE!
posted by wafaa at 3:14 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

You left out the sarcasm tags, wafaa. I hope, anyway.
posted by puke & cry at 3:15 PM on December 27, 2007

wafaa: See the wiki for the reasoning behind it.
posted by CKmtl at 3:15 PM on December 27, 2007

I don't get it, and as many of you know, I don't get alot of things... Somebody 'splain it me me.

Check out this MetaTalk thread from the other day. In it the mods talk about the rules regarding posting self-links and posts you make to friends' and colleagues' websites/blogs. There, however, is some lee-way given on occasion.
posted by ericb at 3:17 PM on December 27, 2007

Why does that wiki have a 'how to get away with self-linking' section?
posted by puke & cry at 3:18 PM on December 27, 2007

Seriously, is the guy making money off of this?

If what you're selling is yourself, then you probably don't have a very objective opinion of its worth or usefulness to others, which is why so many self-linkers stand right out anyway.

Really though it's about the culture of the site and the spirit of why we want to share what we share. If someone looks at MetaFilter and just see a group of people they'd like to sell themself to, then they're missing the point. I get advertised to in print, on TV, in movies, on the radio, and on the subway. There are ads written in the goddam SKY. I don't think it's asking a lot to be able to come somewhere and enjoy sharing ideas and culture with people without someone pushing their tits in my face and trying to get me to buy their book/blog/blook/album/ironic handicrafts/pepsi/artisanal flowering teas.
posted by hermitosis at 3:18 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

wafaa, according to this, the guy "oversees all blogs, moderating people's comments by checking for libel, obscenities and repetitions, and ensuring that readers' questions and thoughts are responded to. ‘We are trying to encourage a two-way conversation - more of a debate and less of a platform for columnists to merely say what they think,' he says."

Without traffic, those blogs go away. Without those blogs, he doesn't have a job. So yes, he's making money off of this.
posted by Partial Law at 3:21 PM on December 27, 2007

Just know, if tombola's membership here is effectively assassinated, Languagehat will not care.

Neither will I, though.
posted by miss lynnster at 3:35 PM on December 27, 2007

...without someone pushing their tits in my face...

That's quite the analogy, hermitosis--thing is, I totally get it now. I am not being sarcastic. I'm seeing that it is a kind of "in your face" thing. Thanks all for the links.
posted by wafaa at 3:45 PM on December 27, 2007

Languagehat will not care.

But I do! I care that he didn't have the decency to come into this thread, argue, shriek invective, and flame out with a satisfying flame! BASTARD!
posted by languagehat at 3:59 PM on December 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

This is what you get when you fuck a stranger in the ass self-link at Metafilter.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:01 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

To be fair, languagehat, tombola is in the UK, so the callout took place around 9:30 PM, GMT. That's well outside normal business hours, and I don't see why you'd expect him to be reading MeFi on his own time.
posted by mumkin at 4:08 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

I don't see why you'd expect him to be reading MeFi on his own time.

Oh sure, so soooooooooome people have better things to be doing from 5pm - 9am than reading MetaFilter.

RUB IT IN WHY DONCHA
posted by pineapple at 4:26 PM on December 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

This has got to have been the most civilized callout and ban in the history of MetaTalk.

It's disturbing, somehow.
posted by tkolar at 4:29 PM on December 27, 2007

I don't think it's asking a lot to be able to come somewhere and enjoy sharing ideas and culture with people without someone pushing their tits in my face...

Dude, you're missing the best part! Ideas and culture are all very nice, but tits in the face - well, now you're talkin'!
posted by rtha at 4:31 PM on December 27, 2007

This has got to have been the most civilized callout and ban in the history of MetaTalk.

Speaking of which, is it tea time yet? Jolly good. Pass the crumpets please.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:34 PM on December 27, 2007

I don't see why you'd expect him to be reading MeFi on his own time.

Well, I read MeFi on my own time. Though I have to admit, that while the old saying "time is money" is no doubt true for those with actual earning potential, my time is, well, just time.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:40 PM on December 27, 2007

Somebody pass miss lynnster a trumpet.

What? Oh.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:42 PM on December 27, 2007

Maybe she'd prefer a strumpet.
posted by goo at 4:45 PM on December 27, 2007

If not, she can lump it.
posted by languagehat at 4:47 PM on December 27, 2007

A hurdle? She could jump it.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:48 PM on December 27, 2007

Give MeFites an opportunity to stand in front of wordplay lever, and they'll punp it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:54 PM on December 27, 2007

The problem is, most of these puns are really dumb, pet.
posted by pineapple at 5:10 PM on December 27, 2007

Is everybody numb yet?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:17 PM on December 27, 2007

I am disappointed his bannination wasn't held back until midnight, New Year's Eve.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:21 PM on December 27, 2007

I can't feel my thumb, shit.
posted by cashman at 5:21 PM on December 27, 2007

Yea, so I took it down the road and dumped it.
posted by snsranch at 5:23 PM on December 27, 2007

Welcome to the pun pit.
posted by wendell at 5:42 PM on December 27, 2007

Let's buy a drum machine and write a krump hit.
posted by drezdn at 5:59 PM on December 27, 2007

I've been hit with hot cheese
God, I remember the glory days of disco too.
posted by Abiezer at 5:59 PM on December 27, 2007

Let's buy a drum machine and write a krump hit.

Ick, then we'd be all covered in drum sweat.

From here on out I'm keeping mum. Nyet!
posted by pineapple at 6:11 PM on December 27, 2007

The incredible Mr. Limpet.
posted by not_on_display at 7:23 PM on December 27, 2007

I'm passing the tea tray. Don't bump it.
posted by shinybeast at 7:31 PM on December 27, 2007

This thread is a scum pit.
posted by atchafalaya at 8:21 PM on December 27, 2007

This scum is a thread pit.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:52 PM on December 27, 2007

Scum pit the volume.
posted by Abiezer at 9:04 PM on December 27, 2007

Punp up the volume.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:29 PM on December 27, 2007

Lump it, Limpet.
posted by wendell at 9:34 PM on December 27, 2007

...she's just a woman.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:54 PM on December 27, 2007

AIDS
posted by Joseph Gurl at 12:42 AM on December 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

AIDS

Obviously from too much (unprotected) crumpet.

The circle is complete *breaks out drum kit*
posted by h00py at 1:16 AM on December 28, 2007

I feel a little guilty trotting out my tired old schtick, but nevertheless - if hotter heads prevail, and we do in fact decide to kill him and eat him, I would ask that the leg be reserved for me.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:22 AM on December 28, 2007

I'll take a wing.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:27 AM on December 28, 2007

I call the liver and lights.
posted by Divine_Wino at 7:54 AM on December 28, 2007

The blogger who drives most traffic to our site gets to go on a free junket.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:56 AM on December 28, 2007

"I feel a little guilty trotting out my tired old schtick, but nevertheless - if hotter heads prevail, and we do in fact decide to kill him and eat him, I would ask that the leg be reserved for me."

I'll take the head, once you've shrunk it.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:21 AM on December 28, 2007

I'm going to have to stop reading Metatalk while I'm trying to diet.
posted by taz at 10:36 AM on December 28, 2007

but if you do that, you'll miss our laugh riot.
and no one knows better
how to get down and slender
than some nerds in the basement
with pork pies for fundament
posted by nomisxid at 11:46 AM on December 28, 2007

stick a fork in it, it's dundament.
posted by not_on_display at 12:10 AM on December 29, 2007

I am not a fan of these kinder, gentler pitchforks.
posted by dhammond at 1:16 AM on December 29, 2007

The tines of the pitchforks are covered with cork... or pork... or Björk... or Peter Tork...
posted by wendell at 5:16 PM on December 29, 2007

dork.
posted by mumkin at 8:18 PM on December 29, 2007

You forgot about Mork.

From Ork.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:44 PM on December 29, 2007

*horks*
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:42 PM on December 29, 2007