Spearhead,
No need to apologize. I can understand the need to defend oneself when sullied on a public forum; I've done it, myself, on a number of occasions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend of mine, Blue. He is the most masterful investor I've ever known (and I've known a lot of 'em; and I'm at an elite level, myself). We were hanging out in a bar after attending a perk investing seminar by Chris Manning. Blue was both amused and bemused at the widespread rancor he has generated from his options analysis, advice and choices--this, despite the fact that he was the only one around who stated every single investment decision he was going to make, in advance; and he had a remarkably successful record, consistent over several years, despite market turbulence.
So, with a couple of stiff drinks in him, he said, "The problem with being in the top 1 percent at anything is that the other 99 percent are always trying to bring you down." I understood perfectly. I'm at that kind of elite level as a photographer (which may sound full of myself to some of you; I think it's just a pragmatic fact--and I still recognize that there are many, such as David Muench, Mitsuaki Iwago, Tony Dummett, and Ian MacEachern, who are far better than me, better than I can even imagine becoming). I deal with an endless series of (self-censored to be polite) who launch baseless attacks on me, because of some mysterious way in which my works and my words, from my "high perch" threaten them.
I'll come right back in a few minutes and edit in an example, right here. [Added a few miuntes later] Here you go, this should show what I'm talking about:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1496483
I see it all the time. Look at what Jerry has to put up with, because he really does make a tougher knife than most others. Look at what Cliff has to put up with because he's the only one around who is serious and dedicated to thorough, quantitative and comparative knife reviews.
Later in the conversation Blue and I agreed that we'd still rather be where we were than lesser. We also agreed that there were a few select occasions where one had to vigorously defend oneself from harmful and baseless public attacks; but we also agreed that it was a fine line, that we wouldn't devote ourselves to swatting every gnat buzzing around us.
Unfortunately, it goes with the territory--but it is still the territory where I want to be.
Cheers,
--Mike
All this time you've been pulling the wool over our eyes?????
Anyone who lives in that COLD environment has to be full of something........or he'd FREEZE to death!!
Allright I give credit where credit is due, I live on the Hubs of He!!, it never gets really cold here
It just doesn't happen to be myself.
