a.the VB syntax and semantics is designed to attract less skilled programmers and, in combination with other factors examined above, this has created a culture that is populated with less skilled programmers.

I used to work in Microsoft C, Borland C, and C++...long before C# came around. C# is generally a bit simpler than C/C+. No need to work with pointers, as an example. So, "reductio ad absurdum", C# attracts less skilled programmers than C/C++, and has created a similar culture.