I generally prefer Ken White’s description of Bill Schmalfeldt as a “demented freak,” but in a post that ran five years ago today, I admitted that Maybe McCain is Right to call him a “deranged cyberstalker.”

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Stacy McCain refers to Bill Schmalfeldt as a “deranged cyberstalker.” As near as I can tell, he certainly follows the posts and comments here at Hogewash! with a stalker-like fixation, and he certainly comes up with all sorts of wacko idea. The latest of those is that I’m stalking him. Oh, yes, and he has “proof.” You see, I joined the Society of Professional Journalists, and I happened to do it the same day he did, so that’s obvious proof that I’m stalking him. When he proudly announced his membership, I did a post “welcoming” him to the club of which I was, in fact, a member. That’s stalking, don’t you see. When he published a forged version of my membership information and I called him on it, that was stalking. And I lied—about what he never clearly says. And I’m a fraud.

From Schmalfeldt’s point of view, it’s just not possible that I might have joined the organization for my own purposes. I mean, why would someone who used to work in broadcast news and is transitioning from a career as a full-time engineer to working part-time as a blogger be interested in the support, tools, and contacts of an organization like the Society of Professional Journalists? How could that help with developing that sort of part-time business? No, the Cabin Boy thinks that the only reason I would join would be to stalk him.

Uh, huh.

Here’s a few additional points for the Gentle Reader to consider.

If we did join on the same day, how does the Cabin Boy know that he did so before I did?

I became aware of the Society of Professional Journalists through Schmalfeldt’s continual mention of its Code of Ethics in court filings. He keeps arguing that the peace order issued against him violates that Code as if it has the force of law. OTOH, the Code itself says,

The code is intended not as a set of “rules” but as a resource for ethical decision-making. It is not — nor can it be under the First Amendment — legally enforceable.

Until a few months ago, this blog was a hobby. Now, it is a business (Feel free to hit the tip jar, and please buy stuff from Amazon through this site.), and I will make whatever business connections I believe will help that business grow.

My life does not revolve around Bill Schmalfeldt. The only reason that I have anything to do with him these days is his harassment and deranged cyberstalking of me. Perhaps he should spend some time meditating on this portion of the SPJ Code of Ethics:

Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy.

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My life has changed since that post originally ran. I’ve gone back to work as an engineer and am blogging part-time. But the blog is still a business, and I run it like one. I don’t rely on free hosting. Hogewash! is a paid business account at wordpress dot com, and I pay for other services for support and site security. The Other Podcast is a paid account at Blog Talk Radio. If you like what I do, I’d be thankful if you’d hit the Tip Jar or spend some money via the Amazon or Hogewash Store links on the Home page.