1. My interest, in general and in this case in particular is to try to understand how the web is affecting our society. I have heard quite a few things about how this situation has developed and I have taken a step by emailing a few questions to Sam to hear his perspective on this matter.

2. I find it very distasteful that someone who is terribly ill was used as a show piece to prove out a point. I hope that Sam includes an explanation for this in his response to me. Again, I still haven't heard from Mr. Sethi and I would be remiss to lose my objectivity until I do.

3. As I stated earlier, if any other blognation bloggers would like to ping me about this, you can reach me on Gtalk at sbspalding -[at]- gmail [dot] com. I would be more than willing to talk to you in depth.

4. I cannot offer any solutions to what seems like a terrible situation overall. I can offer a tiny bit of perspective and a focused platform to allow some of you who feel that your voices are not being heard to say your piece.

To Colin and Oliver, my mailbox is open to you. Feel free to make use of it if you have more to say.

This lying fool is so desperate to prove that he's not lying that he would use the name of my best friend who recently became deceased to protest his innocence. I hope the world sees this.

Not only has Sam lied now he has the audacity to use the name of a wonderful man, a man whom I believe suffered his heart attack in part due to Sam Sethi's failure to make good on the more than $20,000 he owed him, in his most grotesque effort yet to deny the truth.

This is beyond vile. This is beyond sick. This is pathological. This is a man that doesn't need venture capital; this is a man that needs medication. I have never in my life witnessed a lower, more despicable move than this one. Taking advantage of someone's tragedy for his own personal gain.

I hope that the whole community sees his comment because it exposes Sam Sethi for the worm that he is. Worse than that, actually. I don't know what to call him; I don't have the vocabulary for such ugliness as must exist in Sam Sethi to do something like make the comment above.

Let me ask a question; if I was sacked and what I said was untrue, then why, last week, did Sam Sethi write this to me?

Sam Sethi
12/7/07 4:08 AM
you were right and I should have responded and trusted your thoughts and feedback … I am sorry. That doesn't help fix things I know
Oliver Starr “stitch”
12/7/07 4:09 AM
pay marc and his family
12/7/07 4:09 AM

today
12/7/07 4:10 AM

post a public apology to the blognation editors and me personally everywhere you've commented previously
Sam Sethi
12/7/07 4:11 AM
I will pay marc and will continue to pay marc – he was in the budget and will remain part of the team. I discussed this with tris yesterday who is passing this to Sue. The money does not close till next week sometime. Ask Ewan or Tris they can give you an impartial update after speaking with the VC.

Sam Sethi
12/7/07 4:12 AM
As for an apology I will post later today. What you did may still cause the VC to pullout …

Like I said, why would he be apologizing to ME if he'd sacked me or if I was wrong or if I was lying?

Beyond this he is lying again, this time about Marc. It pains me to do this – it pains me to read through discussions I had with this man who I miss so much – but how would Sam explain this; Marc's own words:

Marc Orchant
11/12/07 5:56 AM
Saw your e-mail. I'm booked on Curl calls through 11:30 am but definitely want to talk as soon after that time as we can. It's clear, based on what you learned from Tristan, that you and I need to put together an ultimatum to Sam to settlle up with us or face the consequences. I'm prepared to blow the lid off of this with you if we decide that is what we need to do including going to Valleywag and others with the story of the deceit and mismanagement that's gone on and even putting up a blog to discuss our side of things from.
11/12/07 5:57 AM

He needs to know that there is no way we're going to just sit by idly while he abrogates the agreements he's made with both of us and that he will not survive this if he does not do right by us.
11/12/07 5:57 AM

At minimum, I want out-of-pocket expenses and and a percentage of back pay to quietly move along.

I don't think I need to say anything more. Marc's sentiments and the reasons that he had them are plain enough.

Sam is a fraud, Sam is a cheat, Sam is a liar. Sam is a person that would attempt to use the fact that someone has passed away as a tool for his own self-interest.

I don't know about anyone else but from my perspective short of pedophilia that is about as low as it is possible for a person to get.

Oliver Starr
RIP, Marc Orchant 1957 -2007

Sadly funding has taken longer but all the team bar two that were sacked are still involved and actively communicating with the VC to understand where we are in the process.

Ask yourself why Marc was still blogging on 1st Dec if he did not think this was working. I am far from pleased with how this has turned out but will see it through and respond at the right time on blognation.