Addressing the Issues

Name-calling

Over on the Cultural Property Obfuscator blog, they are having their traditional hate-in. Daddy's Money Houghton (III) shows his lack of upbringing and calls me a "bloviating buffoon" because I read an article by Nathan Elkins and he stoops to tell the hoi polloi how to pronounce the word. Metal detecting Howland adds "Was it ever thus?" Sadly, the Sun newspaper from which he is probably quoting gets it wrong, the phrase is 'twas ever thus and is not a question.

Howland goes further to suggest that there is some mighty conspiracy going on and that I am being utilised by some behind-the-scenes manipulators, and that: 

When the inevitable going gets rougher and tougher, and it will, Barford will find [...] he's the sacrificial lamb to be offered up by his superiors.  I relish the prospect!

I suppose such fantasies help some to get through the day. Meanwhile the International Association of Professional Numismatists has paid nearly $300 000 to lobbyists to create a good image for the industry. Creating a good image is the last thing these participants in the IAPN lobbyists blog want to do.