>I have to disagree at least minimally. I take your point, and ordinarily, I'd agree. If one puts a job out to tender amongst those competent to know the worth of the work, then yes, the market is dictating the value of the work.
>
>On the other hand, if one preys on the desparate, the market, far from dictating value, is, in fact, being manipulated. Not the same thing at all.
>
>Alan
>


I'd agree with your statement that "if one preys on the desparate, the market, far from dictating value, is, in fact, being manipulated" when it applies to price fixing, government intervention, monopoly manipulation, and the like. But I don't believe that "desperate" includes cases where skills are not as in-demand as they folks might like them to be.

Or did I misunderstand your point?