Oh dear, I am very, very sorry for having failed to offer a thoughtful or useful response to your comments. I apologize. In the nature of things, that is [polluted] water under the bridge, but I pledge to do a better job should you offer a comment in the future. As for dismissing you as a failed academic, I hope I have made it clear in my occasional blog posts that I am quite aware of how much luck there was in my happy and successful career. I just stumbled onto the academic scene at a time when there were plenty of jobs and plenty of publishing opportunities. I anguish for those of my students who cannot launch successful careers, despite doing fine work and deserving so much more.
Well, I bellyached, and I got my comeuppance. My apologies.
