It is almost always best to try to address problems with the people you are having a problem with.
Don't forget that to mail some millionaire that also happens to run a forum is something that people will simply perceive as intimidating. If there would be a documented route to 'message the admin' then I think these threads would vanish.
One thing I used to like about HN was how stuff like this just got genuine helpful responses and there was no worry about them existing.
I am guessing the number of people about here now means there are more of the threads, more make the front page and so forth (whereas before they were mostly the domain of the "new" page crowd)
Four links at the top, homepage will only take entries from hacking and startups, label your content wrong and you lose 50 karma points.
I do believe that you should be careful about asking stupid questions in public. But I don't think this was unexpected.
There are people here now who are here primarily for what passes for intelligent discussion these days -- myself among them. But, that doesn't quite match this site's original intended purpose, which was to become a point of community for potential YCombinator applicants.
So, if someone gets banned by mistake, or if there's some imbalance or some feature or tweak that HN maybe should have ... as long as it isn't negatively impacting YCombinator applications, then it really isn't worth a terrible amount of pg's time or attention.
It's an interesting situation - I don't blame PG or YC for their occasional failings. I expect they are surprised, and perhaps not in a 100% comfortable way, at the way the community, and expectations, have grown. Arguably HN is now too large to fulfil its purported function of screening YC applicants prior to interview.
That said, doesn't matter if you wanted the kid - once it's in your arms and screaming, a kid you have. I hope that PG is at least considering anointing some more moderators - "community selected" would be best - to take up the mantle when he doesn't have the time or inclination to take an in-depth interest in things. I certainly have some people in mind that I would gladly support being moderators, and I think they would gladly accept.
The HN story is quite fascinating, really. It's still the best we've got, seemingly completely by accident. Quite inspirational.