I have gotten emails from SEO companies recently that ask me to delete listings for businesses that no longer employ those SEO companies. As long as the site is still active and meets our guidelines, I leave the listing in place. I consider the request to be petty, bordering on unethical.
I haven't shared any information from these emails with anyone yet but I'm tempted to write to the businesses that the SEO is trying to get unlisted and let them know what is going on. That way, if anyone asks about their experience using that SEO service, they can take this behavior into consideration. Maybe I should say "behaviour" since, if I recall correctly, all the ones that have requested this have been British.
Another problem that I've had lately is with site owners and (believe it or not) SEOs trying to buy backlinks and demanding a topic that is inappropriate for the site listing because they want the backlink to have a given PageRank. These requests are refused and frequently the listing will be deleted.
I usually ask them to reread our guidelines that they agreed to when submitting the site. I explain to them that we do not sell listings, that whether they join as editors or use Speed Pass, there is no guarantee the site will be accepted for listing and that the reviewing editor determines the best placement for the listing. Sites must meet a basic standard of "good" to be listed and any that do not meet our standards will be rejected.
Often during these email conversations the other person says that they have anywhere from one to "many" other sites that they will submit if I give them what they are asking for. The last one said, "But if you tell me I'm stuck on the (Appropriate Topic for the site) page and that's that, then I'll spend my money elsewhere."
I replied that he should do just that. He may be looking for directories link farms that are unethical but I prefer doing business with companies that don't think the way to do business is by trying to bully the other person. If someone sells you a link and promises a given PageRank, you are getting cheated. Whatever you think it's worth now, it won't be worth anything before long. If you are paying someone to do your site promotion that doesn't understand that, you are getting cheated.
Hot Air links to a MSNBC video of teabagging jokes. I understand the sexual reference but I must have led a sheltered life because I don't connect it with any real life activity, only a gaming one. And in gaming, you shoot the opponent (at close range) and then add an "in your face" (excuse the pun) domination.
So every time someone gets their giggles by calling Tea Party members teabaggers, I see it as them saying the Tea Partiers are superior in a way that humiliates their opponents.