My Final Post to HuffPo

Sent this today - not really optimistic.

Update: I got a reply from Mr. Shearer, and I'd like to thank him for the direct reply. He sent it to me so I will not quote it here. The gist of it was that what happens in comments of posts is of little interest to him, only what is happening in New Orleans. In fact this is his only interest in HuffPo at this time.

That's fine but I am very disappointed he did not offer to pass it on to any other member of "Eat the Press". Apparently they are not willing to eat themselves.

So I guess we'll have to eat them ourselves.

Here is what I sent:
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Mr. Shearer,

This is a personal apology to you, so please feel free not to post this comment. My post requesting an investigation into the Yako-Mink issue at HuffPo absolutely _was_ off-topic. But Mr. Shearer there was a reason for that - which I thought would have been obvious from the text of the request - I apologize if it was not. There is a reason why intelligent fully grown adults (they read your post so this is a reasonable assumption) who can clearly see that this issue is off-topic still insist on posting it. That reason is simple: desperation. You see Mr. Shearer, there is _nowhere_ where the issue is on-topic. It has become abundantly clear to myself, and a great many other intelligent fully grown adults that there is no open, uncesored discussion on this issue. HuffPo has closed the door on the discussion. There is no way to contact you directly either - there is no e-mail at your bio and I'm not going searching beyond HuffPo for direct contact information - I think that would be unethical. Also, please note, myself and a number of other have not been able to illicit any direct contact from HuffPo on this issue from the "Contact Us" link. You see, these links go directly through the ones we suspect of causing the problem in the first place - hence our desperation.

We thought that the people at "Eat the Press" would have been those most capable of noticing the symptoms of a cover up. If the words "we find it offensive that someone should demand an investigation" does not send up red flags within the community of journalists whose job it is to do un-cover ups, who then can take it seriously?

I thought I was respectful in my comment - I apologize if I was not. I even tried to inject humor into it and indicate (without appearing as a "rabid fan") that I am an admirer of your work. But you didn't think it worth a reply? Not even a single one-liner: "I have passed this on to the appropriate people, please don't post here about it again". You told us to "Take your fight somewhere else, on this site or beyond". Take our fight to save Huffington Post away from Huffington Post? To where?

Mr. Shearer, I am not interested in "Saving Dr. Rost" - he does not need saving from anyone. But I am intersted in "Saving Huffington Post's Principles". You see I was here from the very beginning of HuffPo. Hence my mistake in calling you the "head" of "Eat the Press". I guess like Sean Connery will always be Bond to many, you, to me have always been the true face of "Eat the Press".

HuffPo taught myself and a lot of others these principles: Take nothing at face value; don't fall for spin; learn to detect the signs of a cover up; suspect all those who refuse to quote facts but only quote mis-information and opinions. We learned that and we were proud to have learned it from HuffPo. Remember the George Clooney "snafu" (how I hate that word)? I was so proud when Arianna apologized and corrected herself on that issue. "Take that MSM!" I said. "That's how it's done. You see - it is possible to have ethics and stick to them, even if it means admitting you made a mistake!".

I was happy as pappy and I was learning how to detect when I'm being lied to. Then I read the very first post by Dr. Rost on this issue and my jaw dropped to the floor, for many reasons. One was that, as an IT professional at nearly 40 years old I was amazed at how technically savvy Dr. Rost was and the precision he used in his investigation. I was amazed at the words Mr. Yaco-Mink used in his comments to Dr. Rost - a 25 year old calling a highly-educated well respected professional and Doctor "insane". But the most amazing thing was the discovery that Mr. Yaco-Mink was the Tech. Manager at HuffPo. I could not believe that the Tech Manager at HuffPo, of all places, would be so assinine as to think it was appropriate in his capacity to make those comments, with or without disclosure (he never did disclose who he was).

I did not think it was possible, but my jaw dropped even further when I read what has been posted by HuffPo staff on the issue. I could not believe it - I still can't believe it. Dr. Rost says "I am not accusing anyone of anything, I could be totally wrong". Then three members of HuffPo staff, including Arianna herself said Dr. Rost "made accusations". I don't know the words in the English language to convey the fact that someone is _not_ making an accusation other than "I am not accusing anyone of anything". And this is just one of the, literally, dozens of inaccuracies I have seen from HuffPo on this issue. You see, I read HuffPo - so I _can_ read.

I read that Mr. Peretti said that Yaco-Minks actions (which were repeated many times) were a "minor faux pas". Mr. Shearer - if the Tech Manager at HuffPo called you "insane" and said your writing is akin to that of a child and did so without revealing that he was the one with the most control over what posts and comments actually get to you, would _you_ think that this was a "minor faux pas"?

What do you think the MSM will make of this? What about Keith Ob. or Bill O' R. or the others in MSM chomping at the bit to take down HuffPo? Do you think they'll portray this as a "minor faux pas"? Do you think they will have difficulty finding other Tech Managers to say what I have read many have already written: "this is a major ethical breach, if I had done that in my job, I would have been fired!". I have not read from one IT professional, other than those in HuffPo, the opinion: "I am a Tech Manager, and what Mr. Yaco-Mink did was A-OK, or at worst, a minor faux pas".

So you see Mr. Shearer, we are not a group of petulent children who's daddy got into trouble. We are a group of fully grown intelligent adults who see the possibility for one of our cherished institutions to go down in flames and we would prefer that it did not. Arianna _continously_ noted that Judith Miller's own paper were repeatedly scooped on news about what was going on in their own paper, particular when it came to Ms. Miller. I would have thought HuffPo would have looked to avoid that themselves.

I don't expect this to be posted. But if you wish to contact me directly - HuffPo will have my e-mail on file. I have tried to be as respectful as I can. One human being communicating openly, rationally and honestly with another. Please respond. Even if you tell me which lake to jump into, or whose vomit to choke on.

Mike