In reply to Stuart S:
I have had the discussion with Dave before - top grades, especially new ones are assigned through a mixture of honest assessment and for publicity reasons, and sometimes ignorance.
It ain't one or the other. Claim otherwise and you are lying.
As spectators we have to realise that and look at the honest assessment - meaning the climbers experience, to comprehend if the climber is near the mark.
When that is done - the publicity kicks in, on here, on blogs, by outdoor companies and in the print media.
New grades become almost a brand.....they sell stuff....and increase the marketability of the climber. The best example recently being E11 - film, T-shirts, slide show tours, better sponsorship.
The Holy Grail for top climbers who want to make a living out of climbing is to become a Chris Sharma and also a Leo Houlding - Leo has gone beyond the climbing market of course.
This is in no way a criticism of any of the above, or anyone else, it is just how it works. The key is knowing how to make it work - the only path to that is through truth and honesty.
Mick